August 25, birthday of Ruby Keeler

Since July, I have been concentrating solely on female composers.  You can read about that in my post from July 19.  If I can’t find one born on the calendar day, I won’t post.  On with today’s composer.

Ruby Keeler isn’t a composer, nor a songwriter, so I guess I’m getting a bit far away from my goal of writing first about classical music pieces and then female composers. But she was born today and I like this song.

42nd Street
 

 

August 23, birthday of Malvina Reynolds

Since July, I have been concentrating solely on female composers.  You can read about that in my post from July 19.  If I can’t find one born on the calendar day, I won’t post.  On with today’s composer.

Malvina Reynolds (1900 – 1978) is probably best known for her song, “Little Boxes,” which she wrote as she and her husband were driving by a new housing development in California. The song was recorded by Pete Seegar, and I remember listening to it as a boy on the radio when it came out in 1963. It’s always made me feel a bit sad, being about middle America conformity and the shoddy construction of the buildings, “made out of ticky tacky.” Though everyone hates the suburbs, perhaps they made housing affordable for the first time for massive amounts of people.

“Little Boxes” performed by Peet Seegar

August 20, birthday of Elisabeth Sophie of Mecklenburg

Since July, I have been concentrating solely on female composers.  You can read about that in my post from July 19.  If I can’t find one born on the calendar day, I won’t post.  On with today’s composer.

Duchess Elisabeth Sophie of Mecklenburg (1613 – 1676) was a German composer an poet. She is probably the first female composer whose work was published. She wrote mostly hymns and collaborated with the composer Heinrich Schütz.

Once again, I can’t find any recordings of her works.  Do any of you, dear readers, have any leads?