Journal of Fine and Performing Arts Philately
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Volume 55 / Number 4 December 2009 Journal of Fine and Performing Arts Philately (See Note-Worthy Music Stamps, Part 18, Page 59 FAP December 2009 Volume 55 / 4 NOTE-WORTHY MUSIC STAMPS, PART 18 Ethel Bloesch [Note: Part 18 describes stamps with musical notation that were issued in 2008.] BELGIUM. No. 2342 (Figure 1). A BOSNIA & HERZEGOVENA (Serb Admin.). souvenir sheet of ten stamps issued November No. 326 (Figure 2). A stamp issued May 8, 2008 12, 2008, devoted to Belgian music. The stamps to commemorate the 15th Djurdjevdan (St. surround the image of a CD disc. Each stamp George's Day) Children's Song Festival. The features a performer/group (or in the case of competition, held annually in Banja Luka, is Queen Elisabeth, a patron of the arts and founder illustrated on the stamp with a picture of three children singing into a microphone. Two staves of decorative notes are in the background. COMORO ISLANDS. A miniature Figure 2 sheet issued in 2008 honoring Beethoven and Mozart (Figure 3). The stamp pictures Mozart and a keyboard instrument. The sheet contains a Beethoven portrait in front of an early piano, and an inset picture of a group of performing musicians. In the background is an excerpt from an unidentified music manuscript. Figure 1 of the international music competition bearing her name). The performers and groups include José Van Dam (opera singer); Festival Rock Werchter; Philippe Herreweghe and his choir Collegium Vocale Gent; the rock band dEUS; Robert Groslot and his chamber orchestra Il Novecento; Philip Catherine (jazz guitarist); the pop group Vaya con Dios; Will Tira and Salvatore Adamo (pop singers); and Jacques Brel (late singer and songwriter). Two of the stamps (for Queen Elisabeth and Tura and Adamo) show several bars Figure 3 of manuscript notation, which, according to the Belgian postal authorities, have been invented by the designer of the stamps. 59 FAP December 2009 Volume 55 / 4 CROATIA. Nos. 672-673. Two stamps grew out of a group issued January 22, 2008 featuring Croatian that began meeting musicians Igor Kuljeriæ (1938-2006) (Figure 4) informally in 1854 and Krsto Odak (1888-1965) (Figure 5). to sing Croatian tunes at the home Well-known both as a composer and a of a baron in conductor, Kuljeriæ held important positions, Karlovac. Four including conductor of the Croatian Radio years later, the Television Chorus and Symphony Orchestra and Karlovac Choral director of the Croatian National Theatre. In his Society was formed. early days as a composer he was influenced by In 1868 the group the avant-garde movement in music. His later changed its name to works, however, reflect a more direct and the First Croatian communicative style. He composed in a wide Choral Society variety of genres, including opera, orchestral and "Zora" (Dawn). Its chamber slogan was "Singing music, choral towards the music, Homeland." As the incidental and group thrived, its film music, reputation expanded and crossover beyond the borders projects. The of Karlovac, and the Figure 6 musical society achieved excerpt on the notable success in international festivals in stamp has not Germany in 1927 and at the royal court in been Belgium in 1935. In 1941 Zora's activities were identified. banned, and the group was suspended for 37 Figure 4 years. In 1978 it was restored and has now achieved its former status of importance in the A companion stamp honors the composer town of Karlovac and the homeland Croatia. The Krsto Odak. Born in the Dalmatian countryside, stamp shows the Town Theatre "Zorin dom Odak spent his early years as a Franciscan monk. Karlovac" and a lyre with the inscription "Singing He left the monastic life in 1919 to pursue a towards the Homeland." Fragments of musical career in music. Following completion of his staves with notes surround the lyre, with those on studies in 1922, he began a forty-year career as the left side appearing in reverse image. The composer and teacher at the Music Academy in design seems to be based on actual, but Zagreb. Some, but not all, of his works contain unidentified, music. folklore elements. A mastery of melody and polyphony CUBA. No. permeates 4847. A stamp his music. issued September 5, The musical 2008 for the 100th excerpt on birth anniversary of this stamp José Fernández Diaz, has not commonly known as been Joseíto Fernández identified. (1908-1979), a Cuban singer and songwriter (Figure 7). He is credited with Figure 5 writing "Guantanamera," CROATIA. No. 715. A stamp issued Cuba's best-known December 5, 2008 for the 150th anniversary of song, but there is the Zora Choral Society (Figure 6). The society some dispute about Figure 7 60 FAP December 2009 Volume 55 / 4 its origin. There is no question, though, that arranger of Manx music, Gill adapted the music Fernández used the song regularly on his radio from a traditional Manx air "Mylecharaine" and set program. The song became a popular vehicle for it to English words "O land of our birth." He romantic, patriotic, humorous, or social launched it at the 1907 Manx Music Festival, the commentary lyrics, often improvised on the spot. Guild, and dedicated it to Lady Raglan, the The stamp pictures Fernández playing a guitar, Governor's wife. In the program notes Gill with the music of "Guantanamera" in the expressed the hope that "it would be worthy to background. stand side by side, although at a respectable distance from 'God Save the King.'" The Manx GAMBIA. No. 3156. A sheet with four translation of the words is by John Joseph Kneen. stamps issued May 16, 2008, commemorating the The song became popular immediately but it was 40th anniversary of the film Speedway, starring not until 2003 that it was officially declared the Elvis Presley (Figure 8). It contains four stamps national anthem of the Isle of Man. The stamp with various poses of the singer. The rest of the shows a portrait of Gill, with notes from the sheet has a larger picture of him with a guitar and anthem in the background and a piano score in several decorative notes. the foreground. The set also honors one other musician: the beloved Mary Louisa Wood (1841?-1925), who has been called the Mother of Manx Music for her tireless efforts in the teaching and promotion of music for the Manx people (Figure 10). Figure 10 GREAT BRITAIN - JERSEY. No. 1310. One stamp in a set of five issued March 3, 2008 for the centenary of the Jersey Eisteddfod (Figure 11). Inaugurated in 1908 by Dean Samuel Falle, Figure 8 the first Jersey Eisteddfod took place on October 1 of that year. Since 1908 the continuity of the Eisteddfod has been disrupted only by the two GREAT BRITAIN - ISLE OF MAN. No. world wars. In the 1980s separate festivals were 1276e (Figure 9). One stamp in a set of 10 established for the Performing Arts and the issued August 1, Creative Arts. The five stamps (Arts and Crafts, 2008 in two Dance and Drama, se-tenant strips, Speech, Films and entitled "New Photography, and Manx Worthies." Music) reflect the The stamp wide scope of the features William competitive Henry Gill events. The music (1839-1923), stamp features a author and violin, the bell of a composer of the trumpet, and Manx national three colorful anthem, "Arrane eighth notes. In ashoonagh dy the background is Figure 11 vannin." A Figure 9 an excerpt from collector and the score 61 FAP December 2009 Volume 55 / 4 of La Mer, a symphonic work in three movements picture of by Claude Debussy (1862-1918), first performed Leonard in Paris in 1905. The excerpt shows the flute and Bernstein oboe solo passages in measures 159-161 of the and three third movement, "Dialogue du vent et de la mer." pages of unidentified GUINEA. music. A sheet issued September 1, INDONESIA. 2008 in its No. 2166. Celebrities I The last in a series (Figure series of six 12). It features souvenir Figure 14 Cyd Charisse sheets and Fred Astaire issued over a six-day period in October 2008 for on the stamp. the 22nd Asian International Exhibition "Jakarta The sheet shows 2008." It was issued on October 28, 2008 for them dancing Youth Pledge Day (Figure 15), commemorating a amid swirls of declaration made on October 28, 1928 by young decorative Indonesian nationalists at a congress in Jakarta, notes. proclaiming the unity of the Indonesian peoples. At that congress the song "Indonesia Raya" was GUINEA-BISSAU. performed for the first time. Both words and Two sheets Figure 12 music were written by Wage Rudolf Soepratman issued August 5, (1903-1938). This song became the national 2008 honoring maestros and composers. One anthem in sheet contains four stamps. Each stamp pairs a 1945 when conductor and a composer, with unidentified Indonesia music in the background: Wilhelm Furtwängler achieved and Richard Wagner; Daniel Barenboim and independenc Mozart; Leonard Bernstein and Igor Stravinsky; e. The sheet and Benjamin Zander and Beethoven. Alongside design shows the stamps are three pages of unidentified music a stylized and a conductor leading an orchestra (Figure 13). version of the event, along with a violin and a scroll containing the words and music of Figure 15 the anthem. JORDAN. Nos. 1916-1921. A set of five stamps and a sheet issued September 22, 2008, featuring musical instruments (Figures 16-21). The five stamps have individual pictures of these instruments: oud (a pear-shaped fretless stringed instrument), rebab ( a two-stringed bowed instrument), zither, flutes, and tambourine Figure 13 and drum. The sheet combines pictures of all the instruments.