December 26 - Arnold Mendelssohn; Earle Brown (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 26th are here: Earle Brown (2019), Steve Allen (2020), George Winston (2021), George Winston (2022), Victor Hely-Hutchinson (2023), and Franz [François] Hünten (2024)

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Arnold Mendelssohn (26 December 1855 – 18 February 1933), was a German composer and music teacher.  He was the son of Felix Mendelssohn's cousin. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Second Best

Arnold Mendelssohn, so we've read.

  Was Felix's cousin's son;

But not a soul has ever said,

   (No critic, fan, or anyone),

That if you put them head to head

   That they'd preferred the later one.

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Earle Brown (26 December 1926 – 2 July 2002) was a leading composer on the extreme end of the American avant-garde. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perfecto!

His scores, which were written as graphs,

Have earned both allegiance and laughs.

They are randomly read,

Which reduces, it's said,

The occurrence of musical gaffes.

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December 25 - Nathaniel Shilkret (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 2th are here: Orlando Gibbons (2019), Cosima Wagner (2020), Cab Calloway (2021), Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (2022), A Christmas Carol (2023), and Cosima Wagner (2024)

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Nathaniel Shilkret (25 December 1889 – 18 February 1982) was an American musician, composer, conductor and musical director. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Nathaniel Shilkret made some dough

Conducting films for RKO;

In fact, was music director there

On films with Rogers and Astaire.

His billing's not with theirs, instead it's

Buried deeper in the credits.

 

 

 

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

 

December 24 - Harry Warren (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 24th are here: Harry Warren (2019), Ricky Martin (2020), Peter Cornelius (2021), Charles Wakefield Cadman (2022), Peter Cornelius (2023), and Franz Waxman (2024)

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Harry Warren (24 December 1893 – 22 September 1981) was an American composer and lyricist, many of whose songs have become standards. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Un-Warren-ted

"The familiarity of Harry Warren's songs is matched by the anonymity of the man ... he is the invisible man, his career a prime example of the oblivion that cloaked so many writers who cranked out good songs for bad movies." – William Zinsser, qtd, in Wikipedia

Unless you are a standards buff,

   You may not know his name.

He wrote enough of well-known stuff

   To stake his claim to fame.

His songs were hits and up to snuff,

   Perhaps he is to blame.

One needs some good old huff and puff

  If stardom is your game.

 

 

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

 

 

December 23 - Joseph Bodin de Boismortier; Ross Lee Finney (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 23rd are here: Chet Baker (2019), Mathilde Wesendonck (2020), Ross Lee Finney (2021), José Greco (2022), Chet Baker (2023), and Mathilde Wesendonck (2024)

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Joseph Bodin de Boismortier (23 December 1689 – 28 October 1755) was a French composer who became successful as a writer of music for amateurs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Practically Speaking

Among his contemporaries, there were suggestions that his music was excessively facile.  In response to such comments, it is said that Boismortier would simply answer "I'm earning money." – adapted from early-music.com and Wikipedia

Joseph Bodin de Boismortier,

Of who we write this verse today,

Composed with such adroit facility

That others envied his ability;

But when they carped, he answered, "Honey,

I'm the one who's making money!"

 

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Ross Lee Finney  (23 December 1906 – 4 February 1997) was an American composer who taught for many years at the University of Michigan. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U of Ms

Born in Wells, Minnesota, Finney received his early training at Carleton College and the University of Minnesota. In 1948 Finney joined the University of Michigan faculty. He retired in 1974. – excerpted from Wikipedia

This Minnesota Native son

Is not remembered here a ton;

His career, you see, took a meander,

And he became a Michigander.

 

 

 

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