July 31 - Ignacio Cervantes (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 31st are here: Jacob Handl (Gallus) (2019), George Liberace (2020), Paul J. Christiansen (2021), Ignacio Cervantes (2022), and Randall Davidson; Robert Planquette (2023)

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Ignacio Cervantes (31 July 1847 – 29 April 1905) was a Cuban pianist and composer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pedagogical Advise

The piano music of Cervantes is

A fixture of the piano teaching biz,

But though they have élan uniquely his

I wouldn’t tell your students that he’s rizz.

Envoi

His dances have their own exotic tang,

That won't be helped by soon-outdated slang.

 

 

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July 30 - Gerald Moore (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 30th are here: Gerald Moore (2019), Nannerl Mozart (2020), Paul Anka (2021), John Duke (2022), and Gerald Moore (2023)

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Gerald Moore (30 July 1899 – 13 March 1987) was one of the first accompanists to become famous in his own right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take a Breather

Moore accompanied virtually every eminent solo singer and instrumentalist in recitals and raised the art of accompanying at the piano from servility to the highest prestige. – William Mann, in Grove Music Online, qtd. In Wikipedia

I’ve written in this blog before

About the pianist Gerald Moore, 

Who had no middling second stringers

Among his group of Lieder singers.

Gerald Moore was omnipresent,

Which sounds as if it would be pleasant

For anyone who makes their living

In a field so unforgiving.

It’s splendid when you’re in demand,

But ponder, on the other hand,

That having time to be inactive

Is also something most attractive.

 

 

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

 

 

July 29 - Jim Marshall (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 29th are here: Peter Schreier (2019), Sigmund Romberg (2020), Mikis Theodorakis (2021), and Sigmund Romberg (2022)

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Jim Marshall (29 July 1923 – 5 April 2012) known as "The Father of Loud" or "The Lord of Loud," was an English businessman and pioneer of guitar amplification.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marshall Plan

The "Marshall stack", a wall of black, vinyl-clad amp cabinets, one atop the other, was seen as the physical embodiment of rock's power, majesty and excess. Soon after he started production, musicians including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Page were using his equipment.– adapted from Wikipedia

Jim Marshall, called the “Lord of Loud,”

Developed products which he vowed

When heard by an arena crowd,

Would leave attendees deaf, (but wowed).

“Get rid of other bric-a-brac,

Don’t ever try a homemade hack,

Instead your roadies should unpack

The amps that make a Marshall stack!”

 

 

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

 

July 28 - Peter Duchin (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 28th are here: Rudy Vallée (2019), Ignaz Bösendorfer (2020), Carmen Dragon (2021), Rudy Vallée (2022), and Riccardo Muti (2023)

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Peter Duchin (b. 28 July 1937) is an American pianist and band leader who specialize in the "easy Listening" genre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And; or, The Peter Duchin Story

Duchin's music was much heard on middle of the road radio in the late 1960s and early 1970s from albums and singles released on the Decca, Bell and Capitol labels. – Wikipedia

Peter Duchin, with his busy band,

Found a style so anodyne and bland,

That though he might be criticism of panned,

There never was a danger that his brand,

Would ever be anathemized of banned;

And easy listening radio when it spanned

From East to West across our spacious land

Was sure to have some Duchin discs at hand.

 

 

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

 

July 27 - Georges Onslow (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 27th are here: Enrique Granados (2019), Bobbie Gentry (2020), Vladimir de Pachmann (2021), Mauro Giuliani (2022), and Enrique Granados (2023)

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Georges Onslow (27 July 1784 – 3 October 1853) was a French composer of English descent.  Onslow was esteemed by critics of his time, but his reputation declined swiftly after his death. It has only been revived in recent years. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Missed Opportunity

In 1834, Chopin and Liszt played Onslow's Grand Sonata for four hands Op. 22 at their debut joint performance in Paris. – Wikipedia

The originality - particularly the harmonic diversions and unexpected modulations, the fresh ideas, and the clever, often contrapuntal distribution of parts - is apparent on every page [of Onslow’s duet sonata, Op. 22]. - Newman, The Sonata since Beethoven, 477

Georges Onslow’s sonata for piano duet,

  In performance by Chopin and Liszt,

Was an evening of piano one wouldn’t forget,

  An evening it’s sad to have missed.

But what of the piece that these musical titans

   Performed on that magical night?

Well, Newman opines (and he often enlightens)

   That it’s quite a surprising delight.

 

 

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