May 5 - Stanisław Moniuszko (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 5th may be found here: Charles Rosen and François-André Danican Philidor (2020),Tammy Wynette (2019), T. Tertius Noble (2021), Ola Gjeilo (2022), Adele (2023), and Hans Pfitzner (2024)

+++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Stanisław Moniuszko (5 May 1819 – 4 June 1872) was a Polish composer, conductor, organist, and pedagogue. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staying at Home

He is generally referred to as "the father of Polish national opera." – Wikipedia

Moniusko was a loyal Pole

Who had the lofty loyal goal

Of filling an artistic hole and

Bring the operatic art to Poland.

He had success, he had his career,

But time has made it pretty clear

That he will never catch the ear

Outside his native Polish sphere.

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

May 4 - Bartolomeo Cristofori (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 4th may be found here: Bartolomeo Cristofori (2019), Roberta Peters (2020), Lance Bass (2021), Marianna Martines (2022), Roberta Peters (2023), and Bartolomeo Cristofori (2024)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Bartolomeo Cristofori (4 May 1655 –27 January 1731) is credited with inventing the piano.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Developments

Cristofori's early instruments were made with thin strings and were much quieter than the modern piano.  — Wikipedia, s.v. "Piano"

Bartolomeo Cristofori beamed!

His instrument was everything he'd dreamed!

His keyboard had gradations, soft to louder,

Bartolomeo couldn't have been prouder!

But if his gentle spirit were on hand

To hear the thunder of the nine-foot grand,

I do not know, of course, but have an inkling

That he'd prefer his keyboard's modest tinkling.

 

 

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

 

 

 

May 3 - Bing Crosby (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 3rd may be found here: Richard D'Oyly Carte (2019), Virgil Fox (2020), Bing Crosby; Marcel Dupré (2021), Pete Seeger; Florian Leopold Gassmann (2022), Johann Adolph Scheibe (2023), and Richard D'Oyly Carte (2024)

++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Bing Crosby (3 May 1903 – 14 October 1977) was a beloved American singer and actor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keeping It Current

Crosby was one of the first singers to exploit the intimacy of the microphone rather than use the loud, penetrating vaudeville style. – Wikipedia

Bing Crosby crooned

Un-autotuned

Across the radio dial,

But wasn't shy

To amplify

His gentle casual style.

It pays to check

Out current tech,

And use what's worth your while.

 

 

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

 

May 2 - Theodore Bikel (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 2nd may be found here: Alessandro Scarlatti (2019),  Lorenz Hart (2020), Leslie Gore (2021). J. Fred Coots; Vicente Martín y Soler (2022), Alessandro Scarlatti (2023), and Lorenz Hart (2024)

+++++++++++++++++++++++ 

 

 

Theodore Bikel (2 May 1924 – 21 July 2015) was an Austrian-American actor, singer, musician, composer, unionist, and political activist.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Playing to Strengths

Bikel did not like his role [Captain von Trapp]  because his ability to sing was underused. When Rodgers and Hammerstein realized Bikel was an accomplished folksinger, they wrote the song "Edelweiss". – adapted from Wikipedia

When Theodore Bikel sang Captain von Trapp

He was bored with the role, and was bored with the chap.

Then Rodgers and Hammerstein learned he could sing

And then added "Edelweiss" into the thing.

+++++++++++++++++++++

If I Were a Rich Man

In 1969, Bikel began acting and singing on stage as Tevye in the musical Fiddler on the Roof, a role he performed more often than any other actor to date. – Wikipedia

Though actor Theodore Bikel

Found Tevye fit him very well,

It likely never was his goal

To set a record for the role,

But folks who this kind of score

Say no one else has sung it more,

And must have made some tidy sums

From yidle-diddle-didle-dums!

 

 

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

 

May 1 - Kate Smith (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 1st may be found here: William Lawes (2019),  Judy Collins (2020), William Lawes (2021),  Leo Sowerby (2022), Shirley Horn; Kate Smith (2023), and Hugo Alfvén (2024)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Kate Smith  (1 May 1909 - 17 June 1986) was an American singer on radio and television, long known as the “first lady of radio.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

K-K-K-Kate

Gather with your kin and kith

To sing the praises of Kate Smith,

Whose cheerful style and sturdy voice

Confirmed her as the listeners' choice,

Who sang about the mountain moon

Before the days of autotune.

And was it she who sang "God bless

America"? The answer's "Yes."

So gather with your kith and kin

And give an old LP a spin.

And for today, at least, regale her

Instead of Gaga, Pink, or Taylor.

 

 

 

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