Performance Today®

When Johann Sebastian Bach arrived at the court of King Frederick the Great, the King had a wickedly convoluted little tune that he gave to Bach. He asked Bach to improvise around it. No problem for the old master. Coming up, a gorgeous Trio Sonata that Bach wrote, based on the King's little tune. It's on Thursday's Performance Today, from a concert at the Music@Menlo Festival, in Silicon Valley.

In the past 10 years, many classical music organizations in the US have struggled to make ends meet so, while disheartening, it was not a big a surprise to hear that the Bellingham Festival of Music in Washington was shutting down. But it was a big surprise a year later to hear that the festival had re-organized, re-energized and was restarting, bigger and better than ever. On Wednesday's Performance Today we'll hear the story of the re-ignited Bellingham Festival of Music with musical proof in the form of Bach.

For many fans of the Proms, the big summer music festival in London, this was the feel-good story of the summer. Nigel Kennedy was on stage with a group of young string players from the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in Palestine. Everyone could agree, it was a wonderful opportunity for these young musicians. NOT everyone could agree, though, with Nigel Kennedy's characterization of the state of Israel when he spoke from the stage. The music from that performance, and the controversy surrounding it, on Tuesday's Performance Today.

In 1939, Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo went to see his wife in the hospital. She was seven months pregnant, but with complications. The doctors told Rodrigo not to expect mother or child to survive. Rodrigo went home, feeling utter desolation, and wrote a tender melody. We'll hear that melody in his Concierto de Aranjuez, on Monday's Performance Today.

American composer Samuel Barber wrote his Adagio for Strings in 1936 and it has become one of the most beloved pieces in American music. Barber knew right away that he had created something special. He wrote to a friend: "I have just finished a slow movement...and it's a knockout!" It might seem a little incongruous that Barber used a boxing metaphor for his piece that touches the very depth of the human soul. But he was right. Barber's Adagio became a favorite right away. On this weekend's Performance Today, we'll hear the story behind Barber's Adagio and a performance of it from a concert in Athens, Georgia.

Chris Thile is one of the most inventive and talented mandolin players on the bluegrass scene today. His band, the Punch Brothers, has appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and on the PBS series Austin City Limits. But Chris Thile is also a huge fan of music by Johann Sebastian Bach. On Friday's Performance Today, Chris Thile talks about how he discovered Bach, the music that he says "fires on all cylinders" with a special immediacy, emotional intensity and clarity of intent.

American composer Samuel Barber wrote his Adagio for Strings in 1936 and it has become one of the most beloved pieces in American music. Barber knew right away that he had created something special. He wrote to a friend: "I have just finished a slow movement...and it's a knockout!" It might seem a little incongruous that Barber used a boxing metaphor for his piece that touches the very depth of the human soul. But he was right. Barber's Adagio became a favorite right away. On Thursday's Performance Today, we'll hear the story behind Barber's Adagio and a performance of it from a concert in Athens, Georgia.

It was the shock heard around the world. Well, around the *classical* music world anyway. This June, 26 year-old Italian pianist Alessandro Deljavan, an audience favorite, was eliminated after the semi-final round of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. On Wednesday's Performance Today, we'll hear from Deljavan's final concert at Van Cliburn competition and find out how a pianist picks himself up, and tries again.

Flutist Sir James Galway is 73 years old now, and some think he's playing better than ever. He's sold more than 30 million albums. He has a big beautiful home looking out across a lake in Switzerland. Galway could easily relax. But what's he doing right now? Galway just finished leading an intensive two week long flute festival and now he's busy rehearsing for a big concert tour. On Tuesday's Performance Today we'll hear from the flutist who likes to stay busy. Sir James Galway and friends play a set of three tunes from Ireland in concert in Athens, Georgia.