Category: Stamps

Stamp of the Month: February 2019



Nicaragua 22.1.1975
Giovanni Martinelli

The Italian tenor Giovanni Martinelli was born in Montagnana on October 22, 1885. He died on February 2, 1969 in New York. In February 2019, his death marks the 50th time.
As a child Martinelli learned clarinet, he sang in a church choir and later served in a military orchestra. The orchestra leader discovered his voice and recommended to study singing with Giuseppe Mandolini. On Dec. 2, 1910 Martinelli made his debut as a soloist in Rossini’s “Stabat Mater” and a few weeks later in Verdi’s “Ernani” at the Teatro Dal
Verme in Milan. Arturo Toscanini and Giacomo Puccini occupied him then as Dick Johnson for the European premiere of the opera “La Fanciulla Del West”. His more than 50-year career has taken Giovanni Martinelli, among others to the opera houses of Naples, Monte Carlo, London, Budapest and La Scala in Milan. More than 30 years he worked at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he was hired as the successor to Enrico Caruso and had a total of more than 650 performances. He remains in memory particularly because of his lyrical-dramatic tenor roles.
 

 
The video shows Giovanni Martinelli performing the aria “Celeste Aida”. The film was made in 1929 on the stage of “Hammerstein’s Opera House” in Manhattan.

Stamp of the Month: January 2019



Poland 28.5.2009

Grażyna Bacewicz

The Polish composer Grażyna Bacewicz was born in Łódź on February 5, 1909. She died on January 17, 1969 in Warsaw. In January 2019, her death marks the 50th time.
 
Her first music lessons in piano, violin and composition Bacewicz received from her father. From 1928 she studied philosophy , composition, violin and piano in Warsaw and continued these studies with Nadia Boulanger and Carl Flesch in Parist in the early 1930s. After graduating she has given concerts throughout Europe, taught at the conservatory in Lodz and was concertmaster in the orchestra of the Polish Radio from 1936 to 1938. From 1953 she devoted herself to composition and taught at the conservatories in Łódź and Warsaw.
1935 Bacewicz had participated at the International Wieniawski Competition in Warsaw, later she was a juror at numerous international violin competitions. Bacewicz is one of the most important representatives of contemporary Polish music. Her compositional work includes among others a radio opera, three ballets, six symphonies, several orchestral works and concertos, chamber music and songs.
 

 
The video shows Grażyna Bacewicz performing her Polish dance “Oberek”. She is accompanied at the piano by her brother Kiejstut Bacewicz.

Bicentenary “Silent Night, Holy Night”

200 years ago, on 24 December 1818, the song “Silent Night, Holy Night” was sung for the first time in Oberndorf near Salzburg. Today, it is probably the most popular Christmas carol. The text has been translated into more than 50 languages and since 2011 “Silent Night, Holy Night” is on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is not surprising, that many countries have also issued stamps to honor this song and its creators.
 


            
Bahamas 2018













Stamp of the Month: December 2018



Germany 14.4.1988

Jim Morrison

The American singer-songwriter James Douglas “Jim” Morrison was born in Melbourne, Florida on December 8, 1943. He died at the age of 27 on July 3, 1971 in Paris of a heart attack – the exact circumstances of his death were not clarified. In December 2018 Jim Morrison would have been 75 years old.
 
Jim Morrison is one of the most charismatic personalities of rock music in the late 1960s and was a key symbolic figure of the hippie culture. Together with the rock group
“The Doors”, he was the front man, Morrison advanced the repertoire of rock music to multi-layered concept pieces and shapes of rock theater. He wrote more than one hundred songs with a wide range of musical styles: blues, rock songs, psychedelic rock, hard rock, ballads, sea shanties and a-cappella singing. Musically, he also quoted classical Works by Kurt Weill and Johann Sebastian Bach. Although Jim Morrison mainly is known for his songs, his artistic oeuvre is not limited to music. He left more than 1,600 manuscript pages, including poems, stories, essays, short stories, song lyrics, scenic lyrics and screenplay drafts.
 

 
The video is a collage of old and new recordings: The former band members of The Doors play the last song recorded with Jim Morrison titled “Riders on the Storm”, synchronized with the voice of Jim Morrison.

Stamp of the Month: November 2018


Salvatore Adamo

The Belgian singer-songwriter, chanson- and pop-singer Salvatore Adamo was born on 1st November 1943 in Comiso, Sicily. This month he celebrates his 75th birthday.
 
At the age of four, Adamo came to Belgium with an immigrant family. He sang in the church choir and learned to play the guitar. In 1962 he won a music competition in France and published in Belgium his first record. Soon, he was one of the most famous pop-singers in France as well as in Germany.


Belgien 8.11.2008
In the 1960’s and 70’s, more than 30 of his own songs were placed in the charts. Numerous tours have taken him throughout Europe, Canada and South America. He sang his songs in nine different languages. Throughout his more than 50-year stage career, Adamo is not only known as a pop star, but also wrote numerous serious songs which he often performed together with other famous singers.
 

 
 
 
 
The video shows Salvatore Adamo in duet with the Belgian singer Maurane (1960-2018). The song “Inch ‘Allah”, written in 1967, unfortunately lost none of its relevance until today.
 
 
 
 
 
Inch’ Allah – God willing
I saw the Orient and its treasures
With the moon as a banner
And I intended in a few verses
To put its splendor into a song


But when I saw Jerusalem
Just like a red rose in the sand
I heard a silent requiem
When I held it in my hand
 
I found a chapel, I tried a prayer
But that’s when the nightmare began
Even the birds flew away with fear
When they heard the sound of guns
 
And I could feel the weight of hatred
With Cries on both sides of the street
Oh Lord of love weren’t you born here?
It’s you I had just come to meet
 
Inch’Allah! Inch’Allah! God willing! Inch’Allah!
The olive tree wept for its shadow
Its tender love, tender wife
Who was lying on the ruins
On the other side of life
 
Trembling on the barbed wire
A butterfly was watching a flower
Thinking “People are so mad”
They’d kill me if I cross the border
 
Children of Ismaël and Israël
Before your whole land turns to hell
Why don’t you try some steps together
Guided by a white dove in the sky
 
Inch’Allah! Inch’Allah! God willing! Inch’Allah!
Is our life a crucifixion?
Must we suffer through the years?
As we struggle for redemption
Washing blood away with tears
 
Oh yes I saw Jerusalem
Like a red rose in the sand
I always hear that requiem
Each time I hold it in my hand
 
Requiem for millions of souls
Of people lying in nameless tombs
In heaven there’s room for them all
Now enough blood, Salam! Shalom!
 
Inch’Allah! Inch’Allah! God willing! Inch’Allah!

Stamp of the Month: October 2018



San Marino 12.2.1999

Charles Gounod

The French composer Charles François Gounod was born in Paris on June 17, 1818. He died on October 18, 1893 in Saint-Cloud. In October 2018, his death marks the 125th time.
 
First, Gounod studied privately with a Bohemian composer and from 1836 at the Paris Conservatory, among others with Fromental Halévy. In 1839 he was awarded the Prix de Rome and traveled to Italy to learn about the music of the old masters.

After his return, he was church music director, choir director and organist in Paris and composed initially some sacred works, but from 1848 he turned away to strengthen the opera composition. In 1859, his most famous opera “Faust” brought him the breakthrough as a respected composer. The opera, which is often performed in Germany under the title “Marguerite” is still regarded as his masterpiece. Although most of his twelve operas are no longer on the board today, Charles Gounod is considered one of the most respected representative of the typical French Opéra lyrique. Due to the Franco-German War 1870/71 Gounod lived in London from 1870 to 1874, where he founded the Gounod’s Choir, which later became the Royal Choral Society. In his age, the deeply religious Gounod again turned to church music and left numerous oratorios and choral works. His “Ave Maria” based on the “Well-Tempered Clavier” by Johann Sebastian Bach is known worldwide as one of the most popular pieces of classical music.
 

 
The video shows the Ballet of the Semperopera Dresden performing the “Faust Waltz” from the opera “Marguerite” by Charles Gounod.

Stamp of the Month: September 2018



Spain 6.10.2000

Julio Iglesias

The Spanish singer Julio Iglesias de la Cueva was born in Madrid on September 23, 1943. In September 2018, he celebrates his 75th birthday.
 
In 1968, during a language course in Cambridge, Julio Iglesias wrote his first song “La vida sigue igual” with which he won the 1969 Song Festival in Benidorm and laid the foundation for his career. In 1970, he represented his country at the Grand Prix de la Chanson de l’Eurvision and finished fourth. With several successful albums he has applied since the 1970s as the “Father of Latin pop.” Julio Iglesias sings in 14 languages.

Before he largely withdrew from the public in 2011 he gave almost 5000 concerts in over 40 years and – with more than 300 million records sold, and about 390 gold and platinum records – he is regarded as one of the most successful solo artists worldwide.
 

Yehudi-Menuhin-Trophy 2018 – Most Popular Music Stamp 2017

The Winner: Greg Breeding / USA

   

Most popular music stamp 2017 is the American issue commemorating the 200th anniversary of Mississippi’s statehood (USA 31.3.2017). The stamp is based on a 2009 photograph by Lou Bopp showing the hands and guitar of the blues musician Jimmy ‘Duck’ Holmes. The stamp was designed by Greg Breeding, who is therefore awarded the 2018 Yehudi-Menuhin-Trophy.
Greg Breeding studied design and typography at Virginia Commonwealth University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. He began his career as a designer for several non-profit organizations. In 1992 he co-founded the design agency Journey Group, where he works as creative director. In addition to his work as a designer he gives classes for non-profit organizations. Greg Breeding has already won several awards. He designed his first stamp for the US Postal Service in 2012.
 



Second place was reached by the Hungarian stamp for the 450th birthday of Claudio Monteverdi (Hungary 6.3.2017), designed by István Orosz.




The French issue for the ‘Fête du Timbre’ 2017, featuring the Edgar Degas painting “L’Etoile” (The Star) reached the third place. This design by Marion Favreau was issued on 11.3.2017.

Have a look to the candidates for the most popular music stamp 2017

In memoriam: Aretha Franklin – The Queen of Soul



Guinea 10.5.2010





On August 16, 2018, the American soul singer, songwriter and pianist Aretha Louise Franklin died at the age of 76. The musical spectrum of the “Queen of Soul” submitted by Rhythm & blues, gospel and jazz as well as pop and dance. Throughout her more than 60-year career, she has won numerous awards. Her number-one hit “Respect” from 1965 became the anthem of the African-American liberation and the Women’s Movement. In 1987, Aretha Franklin became the first woman in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 2010 she was named “best female singer of all time” by the music magazine “Rolling Stone” and she was one of the performers with the most records sold worldwide.
 

Mozambique 28.2.2012


Tanzania 1.12.1995


Grenada/Grenadines 19.11.1992

Stamp of the Month: August 2018


Leonard Bernstein

The American conductor, composer and pianist Leonard Bernstein was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts on August 25, 1918th He died on 14 October 1990 in New York. In August 2018, his birthday will mark the 100th time. Bernstein began playing the piano at the age of 10 years. He studied piano and composition at Harvard University and became famous overnight in 1943 when he short notice for the ailing Bruno Walter took over the management of a broadcast concert with the New York Philharmonic. Amber is one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century and led throughout his career including the New York City Center Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Vienna


Austria 6.7.2018
Philharmonic and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. As a guest conductor, he has worked with numerous orchestras and at all major opera houses around the world. As a composer, Bernstein created next to the famous musical “West Side Story” several orchestral works, stage works, chamber, piano and film music, as well as some vocal works.
 

In addition, Leonard Bernstein was an important music teacher. Take some time for the video: Leonard Bernstein answers the question “What is a Melody?” during one of his legendary “Young People’s Concerts” with the New York Philharmonic, recorded December 21.12.1962.

Gambia 12.10.1998



Guinea 10.5.2010

Guinea-Bissau 5.8.2008

San Marino 12.2.1999

Grenada Grenadines 19.11.1992

Grenada Grenadines 26.8.1998

Hungary 2.3.2018

Israel 7.2.1995