December 29 - Pablo Casals (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 29th are here: Pablo Casals (2019), (2020), Peggy Glanville-Hicks (2021), Peggy Glanville-Hicks (2022), Pablo Casals (2023), and Pablo Casals (2024)

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Pablo Casals (29 December 1876 – 22 October 1973) was a world-renowned cellist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Household Name

“I am a very simple man. I am a man first, an artist second. My first obligation is to the welfare of my fellow man. I will endeavour to meet this obligation through music." – Pablo Casals

Though violinists played the game

Of fanning fortune's lambent flame

While courting fanfare, fees, and fame,

A cellist seldom did the same.

Yet, never having made his aim

To dominate, or stake a claim

To status as a famous name,

A household name Casals became.

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December 29 - Pablo Casals (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 29th are here: Pablo Casals (2019), (2020), Peggy Glanville-Hicks (2021), Peggy Glanville-Hicks (2022), and Pablo Casals (2023)

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Pablo Casals (29 December 1876 – 22 October 1973) was a world-renowned cellist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High Strung

The acme of all cello feats

Is to master the Bach cello suites,

And Casals was supreme

As the cream of the cream,

The elitist of cello elites.

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Practical Considerations

When out on the stage on his own

Communing with Bach, in the zone,

He knew there would be

No accompanist fee, —-

An advantage of playing alone.

 

 

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February 19 - Luigi Boccherini (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 19th are here: Luigi Boccherini (2020), Adelina Patti (2021), Elfrida Andrée; Tobias Matthay (2022), and Elfrida Andrée; Luigi Boccherini (2023)

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Luigi Boccherini (19 February 1743 – 28 May 1805) was an Italian cello and extremely prolific composer, mostly for his instrument.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Voicing

Did Boccherini make quartets more mellow

By beefing up the part assigned to cello?

Or was it merely gauche and out of place

To give so much attention to the bass?

Either way, the feat was, on the whole a

Better thing than stressing the viola.

 

 

 

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January 9 - Joan Baez; Rudolf Hindemith (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for January 9th are here: Rudolf Bing; Joan Baez (2020), Reinhard Keiser (2020), John Knowles Paine (2022), and Betty Roché; John Knowles Paine (2023)

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Joan Baez (b. 9 January 1941) is an American singer and political activist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mini-Bio for Baez

Joan Baez

  Creates a buzz

By what she sings

  And what she does;

Throughout her career,

  With little pause,

She worked to cheer

  The left wing cause.

 

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

 

Rudolf Hindemith, since 1951 officially Paul Quest, pseudonym Hans Lofer (9 January 1900 – 7 October 1974) was a German cellist, composer and conductor. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Facts of Life and Death

Rudolf Hindemith knew he was obscured

By his famous older brother Paul,

But only this relationship ensured

That Rudolf had post mortem fame at all. 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

December 29 - Pablo Casals (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 29th are here: Pablo Casals (2019). 2020), Peggy Glanville-Hicks (2021), and Peggy Glanville-Hicks (2022)

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Pablo Casals (29 December 1876 – 22 October 1973) was a world-renowned cellist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Casals and His Gigs

In 1899, Casals played for  Queen Victoria, and in 1904, he was invited to play at the White House  for President Theodore Roosevelt.  He took part in a concert of chamber music in the White House in 1961 at the invitation of President John F. Kennedy. — heavily adapted from Wikipedia

He played for Queen Victoria,

And later in his story, a-

-ppeared for Teddy Roosevelt,

And then with that one in his belt

The decades flew until the day

He came to play for JFK.

 

 

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