by Daniel Hathaway
TODAY’S ALMANAC:
English composer Frederick Delius died on this date in 1934 in Grez-sur-Loing, near Paris, blind and paralyzed by syphilis. His music, a London Times critic wrote, “belongs to no school, follows no tradition and is like no other composer in the form, content or style of his music,” although other commentators have noted the influence of Debussy, Wagner and African American music — which Delius heard in England by the touring Fisk Jubilee Singers and on Florida plantations where he was sent by his father to manage a citrus grove.
Cleveland hasn’t heard much of Delius’ music live, though British conductors like Bramwell Tovey and Andrew Davis have brought his music along to their Cleveland Orchestra appearances, and a smattering of his smaller pieces have been played by university and avocational orchestras. Here’s a tiny piece, the “Serenade” from Delius’ incidental music to the play Hassan with violinist Rafel Druian and the Cleveland Sinfonietta, led by Louis Lane. And here’s a seasonally appropriate work, Song for Summer, performed by the London Symphony under Sir John Barbirolli (you can follow along with the score).
And on June 10, 1911, harpsichordist Ralph Kirkpatrick was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. One of the early champions of the instrument, he gave his first recital while studying art history at Harvard in 1930, and went on to work with Nadia Boulanger and Wanda Landowska in Paris. While serving as a professor at Yale from 1940-1976, he wrote a biography of Domenico Scarlatti and devised a chronology of his harpsichord works, which are identified by their “K” numbers.
Since Kirkpatrick was active during the early period of the harpsichord revival, he favored the instruments built by Neupert in Bamberg, only later turning to copies of historical instruments by Hubbard and Dowd for his Bach recordings.
For a taste of Kirkpatrick’s style during the revival period, here’s a recording of 60 late Scarlatti sonatas he played on a John Challis instrument from Detroit (view the album booklet here, and heed Columbia Records’ warning to frequently change your phonograph needles: “‘Permanent needles’ may cause permanent damage”).
KOSOWER REDUX:
Music and Art at Trinity Cathedral has posted an edited version of Mark Kosower’s “Bach for Humanity” live concert on June 5, featuring three of the unaccompanied cello suites. Watch the video on demand here, and consider a donation to a fund for musicians’ relief.
TODAY ON THE WEB AND AIRWAVES:
Wagner, Haydn (the trumpet concerto with Michael Sachs) and Beethoven (the finale of Symphony 9) are on the menu for Lunchtime with The Cleveland Orchestra, Alan Gilbert conducts a live performance by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Young Concert Artists and The Violin Channel host a panel discussion about “the nuances of the Black experience within classical music,” and the MET Opera digs into its HD archives for a 2008 performance of Hansel and Gretel. Details here.
AND A FEATURED VIDEO:
Erik Mann, president of the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society writes, “It is unquestionably an unprecedented time of hardship, loss, division, and struggle. Yet I draw my hope and inspiration from the youth that persevere every day and give us the dream of a better tomorrow. This beautiful video of a piece called Walk to the Waterfall includes CCGS students, teachers and staff. It is a product of the moment, a message of the times. May the arts and the youth always lead us to a better future.” Watch here.
