Did you know, the composer of “Old Nassau” was a pupil of Franz Liszt? That Princeton was the birthplace of one of the great stride pianists? That a colleague of Igor Stravinsky rests in St. Paul’s Parish Cemetery?
Put on some sensible shoes, and grab your coffee to go. Just in time for Halloween, I lead a “dead composers” tour of Princeton cemeteries in this week’s U.S. 1 Newspaper – PrincetonInfo, available online and in area vending machines today.
Thanks for sharing, @[100063792690234:2048:U.S. 1 Newspaper – PrincetonInfo]! In case you missed it, here’s a link to my article in this week’s edition.
Because of Einstein’s longtime association with Princeton, International Pi Day (3.14, get it?) is usually a pretty big deal here, or at least it was until the pandemic. Understandably, things have been a little subdued since then. The Einstein look-alike contest, the Pi Day tours, the pie-throwing, the Pi memorization and recitation, all were conducted online on Saturday. Today, some of the fooderies are offering deals on pie. That’s mostly what I care about anyway.
In case you’re not an Archimedes fan, Pi, represented by the Greek letter “p” (“π”), is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, commonly approximated as 3.14159 – though you could take it a good deal further, since the number is wholly irrational and refuses to fall into a repeating pattern. This is clearly known by Mr. Spock when he uses it to confound an evil computer.
Einstein lived in Princeton for the last 21 ½ years of his life, during his residency at the Institute for Advanced Study, which, in its early days, was located temporarily on Princeton University campus. Einstein’s house still stands at 112 Mercer Street. In accordance with his wishes, the house was not turned into a museum after his death in 1955. A lot of his furniture and a number of his belongings are on display at the Historical Society of Princeton’s Updike Farmstead, located at 354 Quaker Road.
Though Einstein’s house continues to be owned by IAS, it remains a private residence, as is made abundantly clear from signage posted about the property. The house was registered as a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1976, but there is no marker to advertise the fact. Its significance, however, remains an open secret, and rare is the time I drive past that there’s not someone standing out front, taking a selfie.
According to Google Maps, I can walk there in about 40 minutes. I bet I could do it quicker. Maybe I will – and see if I can get someone to take a picture of me, standing next to the “Private Residence” sign on the front gate, eating pie.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein_House
Einstein was a great music lover. “Life without playing music was inconceivable for me,” he’s been quoted as saying. “I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music… I get most joy in life out of music.”
In 2018, Einstein’s violin sold at auction at Bonhams New York for $516,500 – five times the auction house’s estimate. The instrument was made in 1933 by Oscar H. Steger, a member of the Harrisburg (PA) Symphony Orchestra. Einstein gave the violin to Lawrence Wilson Hibbs, the son of Princeton janitor Sylas Hibbs. It remained in the Hibbs family until the time of its auctioning.
https://www.bonhams.com/press_release/25709/
There’s a recording that has been circulated around the internet of Einstein playing a Mozart sonata, but don’t believe it. It’s a hoax, like too many other things on social media, shared without question, everyone so wanting to believe it’s Einstein playing the violin.
Is there an authentic recording somewhere? Maybe. But if it’s discovered, don’t count on Einstein playing as well as Carl Flesch or Arthur Grumiaux.
By cosmic coincidence, Einstein was born on this date in 1879. He once observed, “The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.” Is Pi, then, as a numerical sequence without limit, stupid? I guess it’s all relative.
When Walter Matthau played Einstein in the film “I.Q.,” a goofy romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan and Tim Robbins, shot in Princeton in 1994, a neighbor’s house, at 108 Mercer Street, was substituted for Einstein’s actual residence.
Only one of many reasons to roll your eyes at “I.Q.,” which not even Jerry Goldsmith could save.
Still worth seeing it for Matthau, though. And for Princeton, of course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihhHk6awueU
All together now, as we sing the Albert Einstein Pi Day song!
The tyranny of Pi
Face it, YouTube is crazy for Pi
Scariest Pi song?
What does Pi actually sound like?
This way madness lies. Clearly, the possibilities are endless.
Paul Robeson for Passover.
Happy birthday to Princeton’s own!
When placed alongside the “St. Matthew Passion,” Johann Sebastian Bach’s “St. John Passion” is especially striking in its immediacy. The work is smaller in scale, yet more extravagant, less contemplative, and perhaps even a little rawer. It’s also much less frequently performed. Though Bach never composed an opera, this is about as close as he would ever get.
The Dryden Ensemble will offer three opportunities to hear it live: this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., at All Saints’ Church in Princeton, and this Sunday at 3 p.m., at Trinity Episcopal Church in Solebury, PA.
The “St. John Passion” was first performed on Good Friday, 1724, shortly after Bach’s 39th birthday. Dryden will present the work using the same forces Bach himself employed: a choir of eight superb singers and a small orchestra of period instruments. Tenor Jason McStoots will sing the part of the Evangelist, and baritone William Sharp will portray Jesus. Scott Metcalfe will conduct. For tickets and information, look online at http://www.drydensemble.org.
Then join me this afternoon on The Classical Network, as I’ll be hosting Dryden’s artistic director Jane McKinley, Metcalfe, and McStoots. They’ll drop by at 5:00 to tell us more about this run of performances and to talk about the significance of the “St. John Passion.”
Following our conversation, which will include musical excerpts, I’ll also have a recording of Bach sonatas played by violinist Lara St. John.
As a counterbalance to this all-Bach hour, I’ll be celebrating the birthdays today of American composer Samuel Barber and conductor Thomas Schippers. We’ll also take in the otherworldly Theremin Concerto by Finnish composer Kalevi Aho. Here are a few comments by the soloist, Carolina Eyck, for whom the work was written:
As we chat about Bach this afternoon and enjoy his music, remember, we are currently in the midst of our Bach 500 campaign. In celebration of the anniversary of Bach’s birth (on March 21st, 1685), we are asking for 500 listeners to step up and make a donation to The Classical Network IN ANY AMOUNT. You set the level.
When we reach 500 donations, we’ll tally in the funds from our Bach Pot – contributions solicited in advance from some especially ardent supporters – and, best of all, we’ll be able to cancel fundraising on Bach’s birthday and enjoy just his music.
You can do your part to help make that happen by calling us during business hours at 1-888-232-1212, or by donating anytime online at wwfm.org.
Once we raise the money, we’re Bach to the music!
Thank you for your support. It’s because of the generosity of listeners just like you that we have been able to share the world’s great music since 1982. Make your donation, then join me today for Bach, Barber, and uncanny Aho, from 4 to 7 p.m. EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.
The Kalevi Aho Society
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