Mystery Composer

[shostakovich]

This person was born in England of German ancestry. He showed musical aptitude at an early age, but was destined for the textile industry, which was the source of the family income. It was not till he came to the U.S. that a composing career was possible. His father bought him an orange plantation and hoped he could run it successfully. During his time in Florida he wrote his first large scale composition. He then passed on the business to his brother, and soon was in Leipzig, where he met Edvard Grieg. Grieg liked the Florida music, and prevailed on our mystery man's father to allow him to pursue music. He went to France, where he remained for most of the rest of his life (over 40 years). His music was played in France, Germany, and England, but was not much admired till it was heard and performed by a man who would become one of England's most renowned conductors. This conductor became a champion of mystery man's music, playing and recording it frequently. During the last decade of our composer's life he became paralyzed and blind, but his musical faculties were not impaired. His frustration was alleviated somewhat when he met a young man to whom he dictated music for his remaining years. Our composer wrote concertos for violin, piano, cello, violin and cello, but no symphonies. His best known works, though, are more pictorial, and his fame rests on them. Good luck.<P>I wish you all a merry (concerto op. 6 #8 by Corelli), and may you have pleasant (Tchaikovsky Symphony #1) throughout the season. I'll be looking for the answer before the new year.<BR>Shos

[Michael]

Would it be Delius, Shos?<P>Michael

[Flowerboy]

Im at work right now, so i dont have my little black book. I was thinking Delius, but was leaning on a litle gut feeling toward Ravel. If not either, Tippet?

[shostakovich]

FanTAStic!! Looking at posting times, Michael, you got it within an hour. It took me longer to figure out how to present it. Just how long DID it take, and at what point had you solved it? <P>To get a bit off the subject, I've wanted to ask you about Irish composers. Several years ago a nearby college (Westfield State Coll. in Westfield, MA) had a symposium on Irish Classical Music. The introduction started out something like "Most people regard Irish Classical Music as a contradiction in terms ----". This was followed by a chuckle, and then they got serious. So my question is, who among Irish composers would you recommend in the 19th and 20th centuries?<P>Flowerboy, You've got to get up pretty early to beat the guys from the UK. They're some 5 or 6 hours ahead of us. If your first guess was Delius, good for you. As for Tippett, that was an interesting choice. My son has a friend of strange habits. He's not particularly knowledgeable about music (or much else, frankly), but he had a passion for Tippett's music. I know his music is highly regarded these days, but can you think of any reason it might be addictive? I am not assuming you are addicted, but you are the first to enter Tippett into the bulletin board.<P>Meanwhile, name the composer who -----<P>I'll try to fill in the rest next week.<BR>Shos

[Michael]

Shos, I started to think it was Delius when you mentioned the Florida connection. I think the violinist Tasmin Little was doing some research there recently in connection with Delius ... I might be wrong - I can't remember the exact details.<BR>What gave it away was the bit about the blindness and the dictation. Wasn't it Eric Fenby who did the notation for Delius?<BR>As regards Irish music, I have no interest whatsoever in "art" music in this country. I go more for traditional and folk in this instance.<BR>Happy Xmas and New Year<P>Michael

[shostakovich]

Yes, it was Eric Fenby, referred to as an "amanuensis". Fenby is the only person that I have heard called that word. My big dictionary gives "secretary" as a synonym, but Fenby was "tuned in" to Delius, and maybe that's why he gets a classier title. As for Irish "classical", I got a 2-record set long ago titled New Music from Old Erin. It was mostly pleasant, and much of it was based on folk music, but one work stood out: Megalithic Ritual Dances by Brian Boydell. <P> And now, since nobody yet got the new mystery composer, here are some additional clues. Without any previous special musical training, this man decided at age 19 to be a composer. Within 3 years he was composing. In 1942 he wrote a ballet with a short excerpt that made him a household name. This miniature TOPPED the "Hit Parade", a weekly broadcast of the 10 favorite POPULAR musical works. Almost 60 years later, the work is still a "hit" on the pop concert circuit. Suites from that ballet, and another later ballet, as well as reasonably popular piano and violin concertos keep his larger works before the public. <P>This next clue will not serve to identify him, but will help eliminate some candidates you may have come up with. He was involved in a national anthem competition, for which he contributed 7 works. He was also advised to co-write with another well-known composer. Of the 5 finalist proposed anthems, there was the co-written work, one by each of the co-writers, and 2 "other". One of the "others" won.

[Michael]

Would the mystery composer be Aaron Copland? "Rodeo" came out in 1942 - and "Billy the Kid" around the same time?<P>Michael

[shostakovich]

Not Aaron Copland. The 1942 ballet and household name, as well as Hoedown's tremendous current popularity, can easily lead one where you went. But I suspect Copland had serious musical training before age 19, and I know none of his music made the Hit Parade in the 40s. Try again.

[shostakovich]

Continuing with mystery composer, the last clue in the above had to do with a national anthem. So that eliminates composers from countries that did NOT change national anthems since 1942. <P>The famous 2 and 1/2 minute excerpt was also arranged for violin and piano by Heifetz, who used it as an encore often. The ballet from which it comes is named for its heroine.<BR>Good luck.

[Flowerboy]

This is the first time for me reading this topic in a while - i didnt realize you had a new mystery composer. But im almost sure the answer is Stravinsky. Eh?

[shostakovich]

Stravinsky is a household name,and the Firebird is female, but all his "hits" were written well before 1942. Except for date, you are in the right ballpark. Try again, Flowerboy. Shos

[Flowerboy]

This is only an educated guess: Elliot Carter?

[shostakovich]

WHO???? Shos

[Flowerboy]

lol maybe it wasnt Elliot Carter. Walter Piston? if not, i give up man. Ive searched my books. The thing that led me on to Stravinksy was that i remembered reading about him not deciding to be a composer until around 20 or so, after Rimsky-K looked at a piece of his music.<BR>

[shostakovich]

Hi Flowerboy. Would you rather be called Brandon? The guess of Elliott Carter took me by surprise. Not many people know of him. What music of Carter do you know? When I said you were in the ballpark with Stravinsky, it's because he was Russian, sort of. None of Stravinsky's major works was written in Russia. The Mystery composer is also Russian, sort of. He was born in a country that became one of the Soviet republics. It's the Russian national anthem that was changed after 1942. Now that we have the country, the composer should almost pop out. He's not obscure. Keep going. You're almost there. I like your tenacity, Flowerboy. You would enjoy conducting the little gem he's most noted for. Shos

[Flowerboy]

I was listening to WKAR east lansing today, and they were playing Porgy and Bess, by George Gershwin. Then i thought, well wait a minute, the answer has to be Gershwin! then after reading you other clues, im like "damn, i was wrong", unless Gerswhin is Russian. The more i think about it, Rachmaninoff seems to fit in with your clues, although Rach isnt anyones idea of a severe nationalist, and i dont think he would have written music that would be on Hit Parade. He WAS living during that time, i think, and he WAS Russian. COuldn the answer be Rach?

[Peter]

Well, it ain`t Rachmaninov. Shos, please now reveal all - I have been stumped from the start. By the way, I think that Flowerboy deserves a Purple Heart for his efforts.

[Michael]

Give us some more clues, Shos, like his first name and last name? I give up.<P>Michael

[Flowerboy]

his name is Mr. Nobody! duh? hes pulling our leg - making up a story. If hes not by some chance, let me figure out the answer. Ill be back in 15mins. (listening to Beethoven's 9th).<BR>Flowerboy<BR>

[Flowerboy]

I wanna change my answer.<BR>Shostakovich.