August 26 - Nico Muhly (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for August 26 are here: Leon Redbone (2019), Humphrey Searle (2020), Nico Muhly; Aloys Schmitt (2021), and Aloys Schmitt (2022)

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Nico Muhly (b.1981) is an American composer whose influences range from American minimalism to the Anglican choral tradition. --adapted from nicomuhly.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories

 

“So, it has come to my attention that my smiling visage is the Spotify cover image for ‘Queer Composers’ – okay fine good yay but also I don't think I've ever identified as "queer" — ? Like, umbrella term or not, there is a real specific word for me which is An Gay Homosexual” – Nico Muhly

Nico Muhly makes it clear

He’d rather not be known as “queer”,

And much prefers it when we say

That Nico Muhly’s life is “gay”.

A case like his evinces why

You can’t be sure what terms apply

To someone we might classify

As LGBTQ or I,

(Not to mention all the fuss,

Of LGBTQI+).

And in a nutshell that’s they nature

Of current gender nomenclature.

 

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August 25 - Leonard Bernstein (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for August 25th are here: Leonard Bernstein (2019), (2020), Stefan Wolpe; Undine Smith Moore (2021), and Leonard Bernstein (2022)

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Leonard Bernstein (25 August 1918 – 14 October 1990) was a dominant force in virtually all areas of music during his busy career.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bio Picky

Though the studio thought it was super

And the actor performed like a trooper,

Conflicting aesthetics

Of facial prosthetics

Have continued to haunt Bradley Cooper.

 

 

 

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August 24 - Théodore Dubois (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for August 24th are here: Théodore Dubois (2019), Stephen Paulus (2020), Mason Williams (2021), and Jean-Michel Jarre (2022)

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Théodore Dubois (24 August 1837 – 11 June 1924) was a French composer, organist, and music teacher who is remembered for his cantata The Seven Last Words of Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesteryear

In 1896, Dubois was appointed director of the Paris Conservatoire and continued Thomas's intransigently conservative regime. The music of Auber, Halévy, and especially Meyerbeer was regarded as the correct model for students. – adapted from Wikipedia

The students of Theodor Dubois

Were filled with a sense of deja

Vu when instilled

With a style that had thrilled

The girlhood of dear grandmamá.

 

 

 

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August 23 - Bob Crosby; Roy Agnew (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for August 23rd are here: Malvina Reynolds (2019), Gene Kelly (2020), Ernst Krenek; Moritz Moszkowski (2021), and Mark Russell (2022)

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Bob Crosby (23 August  1913 – 9 March 1993) was an American jazz singer and bandleader, best known for his group the Bob-Cats, which formed around 1935.  He was the younger brother of Bing Crosby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Name’s the Same

Mention Crosbys who can sing,

And naturally we think of Bing,

And this with no intent to rob

Credit from his brother Bob.

Nor did Bing intend to smother

Recognition of his brother.

So today, let your applause be

Directed to the other Crosby!

 

  

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ 

 

 

 

Roy Agnew (23 August 1891 – 12 November 1944) was an Australian composer, pianist, teacher and radio announcer. He was described as "the most outstanding of the early twentieth century Australian composers" by Morris Hinson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over-Achieving Down Under

It’s hard indeed to get beyond

The limitations of your pond;

Within your pond, you have your wish,

You are, while there, a major fish,

But be advised against the notion

That you’ll be noticed in the ocean.

And those who waved the Aussie flag knew

That this was true for their Roy Agnew.

 

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August 22 - Claude Debussy (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for August 22nd are here: Claude Debussy; Karlheinz Stockhausen (2019), Claude Debussy (2020)., Claude Debussy; Sergius Kagen (2021), and Claude Debussy (2022)

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Claude Debussy (22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was one of the great innovators of his time, and remains a concert staple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Good Influence

Debussy is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century.  Roger Nichols writes that "if one omits Schoenberg [...] a list of 20th-century composers influenced by Debussy is practically a list of 20th-century composers tout court." – Wikipedia

Claude Debussy wondered aloud

If the musical field that he plowed

Would result in a style

That would linger awhile,

Or vanish in air like a cloud.

As it happens his music took hold

And was quarried by young and by old,

And works by the dozens

Were the cultural cousins

Of Debussy's musical mold.

 

 

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