April 30 - Robert Shaw (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for April 30th may be found here: Franz Lehár (2019), Sheldon Harnick (2020), Robert Shaw; Alfred Gaul (2021), Merrill Osmond (2022), and Franz Lehár (2023)

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Robert Shaw (30 April 1916 – 25 January 1999) was an American conductor, especially known for his work with choirs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Couplets on Robert Shaw

During his long career, Shaw drew attention to choral music and came to be considered the "dean" of American choral conductors. His work set new choral standards in the United States, and many of his recordings are considered benchmarks for choral singing. – excerpted from Wikipedia

Robert Shaw became the dean

Of directors on the choral scene.

Standards got a little higher

With Robert Shaw before the choir;

And even now we stand in awe

Of choirs trained by Robert Shaw.

 

 

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April 29 - Steve Norquist (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for April 29th may be found here: me (2019), me (2020), me (2021), me (2022), and me (2023)

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Steve Norquist (b. 29 April 1954) writes this blog.  He is a musicologist and pianist, and performs obscure, undeservedly forgotten, and just plain odd piano music at his YouTube channel Piano Curiosities with Steve Norquist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Trio of Limericks at Seventy

(1)

If they said that this blog was a chronicle

Of wisdom, informed and canonical,

They would say it in spite

Of the piffle I write,

Unless they were being ironical.

(2)

When the prudent have said to me, “Steve,

There is more that you ought to achieve

Than limericks or worse”

I say, "Quite the reverse

Is what I have come to believe."

(3)

And so it’s my birthday again,

(It’s the Biblical  three score and ten),

But I still waste the day

In a dubious way

Writing frivolous nonsense, Amen.

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Takes: Great Art Repurposed.] 

 

 

April 28 - Ann-Margaret; Blossom Dearie (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for April 28th may be found here: John Jacob Niles (2019), Michael Daugherty (2020), Blossom Dearie (2021), Ludvig Schytte (2022), and John Jacob Niles (2023)

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Ann-Margret (b. April 28, 1941) is a Swedish-American actress and singer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hexameters for A-M

She had a sexy, throaty singing voice, and RCA Victor attempted to capitalize on the "female Elvis" comparison by having her record a version of "Heartbreak Hotel” and other songs stylistically similar to Presley's. – Wikipedia, on her pre-Bye Bye Birdie singing career

One might have thought the chances of success were slim

When she was cast to play the wholesome role of Kim.

Since little present in her resume or bio

Suggests a teenage girl in middle-class Ohio.

 

♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ 

Blossom Dearie (April 28, 1924 – February 7, 2009) was an American jazz singer, pianist, and cabaret artist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pentameters for Blossom

Blossom Dearie’s an acquired taste,

She’s always had her critics who are caustic;

But her eccentric charm, when once embraced

Converts the most refractory agnostic.

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Takes: Great Art Repurposed.] 

 

 

 

 

 

April 27 - Guido Cantelli (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for April 27th may be found here: Friedrich von Flotow (2019), Nicolas Slonimsky (2020), Johann Adam Reincken (2021), Nicolas Slonimsky (2022), and Friedrich von Flotow (2023)

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Guido Cantelli (27 April 1920 – 24 November 1956) was an Italian orchestral conductor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Memento mori

He was named Musical Director of La Sacla, Milan in November 1956, but his promising career was cut short only one week later by his death at the age of 36 in the 1956 Paris DC-6 crash in France en route to the United States. – Wikipedia

Guido Cantelli was ranked with the great,

But it wasn’t a shield from the workings of Fate.

He was widely admired, his success international,

But the gods in their whims can be cruelly irrational.

He was known to the world, with  his career at its height,

When he purchased his seat for his last fatal flight;

Perhaps it was Destiny, perhaps preordained,

There are things in this world that are never explained.

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Takes: Great Art Repurposed.] 

 

April 26 - Wilma Lipp (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for April 26 may be found here: Conrad Susa (2019), Ma Rainey (2020), Mikhail Fokine; Ma Rainey (2021), Francis Lai; Adam Falckenhagen (2022), and Ma Rainey (2023)

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Wilma Lipp (26 April 1925 – 26 January 2019) was an internationally acclaimed Austrian operatic soprano and voice teacher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upper Lipp

She was particularly associated with the role of the Queen of the Night in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, a role she performed internationally more than 400 times. – Wikipedia

If the Queen of the Night is your goal,

You need to have total control;

And it's said Wilma Lipp

Had that accurate zip

Over four hundred times in the role.

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Takes: Great Art Repurposed.]