September 12 - Ernst Pepping; Harvey Schmidt; Maurice Chevalier (The Musical Birthday Series)

Today we have three miniatures.

Ernst Pepping (12 September 1901 – 1 February 1981) was a German composer known for his Protestant church music.

Harvey Schmidt (12 September 1929 – 28 February 2018) was best known as a composer for musicals.

Maurice Chevalier (12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a cabaret singer and actor.

There won’t be high-stepping

To music by Pepping.

Harvey Schmidt 

Had one big hit.

A mysterious thing to this day -

The success of Maurice Chevalier.

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September 11 - Arvo Pärt (The Musical Birthday Series)

Arvo Pärt (b. 11 September 1935) is an Estonian composer who is one of the most often performed of living composers.

 Pärt Song

Prima Pars 

The music is mystic and slow,

As if it has no place to go.

Performers have found

You can turn it around

And it sounds just the same even so.

Secunda Pars 

It isn’t a criminal act

To compose with subliminal tact.

His basis is stasis,

Whatever the case is,

And THAT is a minimal fact!


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September 10 - Henry Purcell (The Musical Birthday Series)

Henry Purcell (c. 10 September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was one of the greatest British composers.  We do not actually know the date or even the year of his birth, but today has been suggested based on slight evidence, and since we have to celebrate his birth sometime, it might as well be today.

Succession

When the Court heard that Purcell was dead

They lifted silk hankies and said, 

“Oh, dry now thy tears, 

For in just a few years

We’ll have George Fredrick Handel instead.”

Hallowed Ground

When Dido prepared to embrace

Her sorrowful death in disgrace,

Convention required,

Before she expired,

A chromatic repetitive bass.

Performance Fracas

If you asked why we ended rehearsal

For our concert of anthems by Purcell,

You’d be told that a brawl

Over notes inégales

Was the cause of our early dispersal.

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September 9 - Pierre-Laurent Aimard; Michael Bublé (The Musical Birthday Series)

Pierre-Laurent Aimard (b. 9 September 1957) is one of the most admired and ambitious pianists of our time.

Pierre-Shaped Tones

Pierre-Laurent Aimard, who finds

  Relentless exploration 

Of music’s avant-gardist minds

  A pleasant recreation,

Performs Xenakis and Boulez,

  And when the program’s done,

He turns to us and blithely says,

  “I told you it was fun.”

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

 

Michael Bublé (b. 9 September 1975) is a singer specializing in American songbook standards.

Confiteor

While you may not much care either way,

I know there are thoughts yea and nay

When considering MB:

His signature charm

Can morph into smarm;

He’s not very subtle

(That brooks no rebuttal);

But still he can sing

With a Vegasy swing,

And I admit I’ve been held in his sway.

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September 8 - Willem Pijper (The Musical Birthday Series)

Willem Pijper (8 September 1894 – 18 March 1947) was the most prominent composer in the Netherlands in the mid third of the last century.

Dutch Treat

Doff your caps and shout hooray

For Willem Pijper’s natal day,

Who ranks in Holland’s pantheon 

Of great composers dead and gone.

Stifle your incipient yawn

On learning this phenomenon 

And be respectful thereupon.

You may not think it counts for much,

That is, at least, unless you’re Dutch.

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September 7 - Buddy Holly; Gloria Gaynor (The Musical Birthday Series)

Buddy Holly (7 September 1936 – 3 February 1959) was a profoundly influential singer-songwriter.  Today I depart from my comic verse and present a quiet elegy.

Elegy: All of my life I've been a-waitin'

Buddy Holly,

Was it folly

     Chartering that flight?

Did your fate 

On that date

     Hinge on something slight?

A revision,

Of one decision

     In Clear Lake that night?

In the end

Did life depend

     On one step left, not right?

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

Gloria Gaynor (b. 7 September 1947) was a singer who had several disco era hits.

Survival Methods

“I will survive,”

Sang Gloria Gaynor —

   No need to explain her.

“I am what I am,”

Sang Gloria Gaynor —

  It couldn't have been plainer.

Envoi

And these anthems fell like answers

On a thousand gay club dancers.

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