Performance Today®

Out of death, comes life. That's both a philosophical statement, and a practical one too. When the earth is scorched by fire, some of the first things to regenerate are the wild flowers. On today's show, Michael Torke's piece from 2005 called, "After the Forest Fire." And after that, the wild flowers spring up. The Cincinnati Symphony plays "What the Wild Flowers Tell Me," by Gustav Mahler.

One of the great questions of life is what, if anything, comes after it. Humans from the beginning of history have wrestled with the question of what happens to us when we die. Artists are no exception. On today's show, we'll hear composer Richard Strauss' view. In his tone poem, "Death and Transfiguration," Strauss paints the picture of a man's life, death, and ultimate transcendence into a life beyond.

Instruments like this Stradivarius are among the most expensive in the world. Some of them are worth millions. But some musicians are choosing to alter their instruments with tattoos and piercings. Sound crazy? Some think so. But others insist they're just personalizing what they consider an extension of their own bodies - their instruments. Tune in to today's show for the full story. Plus, we'll hear our very own PT poem, written for us by poet C.K. Williams.

People who are always changing their minds can be a little maddening to work with. "I want it this way. No, wait, how about that way. No, now that I think about it, this other way is much better. You know, I think I liked it better the first way." Anton Bruckner was one of those people. He revised his fourth symphony no fewer than seven times. Today's show features one of those revisions, as the Toronto Symphony and conductor Peter Oundjian perform the first movement from Bruckner's fourth.

When Igor Stravinsky completed the music for his ballet, "The Firebird," he criticized his own work for being unoriginal. However, it represented "good conditions for success," he said. Nowadays, we view Stravinsky as one of the most original (and successful) composers ever, constantly reinventing himself and his composing styles. Today's show features a suite from Stravinsky's "The Firebird," played by the Budapest Festival Orchestra and conductor Ivan Fischer.

Agustin Barrios: "Julia Florida" Guitarist Sharon Isbin

Before Irish flutist James Galway became an international star as a soloist, he held one of the most prestigious orchestral chairs in Europe. He was solo flutist with the Berlin Philharmonic. But it almost didn't happen. Galway won the position, but didn't like the way the audition was handled, so he initially turned it down. Today, we'll hear James Galway in two movements from a Mozart flute concerto, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Conductor Daniel Barenboim formed the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra with young musicians from several Middle Eastern countries. The group performed an historic concert in the Palestinian city of Ramallah on the West Bank, and we'll go there to hear performances of a Mozart Sinfonia Concertante and some of Sir Edward Elgar's "Enigma" Variations.

In 1927, Italian composer Ottorino Respighi wrote a suite of musical portraits. Not of kings or queens, mythological or historical figures. It was a suite of bird music, including portraits of the hen, the dove, the nightingale, and the cuckoo (pictured). As you enjoy the spring bird migration outside your window, you can listen to these charming settings of their music, performed by the Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra and conductor Nicholas McGegan.