DECEMBER 15 Today in classical music history

1534 Birth of composer Lucas OSIANDER. Search Lucas OSIANDER.

1567 Birth of composer Christoph DEMANTIUS. Search Christoph DEMANTIUS.

1574 Birth of composer Samuel BESTER.

1657 Birth of French composer Michel-Richard DELALANDE in Paris. d-Versailles, 18 JUN 1726. Search Michel-Richard DELALANDE. [Ed note, B Fodor] Birthdate entry for this composer (also) states birth year of 1739 in La Flèche and may be an error/typo, as the death date is given as 18 JUN 1726, Versailles. Following sources have his place of birth as Paris and birth date as 15 DEC 1657: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/michel-richard-delalande-mn0001189382/biography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Richard_Delalandehttps://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel-Richard_Delalande 

Although there appears to be many variants to the spelling of his name, Delalande seems to be the way the family wrote it, but a recent scholarly work has it as De Lalande.

1667 Birth of composer Ernst LUDWIG. Search Ernst LUDWIG.

1729 Death of Italian castrato Nicolo Giovanardi. Born 13 July 1661, 1729 Teacher :- Agostino Fillippucci

1756 Birth of French soprano Antoinette Cecile Saint-Huberty in Strasburg. Died 22 Jul 1812, Debut in premiere of Bouquet de Colette (Lemoyne) 1774 Teacher :- Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne Created Hypermestra in Danaides (Salieri) Melisse in Armide (Lully J B) Chimene in Chimene (Sacchini) Ariane in Ariane (Edelmann) Phedre in Phedre (Lemoyne) Sang in premiere of Didon (Piccinni) Bouquet de Colette (Lemoyne).

1765 Birth of composer Philippe-Jacques PFEFFINGER.

1770 (16th?) Birth of German composer Ludwig van BEETHOVEN. d-26 MAR 1827. Search Ludwig van BEETHOVEN.

1779 Death of composer Manuel Jeronimo Romero de Avila, at age 62.

1790 Franz Joseph Haydn travels from Vienna to London for the first time.

1792 Death of German composer Joseph Martin Kraus at age 36 in Stockholm. b-Miltenberg, 20 JUN 1756. Search Joseph Martin Kraus.

1803 Birth of composer August FREYER. Search August FREYER.

1807 FP of Gaspare Spontini's opera La Vestale, at Paris Opera.

1808 Birth of English music critic and writer Henry F. CHORLEY. Search Henry F. CHORLEY.

1812 Birth of Swedish composer Isidor DANNSTROM.

1816 Death of composer Joseph Franz Maximilian Lobkowitz, dies at age 44. b-7 DEC 1783.

1821 Birth of composer Auguste Emmanuel VAUCORBEIL. d-2 NOV 1884.

1822 Birth of composer Edward STEPHEN.

1822 Death of composer Ferenc Verseghy, at 65. Search Ferenc Verseghy.

1823 Birth of German composer Friedrich Gottlieb SCHWENCKE in Wachenhausen. d-Hamburg, 1882.

1829 Death of Italian castrato Luigi Marchesi. Born 1754 Milan. Died 15 Dec 1829, Debut as Giannetta in Incognta Perseguitata (Anfossi) 1773 Teachers:- Ottavio Albuzzi, Nino Caikone Created Ariodante in Ginevra di Scozia (Mayr).

1830 Birth of composer Francesco D'ARCAIS in Cagliari. d-Castel Gandolfo, 14 AUG 1890.

1838 Birth of German bass Kaspar Bausewein in Ochsenfurt. Died 18 Nov 1903, Debut 1854 Created Pogner in Meistersingers (Wagner) Fafner in Rheingold (Wagner) Hunding in Walkure (Wagner) Harald in Feen (Wagner).

1842 Birth of composer Henry Robert GADSBY. d-11 NOV 1907. Search Henry Robert GADSBY.

1857 Birth of composer Eugeniusz PANKIEWICZ. Search Eugeniusz PANKIEWICZ.

1858 FP of Peter Cornelius' opera The Barber of Bagdad in Weimar.

1859 Birth of bandmaster Karl WETASCHEK.

1861 Death of composer Gualtiero Sanelli, at 45. Search Gualtiero Sanelli.

1873 Birth of Hungarian composer Pongrac KACSOH in Budapest. d-Budapest, 1923. Composing popular Hungarian operetta John the Hero, inspired by Petofi’s folk-tale epic.

1875 Birth of composer Friedrich NIGGLIE.

1876 Death of Ukrainian tenor Ivan Alchevsky. Born 15 Dec 1876 in Kharkiv. Died 10 May 1917, Debut as Romeo in Romeo et Juliette (Gounod) Teachers:- Felia Litvinne, O O Palechek, Sergei Yudin Sang in premiere of Servilia (Rimsky-Korsakov).

1885 Birth of German tenor Richard Schubert in Dessau. Died 12 Oct 1959, Debut 1909 Teachers:- Hans Nietan, Rudolf von Milde Sang in premiere of Tote Stadt (Korngold)

1888 FP of Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. CD-Rimsky-Korsakov: SCHEHERAZADE

1889 Death of German bass Karl Formes. Born 7 Aug 1815 in Mulheim on Rhine. Debut as Sarastro in Zauberflote (Mozart) Pupil :- Dennis O'Sullivan Created Plunkett in Martha (Flotow) Rossona in Pietro il Grande (Jullien).

1891 (1894?) Birth of Austrian soprano Lotte SCHOENE in Vienna Died 23 Dec 1977 Debut as Bridesmaid in Freischutz (Weber) 15 Sep 1915 Teachers:- Marie Brossement, Johannes Ress, Luise Ress. Search Lotte SCHOENE. 

1891 Birth of American composer A. P. CARTER. d-1960.

1892 ('95?)Birth of American composer David GUION in Ballinger, TX. d-1981. Search  David GUION .

1892 Birth of composer Jose Maria CASTRO.

1892 Death of composer Charles Balmer at age 75.

1893 (16th?) FP of Antonin Dvorak's New World Symphony No. 9. NY Philharmonic.The performance on 12/15 was a 2 PM matinee, and the 12/16 performance was Saturday evening at 2015.[b Fodor notes]

1895 Birth of mezzo-soprano Cecile Arden. Debut as Vannard in Lodoletta (Mascagni) Jan 1918 Created Mistress of Novices in Suor Angelica (Puccini).

1898 Birth of composer Fernando REMACHA. Search Fernando REMACHA.

1901 Death of Brazilian composer Elias Alvares Lobo, in Sao Paulo at age 67. b-Itú, 9 AUG 1834.

1905 Birth of Hungarian composer Ferenc FARKAS in Nagykanizsa. d-Budapest, 10 OCT 2000. lastfm...WIKIPEDIA...

1909 Death of Spanish composer Francisco Tarrega at age 57 in Barcelona. b-Vila-Real, 21 NOV 1852. Search Francisco Tarrega.

1910 FP of Max Reger's Piano Concerto in f, Op. 114. Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra conducted by Arthur Nikisch. Frieda Kwast-Hodapp was soloist. CD-Reger: Piano Concerto/Suite im alten Stil.

1912 Death of baritone Richard Breitenfeld. Born 13 Dec 1869 in Reichenburg, Bohemia. 1912 Debut as Di Luna in Trovatore (Verdi) 1897 Teacher :- Johannes Ress.

1915 Birth of Russian composer and pianist Georgy SVIRIDOV in Fatezh. Search Georgy SVIRIDOV.

1915 Spanish composer Enrique Granados travels to NYC. BOOK-Enrique Granados: A Bio-Bibliography (Bio-Bibliographies in Music).

1916 FP in USAmerica of Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde. Vocalists Tilly Koenen and Johannes Sembach, with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting in Philadelphia, PA. CD-Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde / Bruno Walter.

1917 Birth of German soprano Hilde Zadek in Berlin.  Debut in Telemaco (Gluck) Teachers:- Ria Ginster, Rose Pauly Pupils :- Margarita Kyriaki, Janez Lotric, Gertraud Berka-Schmid. 

1924 Birth of Polish-British violinist Ida HAENDEL. Search Ida HAENDEL.

1925 American debut of Hungarian violinist Joseph Szigeti with the Philadelphia Orchestra, in NYC. Search Joseph Szigeti.

1930 Birth of American composer David Warner HUTCHISON in Denver, CO.

1932 Birth of American composer Elaine BARKIN. Search Elaine BARKIN.

1932 Birth of composer Igor STUHEC.

1934 Birth of soprano Raina Kabaivanska  in Burgas, Bulgaria. Debut 1957 Teachers:- Giulia Tess, Zita Fumagalli-Riva, L Prokopova, Rosa Ponselle Pupils :- Rosanna Sovoia.

1934 FP of Jean Francaix's Concertino. The composer was soloist at this Lamoreaux concert in Paris. CD-Dorati Conducts Satie, Milhaud, Auric, Françaix & Fetler.

1937 Death of Danish tenor Vilhelm Herold. Born 19 Mar 1865 in Hasle. Debut as Faust in Faust(Gounod) 10 Feb 1893 Teachers:- George Allen, Devillier, Leopold Rosenfeld, Giovanni Sbriglia Pupils :- Lauritz Melchior, Einar Norby, Edith Oldrup, Erik Sjoberg Created David in Saul og David (Nielson) Stig Hvide in Ragnhild (Hartmann) Vifandaka in Vifandaka (Tofft).

1938 FP of Ernest Bloch's Violin Concerto. Dimitri Metropoulos conducted the Cleveland Orchestra. Joseph Szigeti was soloist, in Cleveland, OH. CD-Barber/Walton/Bloch: Violin Concertos

1938 FP of Silvestre Revueltas' Sensemayá in Mexico City. CD-Silvestre Revueltas: Centennial Anthology 1899-1999

1939 Birth of Hungarian soprano Eva Andor in Budapest. Teacher :- Dagmar Freiwald-Lange Pupil :- Andrea Edina Ulbrich Created Ophelia in Hamlet (Szokolay).

1939 Birth of composer Nicolaus A HUBER. Search Nicolaus A HUBER.

1940 Death of French soprano Blanche Marchesi. Born 4 Apr 1863 in Paris. Debut as Brunnhilde in Walkure (Wagner) Teacher :- Mathilde Marchesi (mother) Pupils :- Muriel Brunskill, Astra Desmond, Jack Freestone, Virginia Rea Ellen Gulbranson, Maria Jeritza, Phyllis Archibald, Joy McArden Blanche Tomlin. 

1940 FP of Arnold Schoenberg's Chamber Sym No 2, in NYC. CD-Schoenberg: Gurrelieder - The Two Chamber Symphonies / Norman, Troyanos, McCracken; Ozawa, Imbal.

1945 Death of English pianist and teacher Tobias Augustus Matthay in High Marley, Surrey, England. b-London, 19 FEB 1858. Search Tobias Augustus Matthay.

1945 Debut at The MET Opera in NYC of Robert Merrill in Verdi's La Traviata. Search Robert Merrill. 

1946 Death of composer Gordon Frederic Norton, at age 77.

1948 Birth of English tenor Nigel ROBSON. Search Nigel ROBSON.

1949 Death of German bass Ludwig Ermold. Born 2 June 1883 in Offenbach. Debut as Baculus in Wildschutz (Lortzing) 1905 Created Morbio in Schweigsame Frau (Strauss).

1950 Death of composer Robert Muller-Hartmann, at age 66. b-11 OCT 1884. Search  Robert Muller-Hartmann.

1953 Death of Japanese composer Kishio Hirao at age 46. Search Kishio Hirao.

1953 Birth of English pianist and conductor Jan LATHAM-KOENIG. Search Jan LATHAM-KOENIG.

1961 Birth of American composer Matthew H. FIELDS in Milwaukee, WI. Search Matthew H. FIELDS.

1967 Death of Russian soprano Valeria Barsova. Born 13 June 1891 in Astrakan. Debut as Rosina in Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) 1915 Teachers:- Umberto A Mazetti, Maria Vladimirov.

1972 Death of German composer Herbert Eimert, at 75. Search Herbert Eimert.

1973 Death of composer Orest Alexandrovich Evlahkov, at age 61. b-17 JAN 1912.

1974 Death of Swedish mezzo-soprano Karin Branzell. Born 24 Sep 1891 in Stockholm. Debut as Amneris in Aida (Verdi) 1912 Teachers:- Louis Bachner, E Hjortberg, Thekla Hofer, Ludwig Mantler Enrico Rosati Pupils :- Bette Bjorling, Mignon Dunn, Nell Rankin, Karin Madeira Sang in premiere of Schwanda the Bagpiper (Weinberger). 

1974 Death of Austrian soprano Fritzi Jokl. Born 23 Mar 1895 in Vienna. Debut 1917 Teacher :- Frau Rosental-Ranner Sang in premiere of Himmelskleid (Wolf-Ferrari).

1974 Death of composer Erich Walter Sternberg, at 83.

1975 Death of composer Mukhtar Ashrafi at age 63. b-11 JUN 1912.

1979 Death of Dutch composer Piet Post in Leeuwarden. b-Amsterdam, 8 APR 1919. 

1984 Death of opera tenor Jan Peerce, [Perelmuth], at age 80 following a stroke. Born 3 Jun 1904 New York. Debut as Duke in Rigoletto (Verdi) 14 May 1938 Teachers:- Giuseppe Boghetti, L Braun, Riccardo Dellora, Rozas. Search Jan Peerce, BOOK-The Bluebird of Happiness: The Memoirs of Jan Peerce.

1986 Isaac Stern arrived in a horse-drawn carriage to cut the ribbon and host the $50 million facelift renovation concert of Carnegie Hall in NYC. And also...

1986 FP of L. Bernstein's Opening Prayer for Baritone and Orchestra, at the Carnegie Hall renovation concert by the New York Philharmonic conducted by the composer. Kurt Ollmann was the vocal soloist.

1994 Death of Dutch conductor Hans de Jong at age 86.

1996 Death of Dutch composer Tristan Keuris in Hilversum. b-Amersfoort, 3 OCT 1946. Search Tristan Keuris;

2000 FP of John Adams' oratorio El Niño. Vocalists Dawn Upshaw, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson and Willard White, with the Theatre of Voices and the Deutsches Symphonie conducted by Kent Nagano at Le Châtelet in Paris. CD-John Adams - El niño / Hunt-Lieberson, Upshaw, W. White, Nagano

2001 FP of Aaron Jay Kernis' composition Color Wheel by The Philadelphia Orchestra. Performance at the new Verizon Hall at Kimmel Center for Performing Arts.

2004 Death of British harpist Sidonie Goosens at 105 in London. b-19 OCT 1899. Obit.