The Musical Birthday Series - March 14 - Georg Philipp Telemann

Georg Philipp Telemann (March 14, 1681-June 25, 1767) was one of the most prolific composers of all time, so it is appropriate to celebrate with not one, but two, offerings.

The first poem is a double dactyl, a genre of biographically inspired humorous poem with very strict structural rules.  Here are links to two definitions for those who are curious.  The first from the Poetry Foundation is clearer but less accurate than the second, from Wikipedia.  Take your pick.  The classic statement is the book Jiggery-Pokery:  A Compendium of Double Dactyls by Anthony Hecht and John Hollander (New York, 1967)

(Image: Grove Music Online)

To Thine Own Self Be True: A Double Dactyl for GPT

Higgledy piggledy,

Georg Philipp Telemann

Cranked out cantatas, a

Thousand or more.

Sometimes composing so

Self-referentially,

Things that he wrote he had

Written before.

 ♪♫♫♫ ♪♫♫♫ ♪♫♫♫ ♪♫♫♫ ♪♫♫♫ 

Radio Head

Georg Philipp Telemann, let it be said,

Wrote rather much that he shouldn’t have written.

When a new motive popped into his head

He wrote a whole opus that he could fit it in.

Call him prolific, or call him a hack,

Travel to any of many locations,

It’s likely you’ll hear his polite bric a brac

On nonprofit classical radio stations.

The Musical Birthday Series - March 13 - Hugo Wolf

Today we wish Hugo Wolf (13 March 1860 – 22 February 1903) a happy birthday with a long tribute reminiscent of an eighteenth-century satire in heroic couplets. Such couplets have a tendency to proliferate like rabbits, and that is exactly what has happened here.

 

Chased by a Wolf Pack

The Liederabend like a sacred service

Will make the uninitiated nervous.

A ritual performance not confined

To those on stage, but is in fact designed

So everyone can play a role assigned.

To hear the true performance you should listen

To patrons holding forth at intermission.

Each cognoscente loudly has their say

On Schwarzkopf, Fischer-Dieskau or Souzay.

“Of course there’s not much voice left, but her style!”

“But don’t you think her high notes are a trial?”

“Miss Price has sung it better by a mile”

“But have you heard it sung by Hermann Prey”

“You like it sung by Bostridge?! Good Lord, why!”

“There’s really not a thing that’s as rewarding

As Ludwig’s Salzburg Festspiel live recording”

Nor does the talk turn only on the voice;

Each speaker has composers of their choice.

While Schubert, Brahms, and Schumann have adherents,

There’s ecstasy when Wolf makes his appearance —

Most esoteric of the Lieder throng —

Archbishop at the altar of the song.

The songs of Hugo Wolf consist of sets

Of perfectly interpreted vignettes

Arranged into a small anthology

Of extra subtle musical psychology.

Each poet chosen for what could be brought

By sung elaboration to the thought.

There’s Goethe, Michelangelo, what’s more,

There’s Möricke and Eichendorff (top drawer!).

Italian songs whose folk-inspired source

Provided texts both serious and coarse.

And Spanish songs as solemn as a sermon,

Perhaps because, though Spanish, sung in German.

Not Lieder for the casually inclined,

They call for an attention so refined

They leave th’untutored hoi polloi behind.

So heed this warning note when you see Hugo

Wolf is programmed any place that you go.

The Musical Birthday Series - March 12 - Thomas Augustine Arne

In honor of Thomas Augustine Arne's (12 March 1710– 5 March 1778) birthday, here is the first verse of "Rule, Britannia!" re-written as a limerick.

Britannia Redux

When Britain at Heaven’s command

Arose from the watery strand,

Britannia vowed

To never be bowed,

Or cumbered in slavery’s band.

(original text from The Poetical Works of James Thomson [Boston, 1854], from my collection)

The Musical Birthday Series - March 11 - Carl Ruggles

The complete works of American composer Carl Ruggles (March 11, 1876 – October 24, 1971) were recorded on only two LPS, so it seemed appropriate that his birthday verse be terse.

Short… (and Sweet?)

Nobody snuggles

To music by Ruggles.

The Musical Birthday Series - March 10 - John Bacchus Dykes

John Bacchus Dykes (10 March 1823 – 22 January 1876) was the composer of such beloved hymn tunes as "Holy, Holy, Holy," "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee," and "Eternal Father, Strong to Save," so I thought that today we should sing about him.

The Musical Birthday Series - March 9 - Martin Shaw

Martin Shaw (9 March 1875 – 24 October 1958) remains well-known and beloved by church musicians, but largely forgotten by everyone else. Let's celebrate!

Need a carol?

Take a look

In the famous

Oxford Book.

If you liked what

There you saw,

Give high fives to

Martin Shaw.

The Musical Birthday Series - March 8 - Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

Today is the birthday of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (8 March 1714 – 14 December 1788).

Son of a...

C. P. E. Bach,

Of musical stock,

Was not just another

Musical brother

Because of his zeal

For the empfindsamer Stil.