TDCM: March 14th - Emmanuel Chabrier

 

Listening Through The Dictionary of Composers and Their Music 

Emmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894)

Bio

Chabrier studied law in Paris and worked in the government for most of his life. As his compositions grew in notoriety he devoted himself to composing more and more until he fell ill and died at only 53. He was an early supporter of the Impressionists and was friends with Manet. He influenced a wide variety of composers including Les Six, Debussy, Ravel, Satie, and Stravinsky. 

Music

España

Suite Pastoral

Pièces pittoresques (arr. Orchestra)

Joyeuse Marche

Pièces pittoresques for Piano

Complete Piano Works

TDCM: March 11th - Francesco Cavalli

 

Listening Through The Dictionary of Composers and Their Music 

Pietro Francesco Cavalli (1602-1676)

Bio

Cavali sang at St Mark's Basilica in Venice as a child. He studied Organ under Monteverdi and composed under the patronage of Venetian nobleman Federico Cavalli. He changed his name from Caletti-Bruni to Cavalli in honor of his patron. He is an example of polychoral vocal composing in the early Baroque period.

Music

Musiche Sacre

Ercole Amante

Missa pro Defunctis

Xerse

TDCM: March 10th - Alfredo Catalani

 

Listening Through The Dictionary of Composers and Their Music 

Alfredo Catalani (1854-1893)

Bio

Catalani was born in Lucca and studied in Milan under Bazzini. He has been compared to Puccini, Massenet, and even occasionally Wagner. He composed six major operas and a few symphonic works but is most known as the composer of the aria "Ebben? Ne andrò lontana" in the film Diva. 

Music

Sinfonia romantica

Missa in E minor

Loreley

La Wally

Edmea

TDCM: March 9th - Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco

 

Listening Through The Dictionary of Composers and Their Music 

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968)

Bio

Castelnuovo-Tedesco was born in Florence and studied piano under Edgardo Del Valle de Paz and composition under Ildebrando Pizzetti. Yesterday's composer, Alfredo Casella, popularized Castelnuovo's work and drew the attention of major festivals and in particular MGM who brought him to the United States to score more than 200 films. He is particularly important as a composer for classical guitar and taught some of the great film composers of all time including Henry Mancini, Jerry Goldsmith, and John Williams.

Music

Guitar Concerto No. 1

Piano Concerto No. 1 in G major

Concerto Sereno in Do

The Merchant of Venice, Overture

Giulio Cesare, Overture

Cello Concerto in G minor

Violin Concerto No. 2 "I Propheti"

24 Caprichos de Goya para la guitarra

Piano Works

TDCM: March 8th - Alfredo Casella

 

Listening Through The Dictionary of Composers and Their Music 

Alfredo Casella (1883-1947)

Bio

Casella was born with a strong musical pedigree, his grandfather was a cello soloist and friend of Paganini and his father and brothers were also professional cellists. He studied piano, like his mother, at the Conservatoire de Paris under Diémer and composition under Fauré. He met or was a contemporary student with Stravinsky, Ravel, de Falla, Busoni, Mahler, and Strauss just to name a few. He preceded Arthur Fiedler as the principal conductor of the Boston Pops in the late 20s and was a virtuoso pianist.

Music

Symphony No. 1 in B minor

Symphony No. 3

Symphony No. 2 in C minor

Missa Solemnis "Pro Pace"

Violin Concerto

TDCM: March 7th - Elliott Carter

 

Listening Through The Dictionary of Composers and Their Music 

Elliott Carter (1908-2012)

Bio

Carter studied at Harvard with Edward B Hill, Gustav Holst, and Walter Piston before traveling to Paris to study with Nadia Boulanger. He was a well-respected representative of "ultra-modernism" and neoclassical composing. He was extremely prolific in his later years producing 60 pieces after the age of 90, 20 of which were written after his 100th birthday.   

Music

Symphony No. 1

String Quartet No. 1

Variations for Orchestra

Symphonia: Sum fluxae pretium spei

Symphony of Three Orchestras

Piano Sonata

Night Fantasies

Sonata for Flute, Oboe, Cello, and Harpsichord

Concerto for Orchestra

String Quartet No. 3

String Quartet No. 4

TDCM: March 4th - John Alden Carpenter

 

Listening Through The Dictionary of Composers and Their Music 

John Alden Carpenter (1876-1951)

Bio

Born to an Illinois businessman, Carpenter was raised to appreciate music as well as industrialism. He studied at Harvard under John Knowles Paine and then briefly with Edward Elgar in Rome. He served as the VP of his father's business and retired at 60 to focus on composing.   

Music

Symphony No. 1

Gitanjali

String Quartet

Adventures in a Perambulator

Krazy Kat

Concertino for Piano and Orchestra

Diversions

Skyscrapers

Violin Sonata