American composer John Cage cut a deep swath through the musical landscape in the last century. To modernists, he was a pioneer, a revolutionary thinker. To traditionalists, he was a madman who wrote baffling music. John Cage was born 100 years ago today. We'll celebrate his centennial with a sample of some of his music, and hear how this philosopher of sound influenced those who came after him.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Richard Strauss: Scherzo from Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 69
The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Karl Anton Rickenbacher, conductor
John Cage: Piano Sonata No. 5
Pedja Muzijevic, prepared piano
Spoleto Festival USA, Charleston, South Carolina
John Cage: Summer, from the Seasons, Ballet in One Act for Orchestra
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Alexander Mickelthwate, conductor
Ordway Center, St. Paul
John Adams: Short Ride in a Fast Machine
The San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco
The Piano Puzzler: This week's contestant is Nancy Heel from Montezuma, Georgia
Richard Strauss: Don Juan
The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Donald Runnicles, conductor
The BBC Proms, London, England
Hour 2
Johann Sebastian Bach: Gavotte from English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808, and Invention No. 13 in A Minor, BWV 784
Renaud Capucon, violin, Gautier Capucon, cello
Ludwig van Beethoven: Egmont Overture, Op. 84
The Revolutionary and Romantic Orchestra, John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
Carnegie Hall, New York City
John Cage: In a Landscape
Brooklyn Rider
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul
Joseph Joachim: Excerpts from Hebrew Melodies, Op. 9
Paul Neubauer, viola, Wu Han, piano
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, New York City
Robert Schumann: Traumeswirren (Dreams' Confusion), from Fantasiestucke, Op. 12
Martha Argerich, piano
Chopin and his Europe International Music Festival, Warsaw, Poland
Max Bruch: Romance in F for Viola and Orchestra, Op. 85
Renaud Capucon, viola, the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra, Daniel Harding, conductor
Verbier Festival and Academy, Verbier, Switzerland
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American Public Media’s Performance Today® is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations across the country, including at 1 p.m. central weekdays on Minnesota Public Radio. More information about our stations can be found at APM Distribution.
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