April 9 - Johann Caspar Kerll; Seaborn McDaniel Denson (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for April 9th may be found here: Giuseppe Tartini (2019), Julian Lennon; Peggy Lennon (2020), Florence Price; Paul Robeson; Lil Nas X (2021), Paolo Tosti (2022), Paolo Tosti (2023), and Florence Price (2024)

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Johann Caspar Kerll (9 April 1627 – 13 February 1693) was a German composer and organist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hair Story

 

Handel frequently borrowed themes and fragments of music from Kerll's works, and Bach arranged the Sanctus movement from Kerll's Missa superba as BWV 241, Sanctus in D major.  -- Wikipedia 

Johann Casper Kerll, whose wig

Was very, very, very big,

Was famous in his time and place,

And then became a model case

Of posthumous descent from grace,

And left behind the merest trace.

We know his work was up to snuff

Since Bach and Handel used his stuff.

The situation seems unfair

To Johann Kasper and his hair.

♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ 

Seaborn McDaniel Denson (9 April 1854 – 18 April 936) was an American musician and singing school teacher within the Sacred Harp tradition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Added Material

 

S. M. Denson wrote most of the alto lines that were added to the 1911 Original Sacred Harp. -- Wikipedia 

Seaborn McDaniel Denson had

A most ambitious plan to add

New alto parts to sharp note songs

For use in shape note singalongs.

When changing three parts into four,

Did Denson find the chore a bore?

Or did it keep old Seaborn sharp

To fiddle with The Sacred Harp?

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December 12 - Adolf Schulz-Evler (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 12th are found here: Frank Sinatra; Connie Francis; Adolf Schulz-Evler (2019), Dionne Warwick (2020), Frank Sinatra; Sammy Davis Sr. (2021), Frank Sinatra (2022), and Frank Sinatra (2023)

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Adolf Schulz-Evler (12 December 1852 – 15 May 1905) was a Polish-born composer and pianist, today remembered for his often-played Arabesques on "An der schönen blauen Donau".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arabeque on Schulz-Evler's Arabesques on "On the Beautiful Blue Danube"

Today I thought I’d share a phrase

About Schulz-Evler’s paraphrase;

Or alternately share a laugh

And write a funny paragraph.

Instead I wrote in triple rhyme

To celebrate it’s triple-time,

Because you know this blogger’ll

Content himself with doggerel.

 

 

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

 

 

November 17 - Hershy Kay (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for November 17th are here: Charles Mackerras; Hershy Kay (2019), Gordon Lightfoot; August Wilhelm Ambros (2020), Alberich Zwyssig (2021), Michele Carafa (2022), and Michele Carafa (2023)

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Hershy Kay (17 November 1919 – 2 December 1981) was an important arranger and orchestrator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scoring Points

Later collaborations with Bernstein [after On the Town] include Peter Pan and Candide. Other collaborators were Marc Blitzstein, Harvey Schmidt, Cy Coleman and Andrew Lloyd Weber. -- www.kennedy-center.org

Note the date and shout "Hooray!"

Commemorating Hershy Kay,

Who has a claim to fame and it’s

He orchestrated Broadway hits.

He’d take a basic piano score

And make it into so much more;

It scarcely can be overstated

How much the shows he co-created

Gained from his instinctive knack

For taking piano white and black

And giving it the kind of glitz

Expected from those playhouse pits.

 

 

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

 

September 7 - Waldo de los Rios (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for September 7th are here: Buddy Holly; Gloria Gaynor (2019), François-André Danican Philidor; Arthur Ferrante (2020), Heinrich Stölzel; Madeleine Dring (2021), Michael Feinstein (2022), and Leonard Rosenman (2023)

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Waldo de los Rios (7 September 1934 – 28 March 1977) was an Argentine composer, conductor and arranger. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s Waldo!

He is best remembered for his ability to transform European classical music into pop music. – Wikipedia 

Waldo de los Rios made his hits,

   By giving classic themes a pop facade.

It gave the highbrow music fans the fits, —

   In any case it certainly was odd.

Crowds will dance to “Ode to Joy” with drum tracks,

   But that’s no token that you’ve made improvements,

Stepping on a LEGO or some thumb tacks

   Will also cause enthusiastic movements. 

 

 

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