October 4 - Anonymous and Anonymous IV (The Musical Birthday Series)

On some days there are few musicians of any prominence celebrating their birthdays.  Thus, today I'm celebrating that most prolific of composers, Anonymous.

Anonymous (1)

The poets, musicians, and sages

Whose names are forgotten in stages,

Will join hers and hims

Of the great anonyms,

When their names have been lost to the ages.

Anonymous (2)

If you want to be pure and autonomous 

And publish your songs as anonymous,

It gives the impression 

Of passive aggression, 

And could be judged psychically ominous.

Anonymous (3)

The writer of folk songs and jingles

May never encounter the tingles

That come when your name

Achieves popular fame

And your pay is in Ks and not singles.

Anonymous IV 

You may think of Anonymous IV

As tiresome medieval bore,

And yet it’s a fact

That his musical tract

Is a storehouse of Notre Dame lore.


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October 3 - Stanisław Skrowaczewski, Woldemar Bargiel, Chubby Checker, Steve Reich (The Musical Birthday Series)

Stanisław Skrowaczewski (3 October 1923 – 21 February 2017) was a Polish-American conductor and composer, long time Music Director of the Minnesota Orchestra in Minneapolis (where this blog is written).

Sound Thinking

Skrowaczewski built Orchestra Hall

At Eleventh and Nicollet Mall.

And though there were rubes

Who made fun of those cubes

It didn’t concern him at all.

Ear Training

Though patrons perhaps found it hard,

And complained they were psychically scarred.

Resolute Skrowaczewski

Was stalwart and pesky,

And programmed the bold avant-garde.

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Woldemar Bargiel (3 October 1828 – 23 February 1897) was a German composer and teacher with

 a distinguished list of students. His other claim to fame is discussed below.

Familiar Music

Composer Woldemar Bargiel

  Of whom I speak

Was maternal half-brother to

  Miss Clara Wieck.

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Chubby Checker (b. 3 October 1941) is an American rock 'n' roll singer and dancer.  

Twist of Fate

“‘The Twist’ really ruined my life. I was on my way to becoming a 

big nightclub performer, and ‘The Twist’ just wiped it out ... It got so 

out of proportion. No one ever believes I have talent,”. 

 - Chubby Checker on The Twist

Chubby Checker danced the Twist

   And quickly it was clear

His other work would be dismissed 

   For the rest of his career.

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Steve Reich (b. 3 October 1936) is one of the most influential American composers.

Different Strains

Steve Reich Steve Steve Reich Steve Steve Reich,

Steve Steve Reich Reich Steve Reich Stephen Reich,

His family stills prays

That it’s only a phase 

For Steve Reich Steve Reich Reich Reich Reich Reich.

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October 2 - Sting (The Musical Birthday Series)

Sting [Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner] (b. 2 October 1951) is one of the most successful and adventurous rock musicians of  our time.

On the Occasion of Sting’s Yvor Novello Award

Said a prominent musical lord

About the Novello award,

“I don’t think Novello

Would approve of this fellow -

But it seems that he can't be ignored.”

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“Even though logic would say, 'Are you out of your mind? You're in the biggest 
band in the world – just bite the bullet and make some money.' But there continued 
to be some instinct, against logic, against good advice, [that] told me I should quit."

—Sting on quitting the band in 1986.

Police Action (the above translated as a limerick)

Even though logic would say,

"You’re out of your mind, you should stay."

It’s a roll of the dice,

And against good advice,

My gut says I’m walking away.

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October 1 - Paul Dukas; Vladimir Horowitz; Henry Clay Work (The Musical Birthday Series)

Paul Dukas (1 October 1865 – 17 May 1935) was a French composer, critic, scholar, and teacher.

Games People Play 

L'apprenti sorcier by Dukas 

   Is one great big crescendo.

And might be fun if it was done

   On Wii or on Nintendo.

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Vladimir Horowitz (1 October  [O.S. 18 September] 1903 – 5 November 1989) was one of the great pianists of the twentieth century.

SRO

Vladimir Horowitz strode onto the stage

With the air of a great virtuoso.

He had the technique of a musical mage,

And everyone there seemed to know so.

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Henry Clay Work (1 October 1832 – 8 June 1884) was a composer of popular songs, some of which are still sung to this day.

Reappraisal

The family of Work (Henry Clay)

Took their clock to the Roadshow one day.

It seems that the song

Had gotten it wrong,

With the dismal report

That the clock had stopped short

When their grandfather died.

The appraiser, as guide,

Had them search the inside 

For a key, when they found it, 

They took it, and wound it.

The clock’s rusted chime

Started telling the time.

The family of Henry Clay Work

Went berserk.

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