2012 Composer Anniversaries

[Jared]

Quite probably not a complete list, but below are 10 composers whose births or deaths will to a greater or lesser extent, be commemorated during 2012. No doubt others will be able to add omissions to this list, but here is something to briefly concentrate the mind, in terms of next year's listening priorities....

Adrian Willaert 450 (d.1562)
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck 450 (b.1562)
Giovanni Gabrieli 400 (d.1612)
Fransisco Geminiani 250 (d.1762)
Jan Ladislav Dussek 200 (d.1812)
Claude Debussy 150 (b.1862)
Frederick Delius 150 (b.1862)
Jules Massenet 100 (d.1912)
John Cage 100 (b.1912)
John Ireland 50 (d.1962)

Obviously Debussy will take centre stage, but where else will your commemorative listening lie?

[springrite]

4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence will be observed everywhere...

[The new erato]

Here's hoping the complete Glossa Sweelinck will be published in a more accessible format. The Dutch issue with lots of documentation in Dutch and a hefty price, haven't tempted med yet.....

[Jared]

4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence will be observed everywhere...

I was waiting for someone to post something similar... didn't have to wait long, did I?

[madaboutmahler]

4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence will be observed everywhere...

Debussy and Delius will extensively listened to by me. Better pick up some new purchases for both of those composers. Both composers who I admire and enjoy very much so I am sure I will much enjoy having this excuse to listen to more music by them!

[springrite]

If I were to pick one, I'd pick Delius.

[Wendell_E]

Quite probably not a complete list...

I'd at least add Friedrich von Flotow 200 (b. 1812) and Conlon Nancarrow 100 (b. 1912).  I was just in a discussion on another board on what a shame it is that Flotow's opera Martha is so neglected.

[Lisztianwagner]

That's wonderful, I'm a huge fan of Debussy; I agree with Daniel, this will be a perfect chance to enjoy and listen to more compositions by the great french composer, not to mention the concerts which will be provably planned to honour him.
But about composers' anniversaries, 2013 will be much more important for me

[Jared]

But about composers' anniversaries, 2013 will be much more important for me

yes, the list for 2013 is altogether more imposing...

Dowland, Corelli, Mehul, Wagner, Alkan, Verdi, Mascagni, Hindemith, Poulenc, Britten & Lutoslowski... 

think I might find a corner to take my lute music and Concerti Grossi to, whilst others are donning their Teutonic armour... 

[PaulSC]

But about composers' anniversaries, 2013 will be much more important for me

Ah yes, the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of that supreme composer of piano music, Stephen Heller!

[Lisztianwagner]

yes, the list for 2013 is altogether more imposing...

Dowland, Corelli, Mehul, Wagner, Alkan, Verdi, Mascagni, Hindemith, Poulenc, Britten & Lutoslowski... 

think I might find a corner to take my lute music and Concerti Grossi to, whilst others are donning their Teutonic armour... 

Ah yes, the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of that supreme composer of piano music, Stephen Heller!

[Mirror Image]

My attention will be turned to Debussy considering that I think his music is some of the most imaginative, gorgeous, and innovative written in late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Debussy tore down artistic walls with his music.

[Opus106]

PrestoClassical's latest newsletter informs that 2012 will be the 75th anniversary of Ravel's death.

[Lethevich]

Cheating with Wikipedia, but a few more notables births:

Daniel Jones (really deserves even the smallest of revivals)
Jean Françaix
Arthur Berger
Igor Markevitch
Sigismond Thalberg

2013 will be ridiculous. Alkan, Verdi, Wagner, Britten, Lutosławski.

[Opus106]

2013 will be ridiculous. Alkan, Verdi, Wagner, Britten, Lutosławski.

You have missed a couple of side-liners.

yes, the list for 2013 is altogether more imposing...

Dowland, Corelli, Mehul, Wagner, Alkan, Verdi, Mascagni, Hindemith, Poulenc, Britten & Lutoslowski... 

[Lethevich]

Hmm I read that post yesterday... I have the memory of a goldfish

[Jared]

PrestoClassical's latest newsletter informs that 2012 will be the 75th anniversary of Ravel's death.

ahh... I didn't do 25s and 75s... 2 years ago, we had the 75th anniversary of the momentous 1934... the deaths of Holst, Elgar & Delius, along with the births of Birtwhistle and Maxwell Davies... all of which hardly caused a ripple, even over here.

[Jared]

Hmm I read that post yesterday... I have the memory of a goldfish

me too... sorry, what did you say your name was again?

[Opus106]

ahh... I didn't do 25s and 75s... 2 years ago, we had the 75th anniversary of the momentous 1934... the deaths of Holst, Elgar & Delius, along with the births of Birtwhistle and Maxwell Davies... all of which hardly caused a ripple, even over here.

And if we do 175, for instance, we have the birth of Balakirev and the death of John Field, the father of the nocturne.

And 125 will make MI go nuts (and I'm sure that he'll deny this and say something subdued along the lines of that although he's one of his favourite composers, it's only the music that matters... ): Villa-Lobos was born in 1887, as was Atterberg. (Honourable mention to Nadia Boulanger.) Borodin died in the same year.

[kishnevi]

ahh... I didn't do 25s and 75s... 2 years ago, we had the 75th anniversary of the momentous 1934... the deaths of Holst, Elgar & Delius, along with the births of Birtwhistle and Maxwell Davies... all of which hardly caused a ripple, even over here.

Well, Delius at least will be getting some attention this year.  EMI has a  Delius box out with, in essense, all their best recordings of his music.  I don't particularly like Delius, but I've ordered it on the theory that 1)this will allow me to get all my Delius in one big lump and 2)this is probably my best bet for finding something of Delius I actually like from the stuff I have never heard.

Part of the reason I am not a fan of Delius, I might mention, is the Florida Suite--my own state--which I find rather boring, in a Victorian parlor sort of way.