February 2 - Leo Fall (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 2nd are here: Stan Getz (2020), Martina Arroyo (2021), Jussi Björling; Jascha Heifetz; Fritz Kreisler (2022), Elaine Stritch; Geoffrey O'Hara (2023), and Jascha Heifetz; Fritz Kreisler (2025)

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Leopold Fall (2 February 1873 – 16 September 1925) was an Austrian Kapellmeister and composer of operettas. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pride Goeth Before the…

While less successful than his contemporary Franz Lehár, Fall was nevertheless capable of producing melodious and well-orchestrated work. – Wikipedia

Though most of us do not recall

The melodies of Leo Fall,

His tuneful shows adorned the stage

In operetta's Silver Age.

Though Lehár's works, of course, survived

And Kálmán's, now and then, revived,

Of Leo Fall's it's said that they are

B-side Kalman or Franz Lehár.

 

 

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February 1 - Victor Herbert; George Beverly Shea (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 1st are here: Renata Tebaldi; Victor Herbert; George Beverly Shea (2020), James P. Johnson; Clara Butt (2021), James P. Johnson (2022), Harry Styles (2023), Hildegarde (2024), and Francesco Stradivari (2025)

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Victor Herbert (1 February 1859 – 26 May 1924) was a cellist and composer, best known for his highly successful operettas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To the Victor

Although consistently praised for his music, many of Herbert's operettas were criticized by theatre critics for their weak librettos and conventional lyrics. In the 1970s and 1980s, however, the operettas began to be revived more frequently, albeit often with heavily rewritten librettos. – adapted from Wikipedia

The Herbert operettas look

Alright, until you read the book.

Their dialogue and plots gives pause,

And when they are revived, these flaws,

(Acknowledged by the Herbert-smitten),

Will lead the script to be rewritten

To fix the holes (and there are lots)

In Herbert's operetta plots.

 

 

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George Beverly Shea (1 February 1909 – 16 April 2013) was a bass-baritone known for his long association with Billy Graham's crusades.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Time To Every Purpose

Back in the day,

George Beverly Shea

Interpreted Protestant hymns.

His music was made

On a gospel crusade,

And was not in the background at gyms.

 

 

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November 18 - William Schwenck Gilbert (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for November 18th are here: Carl Maria von Weber; Henry Bishop; Amelita Galli-Curci (2019), Ignacy Jan Paderewski (2020), Carl Maria von Weber; Johnny Mercer (2021), William Schwenck Gilbert (2022), Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch (2023), and Carl Maria von Weber; William Horsley (2024) A previous verse on Horsley appeared on November 15, 2022

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William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist,  poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. -- Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Silence Dread

While at lost for suitable rhyme,

He averred, "Mr. Sullivan, I'm

Done racking brains

For your Savoy refrains,

I'm writing next time for a mime!"

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Tennyson Anyone?

Though William Schenk Gilbert was witty,

There were erudite folks in the city,

Who complained that his banter

At an anapest canter

Was debased, infra dig, and a pity.

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PUNishment

"Surely there are puns and puns, and a good pun is no such bad thing."  – W.S. Gilbert in conversation with William Archer – gsarchive.net

Said an audience member, confounded

By the wordplay that Gilbert expounded,

"Though I'm told there is fun

In an unlikely pun,

On the whole they'd be better unsounded."

 

 

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May 13 - Arthur Sullivan (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 13th may be found here: Arthur Sullivan (2019), Stevie Wonder; Arthur Sullivan (2020), Bea Arthur; Arthur Sullivan (2021), Arthur Sullivan; Maxine Sullivan (2022), Arthur Sullivan (2023), and Arthur Sullivan (2024)

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Arthur Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was a respected composer in a Mendelssohnian vein, but he was also, of course, the musical half of Gilbert and Sullivan.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All's Well that Ends

There's a lenient burden of proof

in the plot of an opéra bouffe,

And even when written

For stodgy Great Britain

There's no need for logic or truth.

 

 

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