classical music JULY 4

Stephen_Foster

1603 Death of Belgian composer Philip de Monte in Praha, Czech Republic. b-Mechelen, 1521.

1623 Death of English composer William BYRD at Stondon Massey in Essex. b-London, 1540.

1694 Birth of French composer Louis Claude DAQUIN in Paris. Composer of Le Coucou and other harpsichord pieces. d-Paris, 15 JUN 1772.

1742 Handel finishes his secular oratorio Semele after suffering a stroke days earlier.

1762 Birth of composer Marco Santucci

1769 Birth of composer Louis-Luc Loiseau de Persuis

1776 In Philadelphia PA, a revolutionary tribunal announces a desire to break away from British authority by preparing a "Declaration of Independence" providing a foundation of "The United States of America" Hear: 'Yankee Doodle' in "A Montevideo", the Sym No 2 of Louis Moreau Gottschalk.

1793 Birth of composer Franz Xaver Pechacek

1826 Birth of American Song composer Stephen Collins FOSTER in Lawrenceville, near Pittsburgh, PA. d-NYC, 13 JAN 1864. BIO

1827 Opening of Niblo's Gardens, American concert hall, at Broadway and Prince Street in NYC.

1828 For the first time The U.S. Marine Band performs Hail to the Chief for a living President. Ground-breaking ceremonies for the excavation of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal which was attended by President John Quincy Adams.

1829 Birth of German-American composer Hermann KOTZSCHMAR. d-12 APR 1909.

1831 FP of America with words My Country, tis of thee by Samuel Francis Smith. At Park Street Church, Boston.

1840 Birth of American composer James McGRANAHAN in West Fellowfield, PA. d-Kinsman, OH 9 JUL 1907.

1842 Birth of composer Gyula Erkel

1850 Birth of Norwegian composer Ole OLSEN in Hammerfest. d-Oslo, 9 NOV 1927.

1854 Birth of German composer and conductor Henrich ZOLLNER in Leipzig. d-Freiberg im Breisgau, 4 MAY 1941.

1863 Birth of Austrian-born American soprano Emma JUCH in Vienna. d-NYC, 6 MAR 1939. She was the daughter of a naturalized American citizen. Début: recital New Yorks's Chickering Hall (1881); stage début, London, Her Majesty's Theatre, Mignon (1881); She was a leading member of the American, later National Opera Company (1884-89). She formed her own Emma Juch Grand Opera Co. (1889-91), and toured the U.S. and Mexico. She retired from the opera stage when she married (1894). Juch was an advocate of opera in English. Made only three records, on 7 MAY 1904. Debut as Philine in Mignon (Thomas) JUN 1881. Teacher was Adeline Murio-Celli. Created Dora in Rinnegato (Orczy).

1874 Daeth of tenor Eduard Mantius. b-Schwerin, 18 JAN 1806. Debut as Tamino in Zauberflote (Mozart) 1830. Pupils were Theodor Reichmann, Benno Stolzenberg. Created Slender in Merry Wives of Windsor (Nicolai).

1876 Birth of Italian mezzo-soprano Tina Maria Elisabetta ALASIA in Turin. d-10 MAY 1948.

1876 For the American centennial celebration, the city of Philadelphia, PA paid Richard Wagner $5,000 for rights to use music from Lohengrin at the World Fair.

1883 Birth of composer Maximilian Oseyevich Shteynberg

1886 Birth of German composer Heinrich KAMINSKY in Tiengen. d-Ried, Germany, 21 JUN 1946.

1889 Birth of Russian-American pianist Samuel CHOTZINOFF.

1896 Birth of composer Adolf Hallis

1899 Birth of Russian bass Alexander PIROGOV in Novoselki Ryazan. d-26 JUN 1964. Debut 1919. Teacher was Vasily Tyutyunik. Sang in FP of Decembrists (Shaporin).

1899 Birth of Scottish bass and teacher Roy HENDERSON in Edinburogh. d-Bromley, Kent, 16 MAR 2000. Debut as Donner in Rheingold (Wagner) 1929. Pupils were Pamela Bowden, Kathleen Ferrier, Birgit Finnila, Aafje Heynis, Gillian Knight, Patricia Payne, John Shirley-Quirk, Hervey Alan, Pauline Tinsley, Jennifer Vyvyan, John Wakefield, Thomas Round, Derek Hammond-Stroud, Alvar Lidell, Norma Proctor, John Holmes, Geoffrey Shovelton.

1900 FP of the final version of Jean Sibelius' Symphony No. 1. Helsinki Philharmonic on tour, with Robert Kajanus conducting in Stockholm. A version of the symphony was premiered in Helsinki on 26 APR 1899.

1903 Birth of Belgian composer, organist and teacher Flor PEETERS in Thielen. d-Antwerp, He died on his birthday in 1986.

1904 Birth of American composer and teacher Dante FIORILLO. Eastman School of Music. d-1970.

1904 Birth of composer Artur Malawski

1908 Birth of American baritone Arthur NEWMAN in St. Louis. d-Scottsdale, AZ. 6 AUG 2000.

1910 Birth of Welsh-American composer and pianist Alec TEMPLETON in Cardiff. d-Greenwich, CT 28 MAR 1963.

1911 Birth of American oboist and conductor Mitch MILLER.

1911 Birth of Italian composer Franco FERRARA in Palermo. d-Firenze, 7 SEP 1985.

1911 Birth of Italian conductor Francesco MOLINARI-PRADELLI Bologna. d-Bologna, 7 AUG 1996. Debut in L'Elisir d'amore at the age of 28, Bologna. MET Opera Debut 7 FEB 1966, Un Ballo in Maschera, 8 seasons (1965-73) 312 perf., 19 works.

1913 Birth of American bass Leon LISHNER in NYC. Debut as Bartolo in Nozze di Figaro (Mozart) 1942. Teacher was Albert Garcia. Created King Melchior in Amahl & the Night Visitors (Menotti). Secret Police Agent in Consul (Menotti). Don Marco in Saint of Bleeker Street (Menotti). Death in Labyrinth (Menotti).

1913 FP of Holbrooke's trilogy "The Cauldron of Anwyn" # II "Dylan, Son of Wave" London.

1916 Birth of Italian bass Carlo BADIOLI in Bagnara di Romagna.

1921 Tibor Varga, Hungarian violinist and orchestra leader

1923 FP Vaughan Williams English Folk Song Suite for Military Band at the Royal Military School of Music in London.

1924 Birth of Czech soprano Libuse DOMANINSKA in Brno-Kral. Debut as Venduka in Kiss (Smetana) 1945. Teachers were Hana Pirkova, Bohuslav Sobesky, Reznikova. Sang in FP of Love Ballad (Doubrava).

1925 Birth of American mezzo-soprano and avante guard composer Cathy BERBERIAN in Attleboro, MA. d-Rome, 6 MAR 1983. Teacher was Georgina Del Vago. Created Justine & Juliette in Passion Selon Sade (Bussotti).

1925 Birth of French tenor Pierre FLETA in Villefranche sur Mer. Debut 1949. Sang in FP of Locandiera (Thiriet). Belle de Paris (Etcheverry / Ducreux).

1927 Birth of English mezzo-soprano Patricia KERN in Swansea. Debut in Rusalka (Dvorak) 1959. Teacher was Parry Jones. Pupils were Gidon Saks, Russell Braun, Lilac Cane. Created Josephine in Violins of St Jacques (Williamson). Kirstie in Hermiston (Orr). Aurelia in Cataline Conspiracy (Hamilton).

1931 Death of American soprano Emma Thursby. b-Brooklyn, NY 17 NOV 1857. Debut 1875. Teachers were Achille Errani, Lamperti, Julius Meyer, Hermine Rudersdorff, Antonio Sangiovanni. Pupils were Geraldine Farrar, Oley Speaks.

1936 Death of Italian tenor Edoardo Ferrari-Fontana. b-Rome, 8 JUL 1878. Debut as Tristan in Tristan und Isolde (Wagner) 1909. Teacher was Riccardo Stracciari. Created Avito in Amore dei Tre Re (Montemezzi).

1939 Birth of soprano Donat ZDISLAWA in Posen. MET Opera Début 12 JAN 1981 [Queen] Die Zauberflöte, 3 seasons (1980-82, 87-88) 22 perf., 2 works. Debut as Gilda in Rigoletto (Verdi) 1964. Teachers were Gino Bechi, Zofia Bregy, Ada Sari.

1942 Death of German soprano Elisabeth Feuge. b-Dessau, 15 AUG 1902. Debut 1921. Teacher was Emilie Feuge-Gleiss (mother). Sang in FP of Torneo Notturno (Malipiero). Himmelsklied (Wolf-Ferrari)

1944 FP of Sauguet's "La Gageure imprévue" Paris.

1948 Birth of American soprano Clamma DALE in Chester, PA. MET Opera Début 20 FEB 1973 [St. Teresa I] Four Saints in Three Acts, 1 season (1972-73) 12 perf., 1 role, 1 work. Debut as St Therese in 4 Saints in 3 Acts (Thomson) 20 FEB 1973. Teachers were Hans Heinz, Alice Howland, Cornelius Reid.

1953 Birth of American organist and composer Alfred V. FEDAK.

1957 Birth of Greek soprano Jenny DRIVALA in Kálamata.

1964 FP of Walter Piston's Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH.

1975 Death of Italian soprano Gilda Dalla Rizza. b-Verona, 12 OCT 1892. Debut as Charlotte in Werther (Massenet) 1912. Teachers were Vittorio Orefice, Alerno Ricci. Pupils were Emilia Ravaglia, Elena Rizzieri, Laura Zannini, Anna Moffo, Florindo Andreolli, Gianna D'Angelo, Rita Malatrasi, Disma de Cecco, Edda Vincenzi. Created Magda in Rondine (Puccini). Giulietta in Giulietta e Romeo (Zandonai). Mariella in Piccolo Marat (Mascagni). Sang in FP of Anima Allegra (Vittadini). Palla De'mozzi (Marinuzzi).

1983 FP of David Amram's Song for Sitting Bull cello and orchestra. William Da Rosa and the Long Island Philharmonic, Christopher Keene conducting.

1986 Death of Belgian composer and organist Flor Peeters. b-Tielen, 4 JUL 1903. He died on his birthday.

1986 US Marine Band performs for the rededication of the Statue of Liberty, recreating the band's orginal performance under John Philip Sousa for the original dedication ceremonies 100 years before in NYC.

1992 (5th)Death of Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla in Buenos Aires. b-Mar del Plata, 11 MAR 1921.