April 27 - Nicolas Slonimsky (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th 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), Friedrich von Flotow (2023), and Guido Cantelli (2025)

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Nicolas Slonimsky (April 27 [O.S. April 15] 1894 – December 25, 1995) was a Russian-born American conductor, author, pianist, composer and lexicographer.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Thoughts on Slonimsky's Lexicon of Musical Invective

In 1953, Slonimsky brought out the Lexicon of Musical Invective ("Critical Assaults on Composers since Beethoven's Time"), a collection of hilariously scathing, insulting, vituperative, and enraged contemporary critiques of musical greats in their time.  – Wikipedia

 

(1)

Though the sway of the critical throng

Is sometimes alarmingly strong,

Slonimsky found laughs

In the marvelous gaffes,

When reviewers were charmingly wrong.

(2)

Consider the fate that was faced

By a critic reviewing in haste, —

When their judgement was sloppy

In the deadline for copy,

They were mocked in his book and disgraced.

 

 

 

 

 

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