October 6 - Paul Badura-Skoda; Oscar Sonneck (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Paul Badura-Skoda (6 October 1927 – 25 September 2019) was an Austrian pianist. 

[For last year's verse on Karol Szymanowski and Jenny Lind click here.]

Just Rewards

Paul Badura-Skoda 

Was playing the coda

    Of his latest all-Mozart recital,

And thought he was owed a

Nice Scotch and soda

    For providing a service so vital.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

Oscar Sonneck (6 October 1873 – 30 October 1928) was an American music librarian, musicologist, and editor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the Books

The great Oscar Sonneck,

The music librarian,

By training Teutonic,

When German was very in,

Came back to the States

With a scholar’s ambitions

To examine the traits 

Of our country’s musicians.

He studied with towering

And learned success,

The musical flowering

Of the early U.S.

He also is credited

For keeping things orderly

When he founded and edited

The Musical Quarterly.

 

 

 

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October 1 - Julie Andrews (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Julie Andrews (b. 1 October 1935) is an English actress, singer and author.

[For last year's verse on Henry Clay Work, Paul Dukas, and Vladimir Horowitz click here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plot Synopses: A Career

Eliza, a pitiful flower girl

Becomes a society powergirl.

Guinevere put down her psaltery

And engaged in some adultery.

When the mood in the house was uncanny

Mary Poppins was there as the nanny.

When Maria made clothes from that curtain,

Her lower class taste was uncertain.

In Victor/Victoria, is it credible

That either persona is beddable?

 

 

 

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September 20 - Ildebrando Pizzetti (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Ildebrando Pizzetti (20 September 1880 – 13 February 1968) was an Italian composer, musicologist, and music critic. I know of no basis in fact for the (plausible) rivalry fantasized about below.

[For last year's elegy in limericks for William Kapell click here.] 

He

Ildebrando Pizzetti,

   Prolific and weighty,

Was minor, and yet he

   Hoped to be great. He

Worked and he worried,

   On the verge of fatigue. He

Tried to ensure he'd

   Rank with Respighi.

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

 

 

September 19 - Karen Khachaturian (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Karen Khachaturian (19 September 1920 – 19 July 2011) was a Soviet and Russian composer of Armenian ethnicity and the nephew of composer  Aram Khachaturian.

[For last year's, perhaps unlikely, tributes to Cass Elliot and Rex Smith click here.] 

Don’t Be a Karen

Karen Khachaturian,

  A name with family splendor,

Caused confusion in the West

  At least in terms of gender.

It seems that in Armenia

  When you become a dad

“Karen” is a common name

  To give a little lad.

Perhaps this is a case in point

  Of why we’re taught today

To drop the “him” and “her” and use

  The neutral pronoun "they.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

September 17 - Saverio Mercadante (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Saverio Mercadante (bapt. 17 September 1795 – 17 December 1870) was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. 

[For last year's sad tribute to Hank Williams click here.]

Preparing the Way

Mercadante had success

With the public and the press.

And the critics have declared he

Set the founding stones for Verdi.

Yet, in spite of all that he did.

Sadly, he was superceded.

 

 

 

 

 

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September 14 - Luigi Cherubini (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Luigi Cherubini (8 or 14 September 1760 – 15 March 1842) was an important composer in post-revolutionary France.

[For last year's effort on Michael Haydn click here.]

 

So Near, and Yet...

Cherubini, almost great,

Greatest of the second rate,

From his very first appearance

Never lacked for his adherents;

Beethoven himself admired him,

As for Bonaparte, he hired him!

Held prestigious high positions,

Got the very best commissions;

Directed, although old and hoary,

France’s great Conservatory.

Envoi 

Still, in spite of fame and fans,

One of music’s also-rans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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