Ray Conniff (6 November 1916 – 12 October 2002) was an American bandleader and arranger best known for his Ray Conniff Singers during the 1960s.
[For last year's limericks on Adoph Sax and John Philip Sousa click here.]
Bland and benign
As a modest box wine,
The Ray Conniff Singers
Weren’t aiming at swingers.
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Arthur Garfunkel (b. 5 November 1941) is an American singer, poet, and actor.
[For last year's reflections on Hans Sachs click here.]
Where did Art Garfunkel
Garner the strength
To keep doing things of
Spectacular length?
At his bar mitzvah in 1954, Garfunkel performed as a cantor, singing over four hours of his repertoire for his family. - Wikipedia
Early in life he displayed
Superpowers
And sang to his loved ones for
Hours and hours.
Garfunkel has undertaken several long walks in his lifetime… he walked across Japan in a matter of weeks. - Wikipedia
We hope he stocked up with
A lot of sunblocker
Before he asserted his
Strength as a walker.
He has also read the entire Random House Dictionary. - Wikipedia
And only the ardent of
Biblio-lovers
Would read every word
That the lexicon covers.
Given all this, I am
Sad to report
That only his career with
Paul Simon was short.
If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing. [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Tales: Great Art Repurposed.]
Gena Branscombe (4 November 1881 – 26 July 1977) was a Canadian pianist, composer, music educator and choir conductor who lived and worked in the United States.
[For last year's verse on Carl Tausig click here.]
Fleeting Fame
"Prominent opera and concert singers of the era performed her art songs on recital programs across the United States and in Europe." - Wikipedia
There was a time in days long past
When Gena Branscombe could be cast
Among composers widely known
To set a proper cultured tone
Upon the voice recital scene,
Where she was programmed in between
The earnest songs, demure and pure,
Of other writers now obscure.
If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing. [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Tales: Great Art Repurposed.]
[For last year's posts on Vladimir Ussachevsky and Vincenzo Bellini click here.]
Samuel Scheidt (baptised 3 November 1587 – 24 March 1654) was a German composer, organist, and teacher.
Early Music
Though organists might take delight
In keyboard works by Samuel Scheidt,
The laity’s delight is greater
When hearing works from rather later.
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k. d. lang (b. November 2, 1961) is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actor.
[For last year's verses on Patrice Chéreau and Friedrich Kalkbrenner click here.]
auld lang syne
“On June 3, 2008, it was announced that she would receive a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.” -- Wikipedia
k. d. lang, (all lower case),
has a most devoted base.
more than just a country star,
she sings songs that often are
filtered through the left-wing prism
of her social activism.
though it must be said that her
politics can cause a stir,
she has won the game against
any group that she’s incensed,
and canada acclaims her name
on their country’s Walk of Fame.
♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪
Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (2 November 1739 – 24 October 1799) was an a composer and violinist.
Higgledy piggledy,
Ditters von Dittersdorf,
Friendly with Mozart and
Haydn to boot,
Worked in the courts of the
Austro-Hungarians,
Keenly aware that his
Name was a hoot.
If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing. [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Tales: Great Art Repurposed.]
Victoria de los Ángeles (1 November 1923 – 15 January 2005) was a beloved Spanish operatic soprano and recitalist.
[For last year's thoughts on Roger Quilter and Guido Adler click here.]
There was euphoria
That’s hard to express
When Spain’s Victoria
De los Angeles
Sang Marguerite in
Faust by Charles Gounod,
But she was a treat in
Almost any show.
If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing. [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Tales: Great Art Repurposed.]
