November 28 - František Drdla (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for November 28th are here: Jean-Baptiste Lully (2019), Anton Rubinstein (2020), Paul Shaffer; Ferdinand Ries (2021), Jean-Baptiste Lully (2022), Anton Rubinstein (2023), and Anton Rubinstein (2024)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

František Drdla (28 November 1868 – 3 September 1944) was a Czech concert violinist and composer of  light music. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Thoughts on the Name "Drdla"

(1)

When orthographic oddities abound,

It's hard to guess how monikers might sound.

(2)

A name like this, a consonantal wreck,

Is something that you live with, --- when you're Czech.

(3)

When consonants are laid on with a trowel,

An English speaker wants "to buy a vowel."

 

 

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

 

 

November 16 - Rodolphe Kreutzer; Paul Hindemith (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for November 16th are here: Paul Hindemith (2019), (2020), (2021), (2022), (2023), and (2024)

++++++++++++++++++++

Rodolphe Kreutzer (15 November 1766 – 6 January 1831) was a French violinist,  teacher, conductor, and composer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learning to Play the Kreutzer Way

 

Kreutzer's 42 études have remained a core part of the teaching repertoire since their publication, and are today perhaps the most common set of studies for intermediate and advanced students of the violin.  -- Wikipedia, s.v. "42 études ou caprices"

Though they're great pedagogical pieces,

It is true of the Kreutzer caprices,

That it's best if you stay

In a place far away

When they're played by your nephews and nieces.

 

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

 

Paul Hindemith (16 November 1895 – 28 December 1963) was one of the most important composers of the last century.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Form and Function

Academics and critics abound

Who disparage the Hindemith sound,

But whatever they say,

He survives to this day,

Where music auditions are found.

 

 

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

 

 

February 8 - Irvine Arditti (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 8th are here: John Williams (2020), Joe Raposo (2021), Elly Ameling; André Grétry (2022), John Williams (2023), and

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Irvine Arditti (b. 8 February 1953) is a British violinist, as well as the leader and founder of the Arditti Quartet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Out of Commission?

 

The Arditti Quartet concentrates on works from the last fifty years, along with very new music, mostly repertoire specially written for the ensemble to premiere.  They do not work with composers from fields such as jazz, pop or crossover.  - adapted from Wikipedia, s.v. “Arditti Quartet”

 

Did ever the Arditti Quartet

Begin to rehearse with regret

That the piece wasn't worth all the sweat?

 

To commission a work is a bet,

A kind of artistic roulette,

And you get what you get what you get.

 

 

 

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

 

 

February 5 - Ole Bull (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 5th are here: Ole Bull (2020), Barrett Strong; Christian Gottlob Neefe (2021), Grażyna Bacewicz (2022), Ole Bull (2023), and Christian Gottlob Neefe (2024)

++++++++++++++++++

 

Ole Bull (5 February 1810 – 17 August 1880) was a internationally renowned Norwegian violinist. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bully Pulpit

When internationally-acclaimed Norwegian violinist Ole Bull came to Madison in January 1868, tickets for his concert were going for ten dollars apiece, five times what most men could hope to earn in a day. Bull was used to that kind of hoopla. –adapted from Norman Gilliland, wisconsinlife.org

Ole Bull was legendary

  In the young United States,

Taking tours across the prairie

  Playing sold out concert dates.

Ole Bull, the veteran showman

  Brought some sweetness to the lives

Of prairie-dwelling Yankee yeomen,

  And their exhausted prairie wives.

 

 

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

 

 

February 2 - Jascha Heifetz; Fritz Kreisler (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th 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 (2 February [20 January O.S.] 1901 – 10 December 1987) was a great Russian-American violinist.

Fritz Kreisler (2 February 1875 – 29 January 1962) was a great Austrian-born American violinist and composer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stringing Along

I checked the date today and saw that it’s

   The birthday of a pair of fiddling titans:

Of Heifetz (Jasha), also Kreisler (Fritz).

   This is the sort of trivia that brightens

The day one of who daily wracks his wits

   While hoping he amuses and enlightens.

 

 

 

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