March 23 - Dave Frishberg; Anthony van Hoboken (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for March 23rd may be found here: Julius Reubke (2019), Arthur Farwell (2020), Anthony van Hoboken (2021), Dave Frishberg; Dane Rudhyar (2022), Ludwig Minkus (2023), and Dave Frishberg; Eugène Gigout (2024)

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David Frishberg (23 March 1933 – 17 November 2021) was an American jazz pianist, vocalist, composer, and lyricist.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lessons Unlearned

The lessons in "I'm Just a Bill"

Have been lost up on Capitol Hill,

Where the Senate and House

Barely grumble or grouse,

As they cave to the Executive's will.

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Anthony van Hoboken (23 March 1887 – 1 November 1983) was a Dutch musical collector, bibliographer, and musicologist best known for his catalogue of the works of Haydn. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hob-nobbing

One of Hoboken's tedious chores

Was to ransack the archival stores

Of a palace or church

In a shelf-by-shelf search

For Haydn's lost manuscript sources.

And when they turned up he assigned them

A number so scholars could find them,

So that year after year

When his pieces appear

They have Hoboken numbers behind them.

 

 

 

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November 21 - Malcolm Williamson (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Malcolm Williamson (21 November 1931 – 2 March 2003) was an Australian composer. He was the Master of the Queen’s Music from 1975 until his death. 

[For last year’s variety pack of short items on Ernest Charles; Coleman Hawkins; Björk; Sigfrid Karg-Elert click here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bucking Buckingham

However, controversy attended his tenure, notably his failure to complete the intended "Jubilee Symphony" for the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977. He became less prolific in "Royal" works during the last twenty years or so of his life… --- Wikipedia

Williamson was none too keen

As Music Master to the Queen,

It’s an honor to be named,

But who can say he can be blamed -

Who in modern England toils

To satisfy the whims of Royals?

 

 

 

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September 25 - Dmitri Shostakovich (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Dmitri Shostakovich (25 September [O.S. 12 September] 1906 – 9 August 1975) was a Soviet-Russian composer and pianist.

[For last year's limericks on Jean-Philippe Rameau and Glenn Gould click here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dilemma

With Shostakovich we don’t know

What is it we’re getting.

Do we hear the muses’ glow,

Or governmental vetting?

Is the music what it seems,

Or are there hidden meanings?

Does it favor Red regimes,

Or are there Western leanings?

Is it for the Bolsheviks,

Or is it just discursive?

Is it free from politics,

Or secretly subversive?

Even with his Memoirs, we

Are far from a consensus,

For the author seems to be

A fake amanuensis.

Critical opinion, too,

Is drastically divided.

There are not too many who

Will listen undecided.

Should his music have a place

On every season’s roster,

Or was his just a vulgar case -

A popular imposter?

I won’t have the final say

(It’s very complicated),

And yet, it is his natal day

No matter how he’s rated.

 

 

 

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July 9 - Richard Hageman (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Richard Hageman (9 July 1881 – 6 March 1966) was a Dutch-born American conductor, pianist, composer, and actor, now remembered for one or two concert songs.

[For last year's nonsense on Respighi click here.]

Or Not

That Hagemann, composer of

The famous “Do not go, my love”

Is now remembered for one song,

Might be unfair, or even wrong,

But some would say it is amiss

That he is known for even this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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June 5 - Kenny G (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Kenny G (b. 5 June 1956) is an American pop saxophonist.
[For last year's verse on Daniel Pinkham click here.]

But Not for Me

Though folks may dote on Kenny G

He’s never been my cup of tea.

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Long Time Passing

"Kenny G earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records  in 1997 for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone. Using circular breathing, Kenny G held an E-flat for 45 minutes and 47 seconds at J&R Music World in New York City."  -- Wikipedia

History, it seems, was made

When his lengthy note was played.

Dogs and cats were seen to cower

For three quarters of an hour

As this almost endless tone

Exuded from his saxophone;

But the Guinness book should note it

He thought it through and then re-wrote it,

He tried again, this time he played

The whole damn thing in retrograde.

(If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.

 [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Tales: Great Art Repurposed.]