Inspired by the words and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Richard Danielpour composed a new piece, which he titled "From The Mountaintop." On Thursday's Performance Today, we'll hear it from a concert at the Gateways Festival; a gathering with a focus on African American musicians.
Johannes Brahms said he just didn't understand symphonies by Anton Bruckner. To which Bruckner replied, "I have the exact same problem with yours." On Wednesday's Performance Today, we'll hear the New York Philharmonic play music by the often misunderstood Bruckner - the gorgeous slow movement from his Symphony No. 8.
Garrick Ohlsson feels that Chopin's music is more about visceral feeling than intellectual understanding, though Chopin's intellect was penetrating and brilliant. On Tuesday's Performance Today, we'll hear Ohlsson perform a Chopin Ballade from a concert at The Cliburn.
Alexander Scriabin was a musical metaphysician; he genuinely wanted his music to change the world. On Friday's Performance Today, we'll go to Warsaw for a rare performance of Scriabin's Piano Concerto. See if your world is changed; even if only by extending your musical horizons a bit.
The group Tembembe Ensamble Continuo thrives in the territory where classical and folk overlap; their music is a rich blend of Spanish classical and Mexican folk music. On this weekend's Performance Today, we'll have music and conversation with these genre-defying musicians.
The Inland Seas is brand new music by composer Jeremy Turner. It's inspired by the Great Lakes, and is written for violin and mandolin. On Friday's Performance Today, we'll hear Chris Thile and James Ehnes give the world premiere of The Inland Seas in concert in Seattle.
Benjamin Grosvenor just turned 24, but he's already a veteran of concert halls around the world and is among the most insightful pianists of his generation. On Thursday's Performance Today, we'll take you to hear Grosvenor give a majestic performance of music by Bach in concert at Spivey Hall.
In a recent concert in Vienna, pianist Yefim Bronfman was set to perform Bartok's Piano Concert No. 3. There was only one problem; he'd just gotten a bad cut on his finger. A consummate professional, he insisted on going through with the performance, despite the pain and inevitable bloodshed. On Wednesday's PT, we'll hear Bronfman give a much less bloody performance of that same piece.
He is thoughtful and precise, with a smart sense of humor, which makes him perfect for music by Mozart. Pianist Richard Goode teams up with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for a concert performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 27, on Tuesday's Performance Today.
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