December 5 - Francesco Scarlatti (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 5rd are here: Little Richard; Grace Moore (2019), Osvaldo Golijov (2020), Francesco Scarlatti (2021), José Carreras; Francesco Geminiani (2022), and Henry Lawes (2023)

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Francesco Scarlatti (5 December 1666 – c. 1741) was an Italian composer and musician, and brother of Alessandro Scarlatti.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delivering Daniel

The Armonico Consort is set to give the first modern-day performance of Daniele, the only surviving oratorio by the Italian Baroque composer Francesco Scarlatti on January 27 [2024] in a concert at the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick. The first edition of the oratorio has been produced by Dr Geoffrey Webber, who reconstructed the autograph score discovered in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. – adapted from Theo Elwell, @gramophone.co.uk

Listen, my children, today you shall hear

How Francesco Scarlatti received a premiere

Of a piece overlooked until early this year.

Though it spent silent centuries gathering dust

As it languished in limbo, its fate was unjust

The score lay ignored in a Cambridge collection,

And now has been given its due resurrection,

Performed and recorded with learnéd affection.

Hurrah for the archives! Hurrah for its treasures!

Hurrah for their careful preservative measures!

Hurrah for the drawers and the shelves for safe storage,

Where odd musicologists happily forage!

 

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December 4 - Larry Stock (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 4th are here: Deanna Durbin (2019), Fred Armisen (2020), Hamilton Harty (2021), André Campra (2022), and Friedrich Burgmüller (2023)

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Larry Stock (4 December 1896 – 4 May 1984) was an American songwriter, remembered for "Blueberry Hill," and "You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stock Marketing

Among the many singers who recorded his music were Louis Armstrong, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, and Guy Lombardo. -– adapted from Wikipedia

Unpack LPs, turn back the clock!

It’s birthday time for Larry Stock,

Who thrived before the days of rock.

To those who say, it’s only schlock,

I say, perhaps, but do not mock,

 

Or, think again before you do,

Of stars who lined up in a queue

To sing his songs when they were new,

And you will see it’s quite a crew.

And not a roster to pooh-pooh, –

So Happy Birthday now... (I’m through)!

 

 

 

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December 3 - Nino Rota (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 3rd are here: Anton Webern (2019), Anton Webern; Casimir Schweizelsperg (2020),  Anton Webern; Andy Williams (2021), Antonio Soler; Anton Webern (2022), and Anton Webern (2023)

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Nino Rota (3 December 1911 – 10 April 1979) was an Italian composer best known for his film scores.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rota Rooting

Rota is best known for his collaboration with Federico Fellini, for whom he composed the music for masterpieces like La Strada, Nights of Cabiria, and 8 1/2. But Rota also worked with other acclaimed directors, such as Luchino Visconti, Franco Zeffirelli, and Francis Ford Coppola.  -- “Why Nino Rota’s Score for ‘The Godfather’ is So Memorable“ at ums.org

Today, my friends, I will devote a

Birthday verse to Nino Rota,

So mix yourself a dry martini;

And pick a movie by Fellini,

Or recollect how very well he

Caught the mood of Zeffirelli;

Or note his Oscar-winning job

When Coppola portrayed the mob.

And thus I say from Minnesota.

“Happy Birthday, Nino Rota!”

 

 

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December 2 - Maria Callas (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 2nd are here: Maria Callas; Britney Spears (2019), Harvey Phillips (2020), Adolph Green (2021), Peter Carl Goldmark; Sylvia Syms (2022), and Maria Callas (2023)

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Maria Callas (2 December 1923 – 16 September 1977) was one of the most 

admired sopranos of the mid twentieth century.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria; or, Don’t Callas, We’ll Call You

Perhaps you have already seen a

New movie which stars Angelina

Jolie as the queen

Of the opera scene,

Who was called, by her fans, La Divina.

 

 

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December 1 - Ernest Reyer (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 1st are here: Bette Midler (2019), Agathe Backer-Grøndahl (2020), Bette Midler (2021), Giuseppe Sarti (2022), and Bette Midler; Franz Xaver Richter (2023)

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Ernest Reyer (1 December 1823 – 15 January 1909) was a French opera composer and music critic.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Ho-jo-to-ho!

 

Sigurd is based on the Scandinavian legends of the Edda Völsunga saga (Nibelungenlied), the same source which Richard Wagner drew upon for the libretto for his Ring cycle. -- Wikipedia 

The musical world doesn’t care

About Sigurd by Ernest Reyer,

An opera whose source

Is the myths of the Norse,

But it isn’t Bayreuthian fare.

 

 

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