March 1 - Frédéric Chopin (The Musical Birthday Series)

Frédéric Chopin (1 March 1810 – 17 October 1849) remains one of the most popular of nineteenth century composers.

When Chopin was courting George Sand,
He caressed her authorial hand,
And composed a new work, a
Charming mazurka,
As played by a Polish town band. 







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Note: Click here for last year's March 1 post honoring Dimitri Mitropoulos


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January 25 - Antônio Carlos Jobim (The Musical Birthday Series)

Antônio Carlos Jobim (25 January 1927 – 8 December 1994) was the best-known exponent of bossa nova.

 

  

Carnaval do Brasil

Antônio Carlos Jobim

Is held in exalted esteem;

It’s said that Jehovah

Enjoys bossa nova, 

And His samba is out of a dream!

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January 14 - Franchinus Gaffurius (The Musical Birthday Series)

Franchinus Gaffurius (14 January 1451 – 25 June 1522) was an important Italian music theorist and composer.


In Which Two Limericks Attempt to Rhyme on Gaffurius

Prima pars

If ever you find yourself curious

To study the tracts of Gaffurius,

You’ll find that his theory

Remains dull and dreary,

In editions exact and luxurious.

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Secunda pars

Perhaps, in the Works of Gaffurius,

A mass or motet might be spurious,

But if this is so,

He surely won’t know,

And therefore it’s hardly injurious.

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December 23 - Chet Baker (The Musical Birthday Series)

Chet Baker (23 December 1929 – 13 May 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and singer.

But Not for Me

In the world of jazz and its nightlife

It’s easy to stray from polite life.

Perhaps if Chet Baker

Had lived as a Quaker

His life would have been an upright life.

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Alone Together

Chet Baker played trumpet and sang,

He didn’t harass or harangue,

Didn’t belt, didn’t bellow,

But moody and mellow,

Expressed  his own personal pang.

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December 3 - Anton Webern (The Musical Birthday Series)

Anton Webern (3 December 1883 – 15 September 1945) was one of the most important composers of the 20th century.

Should Old Acquaintance be Forgot?

When Webern adopted the row

He abandoned the old status quo.

Then, tritones and sevenths,

And ninths and elevenths,

Replaced the old “do mi sol do”.

Foursome

A twelve tone composer’s immersion 

In Prime, Retrograde, and Inversion,

Can reach a new high

By adding RI

In a kind of Revised Standard Version.

Ready, Set

You don’t need my verse to report

That Webern liked keeping things short.

But in spite of their length

We’re assured of their strength

In the writings of Prof Allen Forte.

Performance Practice

Webern's great Variationen
Should never be played like a phone in.
The delicate heaven
Of Op. 27
Comes alive with ideas of your own in.

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