In 1936, Carlos Chavez wrote a symphony based on the melodies and percussive sounds of Mexican indigenous music, and now his piece is played around the world. On today's show, hear the Polish Radio Orchestra play Chavez's Symphony No. 2 (the Sinfonia India), from a concert in Warsaw, Poland.
The ballet world is filled with images of graceful, colorful birds: Swan Lake. The Firebird. A famous bluebird in Sleeping Beauty. And a ballet about pigeons? On today's show, we'll hear music from The Two Pigeons, a ballet written in 1886 by French composer Andre Messager.
'Tis the season for winter holiday music. Join us today to hear a wide range of music for Hannukah and Christmas. And Bruce Adolphe has a special Piano Puzzler for us as well!
In 2022, the Apollo Chamber Players commissioned a work by composer Wang Jie. Wang Jie, also trained as an organist, wrote the piece for the unusual combination of pipe organ and string quartet. On today's show, we'll hear the Apollo Chamber Players and organist Daryl Robinson play the world premiere of The Night When You See Again by Wang Jie.
A few years ago, violinist and arranger Colin Jacobsen stumbled across a scratchy old recording of a traditional klezmer tune called Haneros Haluli ('These Lights'). Jacobsen says that the music went straight to his heart. We'll hear Colin Jacobsen and The Knights play Jacobsen's own arrangement of Haneros Haluli on today's show.
Join us for a special hour co-hosted by Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero, our 2023 PT Classical Woman of the Year. Plus, Bruce Adolphe joins us for this week's Piano Puzzler!
Join us for a special hour co-hosted by Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero, our 2023 PT Classical Woman of the Year. What a treat!
At the age of 35, English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams went to Paris to study with Maurice Ravel. They worked together intensely for several months, after which Ravel gave him a great compliment. He said Vaughan Williams was his only student who didn't try to write exactly like Ravel himself. On today's show, we'll take you to Charleston, South Carolina, to hear the Piano Quintet by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
St. Nicholas Day, celebrated on December 6th, commemorates the life of Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop known for his generosity and kindness. The holiday is the traditional start of the Christmas season in many countries, including a few pockets of the United States. We'll commemorate St. Nicholas Day on this episode of Performance Today.
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