Performance Today®

Last month, we aired "Summer," from Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," in a wildly inventive new interpretation by violinist Pekka Kuusisto and the Irish Chamber Orchestra. Bows digging into strings, foot stomping, over-the-top energy, even a little singing from the orchestra. Listeners loved it and demanded more. Today, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, we'll hear all four of the seasons, from that same concert by Kuusisto and the band from Ireland.

There's a word in the Finnish language called "sisu." It's hard to translate, but it means a sort of grim determination, having the strength to face adversity head-on without giving up. People who know the Finnish culture say that one word, sisu, pretty much sums it all up. In today's show, music by a Finn with a whole lot of sisu, Jean Sibelius. We'll hear his dark, brooding tone poem Tapiola, about the mysterious forests in the far north of Finland.

Nostalgia is a sweet but dangerous thing. Too much sugar and it loses its authenticity. Too much vinegar and it's more painful than satisfying. When he was past 50, Zoltan Kodaly resurrected a favorite childhood memory, hearing the local Gypsy musicians in his home town of Galanta. He came up with just the right blend of sugar and spice, of energy and reflection, in his Dances of Galanta. We'll hear it, from a concert in Paris.

In 1839, Clara Schuman agonized over whether she should continue writing music. She wrote in her diary, "I once thought that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea; a woman must not desire to compose." Thankfully, attitudes have changed since then. In today's show, we'll hear Three Romances by the creative and talented Clara Schumann. Plus, one of the busiest conductors around, JoAnn Falletta leading the Buffalo Philharmonic in Mozart's Prague Symphony. And a Renaissance charmer by Piffaro called "Goddesses."

Two weeks ago, 250 musicians were assembled on stage at Carnegie Hall in New York. Not to mention an off-stage military band, horns on the 3rd balcony, and bells in the light boxes. The glorious sounds of Gustav Mahler's Resurrection Symphony filled up every nook and cranny in the hall. We'll have highlights in today's show, from that Carnegie Hall concert by Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic.

Three weeks ago, Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes gave a solo recital at Carnegie Hall in New York. PT's Fred Child was there, hosting the live APM special. In case you missed it, we'll be rebroadcasting highlights from Andsnes' spectacular performance on today's show, works by Haydn, Debussy, and Rachmaninoff.

We first met soprano Susanna Phillips in the summer of 2010, when she was a young artist at the Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont. Her career has skyrocketed since then. She's been singing roles in major opera houses around the world. Today, Susanna joins host Fred Child for music and conversation in the PT studios. She'll sing three French songs from her new CD.

Three weeks ago, Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes gave a solo recital at Carnegie Hall in New York. PT's Fred Child was there, hosting the live APM special. In case you missed it, we'll be rebroadcasting highlights from Andsnes' spectacular performance on today's show, works by Haydn, Debussy, and Rachmaninoff.

The legend of the firebird comes down to us from many different cultures. The details differ, but the essence of the story is the same. This magical bird is immortal, dying in fire and being reborn in the ashes of its former self. In 1910, the then-unknown Igor Stravinsky ensured his own immortality, writing music for the new ballet, "The Firebird." We'll hear a performance of the complete ballet from Germany, Alan Gilbert leading the Berlin Philharmonic.