Thirteen Anniversaries

Last updated
Thirteen Anniversaries
Piano music by Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein by Jack Mitchell.jpg
The composer
RelatedNo. 12 basis for Opening Prayer
Published1988 (1988)
Movements13

Thirteen Anniversaries is a composition for solo piano by Leonard Bernstein, published in 1988, commemorating 13 people who played an important role in his life.

Contents

Background

Bernstein wrote this set after similar collections, Seven Anniversaries (1943), Four Anniversaries (1948) and Five Anniversaries (1949–1951). Each movement celebrates a person. Some movements are dedicated to a person close to the one commemorated. [1] The work was given its first performance by Alexander Frey in Berlin in 1998. [2]

Movements

The titles, referencing the persons, are: [1]

  1. For Shirley Gabis Rhoades Perle
  2. In Memoriam: William Kapell (an American pianist who died young in a plane crash).
  3. For Stephen Sondheim
  4. For Craig Urquhart
  5. For Leo Smit (an American composer)
  6. For My Daughter, Nina
  7. In Memoriam: Helen Coates (one of Bernstein's most esteemed teachers)
  8. In Memoriam: Goddard Lieberson (former executive of Columbia Records)
  9. For Jessica Fleishmann
  10. In Memoriam: Constance Hope
  11. For Felicia, on our 28th Birthday (and her 52nd)
  12. For Aaron Stern
  13. In Memoriam: Ellen Goetz

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leonard Bernstein</span> American conductor and composer (1918–1990)

Leonard Bernstein was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first American-born conductor to receive international acclaim. Bernstein was "one of the most prodigiously talented and successful musicians in American history" according to music critic Donal Henahan. Bernstein's honors and accolades include seven Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and 16 Grammy Awards as well as an Academy Award nomination. He received the Kennedy Center Honor in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krystian Zimerman</span> Polish classical pianist (born 1956)

Krystian Zimerman is a Polish concert pianist, conductor and pedagogue who has been described as one of the greatest pianists of his generation. In 1975, he won the IX International Chopin Piano Competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harold C. Schonberg</span> American music critic and author (1915–2003)

Harold Charles Schonberg was an American music critic and author. He is best known for his contributions in The New York Times, where he was chief music critic from 1960 to 1980. In 1971, he became the first music critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. An influential critic, he is particularly well known for his encouragement of Romantic piano music and criticism of conductor Leonard Bernstein. He also wrote a number of books on music, and one on chess.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clare Fischer</span> American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader

Douglas Clare Fischer was an American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. After graduating from Michigan State University, he became the pianist and arranger for the vocal group the Hi-Lo's in the late 1950s. Fischer went on to work with Donald Byrd and Dizzy Gillespie, and became known for his Latin and bossa nova recordings in the 1960s. He composed the Latin jazz standard "Morning", and the jazz standard "Pensativa". Consistently cited by jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock as a major influence, he was nominated for eleven Grammy Awards during his lifetime, winning for his landmark album, 2+2 (1981), the first of Fischer's records to incorporate the vocal ensemble writing developed during his Hi-Lo's days into his already sizable Latin jazz discography; it was also the first recorded installment in Fischer's three-decade-long collaboration with his son Brent. Fischer was also a posthumous Grammy winner for ¡Ritmo! (2012) and for Music for Strings, Percussion and the Rest (2013).

Phillip Ramey is an American composer, pianist, and writer on music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Frey</span> Musical artist

Alexander Frey, KM, KStJ, is an American symphony orchestra conductor, virtuoso organist, pianist, harpsichordist and composer. Frey is in great demand as one of the world's most versatile conductors, and enjoys success in the concert hall and opera house, and in the music of Broadway and Hollywood. Leonard Bernstein referred to him as "a wonderful spirit".

<i>Four Anniversaries</i> Piano composition by Leonard Bernstein

Four Anniversaries is a composition for piano written in 1948 by the American composer Leonard Bernstein.

Shinuh Lee is a South Korean composer of contemporary classical music. Royal Academy of Music recently announced Shinuh Lee as Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM).

<i>Five Anniversaries</i> Collection of piano pieces by Leonard Bernstein

Five Anniversaries is a set of short pieces for piano by American composer Leonard Bernstein and the third installment in the series of Anniversaries for piano. It was composed between 1949 and 1951. It is known for presenting some of the musical ideas that were later developed in other works.

<i>Seven Anniversaries</i> Collection of piano pieces by Leonard Bernstein

Seven Anniversaries is a collection of short piano pieces by American composer Leonard Bernstein, written between 1942 and 1943. It is the first installment in a series of Anniversaries, followed by Four Anniversaries (1948), Five Anniversaries (1949–51), and Thirteen Anniversaries (1988).

<i>I Hate Music</i> (song cycle) Song cycle by Leonard Bernstein

I Hate Music: A cycle of Five Kid Songs for Soprano and Piano is a song cycle by Leonard Bernstein. Composed in 1942, the work was premiered by vocalist Jennie Tourel with Bernstein as pianist in 1943. The song has remained a part of the song repertoire and has been recorded by numerous artists; including singers Blanche Thebom, Barbara Bonney, Harolyn Blackwell and Roberta Alexander among others.

Music for the Dance No. 2 is a composition for piano by American composer Leonard Bernstein. It was finished in 1938.

Non troppo presto, sometimes alternatively entitled Music for the Dance No. 1, refers to an untitled composition for piano by American composer Leonard Bernstein, written in 1937.

The Piano Sonata, originally entitled Sonata for the Piano, is the only piano sonata by American composer Leonard Bernstein. An early work by the composer, it was finished in 1938.

Touches: Chorale, Eight Variations and Coda, often shortened as Touches, is a composition by American composer Leonard Bernstein. Composed in 1980, it is one of Bernstein's last compositions for solo piano.

Four Sabras is a short composition for solo piano by American composer Leonard Bernstein. Each Sabra refers to vignettes or portraits of different fictitious Israeli children.

The Anniversaries are a series of short compositions of easy difficulty for solo piano by American composer Leonard Bernstein. These compositions were written over the course of forty years as gifts for people Bernstein was acquainted or friends with on the occasion of their birthday. The published series comprises the following works:

<i>Bridal Suite</i> (Bernstein) Composition by Leonard Bernstein

Bridal Suite is a suite for two pianists by American composer Leonard Bernstein. Composed in 1960, it was written for Phyllis Newman's wedding with Adolph Green.

References

  1. 1 2 Stevenson, Joseph. "Leonard Bernstein / Anniversaries (13), for piano". AllMusic . Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  2. "Einzigartig: Die kompletten Klavierwerke von Leonard Bernstein". TIP Magazin, January 1998

Sources