Begin composing
The Selfish Gene, Op. 389 (March 4, 2022)
with
I. Why Are?
initially inspired by another misreading of a Jay Reise(b. 1950) title: The Selfish Giant, after the Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) story. Turns out the tale has been well musicalized over the years, with settings including one by Eric Coates (1886-1957), but IMSLP turns up only one, and perhaps the earliest -- that of Liza Lehmann (1862-1918). This proves useful enough to have a go at some response to Richard Dawkins (b. 1941) seminal, so to speak, study (1976) -- so, here we go, in a perky attempt to invoke Black Smokers (geothermal seabed vents) that may have been the source for the origin of life on earth (a related music utilized in
Book of Revelation, Op. 296
Chapter IX. Fifth Angel
and an interior section of
Julius Caesar, Op. 329
-- both from 2019, and sprung from
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) - Song of the Nightingale (1917)
and
Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884) - The Moldau (1875)
has related percolating music, but it is time for something else in this new piece)...
Also update
Spectral Preludes, Op. 38 (1989)
on the Complete Works site and summon a bit more text for
Book of Dreams, 2022, Op. 376 (2022)
March 3-4
7am Joe Biden, Menachem Begin, Delivering Snacks in Trees...to Soothing Symphonic Music of Dvorak
Poor Ukraine and its
allies within the country continue to get assalted by Putin and his forces,
but there are signs of potential justice
ahead.
Harriet and my 26th outing on the Vacaville Streets walking route first entails a mailing loop-de-loop re McKinley and
Olympic, before winding up on
West Carlsbad,
to walk northwest from a Central Parking Point,
around the bend northeast to the
Bike Path
and
Greenspace --
with further car exploration, as to the ambulatory route ahead, on Bryce
and
Monterey,
on the 45th day of spring,
high up 6 to 67:
the birdays of
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741),
Pennsylvania (so to speak, when William Penn [1644-1718] was granted charter to the land by Charles II [1630-1685], as if they had any right, really, to engage in this transaction),
Carlos Surinach (1915-1997), and
Samuel Adler (b. 1928).
Seems appropriate to begin listenings-o-the-day with that of above folks, beginning with Vivaldi's giant
12 Trio Sonatas, Op. 1 (1705)
Trio Sonata No. 1 in G Minor
I. Preludio. Grave
II. Allemanda. Allegro
III. Adagio
IV. Capriccio. Allegro
V. Gavotta. Allegro
Trio Sonata No. 2 in E Minor
I. Grave
II. Corrente. Allegro
III. Giga. Allegro
IV. Gavotta. Allegro
Trio Sonata No. 3 in C Major
I. Adagio
II. Allemanda. Allegro
III. Adagio
IV. Sarabanda. Allegro
Trio Sonata No. 4 in E Major
I. Largo
II. Allegro – Adagio
III. Allemanda. Allegro
IV. Sarabanda. Largo
V. Giga. Allegro
Trio Sonata No. 5 in F Major
I. Preludio. Largo
II. Allemanda. Presto
III. Corrente. Allegro
IV. Gavotta. Presto
Trio Sonata No. 6 in D Major
I. Preludio. Grave
II. Corrente. Allegro
III. Adagio
IV. Allemanda. Allegro
Trio Sonata No. 7 in E-Flat Major
I. Preludio. Largo
II. Allemanda. Allegro
III. Sarabanda. Andante
IV. Giga. Presto
Trio Sonata No. 8 in D Minor
I. Preludio. Largo
II. Corrente. Allegro
III. Grave
IV. Giga. Allegro
Trio Sonata No. 9 in A Major
I. Preludio. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allemanda. Allegro
IV. Corrente. Presto
Trio Sonata No. 10 in B-Flat Major
I. Preludio. Adagio
II. Allemanda. Allegro
III. Gavotta. Presto
Trio Sonata No. 11 in B Minor
I. Preludio. Andante
III. Giga. Allegro
IV. Gavotta. Presto
Trio Sonata No. 12 in D Minor “Follia”
I. Adagio . Andante. Allegro
II.. Adagio. Vivace. Allegro. Larghetto. Allegro
III. Adagio. Allegro
Surinach's Symphony No. 2 (1950), and
two brief lectures (Knowing What You're Doing and
How Do You Finish a Composition? --
like Milton Babbitt [1916-2011 -- OK, we'll get back to him later, let's be reasonable...], Adler places great stress on academics / training... certainly worthy notions, but, unlike advanced physics, all cultures at all times have produced music...).
No Penn music, strictly speaking: hopes for Native American Music of the time are not fulfilled in an initial search, Colonial music of the time and place ditto -- but, then, again, there's
William Albert Penn (1933-2021)
No English Wikipedia article at present, rather, an obituary...
***
William Albert Penn passed away on July 11, 2021 in Tucson, Arizona. Bill was born on January 11, 1943 in Long Branch, New Jersey.
Bill studied at the State University of New York at Buffalo where he earned his Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in applied music, and at the Michigan State University where he received his Ph.D. in music theory and composition.
His academic appointments included composition faculty member at the Eastman School of Music, visiting Associate Professor of Composition and Electronic Music at the University of Connecticut, Director of the Electronic Studio at the University of Arizona, and visiting Professor of Composition and Composer-in-Residence at the University of South Carolina.
Bill was an owner and producer for the CD label Arizona University Recordings and was a recording artist for Hebra Records in Brussels, Belgium as well as a studio musician in New York City, pianist, composer and arranger.
His music was performed by such organizations as the Eliot Feld Ballet, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, the New York Shakespeare Festival, and the Aspen Music Festival at concert halls such as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, The Renwick Gallery, The Smithsonian Institution, The National Air and Space Museum, and the Japan World's Fair (score for 70mm film for the United States Pavilion at the Technology World's Fair in Tsukuba, Japan). Other credits include original music for Broadway, off-Broadway, feature film & television (HBO, Cinemax, & the three major networks).
William Penn was the recipient of over twenty-five awards from The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in both "serious" and "pop" categories, two ASCAP-Deems Taylor Awards, as well as various National Endowment for the Arts & Meet the Composer awards.
Bill was a special adjudicator at the Conservatoire de Bruxelles in composition, chamber music, jazz, sight singing, and fugue; a judge for the Association for Independent Music in the Classical Music categories; a national judge for the South Carolina Commission of the Arts; and a voting member for the Grammy Awards.
***
... and a Dutch Wiki article, needing updating (but not sure how to do so when in the Google translation of same).
***
William Albert Penn is an American composer , music educator , and trumpeter .
Penn received his first music lessons in his youth and learned to play the trumpet. He studied trumpet with Frank Cipola at the then University of Buffalo, New York, now: State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo). He also played in the concert band of this university, which was also conducted by Frank Cipola. Cippola also motivated him to compose a few pieces for this concert band. In 1964 he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from SUNY Buffalo. He continued his studies at this university with Henri Pousseur and Mauricio Kagel , among others , and obtained his Master of Musicin 1967.
At first he stayed close to the university campus and composed and made music for and in the well-known avant-garde group Creative Associates . The aim of this group was to support young composers and musicians. They played at Carnegie Hall and similar concert halls, among others, and were also associated with Lukas Foss and George Crumb .
In 1969 he became an assistant professor at Michigan State University in East Lansing , where he received his Ph.D. (Philosophy Doctor) . He became acquainted there with the later composer David Maslanka . From 1971 to 1978 he taught music theory and composition at the renowned Eastman School of Music in Rochester New York . He was also a professor of composition and electronic music at the University of Connecticut and director of electronic studios at the University of Arizona in Tucson . He was also a guest lecturer in composition and house composer at the University of South Carolina.
Since 1975, he has been with the Folger Shakespeare Theater and Sounds Reasonable Records in Washington DC . He also works for the Arizona University Recordings label .
As a composer, he has worked for various organizations and institutions such as the Eliot Feld Ballet, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Williamstown Theater Festival, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, the New York Shakespeare Festival and the Aspen Music Festival. His works have been performed at Lincoln Center , Carnegie Hall , the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts , the Smithsonian Institution , the National Air and Space Museum , and the Japan World's Fair . He has received numerous awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers(ASCAP) and several awards from the National Endowment for the Arts & Meet the Composer competition .
Compositions
Works for orchestra
1978 Crystal Rainbows - the sounds of Harmonious craft
1983 Selections from "Romeo and Juliet" , for orchestra
Spectrums , for orchestra
Working for concert band
1972 Designs , for concert band, jazz quintet and percussion
1973 Inner Loop
1973 Niagara 1678
1991 A Cornfield in July and The River , for middle voice and concert band - text: Hamlin Garland
Fanfare for the American Wind Symphony
mr. Toad's Wild Adventure
Smilin' Through
musical theatre
Stage music
1980 Pericles
The Winter's Tale - text: William Shakespeare
Overture
Sprightly music to lovers
Music to Awake the Salute
end cue
Country Dance
Troilus and Cressida
Scene Change into Greek Camp
Greek Revels
Love Theme for Troilus and Cressida
Alternate scene change into Greek Camp
Helen and Paris
Achilles' Tent
King Lear - text: William Shakespeare
Mad Music for Edgar
Lear's Eath and Ascension
Merry Wives of Windsor - text: William Shakespeare
Overture
Music for the Garter Inn
Plotting Music
Intermission 1
Top of Act 2
Oh sweet Anne Page
Miss Page!
Chase Music
Measure for Measure
Two Gentelmen of Verona
Othello - text: William Shakespeare
Overture
Drums and Brass to the tune of "The Willow Song"
curtain call
Cymbelin - text: William Shakespeare
Overture
dirge
Cloten theme, part 1
Love theme for oboe
Cloten theme, part 2
Top of Act 2
As You Like It - text: William Shakespeare
Main Theme
Blow, blow thou Winter Wind
Gentle Romantic
Hamlet - text: William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night's Dream - text: William Shakespeare
Overture
On the Ground
Rock the Ground
Charm Music Underscore
If We Shadows Have Offended
Working for choir
Humana Sine Nomine , for speaker, mixed choir, piano and percussion
Il Primo Libro de Frottole et de Madrigali, a Tre, Quattro et Cinque Voci
Vocal music
A Cornfield in July , for baritone & piano
Garland Songs , voice cycle, middle voice and piano - text: Hamlin Garland
Three Songs on Three Teton Sioux Poems , for soprano, two pianos and two percussionists
chamber music
Capriccio , for tuba and marimba (or synthesized soundtrack)
Chamber Music I , for viola and piano
Chamber Music II , for cello and piano
Diversions , for marimba and alto saxophone
Le Rêve du Sultan , for variable ensemble - based on a painting Le Bain Turc by the French painter Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
Night Music , for eleven flutes and harp
Perpetual Motion , for saxophone and marimba
String Quartet No. 1
Three Essays , for solo tuba
Trio , for violin, clarinet and piano
Ultra Mensuram , for three brass quintets
Works for piano
24 Transcriptions of Eskimo Dance Music and Songs from the Book: "Drum Dance" by Charles Hofmann
American Portraits: Three Pieces for One Piano , piano four hands
Rescued from the Eagle's Nest
Works for harpsichord
fantasy
Working for percussion
Four Preludes for Leigh Howard Stevens , for marimba
Sonoran Suite , for marimba quartet
Electronic music
Living in the Next Great Ice Age , electroacoustic fantasy
***
Other listenings of the day include
Alexander Borodin (1833-1887) - Prince Igor (1887): Act III, Polovtsian March, and
Julius Rontgen (1855-1923) - A Little Song of the Sea, Op. 45 (1902), but the final crazy project is...
have not been able to not notice over the years that, while the String Quartets of F.J. Haydn (1732-1809) are regularly cited w/ opus numbers, the symphonies and other works of same are rarely, if ever, so designated. What's going on? Is this some sort of global contemporary-times suppression going on? Not quite motivated to track down anything in the New Grove Dictionary of Music (1980 -- 20 volumes), hanging out on a hefty shelf in the adjunct library, finally settle on Googling each opus number on Firefox (well, it didn't take that long, somebody's got to do it, and perhaps part of the downside/upside -- take yr pick -- of retirement), and here's what's resulted thus far, with particular kudos to the British Library -- aha! This information does exist, at least in part!
Op. 1 6 String Quartets (1762)
String Quartet in B-flat major, Hob.III:1 (La chasse)
String Quartet in E-flat major, Hob.III:2
String Quartet in D major, Hob.III:3
String Quartet in G major, Hob.III:4
String Quartet in B-flat major, Hob.III:5
String Quartet in C major, Hob.III:6
Op. 2 6 String Quartets (1762)
String Quartet in A major, Hob.III:7
String Quartet in E major, Hob.III:8
String Quartet in E-flat major, Hob.III:9
String Quartet in F major, Hob.III:10
String Quartet in D major, Hob.III:11
String Quartet in B-flat major, Hob.III:12
Op. 3 6 String Quartets (1777 - attribution
Quartet in E major, Op. 3, No. 1, Hoboken No. III:13
Quartet in C major, Op. 3, No. 2, Hoboken No. III:14
Quartet in G major, Op. 3, No. 3, Hoboken No. III:15
Quartet in Bb major, Op. 3, No. 4, Hoboken No. III:16
Quartet in F major ("Serenade"), Op. 3, No. 5, Hoboken No. III:17
Quartet in A major, Op. 3, No. 6, Hoboken No. III:18
Op. 5 6 Flute Quartets (1767)
Divertimento in D major, Hob.II:D9
Divertimento in G major, Hob.II:G4
Divertimento in D major, Hob.II:D10
Divertimento in G major, Hob.II:1 (arr.)
Divertimento in D major, Hob.II:D11
Divertimento in C major, Hob.II:11 (arr.)
Op. 6 6 String Duos (1796)
String Duo in G major, Hob.VI:G1
String Duo in A major, Hob.VI:A1
String Duo in B-flat major, Hob.VI:B1
String Duo in D major, Hob.VI:D2
String Duo in E-flat major, Hob.VI:Es2
String Duo in F major, Hob.VI:F1
Op. 8 6 Sonatas for 2 Violins and Bass (1767)
String Trio in E-flat major, Hob.V:4
String Trio in G major, Hob.V:20
String Trio in B minor, Hob.V:3
String Trio in E-flat major, Hob.V:17
[Michael Haydn: String Trio in G major, MH 6
Michael Haydn: String Trio in A major, MH 8]
Op. 9 6 String Quartets (1769)
String Quartet in C major, Hob.III:19
String Quartet in E-flat major, Hob.III:20
String Quartet in G major, Hob.III:21
String Quartet in D minor, Hob.III:22
String Quartet in B-flat major, Hob.III:23
String Quartet in A major, Hob.III:24
Op. 11 6 Trios or Sonatas
Op. 12 4 Symphonies and Quartets
Symphony No. 35 in B-flat major, Hob.I:35
String Quartet in Eb major, Hob.III:Es4
Symphony in Bb major, Hob.I:B10
String Quartet in A major, Hob.III:A1
Op. 13 6 Symphonies (1774)
Symphony in F major, Hob.I:F6
Symphony in D major, Hob.I:D8
Symphony in C major, Hob.I:C16
Symphony in F major, Hob.I:F5
Symphony in D major, Hob.I:D10
Symphony No. 58 in F Major
Op. 14 Keyboard Sonatas
Op. 15 Serenade, Trio
Op. 17 6 String Quartets
String Quartet in E major, Hob.III:25
String Quartet in F major, Hob.III:26
String Quartet in E-flat major, Hob.III:27
String Quartet in C minor, Hob.III:28
String Quartet in G major, Hob.III:29
String Quartet in D major, Hob.III:30
Op. 20 6 String Quartets (1772)
String Quartet in E-flat major, Hob.III:31
String Quartet in C major, Hob.III:32
String Quartet in G minor, Hob.III:33
String Quartet in D major, Hob.III:34
String Quartet in F minor, Hob.III:35
String Quartet in A major, Hob.III:36
Op. 21 , Harpischord Concerto
Op. 27 3 Piano Trios
Piano Trio in A major, Hob.XV:9
Piano Trio in F major, Hob.XV:2
Piano Trio in E-flat major, Hob.XV:10
Op. 30 String Quartet in C Major
Op. 31 6 Divertimenti
Op. 33 6 String Quartets (1781)
String Quartet in B minor, Hob.III:37
String Quartet in E-flat major, Hob.III:38 (The Joke)
String Quartet in C major, Hob.III:39 (The Bird)
String Quartet in B-flat major, Hob.III:40
String Quartet in G major, Hob.III:41 (How do you do?)
String Quartet in D major, Hob.III:42
Op. 34 Symphony No. 73 in D Major ("La Chase") (1782)
Op. 36 3 Piano Trios (1794)
Piano Trio in A major, Hob.XV:18
Piano Trio in G minor, Hob.XV:19
Piano Trio in B-flat major, Hob.XV:20
Op. 38 6 Trios
Op. 39 ("80 was composed as a trio of symphonies that also included symphonies 79 and 81")
Symphony No. 79
Symphony No. 80 in D Minor (1784)
Symphony No. 81
Op. 40 3 Piano Trios (1784)
Piano Trio in C major, Hob.XV:3
Piano Trio in F major, Hob.XV:4
Piano Trio in G major, Hob.XV:5
Op. 43 3 Piano Trios
Piano Trio in F major, Hob.XV:6
Piano Trio in D major, Hob.XV:7
Piano Trio in B-flat major, Hob.XV:8
Op. 50 6 String Quartets
String Quartet in B-flat major, Hob.III:44
String Quartet in C major, Hob.III:45
String Quartet in E-flat major, Hob.III:46
String Quartet in F-sharp minor, Hob.III:47
String Quartet in F major, Hob.III:48 (Dream)
String Quartet in D major, Hob.III:49 (La grenouille)
Op. 51 String Quartet ("7 Last Words of Christ") (1787)
Op. 53 3 String Tros (1784)
String Trio in G major arr. from Hob.XVI:40
String Trio in B-flat major arr. from Hob.XVI:41
String Trio in D major arr. from Hob.XVI:42
Op. 52 No. 2 Symphony No. 86 in D Major
Op. 54 3 String Quartets (1786)
String Quartet in G major, Hob.III:58
String Quartet in C major, Hob.III:57
String Quartet in E major, Hob.III:59
Op. 55 String Quartets (1788)
String Quartet in A major, Hob.III:60
String Quartet in F minor, Hob.III:61 (The Razor)
String Quartet in B-flat major, Hob.III:62
Op. 56 No. 2 Symphony No. 88 in G Major (1787)
Op. 57 3 Piano Trios (1789)
Piano Trio in E-flat major, Hob.XV:11
Piano Trio in E minor, Hob.XV:12
Piano Trio in C minor, Hob.XV:13
Op. 58 Fantasia in C Major, Capriccio
Op. 64 6 String Quartets (1790)
String Quartet in C major, Hob.III:65
String Quartet in B minor, Hob.III:68
String Quartet in B-flat major, Hob.III:67
String Quartet in G major, Hob.III:66
String Quartet in D major, Hob.III:63
String Quartet in E-flat major, Hob.III:64
Op. 66
Symphony No. 90 in C Major
Symphony No. 92 in G Major ("Oxford")
Symphony No. 91 in Eb Major (Letter T)
Op. 67 2 Piano Grios
Piano Trio in G major, Hob.XV:15
Piano Trio in D major, Hob.XV:16
Op. 71 3 String Quartets (1793)
String Quartet in B-flat major, Hob.III:69
String Quartet in D major, Hob.III:70
String Quartet in E-flat major, Hob.III:71
Op. 73 No. 2 Trio No. 1 in G Major ("Gypsy Trio")
Op. 74 3 String Quartets (1793)
String Quartet in C major, Hob.III:72
String Quartet in F major, Hob.III:73
String Quartet in G minor, Hob.III:74 (The Horseman)
Op. 76 6 String Quartets (1797)
String Quartet in G major, Hob.III:75
String Quartet in D minor, Hob.III:76 (Fifths)
String Quartet in C major, Hob.III:77 (Emperor)
String Quartet in B-flat major, Hob.III:78 (Sunrise)
String Quartet in D major, Hob.III:79
String Quartet in E-flat major, Hob.III:80
Op. 77 2 Symphonies and 2 String Quartets
Symphony No. 95 in C Minor
Symphony No. 96 in D Major ("Miracle")
String Quartet in G major, Hob.III:81
String Quartet in F major, Hob.III:82
Op. 78 String Quartets
Op. 79 Piano Sonata in C Major
Op. 80 No. 1 Symphony No. 94 in G Major
Op. 82 No. 2 Symphony No. 98 in Bb Major
3 Piano Trios
Piano Trio in D major, Hob.XV:24
Piano Trio in G major, Hob.XV:25 (Gypsy)
Piano Trio in F-sharp minor, Hob.XV:26
Op. 83 No. 1 Symphony No. 97 in C Major
Op. 84 Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon, and Orchestra in Bb Major
Op. 86 3 Piano Trios
Piano Trio in C major, Hob.XV:27
Piano Trio in E major, Hob.XV:28
Piano Trio in E-flat major, Hob.XV:29
Op. 87 Flute Sonata in C Major , Op. 87
Op. 89 Piano Trio No. 42 in Eb Major
Op. 90 Symphony No. 100 in G Major ("Military")
Op. 91 The 7 Last Words of Christ, String Quartet
Op. 93 3 Violin Sonatas
Op. 95
Symphony No. 103 in Eb Major ("Drum Roll")
Symphony No. 101 in D Major ("Clock")
Op. 98
Symphony No. 104 in D Major ("London")
Symphony No. 102 in Bb Major
Symphony No. 199 in Eb Major
Op. 99 3 String Duos
String Duo in B-flat major, Hob.VI:Anh.1
String Duo in E-flat major, Hob.VI:Anh.2
String Duo in B-flat major, Hob.VI:Anh.3
Op. 100 6 Trios For Flute, Violin, and Cello
Op. 101 Cello Concerto No. 2
Op. 102 Duet in D Major
Op. 103 String Quartet in D Minor