b. 1930 American conductor, pianist and composer Previn’s family fled Germany in 1938, settling finally in Los Angeles, where he began parallel careers as an orchestrator and conductor at MGM (he went on to win four Academy awards for film music) and a jazz pianist. His classical conducting debut in 1962 led to numerous international engagements before his ...
(An-dra’-a Gab-re-a’-le) c. 1510–86 Italian composer After spending some time in Munich as a colleague of Lassus, Gabrieli became maestro di cappella at St Mark’s, Venice in 1566. There, with the resources of its great choir at his disposal, he composed an impressive repertory of music for various combinations of voices and instruments. His style – in sacred ...
A blues guitarist best known for his slide-guitar work, Sonny Landreth (b. 1951) was born in Canton, Mississippi. The family relocated to Lafayette, Louisiana, where Sonny was immersed in the area’s swamp-pop and Zydeco music. Beginning as a trumpeter, he was already a virtuoso guitarist in his teens. His earliest role model was Scotty Moore, ...
Classical-guitar legend Andrés Segovia (1894–1987) was born in the city of Linares, Spain and reared in Granada. He received musical instruction at an early age and was tutored in piano and violin but warmed to neither. When he heard the guitar in the home of a friend, however, he was hooked. Disregarding the objections of his family and ...
(An-dra Âr-nest’ Mo-dest’ Gra’-tre) 1741–1813 Belgian (French) composer Born in Liège, Grétry studied in Rome and in 1767 settled in Paris. With the success the next year of Le Huron he quickly became the leading composer of opéra comique, having particular successes with Zémire et Azor (1771), La caravane du Caire (‘The Caravan of Cairo’, 1783) and Richard Coeur-de-Lion (‘Richard ...
(Fran-swa An-dra’ Da-ne-kan Fe-le-dôr’) 1726–95 French composer Coming from a large family of musicians associated with the French court, Philidor was a pupil of André Campra (1660–1744). He achieved international fame as a chess player and played much in England as well as in France. His main musical contribution came in his opéras comiques; he wrote more than 20, of ...
(Vocals, bass, steel guitar, banjo, saxophone, b. 1948) Born in Texas and raised in California, Mandrell is an all-round instrumentalist. Starting in The Mandrell Family Band, she was playing steel guitar in Las Vegas nightspots by the time she was 16 – by which time she had also appeared regularly on the Johnny Cash ...
1660–1744, French Born in Aix-en-Provence, Campra became a church musician in Arles and Toulouse, and composed sacred music that was much admired. In 1694, Campra moved to Paris to become master of music at the cathedral of Nôtre Dame. Three years later, he produced his opéra-ballet, L’Europe galante (1697). With this work, Campra was ...
1741–1813, French Grétry, who was born in Liège, composed two intermezzi before he headed for Paris and his preferred genre, the opéra comique. His first success, Le Huron (1768), came a year after his arrival and was followed in 1769 by the equally well received Lucile and Le tableau parlant (‘The Talking Picture’). Grétry charmed French ...
‘Richard the Lionheart’ Composed: 1784 Premiered: 1784, Paris Libretto by Michel-Jean Sedaine Prologue Richard I has disappeared on his way home to England from the Third Crusade. Blondel, his squire and a troubadour, is trying to find his master. Act I Peasants are returning in the evening to their homes near Linz Castle. A local boy, Antonio ...
1726–95, French Philidor was more or less forced into writing opéras comiques once his earlier, Italian, style got him banned from the Paris Opéra in 1756. Philidor adapted splendidly. He soon became a successful composer in this typically French genre, producing Blaise le savetier (‘Blaise the Cobbler’, 1759) and Le Sorcier (‘The Sorcerer’, 1764). At a performance ...
‘Ernelinde, Princess of Norway’ Composed: 1767 Premiered: 1767, Paris Libretto by Antonine Alexandre Henri Poinsinet after Francesco Silvani’s libretto La fede tradita, e vendicata Prologue The brother of Ricimer, King of the Goths (Sweden), has been killed by Rodoald, King of Norway. In revenge, Ricimer has attacked Rodoald’s capital at Nidaros (now Trondheim). Sandomir, ...
1775–1832, Italian Andrea Nozzari was one of the greatest tenors to sing in Rossini’s operas, creating, among many others, the roles of the Earl of Leicester in Elisabetta, regina d’Inghilterra and the title role in Otello. Nozzari was the complete opera singer, with a strong voice and graceful stage presence. He probably made his debut ...
Composed: 1896 Premiered: 1896, Milan Libretto by Luigi Illica Act I During the early days of the French Revolution, Gérard, a servant, is secretly in love with Maddalena, daughter of the Contessa de Coigny. Among the guests at the contessa’s soirée is the poet Andrea Chénier. The other guests are offended by his call for liberty ...
1893–1987 Spanish guitarist Self-taught, Segovia made his debut at the age of 15. Considering it his mission to have the guitar taken seriously, he transcribed music written for the lute and the vihuela. Contemporaries who wrote for him included Falla, Joaquín Rodrigo (1901–99) and Villa-Lobos; he played with much passion and intensity. Introduction | Modern Era | Classical ...
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