April 11 - Alberto Ginastera (The Musical Birthday Series)

Alberto Ginastera (11 April 1916 – 25 June 1983) was one of greatest South American composers of his time.  His works, especially the earlier ones, remain staples of concert programs throughout the world.

Puzzle on the Pampas

Ginastera’s debut style?

    Motoric, folkloric.

Ginastera's new style?

    Serial material.

Ginastera's true style?

    Either or neither

April 10 - Claude Bolling (The Musical Birthday Series)

Jazz pianist Claude Bolling (born 10 April 1930) became extremely popular in the 1970s due to a several recordings made with well-known classical artists, including Jean-Pierre Rampal, Yo-Yo Ma, Pinchas Zukerman, and others.

Bolling Pins

For those at a loss over

Musical crossover

It’s like an unholy alliance;

And far from extolling

The work of Claude Bolling,

They cover their ears in defiance.

April 9 - Tom Lehrer (The Musical Birthday Series)

Tom Lehrer (b. 9 April 1928) has long been beloved for a small corpus of brilliantly funny and darkly satirical songs.  The following nonsense verse in his honor have only the loosest connection to fact.

Doodoo that Voodoo

Tom Lehrer, if you believe the report,

Liked poisoning pigeons for sport.

A bird covered statue

Said “Here’s right back at you,”

And offered wholehearted support.

Laissez-fairing

While his humor no longer seem daring,

It used to keep stations from airing

His songs as he sang them;

But he didn’t harangue them,

His public facade was uncaring.

April 8 - Giuseppe Tartini (The Musical Birthday Series)

Giuseppe Tartini (8 April 1692 – 26 February 1770) was a violin virtuoso, composer, teacher, and theorist.  The following bits of nonsense are loosely based on true facts of his life and work.

Classic Tartini

Tartini is not on a menu.

It isn't a drink ordered when you

Want bitters and gin. —-

He played violin

As heard in a classical venue.

Devil May Care… Or Not

Tartini, who played violin,

Performed as if taught by a djinn;

His devilish trill

Remains with us still,

Which sounds like (but isn’t) a sin.

A Tale of Two Strads

Though the course of his life was precarious,

He played on a new Stradivarius.

Though the fact he had two

Seems greedy to you,

Tartini considered it hilarious

April 7 - Charles Burney (The Musical Birthday Series)

Charles Burney (7 April 1726 – 12 April 1814) is best remembered for his monumental History of Music, but his usefulness to us is in his detailed consideration of the music of his contemporaries as found in the last volume of his History and in two books of travel observations.

Travels with Charles

When old Doctor Burney

Wanted to learn he

Gladly crossed over the ocean.

In town and in duchy,

In village and such he

Listened with fervent devotion.

When his taste took a fancy

To motets or chants, he

He purchased the score for his collection.

He recorded the story

Of every new score he

Discovered with due circumspection.

At abbey and priory,

When hearing the choir, he

Penned an appropriate note.

Though it cost him a guinea

When he dined at his inn he

Had keyboardists at table d’hote.

Wherever he went, he

Met cognoscenti

And held perspicacious inquiries —

And on his return he

Wrote of his journey

With help from the musical diaries.

April 6 - André Previn (The Musical Birthday Series)

The late André Previn (6 April 1929 – 28 February 2019) was one of the most versatile and accomplished musicians of our time.  One hopes that the following dismal scene exists only in my imagination.

In Paradisum

When André Previn

Ascended to heaven,

He found he’d expected much more.

The Perpetual Piety

Singing Society

Provided no variety,

And scoring for harps was a bore.

April 5 - Louis Spohr (The Musical Birthday Series)

Few composers have had their reputations plummet as sharply as Louis Spohr (5 April 1784 – 22 October 1859).  Once regarded as one of the foremost composers of Europe, he now is rarely heard, at least in the U.S., except occasionally in academic recitals. He turns up a bit more often in Europe, and there has always been a small group of enthusiasts.

 Enough is Enough

Few would want more

Of Herr Louis Spohr,

Who sometimes, it's true gets revival.

He’s not quite a bore,

But not quite top drawer,

In his blandly archival survival.