Musicians And Composers On Stamps

Happy Birthday to a German composer and pianist who needs no introduction: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827). Here are images of two stamps featuring a portrait of Beethoven, designed by Czech artist Karel Svolinský (1896-1986), engraved by Jindra Schmidt, and issued by Czechoslovakia on June 7, 1952 to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven's death, and also as two of the three stamps in a set publicizing the International Music Festival, Prague, Scott Nos, 529 & 531.

- nethryk

Charles-François Gounod (1818-1893) was a French composer who is best known for his Ave Maria (1853, based on a work by Bach), and for his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette. Here is an image of a semi-postal (charity) stamp featuring a portrait of Gounod, designed by Michel Ciry, engraved by Charles-Paul Dufresne, and issued by France on March 27, 1944, Scott No. B174, Y&T No. 601, plus a photo of Charles Gounod, and a YouTube link to a performance of Ave Maria by Italian-American lyric-coloratura soprano Anna Moffo ("La Splendissima," 1932-2006): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO78AqC1IE4

- nethryk

Hubert de Blanck (1856-1932) was a Dutch-born professor, pianist, and composer who spent most of his life in Cuba, where he was widely acclaimed during his lifetime for his significant contribution to the country's culture. Here is an image of an engraved airmail stamp featuring a portrait of Hubert de Blanck, and issued by Cuba on July 6, 1956 to commemorate the composer's birth centenary, plus a photo of de Blanck and a link to a website about his life and legacy: http://www.hubertdeblanck.nl/indexEN.htm

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)! Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Mozart and illustrations of scenes from his opera Don Giovanni, designed by French artist Pierrette Lambert, engraved by Pierre Albuisson, and issued by Monaco on November 16, 1987 to commemorate the bicentenary of this opera, Scott No. 1603, plus a YouTube link to a spirited performance of the overture to Don Giovanni, conducted by James Levine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nemAKvtXL8w

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Austrian composer Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)! Here is an image of a stamp designed and engraved by Ferdinand Lorber, and issued by Austria on March 31, 1947 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Schubert's birth, plus an image of an 1875 oil painting of the composer by Austrian artist Wilhelm August Rieder (1796-1880) after his own 1825 watercolor portrait, which may have been a model for this stamp's design, and a YouTube link to what is perhaps Franz Schubert's most famous composition, the Symphony No. 8 in B minor ('Unfinished'), performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAAmC2QCsg4

- nethryk

GEORGE ENESCU known in France as Georges Enesco; 19 August 1881, Liveni – 4 May 1955, Paris) was a Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor and teacher.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Enescu



1) On this maxicard George Enescu , violinist . The stamp from 1980 INTEREUROPA set of four stamps. Special Pictorial Postmark from his birth's place Post Office : LIVEZENI, commemorating 100 years from his birth.

2)A vintage Post Card commemorating 80 years from his birth.
Post Card Code : I.B.S. c. 177 - B.T. VI. 1961 - 90.000 ex.

( 90,000 pcs printed )

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his time. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Mahler and his signature, designed by French artist Cyril de La Patellière (1950- ), engraved by Claude Andréotto, and issued by Monaco on December 4, 2009 (but dated 2010), Scott No. 2571, plus a photograph of Gustav Mahler which was surely a model for this stamp's design, and a YouTube link to a 2004 performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 5 by the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, conducted by the late Claudio Abbado (1933-2014): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOvXhyldUko


- nethryk

Happy Birthday to American singer-songwriter, actor, and author John R. "Johnny" Cash (1932-2003)! Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Johnny Cash, designed by USPS art director Greg Breeding, printed by photogravure, and issued by the USA on June 5, 2013, Scott No. 4789, plus a photograph of Johnny Cash taken in 1969, and a YouTube link to a recorded performance of his hit song "I Walk the Line:" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHF9itPLUo4

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Hugo Wolf (1860-1903), an Austrian composer of Slovene origin, particularly noted for his art songs, or lieder. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Hugo Wolf, designed by Austrian artist Vinzenz Gorgon (1891-1961), engraved by Ferdinand Lorber, and issued by Austria on February 21, 1953 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the composer's death, plus a photograph of Wolf in 1902 which was surely the model for this stamp's design, and a YouTube link to a 1958 recording of Hugo Wolf's lied Kennst du das Land ("Do You Know the Land"), based on a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, performed by Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano) and Gerald Moore (piano): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMe22tHvG4c


- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Josef Gabriel Rheinberger (1839-1901), an organist and composer born in Liechtenstein but resident for most of his life in Germany. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Rheinberger, designed by Liechtenstein artist Hans Peter Gassner, combined engraved by Wolfgang Seidel and photogravure, and issued by Liechtenstein on March 6, 1989, Scott No. 903, plus a YouTube link to a recording of Rheinberger's Organ Concerto No.2 in D minor, performed by Paul Skevington (organist) and the Amadeus Orchestra, conducted by Timothy Rowe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njl2n19cKjI

- nethryk

Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967) was a Hungarian composer, violinist, ethnomusicologist, pedagogue, linguist, and philosopher. Here is an image of a stamp reproducing a portrait of Kodály by Hungarian artist Sándor Légrády (1906-1987), printed by photogravure, and issued by Hungary on April 17, 1968, Scott No. 1888, plus a photograph of Zoltán Kodály, and a YouTube link to a 2011 recording of Kodály's lively, folk music inspired 1933 orchestral work Dances of Galánta, performed by the Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra, András Vass conducting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY_FE_-CCLQ Enjoy!

- nethryk

Kirsten Målfrid Flagstad (1895-1962) was a Norwegian opera singer who was gifted with what many opera critics have called "the voice of the century." Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Flagstad in operatic costume, designed by Knut Løkke-Sørensen, printed by lithography, and issued by Norway on June 26, 1995 to commemorate the singer's birth centenary, Scott No. 1099, Facit No. 1227, plus a publicity photograph of Kirsten Flagstad, and a YouTube link to a recorded performance by Flagstad of Franz Schubert's lovely "Ave Maria", D. 839, Edwin McArthur, piano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQCqD__nzKY

- nethryk

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (1678-1741) was an Italian Baroque composer, a virtuoso violinist, and a Roman Catholic priest. Here is an image of an airmail stamp featuring a portrait of Vivaldi, designed by Mexican artist Ramón Alcántara Rodríguez, printed by photogravure, and issued by Mexico on December 1, 1978 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the composer's birth, Scott No. C589, plus an image of an engraved portrait of Antonio Vivaldi by Dutch engraver François Morellon la Cave (fl. 1726-1766) which was surely the model for this stamp's design, and a YouTube link to a video recording of "Spring," my favorite part of Vivaldi's most famous work, "The Four Seasons," performed by Israeli-American violinist and conductor Itzhak Perlman (1945- ) with the strings of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKthRw4KjEg

- nethryk

Gustav Mahler commemorative stamp designed by Oldøich Kulhánek (1940 - 2013) and engraved by Miloš Ondráèek, issued by the Czech Republic in 2000.
http://www.cpslib.org/aip/2000-257.htm

Happy Birthday to German composer and pianist Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)! Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Brahms, designed by Monaco-based Russian artist Gueorgui Gueorguievitch Chichkine (1948- ), engraved by Pierre Albuisson, and issued by Monaco on January 3, 2008, Scott No. 2479, plus an undated photograph of Johannes Brahms, and a YouTube link to a spirited performance of his Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G minor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X9LvC9WkkQ

- nethryk