Composer Tan Dun grew up in the province of Hunan, China. His community practiced a ritual called “ghost opera,” a way of communicating with spirits of the past, future, and nature. On today’s show, we’ll hear a concerto by Tan Dun, inspired by the Chinese ‘ghost opera’ ritual.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Valentin Silvestrov: Bagatelle No. 3
Helene Grimaud, piano
Album: Helene Grimaud: The Messenger
DG
Xavier Foley: Mayflower, for string quartet
Ying Quartet | Xavier Foley, double bass
Spivey Hall, Clayton State University, Morrow, GA
Valentin Silvestrov: 3 Waltzes with Postludium, Op. 3
Alexey Botvinov, piano
EBU, Odessa Classics Festival, Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn, Estonia
Tan Dun: Concerto for String Quartet and Pipa
Min Xiao-Fen, pipa | Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu, violin | Kristin Lee, violin | Paul Neubauer, viola | Sihao He, cello
Music@Menlo Chamber Music Festival and Institute, Spieker Center for the Arts, Menlo Park, CA
Hour 2
Fanny Mendelssohn: Das Jahr (The Year): October
Christina Bjorkoe, piano
Album: Das Jahr
Danacord 957
Richard Heuberger: Der Opernball (the Opera Ball): Movement 1 Overture
WDR Radio Orchestra | Alfred Eschwe, conductor
EBU. Klaus von Bismarck Hall, WDR Broadcasting House, Cologne, Germany
Johann Sebastian Bach: Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971
Kenari Saxophone Quartet
Beaches Fine Arts Series, St Paul's-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, FL
Fanny Mendelssohn: Quartet in E-flat Major
Ari Isaacman-Beck, violin | Joanna Maurer, violin | Erica Gailing, viola | Peter Sanders, cello
Central Vermont Chamber Music Festival, Unitarian Universalist Church, Woodstock, VT
Love the music?
Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.
Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.
YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.
Your Donation
About Performance Today®
To find a station near you on our Stations Listings page, click here.
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.
Performance Today® features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, highlights from new album releases, and in-studio performances and interviews. Performance Today® is based at the APM studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country. Also, each Wednesday, composer Bruce Adolphe joins host Fred Child for a classical musical game and listener favorite: the Piano Puzzler.
How do I leave a comment?
Send us a comment here.
