August 4 - William Schuman (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for August 4th are here: Harry Lauder (2019) and Louis Armstrong (2020)

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William  Schuman (4 August 1910 – 15  February 1992) was an American composer and arts administrator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Count

His "eight symphonies, numbered Three through Ten", as he himself put it (the first two were withdrawn), continue to grow in stature. -- Wikipedia

Bill Schuman (there’s only one “n”)

Lists symphonies 3 up to 10;

Without much ado,

He had tossed 1 and 2,

And didn’t start over again.

 

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Royalties

He arranged Charles Ives' organ piece Variations on "America" for orchestra in 1963' --- adapted from Wikipedia

William Schuman’s name survives

Because he orchestrated Ives;

And though he has substantial claim

To honor in his proper name,

A check’s a check if you’re an heir,

You cash it, and don’t really care.

 

 

 

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August 3 - Richard Adler (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for August 3rd are here: Tony Bennett (2019) and (2020)

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Richard Adler (3 August 1921 – 21 June 2012) was an American lyricist, writer, composer and producer of several Broadway shows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit Where Credit Is Due; and, A Bibliographical Query

Damn Yankees and Pajama Game

Brought Richard Adler’s name to fame;

But though it hurt each time he read it

Jerry Ross got half the credit,

Because, you see, a team like theirs

Wasn't like some other pairs,

Where words and notes were neatly split,

And one could know who did each bit.

They shared the jobs and that is why

“With lyrics and with music by”

Lists his name with Jerry Ross’s,

A plan that had both wins and losses.

Was theirs the more organic growth,

With both responsible for both?

And do such staunch egalitarians

Create confusion for librarians?

 

 

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August 2 - Jacob Collier (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts of August 2nd are here: Helen Morgan (2019) and Arthur Bliss (2020)

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Jacob Collier (b. 2 August 1994) is a British musician and producer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacob’s Ladder

Jacob Collier sang and played

All the parts in vids he made,

Piling up impressive stacks

Of blended pre-recorded tracks.

As his “likes” began to spiral

Soon he, as they say, went viral.

Perhaps he yields to the seduction

Of the joys of post-production,

And it's true that, at their core,

In his arrangements more is more.

Still, we shouldn’t second guess

The art behind his huge success,

When from that start with his own cam, he’s

Gone to winning at the Grammys.

 

 

 

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August 1 - Jerry Garcia; Benedetto Marcello (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for August 1st are here: Lionel Bart (2019) and(2020)

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Jerry Garcia (1 August 1942 – 9 August 1995) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known for his work with the Grateful Dead. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Higher

"[F]or many Deadheads, the band was a medium that facilitated experiencing other planes of consciousness and tapping into deep, spiritual wells that were usually the province of organized religion ..." -- Blair Jackson, qtd, in Wikipedia, s.v. “Deadhead”

The Grateful Dead inspired a cult,

Which led, in turn, to this result;

A group of eager fans arose

Who followed them for many shows,

Where every show would guarantee a

Drug-fueled solo by Garcia,

Which, filtered through their spinning med heads,

Was like Nirvana to the Deadheads.

 

 

 ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫

 

Benedetto Marcello (24 or 31 July or 1 August 1686 – 24 or 25 July 1739) was an Italian composer, writer, advocate, magistrate, and teacher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brothers

Benedetto Marcello could claim

A brother of musical fame,

But if these two dudes

Had musical feuds,

Their music’s exactly the same.

 

 

 

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