September 6 - Manfred Gurlitt; Sylvester (The Musical Birthday Series)

Manfred Gurlitt (6 September 1890 – 29 April 1972) was a German opera composer and conductor. One of his operas was quite successful and is discussed below. 

Ein guter Mensch

When Manfred Gurlitt cast around 

For a plot to make his name,

Wozzeck was the play he found —

Yes, THAT Wozzeck, yes the same.

Though his work had some success,

Recorded in the opera annals,

Little did Herr Gurlitt guess

Fame would take such different channels.

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Sylvester (6 September 1947 – 16 December 1988) was a singer-song writer with several major disco hits.

Nocturne

If you danced the disco beat, 

Lighted floor beneath your feet,

If you  boogied thru the nights

Underneath the mirrored lights,

If the Disco Heat was real

(Mighty Real) and made you feel

That you’d really wanna funk,

(Yes, you were a little drunk),

If all this is true of you,

Then you felt the feeling too -

Maybe your libido hurt,

In your frilled tuxedo shirt,

As Sylvester’s music drowned you

In the spinning night around you.

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September 5 - John Cage; Giacomo Meyerbeer (The Musical Birthday Series)

John Cage (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was one of the leading composers of the mid-twentieth century avant-garde in music.

Caged

An irascible fellow named Cage

Appeared on the Carnegie stage

With the book of I Ching,

Some dice and some string, 

And a few random notes on a page.

Giacomo Meyerbeer (5 September 1791 – 2 May 1864) was perhaps the most successful opera composer of the nineteenth century.  Even today he has admirers and occasional revivals.

A double dactyl is a biographically inspired humorous poem with very strict structural rules.  Here are links to two definitions for those who are curious.  The first from the Poetry Foundation is clearer but less accurate than the second, from Wikipedia.  Take your pick.  The classic statement is the book Jiggery-Pokery:  A Compendium of Double Dactyls by Anthony Hecht and John Hollander (New York, 1967).
 

Double Dactyl for G. M.: Life is Grand

Higgledy piggledy

Giacomo Meyerbeer,

Writing his operas,

Made them so grand

That they had symptoms of

Elephantiasis - 

Much too much drama for

Music so bland.

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September 4 - Anton Bruckner (The Musical Birthday Series)

Anton Bruckner (4 September 1824 – 11 October 1896) was one of the great late nineteenth century symphonists.

Take the Long Way Home

When Bruckner was thinking symphonically

He was long, he was slow, and harmonically 

His thoughts could devour

Three fourths of an hour

Before he resolved it all tonically.

When Anton Met Richard

Anton Bruckner got the vapors 

When he met the Bayreuth Master.

Luckily, it missed the papers,

Or it could have been disaster.

But though reporters missed a bet

By absence from the tête-à-tête,

The chat was caught in silhouette,

And so we can enjoy it yet.

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September 3 - Dorothy Maynor; Thurston Dart (The Musical Birthday Series)

Dorothy Maynor (3 September 1910 – 9 February 1996) was an American soprano, concert singer, arts administrator.

The Maynor Attraction

Dorothy Maynor, pioneer,

Had a most distinguished career.

Then she built a school for arts

In New York City’s poorer parts.

And for this work received degrees

From several universities.

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Thurston Dart  (3 September 1921 – 6 March 1971), was an English musicologist, conductor, and keyboard player. 

Fortune's Dart

Harpsichordist Thurston Dart

Was a most important part

  Of the Early Music Revival.

And his long productive career

Of records pressed by Oiseaux Lyre

  Ensure’s his work's survival

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September 2 - Georg Böhm (The Musical Birthday Series)

Georg Böhm (2 September 1661 – 18 May 1733) was an important German organist and composer. 

Ta-ra-ra-Böhm-de-ay

When Bach was learning how to complete a

Really impressive chorale partita

    He imitated Georg Böhm.

The record is silent on the Böhm’s emotion, 

Or whether this musical sign of devotion 

     Intimidated Georg Böhm.



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September 1 - Engelbert Humperdinck (The Musical Birthday Series)

Engelbert Humperdinck (1 September 1854 – 27 September 1921) was a German composer, chiefly of operas.

A double dactyl is a biographically inspired humorous poem with very strict structural rules.  Here are links to two definitions for those who are curious.  The first from the Poetry Foundation is clearer but less accurate than the second, from Wikipedia.  Take your pick.  The classic statement is the book Jiggery-Pokery:  A Compendium of Double Dactyls by Anthony Hecht and John Hollander (New York, 1967).



Two Double Dactyls for E.H. : Contrary Opinions

Bayreuthlein

Higgledy-piggledy 

Engelbert Humperdinck’s

Pseudo-Wagnerian

Music tonight?

Built upon fairy tale

Paraphernalia, 

Hänsel und Gretel is 

Leitmotif Lite.

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PG13

Higgledy-piggledy,

Engelbert Humperdinck’s

Hänsel is treated as

Family fluff.

Witches and murder and

Paranormality,

Stirred up with child abuse —

Pleasant enough?

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