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HELDENTENORS: WHO THE HECK SANG WAGNER BEFORE MELCHIOR? |
THE VOCAL RECORD COLLECTORS SOCIETY presents:
HELDENTENORS: WHO THE HECK SANG WAGNER BEFORE MELCHIOR?
a talk by Harold Bruder
A few years ago Harold Bruder gave two programs on early Italian and Hispanic tenors. He's finally returning to complete the cycle with tenors who concentrated on Wagnerian singing - otherwise known as "heldentenors". Again focusing on the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Harold will begin with the creator of Parsifal in 1882, Hermann Winkelmann. You'll hear the dulcet sounds associated with "Bayreuth Bark" as it takes the form of some passionate declamatory singing. Recordings from 1900 - 1922 will document this grey area, since most of these tenors (who are not only German, but also Polish, Czech, Dutch, Belgian, Danish and Austrian) are long forgotten. If you've experienced the trials of contemporary heldentenors in the past couple of seasons, you'll know that these steely-voiced singers of long ago should finally be given their due.
Harold Bruder is a noted artist and Professor Emeritus of Art at Queens College, a longtime opera-lover, a voice student who has studied with the likes of Vera Schwarz and Vittorio Weinberg, and a member of the VRCS Board of Directors, acting as our much-put-upon Program Coordinator. His writings have appeared in OPERA QUARTERLY and THE RECORD COLLECTOR, and on many CD reissues of great singers of the past. His particular interests in schools of voice, teacher-pupil influence, etc., have been excellently demonstrated in many previous programs for the VRCS, no more so than in those aforementioned evenings devoted to Italian and Hispanic tenors. It is therefore guaranteed that he will make even "Bayreuth Bark" a thing of surpassing interest to your mind and transcendent beauty to your ears, so do plan to be with us for another of his superb programs.
DATE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2009 (THE SECOND FRIDAY) TIME: 7:30PM SHARP
PLACE: CHRIST CHURCH BASEMENT AUDITORIUM, PARK AVE. & 60TH STREET, N. Y. C. |
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Classical Music History for August 25th |
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on August 25 in...
* 1625(?)Birth of English conductor and violinist John BANISTER in London. d-London, 3 OCT 1679. Pioneered the public concert.
* 1742 Death of Portuguese composer and organist José Antonio Carlos de Seixas at age 38, in Lisbon. b-Coimbra, 11 JUN 1704.
* 1774 Death of Italian opera composer Niccolò Jommelli at age 59, in Naples. b-Aversa, 10 SEP 1714.
* 1783 First performance of Mozart's Mass in c, K. 427 at St. Peters Church in Salzburg, Austria.
* 1811 Birth of German composer August Gottfried RITTER in Erfurt. d-Magdeburg, 1885.
* 1817 Birth of German organist and conductor Friedrich STADE in Halle. d-Altenberg, 24 MAR 1902.
* 1818 Death of English soprano Elizabeth Billington at age 53, Near Venice. Mother studied with J.C. Bach. b-London, 27 DEC 1765. Debut as Polly in Beggar's Opera (Pepusch) 1783 Teachers:- Johann Christian Bach, James Billington (husband) Venanzio Rauzzini, Antonio Sacchini Created Ceres in Ratto di Prosperina (Winter) Sang in premiere of Inez di Castro (Bianchi) Fernando nel Messico (Portugallo)
* 1830 First performance of Auber's opera Masaniello in Brussels. It starts political riots leading to expulsion of Dutch and 1830 Belgian Revolution.
* 1870 Richard Wagner marries Cosima Liszt von Bulow. Liszt timeline.
* 1880 Birth of Austrian composer Robert STOLTZ in Gratz. d-Berlin, 27 JUN 1975. Fled Germany in 1936, but not before he helped smuggle numerous Jews out of the clutches of the Nazis. Forced to leave Austria, he composed a funeral march for Hitler at the time was very much alive. Operettas, "Die lustigen Weiber von Vienna" (1909); "Das Glücksmüdel" (1910); "Das Lumperl" (1915); "Der Favorit" (Belin, 1916); "Lang, lang, ist's her" (Vienna, 1917); "Das Sperrsechserl" (Vienna, 1920); "Die Tanzgräfin" (Vienna, 1921); "Der Tanz ins Glück" (Vienna, 1921); "Mädi" (Berlin, 1923); "Ein Ballroman, oder Der Kavalier von zehn bis vier" (Vienna, 1924); "Eine einzige Nacht" (Vienna, 1927); "Peppina" (1931); "Wenn die kleinen Veilchen blühen" (Den Haag, 1932); "Venus im Seide" (Zürich, 1932); "Der verlorene Walzer" (Zürich, 1933); "2 Herzen im 3/4 Takt" (Zürich, 1933); "Grüzi" (1934); "Frühling im Prater" (Vienna, 1949); "Karneval in Vienna" (1950). "Trauminsel" (Bregenz, 1962); "Frühjahrsparade" (Vienna, 1964).
* 1880 Birth of Giachetti, Rina (s) (188-1959) It. b. Florence, Aug. 25, 1880; d. nr. Florence, June 1, 1959:
* 1881 Birth of American soprano Yvonne de TREVILLE (Eydith La Gierse) in Galveston, TX. d-NYC, 25 JAN 1954. Debut 1897 Teacher :- Mathilde Marchesi
* 1893 Birth of Maxim Michailov Bass Born 25 Aug 1893 Kazan Died 31 Mar 1971 Teachers:- F A Oshustovich, V Osipov
* 1884 Birth of FERRARI-TRECATE: Luigi (com/opera) It. b. Alessandria, Piedmont, Aug. 25, 1884; d. Rome, Apr. 17, 1964: Opera: "Ciottolino" (Rome, 1922); "Pierozzo" (Alessandria, 1922, lost); "La bella e il mostro" (Milan, 1926); "Le astuzie di Bertoldo" (Genoa, 1934); "Ghirlino" (Milan, 1940); "L'orso re" (Milan, 1950); "Buricchio" (Bologna, 1948); "La capanna dello zio Tom" (Parma, 1953); "Il ragazzo dei palloncini" (1959); "La fantasia tragica" (Lost); "Lo spaventapasseri" (1963, Lost).
* 1887 Birth of Norwegian composer and organist Olav Fartein VALEN in Stavenger. d-Haugesun, 14 DEC 1952.
* 1890 First performance of PLANQUETTE: "Captain Thérèse " London (1890)
* 1891 Birth of Russian-American violinist Samuel GARDNER in Elizabethgrad. d-NYC, 23 JAN 1984.
* 1893 Birth of Mikhailov, Maxim (bs) (1893-1971) Russ. (78) b. Kazan, Aug. 25, 1893; d. Moscow, Mar. 30, 1971
* 1893 Birth of Dormidontovich, Mikhailov (bs) Russ. b. Kazan, Aug. 25, 1893; d. Moscow, Mar. 30, 1971.
* 1896 Birth of Swiss mezzo-soprano Egli, Johanna (s) (1896-1973) (77) b. Frauenfeld, Aug. 25, 1896; d. Münch, Nov. 1973. Teachers:- Georg Walter, Hauseggar, Proksch
* 1897 Birth of Czech composer Jaroslav RIDKY in Františkov. d-Podebrady, 14 AUG 1956. Was member of the Czech Philarmonic.
* 1900 Death of German poet Friedrich Nietzsche in Weimar. b-Röcken, Prussia, 15 OCT 1844.
* 1902 Birth of German-American composer Stefan WOLPE in Berlin. d-NYC, 4 APR 1972.
* 1904 Birth of composer http://www.uni.edu/taylord/smith.moore.bio.html">Undine Smith MOORE. d-1990.
* 1908 Birth of Walburga Wegner Soprano Born 25 Aug 1908 Cologne Died 25 Feb 1993 Debut as Suzuki in Madama Butterfly (Puccini) 1940 Teachers:-` Clemens Glettenburg, Maria Philippi
* 1909 Birth of Welsh conductor and organist Arwel HUGHES in Rhosllanerchrugog. d-Cardiff, 24 SEP 1988. Father of British conductor Owain Arwel Hughes.
* 1909 Birth of English soprano, teacher and librettist, Nell MOODY.
* 1914 Birth of Russian-American composer Alexei HAIEFF in Blagoveschensk, Siberia.
* 1915 Birth of German violist Walter TRAMPLER in Munich. Long time member of the Beaux Arts Trio. He played violin in the Boston Symphony before founding the New Music String Quartet (1947-56), violist. He taught at Juilliard and Boston University. d-SEP 1997.Obituary.
* 1918 Birth of American composer-conductor Leonard BERNSTEIN in Lawrence MA, d-NYC, 14 OCT 1990.
* 1926 Birth of Beattie, Herbert (bs) U.S. b. Aug. 25, 1926; He has sung with The San Francisco, New York City, and the Central City Opera Companies. Central City, CO, Boheme, Girl of The Golden West (1962); Don Giovani (19i63); Buterfly & Lady From Colorado (1964); Barber of Saville (1965); Italian Girl in Algiers and Ballad of Baby Doe (1966). He sang on television as [Andrew Borden] in the NET television production of "Lizzie Borden." Debut as Douphol in Traviata (Verdi) 1958 Teachers:- Josef Krips, John Wilcox Created Andrew Borden in Lizzie Borden (Beeson)
* 1928 Birth of American composer Karl KORTE.
* 1934 Birth of Tatum, Nancy (s) U.S. b. Memphis, Aug. 25, 1934; MET: Début: Oct. 4, 1974 [Turandot] Turandot, 1 season (1974-75) 1 perf., 1 work. Debut as Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) 1962 Teachers:- Samuel Margolis, Wiley Tatum, Zelma Lee Thomas
* 1937 Birth of Tassel, Charles van (bs/b) U.S. b. New York.
* 1939 Birth of American composer Robert JAGER in Binghampton, NY.
* 1939 Death of Genevieve Vix Soprano Born 1879 Paris Died 25 Aug 1939 Debut as Aphrodit in Aphrodite (Erlanger) 1906 Created Concepcion in Heure Espagnol (Ravel)
* 1940 Birth of Belgian bass-baritone Jose (Joseph) VAN DAM in Brussels. MET Opera Début Nov. 21, 1975 [Escamillo] Carmen, 9 seasons, 64 perf 8 works, 11 roles. Debut as Basilio in Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) 1960 Teacher :- Frederic Anspach, Antoine Bernheim Created St Francois in St Francois d'Assise (Messiaen)
* 1947 (28th)Birth of Austrian conductor Gustav KUHN in Turrach.
* 1948 Birth of Wegner, Walburga (s) (1908-1993) Ger. (84) b. Cologne, Aug. 25, 1908; d. Feb. 25, 1993: MET: Feb. 18, 1952 [Chrysothemis] Elektra, 1 season (1951-52) 7 perf., 2 works.
* 1948 First performance of H. W. Henze's Symphony No. 1 at Bad Pyrmont.
* 1952 Birth of American composer and conductor Ronald FOSTER.
* 1959 Leonard Bernstein conducts the New York Philharmonic in Moscow on his 41st birthday. Performing Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring and Ives' The Unanswered Question.
* 1962 Birth of American composer Jamie ALLEN in London, England.
* 1969 Birth of American composer and pianist Michael KINNEY in St. Paul, MN.
* 1972 Death of Argentinian composer Juan Carlos Paz in Buenos Aires. b-Buenos Aires, 5 AUG 1901.
* 1978 First performance of Ned Rorem's Sunday Morning. Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy at the orchestra's summer home in Saratoga Springs, NY.
* 2002 Death of American bass-baritone William Warfield Performed theater works and oratorios. He was best known for his role of Porgy in Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. He was born in West Helena, Arkansas 22 JAN 1920. He died in Chicago. ~ age 82. NY Times Obituary. Today we can also celebrate the opera-related birthdays of:
Allen Monk (1942)
Jose Van Dam (1940)
Ruth Ann Swenson (1959)
Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
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Strep throat may have killed Mozart: study |
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – The death of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the age of 35 may have been caused by complications stemming from strep throat, according to a Dutch study published on Monday. Since the composer's death in 1791, there have been various theories about the cause of his untimely end, from intentional poisoning, to rheumatic fever, to trichinosis, a parasitic disease caused by eating raw or undercooked pork.
On his death certificate it was officially recorded that the cause of death was hitziges Frieselfieber, or "heated miliary fever," referring to a rash that looks like millet seeds.
But researchers from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands said studies on his death have generally been based on less-than-reliable evidence, like accounts from people who witnessed Mozart's final days, written decades after his death.
Their new study, reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine, was based on information from official death registers for Vienna in the winter of 1791 that places Mozart's death in a wider context. He died in Vienna.
"Our findings suggest that Mozart fell victim to an epidemic of strep throat infection that was contracted by many Viennese people in Mozart's month of death, and that Mozart was one of several persons in that epidemic that developed a deadly kidney complication," researcher Richard Zegers, of the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, told Reuters Health.
Zegers and his colleagues said this "minor epidemic" of step throat, or streptococcal pharyngitis, may have begun in the city's military hospital.
According to witness accounts, Mozart fell ill with an "inflammatory fever," which is consistent with strep throat, Zegers and his colleagues wrote in their report.
The composer, who wrote more than 600 works during his life, eventually developed severe swelling, "malaise," back pain and a rash, consistent with a strep infection leading to kidney inflammation known as glomerulonephritis.
Zegers said it was also possible that Mozart had scarlet fever, which, like strep throat, can be caused by infection with streptococcal bacteria, but this was less likely because witnesses said Mozart developed a rash near the end of his illness and with scarlet fever, the rash appears early on.
(Reporting by Amy Norton from Reuters Health, Editing by Belinda Goldsmith) |
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Classical pianists inspire kids to create spoken-word poetry |
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Two award-winning classical pianists performed at four Miami-Dade middle schools, inspiring kids to craft their own spoken-word poetry from the music. There's a little rhythm and rhyme in the hallways at Horace Mann Middle School.
Kids who usually tune in to Ne-Yo and T.I. are openly reciting poems inspired by a 17th Century Irish dance tune that speaks of church bells and solitude.
The students at Mann -- as well as three other Miami-Dade public schools -- heard the song last week when the silver-medal winners of the Dranoff International Two Piano Foundation's annual competition, Sarah and Susan Wang, came to play.
It was a tough crowd. Some kids slept. Others text messaged in the dark auditorium.
But many of the students at the El Portal school listened intently to the pieces composed by Chopin and Mozart, as played by the 25-year-old-twin pianists. The finals of the Dranoff competition are held every three years in Miami and features pianists between 21 and 30 from around the globe.
The Wangs are the first American winners in 20 years.
''I was trying to watch their hands move. They go so fast,'' said Felix Gonzalez, 15, who craned his neck during the performance.
The students received a CD of the Irish composition as part of the Dranoff Foundation's school outreach program. Their homework: Return to class this week and begin working with spoken word artists to craft poetry based on the music. Nine winners -- two from each school and a best overall -- will perform their pieces in May at the John S. & James L. Knight Concert Hall at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.
Piano Slam -- The Music Speaks will feature piano duo Maarten and Jeroen Van Veen, 2005 winners of the Dranoff competition, and spoken word poets Mecca (aka Grimo) and Deborah Magdalena Torres, who helped pump up the Horace Mann students.
''You know something? Classical music is very revolutionary,'' she shouted. ``Mozart and Beethoven were revolutionary dudes.''
``They were the Tupacs and the Lil Waynes of their day.'' |
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