July 25 - Agostino Steffani (The Musical Birthday, 3rd Annual Cycle)

A previous post for July 25th is here: Yvonne Printemps (2020)

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Agostino Steffani (25 July 1654 – 12 February 1728) was an Italian ecclesiastic, diplomat, and composer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Multi-tasking

Steffani was sent on this mission in 1696, with the title of envoy extraordinary, after which Pope Innocent XI,  in recognition of certain privileges he had secured for the Hanoverian Catholics, consecrated him bishop of Spiga in Turkey. -- adapted from Wikipedia

Agostino Steffani, ordained as a priest,

Was not by this circumstance cramped in the least.

The operas he wrote have survived with the best,

But the height of his career (as you might not have guessed),

Was to act as an envoy in Catholic causes,

Which brought more prestige than mere earthly applauses.

 

 

 

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July 24 - Kristin Chenowith (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 24th are here: Peter Serkin (2019) and Adolphe Adam (2020)

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Kristin Chenoweth (24 July 1968) is an American actress and singer who is much-admired on Broadway, in film, and on television. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Something for Everyone

Kristin Chenowith who’s terribly perky,

Comes off on talk shows as terribly quirky,

Still she’s got talent, charisma, and range

Which cancels out foibles no matter how strange.

Kristin Chenowith sings all the high notes,

Then sings a ballad with not-a-dry-eye notes.

She can belt out a ballad, audacious and brassy,

Then switch to a style all proper and classy.

Though I think, all in all, that she should have made choices,

And settled on one of her various voices.

 

 

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

 

 

July 23 - Franz Berwald (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 23rd are here: Leon Fleisher (2019) and Francesco Cilea (2020)

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Franz Berwald (23 July 1796 – 3 April 1868) was a Swedish composer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making Ends Meet

 

To make a living, Berwald started an orthopedic and physiotherapy clinic in Berlin in 1835, which turned out to be profitable. -- Wikipedia

Most of what Franz Berwald wrote

Wasn’t heard until he died

And so he kept himself afloat

With orthopedics on the side.

Does this story sound too common?

Is this how the game is played?

Young composer eating ramen

‘Til they find another trade?

 

 

 

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July 22 - Franz Xaver Süssmayr; Alan Menken (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for July 22nd are here: Bobby Sherman (2019) and Luigi Arditi (2020)

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Alan Menken (b. 22 July 1949) is an American composer, songwriter, conductor, music director, and record producer. He is best known for decades of Disney musicals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Animated Complaint

Alan Menken, can you hear me?

I’ve consider it, and, dear me,

You and all that Disney crew

Have some penance still to do.

Can you right the awful wrongs

Of penning all those Princess songs.

All our children under ten

Know those ditties from your pen;

They listen once, then twice, and then,

Again, and then again, again.

Let me phrase this thing in clear terms,

Stop, please stop, those catchy earworms.

 

 

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

Franz Xaver Süssmayr (1766 – September 17, 1803) was an Austrian composer and conductor, remembered largely for his completion of the Mozart Requiem.  NB. In fact, we do not know when he was born, but the site I use (mistakenly) lists him today, and he has to be celebrated sometime, so I went with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or So the Story Goes…

 

"The widely repeated claim that, on his deathbed, Mozart dictated passages of the Requiem to his pupil Süssmayr is strongly discounted by Solomon, who notes that the earliest reference for this claim dates to 1856. However, Süssmayr's handwriting is in the original manuscript of the Requiem and Sophie Weber did claim to recall that Mozart gave instructions to Süssmayr. - Wikipedia, s.v. "Death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart"

When Mozart, in agony, died,

Herr Süssmayr sat by his side,

And took down some notes

From that greatest of thoats…

Unless, of course, Süssmayr lied.

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