Italian tenor Gianni Raimondi has died at age 85
Raimondi, who sang with diva Maria Callas
WEB - IMAGES - SHOP Gianni Raimondi
NED ROREM at 85
Ned Rorem (born October 23, 1923) is an American composer and diarist. He is best known and praised for his song settings. He was born in Richmond, Indiana and received his early education in Chicago at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, the American Conservatory and then Northwestern University. Later, Rorem moved on to the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia and finally the Juilliard School in New York City.
Wiki Bio - WEB - IMAGES - Shop ~ NED ROREM
Boris Goldovsky's career spanned five decades
Boris Goldovsky (Cyrillic: Борис Голдовский) (June 7, 1908 - February 15, 2001) was a promoter and popularizer of opera working in the United States of America. As a broadcaster, impresario, and conductor, he became prominent within the American operatic community between 1946 and 1979. He has been called one of the most important popularizers of opera in America. In the summer of 1940, the Russian-born pianist, conductor, and stage director reported for duty at the newly established Berkshire Music Center. He was there to help run the opera department, and in his introductory meeting with the Boston Symphony Orchestra's music director Serge Koussevitzky, he owned up to a secret agenda: "I would like to find out what would happen if we were to treat opera singers like full-fledged artists and not like unmusical and clumsy marionettes who cannot be trusted to think for themselves," he said, as recalled in his memoirs.
MORE - Wiki Bio - SHOP Boris Goldovsky
Birth Centennials
21 OCTOBER 1908
Birth of Russian-American violinist Alexander SCHNEIDER in Vilna, Russia. For many years was a member of the Budapest String Quartet. d-1993.
Birth of Irish composer Howard FERGUSON in Belfast.
Anthony Hopkins, Composer
"An Evening of Music With Anthony Hopkins & the Dallas Symphony Orchestra – A World Premiere" on Friday night. Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, CBE (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh film, stage and television actor. Considered by many to be one of film's greatest living actors, however, The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is presenting a program that will include music he created for the films Slipstream and August, as well as other original compositions and pieces from some of his films written by others. His work as a composer isn't just the product of a successful actor enjoying a new hobby in the way some of his Hollywood counterparts have picked up a paintbrush or sat down at a typewriter. Mr. Hopkins has been "doodling" with music most of his life.MORE - IMAGES - SHOP Anthony Hopkins
Enrique de MARCHENA birth centennial
13 OCTOBER 1908 Birth of Dominican composer Enrique de MARCHENA in Ciudad Trujillo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. d-Ciudad Trujillo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 1988. He studied at the Dominican Republic National University. Graduating in 1929 with a degree of licenciate in law and political sciences. At the same time he studied music at the Liceo Musical of Ciudad Trujillo and piano with Flérida de Nolasco and harmony and composition with Enrique Casal, Chapí and Esteban Peña Morell. He was one of the founders of the Symphonic Society of Ciudad Trujillo. Music critic for Listín Diario and Correspondent for Musical America of New York. President of the Sociedad de Autores y Compositores de la República Dominicana. In 1945 he was appointed general director of the Fine Arts and vice Provost at the University of Ciudad Trujillo.
John Rutter's 'A Christmas Festival' CD - 2008
There is no composer currently alive who has been more closely associated with Christmas music than John Rutter. For more than 30 years his seasonal choral music has gained him an international following. This major new album of over a dozen new compositions and arrangements together with Rutter's selection of favourite carols was recorded at London's Cadogan Hall and is the first all new Christmas release from Rutter's celebrated Cambridge Singers for 20 years. Accompanying the superb choir are the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and with contributions from the Farnham Youth Choir this is an album with a sales potential far, far beyond the average choral release. The Cambridge Singers are indeed in fine voice and bring to light the soaring melodic cadences of the new Rutter works like "Rejoice And Be Merry", "New Year" and "I Wish You Christmas". His new arrangements are strong too though there's only so much he could do with an over-jolly melody like "Nos Galan (New Year's Eve)", better known to you and I as "Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly". 
Having said that, the haunting Appalachian carol "I Wonder As I Wander" and the quite beautiful "The Shepherd's Carol" are two of the finest examples of Christmas music you'll hear this or any year. Reviewed by Tony Cummings
Birth centennial of RINA CORSI
Mezzo-Soprano Rina Corsi was from a famous family of Italian singers. She was born, 9 October 1908, in Florence, studied with conductor Leopold Mugnone and began her career in 1929. She had a large repertoire of roles including, Marina, Santuzza, Adelaide, Mignon, Edvige, Suzuki, Teresa, Meg Page, Maddalena, Ninetta, Afra and Paulina. She performed at the great Italian houses; La Scala, Teatro dell’Opera, San Carlo, Teatro Massimo, Teatro Communale, Festival di Caracalla, as well as many of the smaller houses. She retired as a vocal teacher in Florence. SHOP Rina Corsi
Attractive new website for composer Jack Gallagher
A new website, for composer Jack Gallagher has been created by the remarkable web designer Ramona Borthwick of LEITMOTIF.COM. It is up and running at:
www.JackGallagherMusic.com. As a classical music 'site seer' you might wish to take a look.
Tucson Symphony CD tops charts
By Cathalena E. Burch Arizona Daily Star Tucson, Arizona
Available Here
In the United States, first week sales of “André Mathieu: Piano Concerto No. 4,” with French-Canadian pianist Alain Lefévre, were at least 1,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan, which tracks record sales to determine Billboard and other record charts. SoundScan spokeswoman Anna Loynes said the album debuted at No. 5 on Billboard’s classical charts.
MORE - WEB
Birth centennial Paul V Yoder, composer
8 OCT 1908 Birth of American composer Paul V. YODER. d-1990. American musician, composer, arranger, and band director and composed over 1,500 original compositions and arrangements during the course of his career. This gained him the nickname of "The Dean of American Composers," as well as "Father of Bands" in Japan, and also "America's Musical Ambassador." That latter stemmed from his work overseas in adjucating, composing, participation in clinics, and directing. Dr. Yoder is an honorary life member and past national president of the National Band Association and has been awarded, amongst other awards, the Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts, the Distinguished Service to Music Medal, and has been inducted into the prestigous National Band Association Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors.
WEB - SHOP Paul V. YODER
The music of Philip Glass
Morning Edition, October 3, 2008 - The music of Philip Glass elicits an array of opinions. Some love it; some don't. Some just don't get it. When he sat down to talk with Morning Edition host Renee Montagne about a new 10-CD retrospective of his work, he said that last reaction was true of some of his early music.
NPR LISTEN LINK - WEB - IMAGES - SHOP Philip Glass
Zenobia Powell Perry birth centennial
3 OCT 1908 Birth of American composer poet, pianist, and educator, Zenobia Powell PERRY in Boley, OK. d-Xenia, OH, 17 JAN 2004 at the age of 95.
WEB - SHOP Zenobia Powell Perry
J. Friedrich Eduard SOBOLEWSKI & Herman KOPPEL
1 OCT 1808 Birth of Prussian-Polish composer, conductor and writer J. Friedrich Eduard SOBOLEWSKI in Königsberg, East Prussia. d-17 MAY 1872. WEB
1 OCT 1908 Birth of Danish composer, pianist and teacher Herman KOPPEL in Copenhagen. d-Copenhagen, 14 JUL 1998. WEB
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