February

21 February

February 21st

Thomas Pitts Music, North America, United States of America February, Gould, Symphony No. 4, West Point

Morton Gould 10 December 1913 – 21 February 1996

West Point Symphony No. 4

Morten Gould
By http://www.schirmer.com/default.aspx?TabId=2419&State_2872=2&ComposerId_2872=565, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36703966

Morton Gould was an influential American composer, conductor, arranger, and pianist, born on December 10, 1913, in Richmond Hill, New York. He was recognised as a child prodigy, composing his first piece at just six years old. Gould studied at the Institute of Musical Art and was taught by notable instructors. During the Great Depression, he worked as a pianist in movie theatres and vaudeville acts. By 1935, he was conducting orchestral programmes for radio, reaching a national audience.

Gould created music for Broadway, film, and television, including the scores for “Billion Dollar Baby” and “World War One.” He received numerous accolades, including a Grammy Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1995 for his work “Stringmusic.” As a conductor, he led major orchestras across the globe and was known for blending various musical styles. Gould’s innovative approach to music included incorporating elements like tap dancing and rapping.

20 February

February 20th

Thomas Pitts England, Europe, Music February, Gipps, Knight in Armour

Ruth Gipps 20 February 1921 – 23 February 1999

Knight in Armour Op. 8

Ruth Gipps
from https://www.malcolmarnoldsociety.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Ruth-Gipps.jpeg

Ruth Dorothy Louisa (“Wid”) Gipps MBE was an influential English composer, oboist, pianist, conductor, and educator. Born in 1921, she created a diverse range of music, including five symphonies and seven concertos. Gipps founded the London Repertoire Orchestra and the Chanticleer Orchestra, significantly impacting music education. She was awarded an MBE in 1981 for her contributions to music. From a young age, Gipps showed exceptional talent, performing publicly at just four years old. She studied at the Royal College of Music and later at Durham University, where she earned a doctorate in music. Gipps faced challenges in her career, including discrimination, which shaped her determination to succeed. She became a prominent figure in conducting, establishing orchestras that showcased new works. Gipps’ music is known for its rich instrumental colour and reflects influences from her teachers, including Vaughan Williams. Despite her achievements, her music was often overlooked in her lifetime. Gipps’ legacy continues to inspire future generations of musicians, particularly women in the arts, highlighting her role in advocating for female composers.

19 February

February 19th

Thomas Pitts Europe, Italy, Music Boccherini, February, Minuet, String Quintet in E major

Luigi Boccherini 19 February 1743 – 28 May 1805

String Quintet in E major, Minuet Op. 11, No. 5

Luigi Boccherini
By Etienne Mazas – This file comes from Gallica Digital Library and is available under the digital ID btv1b8415874z, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1236274

Ridolfo Luigi Boccherini was an Italian composer and cellist born in 1743. He is known for his unique contributions to the Classical era of music. Boccherini’s music features a courtly style, and he is best remembered for his String Quintet in E, Op. 11, No. 5, and the Cello Concerto in B flat major. His works often highlight the cello, elevating it from a supporting role to a prominent one. Boccherini was born into a musical family and began his studies at a young age. He moved to Madrid in 1768, where he gained royal patronage. However, he faced challenges, including the disapproval of King Charles III, which led to his dismissal. Despite hardships, Boccherini composed many famous pieces, including guitar quintets and string quartets. His style is characterised by charm and optimism, influenced by Spanish dance forms. Boccherini’s music remains significant, inspiring future composers and enriching the classical music tradition. His works have been catalogued, allowing musicians to explore his extensive contributions to chamber music and orchestral compositions.

18 February

February 18th

Thomas Pitts Europe, Germany, Music, The Netherlands Brouwer, February, In Motion, Phoebe

Anna Phoebe 18 February 1981

In Motion

Anna Phoebe
By Ericdere – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76676656

Anna Phoebe McElligott is a talented London-based violinist, composer, and broadcaster. She performs in various musical genres, including contemporary classical, rock, folk, jazz, Celtic, and Middle Eastern music. Anna was born in Hamburg, Germany, to a Greek-Irish father and a German mother. She moved to Manchester at age four and later lived in Michigan before settling in St Andrews, Scotland.

Anna began playing the violin at seven, encouraged by her mother. She studied social policy at the London School of Economics and worked with Labour Party politicians.

After university, Anna became a session musician, collaborating with many famous artists, including Sean Combs and George Michael. A significant moment in her career was joining the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in 2003, where she toured extensively across the USA. Anna has also released solo albums and formed the duo AVAWAVES.

Photo_-_Festival_de_Cornouaille_2012_-_Loreena_McKennitt_en_concert_le_26_juillet_-_018

17 February

February 17th

Thomas Pitts Canada, Music, North America Brian Boru’s March, February, McKennitt

Loreena McKennitt 17 February 1957

Brian Boru’s March

Loreena McKennitt
By Thesupermat – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21926867

Loreena McKennitt is a talented Canadian singer-songwriter and composer born on February 17, 1957. She creates world music that blends Celtic and Middle Eastern influences, showcasing her clear soprano vocals. McKennitt has sold over 16 million records globally. Born in Morden, Manitoba, she grew up in a family with Irish and Scottish roots, which inspired her love for music. Initially, she studied to become a veterinarian but discovered folk music while at university. After performing at the Winnipeg Folk Festival in 1974, she developed a passion for Celtic music and learned to play the Celtic harp. McKennitt’s first album, Elemental, was released in 1985, followed by several successful albums. Her music often features themes of nature, mythology, and spirituality. McKennitt faced personal tragedy in 1998, which led her to reduce public performances. However, she returned to music in 2006 with the album An Ancient Muse. Today, she continues to tour and create music that reflects her cultural heritage and artistic vision. Her work has significantly influenced contemporary music.

16 February

February 16th

Thomas Pitts Austria, Europe, Music February, Strauss, Unter den Linder

Johann Strauss III 6 February 1866 – 9 January 1939

Unter den Linder (Under the Linden Trees) Walzer, Op. 30

Johann Strauss III
By Carl Pietzner – Sport und Salon, 19.07.1900, p. 9, from digitized collections of Austrian National Library, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25554213

Johann Maria Eduard Strauss III was an Austrian composer born in Vienna. He belonged to a famous musical family; his father was Eduard Strauss, and his uncles were Johann Strauss II and Josef Strauss. After the Strauss Orchestra dissolved in 1901, he was informally tasked with continuing his family’s musical legacy. Although he composed music, he is mainly remembered as a conductor. His only operetta, Katze und Maus, premiered in 1898 but received negative reviews. Critics suggested he use a pseudonym to avoid damaging his family’s reputation. Despite this, he created notable waltzes like Sylvanien and Leonie.

In 1903, he made history by being the first in his family to conduct recordings of their music. His later works, including The World Belongs to the Brave and the Coronation Waltz, gained popularity. Strauss’ music reflects the changing tastes of his time, as he navigated a world influenced by other composers like Franz Lehár.

15 February

February 15th

Thomas Pitts Music, North America, United States of America Adams, China Gates, February

John Adams 15 February 1947

China Gates

John Adams
by The original uploader was Macror at English Wikipedia.(Original text: Deborah O’Grady) – http://earbox.com/images/JA-portrait-1-LW.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3642905

John Coolidge Adams is an American composer and conductor known for his significant contributions to contemporary classical music. He is particularly recognised for his operas based on real historical events, along with major orchestral, choral, chamber, electronic, and piano works. Growing up in a musical family in New England, Adams studied at Harvard University. Initially, he was influenced by strict modernist music, but the writings of John Cage inspired him to explore new styles. After relocating to San Francisco, he became a prominent figure in the city’s new-music scene and taught at the San Francisco Conservatory. His minimalist style is evident in works like Phrygian Gates and Shaker Loops. Notable pieces such as Harmonium and Short Ride in a Fast Machine increased his national recognition. His opera Nixon in China, about Nixon’s 1972 visit, marked a collaboration with director Peter Sellars. Adams won the Pulitzer Prize for On the Transmigration of Souls, a tribute to 9/11 victims. His later operas include Doctor Atomic and Girls of the Golden West.

14 February

February 14th

Thomas Pitts Music, North America, United States of America February, Loewe, Musicals, My Fair Lady

Frederick Loewe 10 June 1901 – 14 February 1988

My Fair Lady Overture

Frederick Loewe
By Distributed by NBC (Motown). Photographer uncredited and unknown. – Originally published in 1962 as part of a publicity photo collage to promote the NBC TV special “The Broadway of Lerner and Loewe”; see this listing at WorthPoint. Scan via Getty Images. Retouched by uploader., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=107644002

Frederick Loewe was a famous composer known for his Broadway musicals. Born in Berlin, Germany, he moved to America with his father, a Jewish operetta star. Loewe began playing piano at a young age and started composing songs by seven. He attended the Stern Conservatory in Berlin and became a concert pianist.

In New York, he struggled initially but found work in German clubs and silent films. Loewe met lyricist Alan Jay Lerner at the Lambs Club in 1942, and they collaborated on several successful musicals, including Brigadoon and My Fair Lady. Brigadoon, a romantic fantasy, won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle award for Best Musical.

Their adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, My Fair Lady, became a massive hit, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical. Loewe also worked on Camelot and the film Gigi, which won nine Academy Awards.

13 February

February 13th

Thomas Pitts England, Europe, Music February, Matthews, Pluto the Renewer

Colin Matthews 13 February 1946

Pluto, the Renewer

Colin Matthews
from https://colinmatthews.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/cm-homepage-1.jpg

Colin Matthews is a notable composer born in London. He studied under renowned musicians Arnold Whittall and Nicholas Maw. In the 1970s, he assisted the famous composer Benjamin Britten and collaborated with Imogen Holst for many years. One of his significant projects was working with Deryck Cooke on Mahler’s Tenth Symphony, which took from 1963 until its publication in 1975.

Over five decades, Matthews created a diverse range of music, including solo piano pieces, string quartets, and orchestral works. He served as Associate Composer with the London Symphony Orchestra from 1992 to 1999, composing a Cello Concerto for the celebrated cellist Rostropovich. His works have received numerous accolades, including a Royal Philharmonic Society Award for his choral piece, Renewal.

Matthews has also been involved in education, founding the Aldeburgh Composition Course and holding positions at various universities. His contributions to music continue to influence contemporary classical music, showcasing the importance of collaboration and innovation in the arts.

Japanese composer Jun Nagao arranged The Planets for his Trouvère Quartet in 2003, including added movements for Earth and Pluto, since both were considered planets at the time.

The suite was arranged for concert band and premiered in 2014.

The work contains original themes, themes from The Planets, and other popular Holst melodies.

Jun Nagao – Earth

Gustav Theodore Holst was an English composer, arranger and teacher.

The Planets, Op. 32, is his seven-movement orchestral suite written between 1914 and 1916. Each movement of the suite is named after a planet of the Solar System.

The movements in Holst’s suite can be found below:

12 February

February 12th

Thomas Pitts Czech Republic, Europe, Music Dussek, February, Piano Concerto in E flat major

Jan Ladislav Dussek 12 February 1760 – 20 March 1812

Piano Concerto in E flat major

Jan Ladislav Dussek
By Wilhelm Arndt – http://www.portraitindex.de/documents/obj/oai:baa.onb.at:9238512, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5155536

Jan Ladislav Dussek was a Czech composer and pianist known for his innovative keyboard music that foreshadowed the Romantic style. He became one of Europe’s first touring piano stars, performing from London to St Petersburg, gaining fame before Beethoven. Dussek was notable for his stage presence, often turning the piano side-on so audiences could see him, a practice that became standard.

Born in Čáslav into a musical family, he trained as a pianist, organist, and singer. After studying in Bohemia, he travelled across the Netherlands and Germany, and spent time in Russia as a favourite of Catherine the Great. He settled in London from 1789 to 1799, where he was a fashionable performer and teacher, collaborating with piano maker John Broadwood to develop larger instruments. After London, Dussek worked for Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia, composing significant works like the F-sharp minor Elégie harmonique. In his final years, he returned to Paris, premiered new instruments, and continued composing until his death in 1812.