MARCH 12

 Caspar OTHMAYR

-604 Birth of Pope Gregory, developed the Gregorian chant.

1515 Birth of German composer Caspar OTHMAYR, in Amberg. d-Nüremburg, 4 FEB 1553. He was a German Protestant priest, theologian as well as composer. BIO.

1628 Death of English Elizabethian composer John Bull believed to have formed the melody for God Save The King.

1710 Birth of English composer Thomas Augustine ARNE in London. Wrote Rule Brittania. d- 5 MAR 1788.

1726 FP of G. F. Handel's opera Scipione at the King's Theater in the Haymarket, London.

1768 Birth of composer Carolus Antonius Fodor. aka Carel Anton Fodor born in Venlo and died in Amsterdam, aged 77 (Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carel_Anton_Fodor). DOB per Wikipedia cite is 12 April 1768, validated in Groves; DOD is 22 Feb 1846, also Wikipedia & Groves, which lists him as the youngest of 3 bothers in the Dutch Fodor family (eldest, Josephus Andreas, 21 Jan 1751 [Venlo]–3 Oct 1828 [St Petersburg], violinist & composer; middle, Carolus Emmanuel, 31 Oct 1759 [Venlo]–??[Paris], harpsichordist & composer; Josephus had a daughter Josèphine Fodor-Mainvielle, soprano, 13 Oct 1789 [Paris]–14 Aug 1870 [St Genis-Laval], largest write-up in Groves of the 4).

1793 Birth of composer Augustin-Philippe Peellaert.

1812 Death of composer, pianist and harmonica player Jan Ladislav Dussek. In The Oxford Companion to Music P. Scholes writes "(Dussek) took too little exercise, became stout, found motion tiresome, took to lying in bed, felt bored, drank and died."

1819 Birth of Swedish soprano Henriette Nissen-Saloman in Gothenberg. Died 27 Aug 1879. BIO. Debut as Adalgisa in Norma (Bellini) 1843 Teachers, Frederic Chopin, Manuel Garcia Jnr Pupils, Joephine De Reszke, Alma Fohstrom, Eleonora Petrelli Vilhelmina Raab.

1826 Birth of soprano Sofia Cruvelli in Bielefeld.  Died 6 Nov 1907 Debut as Odabella in Attila (Verdi) 1847 Teachers, Francesco Lamperti, Giulio Bordogni, Piermarini Created Helene in Vespri Siciliani (Verdi) Maria Stuart in David Ricco (Capecelatro).

1826 Birth of composer Robert Lowry.

1832 Death of German composer Daniel Frederik Rudolph Kuhlau. b-Uelzen in North Germany, 11 SEP 1786.

1837 Birth of French organist and composer for the organ, Felix Alexandre GUILMANT. d- 29 MAR 1911. Biography

1857 FP of Verdi's opera Simone Boccanegra in Venice.

1863 Birth of tenor Georg Anthes in Bad Homburg.  Died 23 Feb 1923 Debut as Max in Freischutz (Weber) 1888 Teachers, Cesare Galiera, Julius Stockhausen Pupils, Zoltan Zavodszny, Maria Budanovits, Rosette Anday, Maria Nemeth, Gabriella Relle, Imre Pallo Sang in premiere of Herrat (Draeseke) Odysseus Heimkehr (Bungert) Haschisch (Chelius) Evanthia (Umlauff) 

1837 Birth of composer Felix Alexandre Guilmant.

1848 Birth of composer Cyrill Kistler.

1855 Birth of composer John White.

1859 Birth of composer Josef Cyril Sychra.

1860 Birth of composer Salvatore Di Giacomo.

1865 Birth of tenor Edoardo Garbin in Padua.  Died 12 April 1943 Debut as Alvaro in Forza Del Destino (Verdi) 1891 Teachers, Vittorio Orefice, Alberto Selva, Pupil, Kurt Baum, Endre Rosler Created Fenton in Falstaff (Verdi) Milio Dufresne in Zaza (Leoncavallo) Giovanni Gallurese in Giovanni Gallurese (Montemezzi) Don Fernan Guevara in Cristoforo Colombe (Franchetti) Sang in premiere of Ghismonda (Bianchi) Helera (Montemezzi) La Festa del Grano (Fino).

1869 Death of Russian composer Ernst Haberbier in Bergin, Norway. b-Königsberg, 5 OCT 1813. 

1874 Birth of Austrian composer Edmund Eysler.

1875 Birth of composer Julio Garreta.

1878 Birth of composer Joseph Gustav Mraczek.

1878 Death of bass Osip Petrov. Born 15 Nov 1806 in Elizavettgrad. Debut in Cossack Poet (Cavos) 1826 Teachers, Caterino Cavos, Mikhail Glinka Created Ivan Susanin in Ivan Susanin (Glinka) Russlan in Russlan & Ludmilla (Glinka) Varlaam in Boris Godounov (Mussorgsky) Sopoly Cherevik in Sorochinsky Fair (Mussorgsky) Miller in Rusalka (Dargomizhsky) Gudal in Demon (Rubinstein) Leporello in Stone Guest (Dargomizhsky) Ivan the Terrible in Maid of Pskov (Rimsky-Korsakov) Oziya in Judith (Serov) Vladimir in Rogneda (Serov) Mayor in Vakula the Smith (Tchaikovsky).

1878 Birth of bass-baritone Walther Soomer in Liegnitz.  Died Aug 1955 Debut 1902 Teachers, Hermann Stoeckert, Anna Uhlig Pupils, Rudolf Bockelmann, Kurte Bohme, Frederick Dalberg Sang in premiere of Wreckers (Smyth) Der Stier von Olivera (D'Albert) Revolutionshochzeit (D'Albert).

1879 Birth of bass Vasily Petrov in Alexeyevka, Ukraine. Died 4 Sep 1937 Debut as Miller in Rusalka (Dargomyzsky) 1902 Teacher, Bartschal.

1883 Birth of soprano Ester Mazzoleni in Sebenico. Died 17 May 1982 Debut as Leonora in Trovatore (Verdi) 24 Jan 1906 Teachers, Ravasio, Amelia Pinto Sang at the premiere of Figlia del Re (Lualdi).

1887 Birth of African-American choral conductor and composer Hall JOHNSON in Athens, GA. His choir appearanced in productions of Green Pastures and Lost Horizons. d-NYC, 1970.

1888 Birth of German conductor Hans KNAPPERTSBUSCH. 1937 conductor of Vienna P. O. and State Opera. d-Munich, 25 OCT 1965. Discogrophy.

1888 Birth of composer Hall Johnson.

1890 Birth of Soviet ballet master Vaslav NIJINSKY in Kiev. d-London, 1950.

1898 FP of V. Kalinnikov's Symphony No. 2, in Kiev. Kalinnikov: Symphony Nos. 1 & 2

1899 Birth of tenor Hans Fidesser  in Vienna.  Died 22 Jan 1982 Debut as Rigoletto in Rigoletto (Verdi) 1922 Teachers, E Mauck, Lorenz Haufer Sang in premiere of Die Mondnacht (Bittner)

1900 Birth of tenor Vladimir Toms in Chrudim. Died 6 Dec 1935 Debut as Radames in Aida (Verdi) 1929 Teachers, Egon Fuchs, Josef Masopust, Ferdinand Pujman Paul Ulanowsky

1899 Death of soprano Mary Anne Goward. Born 22 Nov 1805 in Ipswich. Debut Nov 1823 Teacher, Mrs Henry Smart Created Mermaid in Oberon (Weber) 

1900 Birth of composer Zoltan Vasarhelyi.

1908 Birth of tenor Eugene Conley.  Born 12 Mar 1908 in Lynn, Massachussetts.  Debut as Duke in Rigoletto (Verdi) 1940 Teachers, Harriet E Barrows, Ettore Verna.

1908 Death of soprano Clara Novello-Davies. Born 10 June 1818 in London. Debut as Semiramide in Semiramide (Rossini) Teachers,  Hill, Robinson, Cheron, Micheroux Pupils :- Clara Butt, Eleanor Jones-Hudson Created Virginia in Virginia (Nini).

1912 Birth of American composer and conductor Paul WESTON in Springfield, MA. Also composed serious music, Crescent City suite. CD- Crescent City.

1912 Birth of Canadian-American composer Theodore "Ted" NORMAN. d-LA, 29 MAY 1997.

1912 Birth of tenor Franciszek Arno in Wilno. Died 18 Jul 1969 Teachers, Adele Connie-Wilgocka, Zofia Pedyczkowska, Adamo Didur.

1914 Birth of composer Jan Kapr.

1921 Birth of American composer, teacher and conductor Ralph SHAPEY, in Philadelphia. d-Chicago, 13 JUN 2002.

1922 Birth of composer Thomas Hugh Eastwood.

1923 Birth of Austrian-English violinist Norbert BRAININ. d-11 APR 2005. 

1925 Birth of composer Georges Delerue.

1925 Birth of soprano Helga Pilarczyk in Brunswick. Debut as Irmentraud in Waffenschmied (Lortzing) 1957 Teachers, Dziobek, Rennart Created Costanza in Konig Hirsch (Henze) Sang in premiere of Re Cervo (Henze) Pallas Athene Weint (Krenek) Goldene Bock (Krenek).

1926 Birth of bass Zoltan Keleman in Budapest. Died 9 May 1979 Debut Kecal in Bartered Bride (Smetana) 1959 Teacher Marie Teresa Pediconi Sang in premiere of Soldaten (Zimmermann).

1926 Birth of American composer Rolv YTTREHUS.

1926 Ten year old violinist Yehudi Menuhin makes his debut. Playing Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole with the San Francisco S.O. See 1999 below.

1928 Birth of English trumpeter Philip JONES in Bath. d- 16 JAN 2000.

1930 Birth of baritone Russell Christopher in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Debut as Emperor in Turandot (Puccini) 1959 Teachers, Philip Duey, Raymond McDermot.  

1930 Birth of composer Stanko Horvat.

1934 First complete peformance of Paul Hindemith's symphonic suite Mathis der Maler, by the Berlin P. O. Wilhelm Fürtwängler conducting. 

1937 Birth of Welsh soprano Elizabeth VAUGHAN in Llanfyllin, N Wales. Debut as Abigaille in Nabucco (Verdi) 1960. Teachers, Maria Carpi, Olive Groves, Eva Turner Pupil, Amanda Boyd Created Gayle in Ice Break (Tippett).

1937 Death of French composer and organist Charles Marie Widor in Paris. b-Lyon, 21 FEB 1844.

1937 Death of Hungarian composer Jeno Hubay in Budapest. b-Pest, 15 SEP 1858. 

1938 Birth of composer Tona Scherchen-Hsiao.

1938 Birth of composer Dimitri Terzakis.

1938 Hitler takes Vienna. Nazi's force exile of musicians and reduce the Salzburg Festival to mediocrity.

1939 Birth of tenor Veriano Luchetti in Tuscany. Debut as Alfredo in Traviata (Verdi) 1965 Teachers, Capuano, Muller, Enrico Piazza, Riccardo Picozzi Pupils, Sabrina De Rose, Nicola Ulivieri Created Wendell in Donna Uccisa con Dolcezza (Hazon).

1941 Birth of Finnish pianist, composer, critic and teacher Erkki Olavi SALMENHAARA in Helsinki.

1941 Death of singing coach Isadora Luckstone. Born 28 Jan 1861 in Baltimore, MD. Pupils, Lila P Robeson, Rachel Morton, Lambert Murphy Ellison Van Hoose.

1943 FP of Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man in Cincinnati. Copland: Orchestral Masterpieces

1945 WW II continues, allies bomb Vienna Opera House.

1954 FP of Arnold Schoeberg's opera Moses und Aron.

1958 Birth of Italian composer Davide ZANNONI in Spoleto, Italy.

1959 Birth of soprano Catherine Dubosc in Lille. Teachers, Denise Dupleix, Gerda Hartmann, Hans Hotter, Eric Tappy.

1964 FP of B. Britten's Symphony for Cello and Orchestra. Rostropovich, cellist; Britten, conducting, in Moscow.

1965 FP of Witold Lutoslawski's String Quartet. LaSalle Quartet in Stockholm. Lutoslawski: String Quartet.

1969 Birth of mezzo-soprano Kristine Zadovska in Dobele, Latvia. Teachers, Katia Angeloni, Irina Arkhipova, Ludmilla Brauna Irina Gavrilovich, Anne Reinholde, Magda Schimla.

1970 Death of soprano Grete Merrem-Nikisch. Born 7 July 1887 in Duren, Rhineland. Debut 1910 Teachers, Marie Hedmont, Schulz-Dornburg, Elena Gerhardt Pupil :- Anni Frind Created Lady in Cardillac (Hindemith) Arsinoe in Toten Augen (D'Albert) Christelflein in Christelflein (Pfitzner) Gertraude in Schirin und Gertraude (Graener).

1978 Death of mezzo-soprano Helene Bouvier. Born 20 June 1905 in Paris. Debut as Orfeo in Orfeo ed Euridice (Gluck) 1930 Created Mother in Canuts (Kosma) Sang in premiere of Bolivar (Milhaud) Dolores (Levy M-M).

1978 Death of composer and conductor Tolchard Evans. Composed popular Lady of Spain. b-1901.

1985 Death of Hungarian-American conductor Eugene Ormandy. b- [Jenö Ormandy Blau] 18 NOV 1899, Budapest, Hungary. He conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1936 until 1980.

1991 Death of Michael Langdon Bass Born 12 Nov 1920 Wolverhampton Died 12 Mar 1991 Debut as Nightwatchman in Olympians (Bliss) Teachers:- Maria Carpi, Alfred Jerger, Otakar Kraus, Samuel Worthington, Joseph Yates, Created Mr Ratcliffe in Billy Budd (Britten) Lord Hermiston in Hermiston (Orr) He-Athiest in Midsummer Marriage (Tippett) Doctor in We Come to the River (Henze) Recorder of Norwich in Gloriana (Britten)

1991 Death of Nicola Rossi-Lemeni Bass Born 7 Nov 1920 Istanbul Died 12 Mar 1991 Debut as Varlaam in Boris Godounov (Mussorgsky) May 1946 Teacher :- Xenia Lemeni-Macedon (mother), Carnevali-Cusinati Pupils :- Vivica Genoux, Thomas Potter Created Thomas a Becket in Assassinio Nella Catterale (Pizzetti) Saul in David (Milhaud) Ferrante in Reine Morte (Rossellini) Cardinal in Leggende del Ritorno (Rossellini) Don Fabrizio Salina in Gattopardo (Musco) Wallenstein in Wallenstein (Zafred) Sang in premiere of Trilogia das Barcas (Braga Santos) Visita Meruvigliosa (Rota) Sguardo dal Ponte (Rossellini) L'Avventurio (Rossellini)

1995 Death of soprano Rita Talarico. Born 30 May 1941 in Rome. Debut in Matrimonio Segreto (Cimarosa) 1965 Teachers, Gabriella Besanzoni, Teresa Pediconi.

1999 Death of soprano Bidu Sayao. Born 11 May 1902 in Rio de Janeiro. Debut as Rosina in Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) 1926 Teachers, Jean de Rezske, Elena Theodorini.

1999 Death of American violinist and conductor Yehudi Menuhin, in Berlin at age 82 of heart failure. b-Rochester, NY 22 APR 1916. Biography/Photos Yehudi Menuhin POB given both in Wikipedia & Groves as NYC, not Rochester...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yehudi_Menuhin. Various cites as to age at his debut; another Wiki cite (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yehudi_Menuhin) gives his debut as 1923 at age 7, but first Wiki cite and Groves give debut in 1924, and following link (http://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Menuhin%2C_Yehudi) gives his first “formal” public performance in 1924 on 3/12 playing Beriot’s “Scène de Ballet” at “a young people’s concert, but his “official” SFO debut on 3/12/1926, which would have made him 9 y/o. Groves apparently relies on the 1924 SFO debut, without crediting the work performed, but goes with 1926 for the Carnegie Hall debut. See also http://www.carnegiehall.org/PerformanceHistorySearch/#!performer=26509, which fixes with some certainty his Carnegie Hall debut as 11/25/1927, which would give credence to the 1926 “official” debut with the SFO at age 9. (In other words, Groves has the wrong year for his Carnegie Hall performance, where he played Beethoven’s VC.)