Poster Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
wikimedia commons
Performance Today®

The power and danger of art

In the 1930's, artistic expression in the Soviet Union could be a very risky proposition. On Tuesday's Performance Today, tune in for a story about the danger of art, with evocative music by composer and survivor Dmitri Shostakovich.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Dmitri Shostakovich: Adagio (Elegy) for string quartet
Emerson String Quartet
Shostakovich String Quartets
DG 463284

Matthew Locke: Music for The Tempest
Tempesta di Mare; Gwyn Roberts & Richard Stone, Directors; Emlyn Ngai, Concertmaster
Tempesta di Mare, American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, PA

Robert Beaser: Variations for Flute and Piano: Movement 1 Theme
Aaron Perdue, flute; Christopher McKiggan, piano
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul, MN

Dmitri Shostakovich: Ballet Suite No. 2 for Orchestra
River Oaks Chamber Orchestra; Mei Ann Chen, conductor
River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, St. John the Divine Church, Houston, TX

Hour 2

Maurice Ravel: Miroirs: Movement 1 Noctuelles
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
Beautiful Starry Night - Jean-Yves Thibaudet Plays Ravel
London/Decca 448618

Alberto Ginastera: Impressiones de la puna (1934)
Leonard Garrison, flute; Megan Murphy Kenny and Carrie Krause, violins; Bernard McWilliams, viola; Miranda Wilson, cello
Red Lodge Music Festival, Red Lodge Civic Center, Red Lodge, MT

Anderson & Roe: Hallelujah Variations (Variations on a Theme by Leonard Cohen)
Anderson and Roe Piano Duo: Greg Anderson, piano; Elizabeth Joy Roe, piano
Steinway Hall, New York, NY

Lennon & McCartney: Let It Be
Anderson and Roe Piano Duo: Greg Anderson, piano; Elizabeth Joy Roe, piano
Minnesota Beethoven Festival; Page Theatre, Saint Mary's University, Winona, MN

Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 11: Movements 3 & 4
Gateways Music Festival Orchestra; Michael Morgan, conductor
Gateways Music Festival, Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, Rochester, NY

Love the music?

Donate by phone
1-800-562-8440

Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.

Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.

YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.

More Ways to Give

Your Donation

$5/month
$10/month
$15/month
$20/month
$

Latest Performance Today® Episodes

VIEW ALL EPISODES

Latest Performance Today® Episodes

The Aznavoorian Duo

The Aznavoorian Duo

The Aznavoorian sisters gave their first concert at a local church when cellist Ani was four and pianist Marta was eight. Ani and Marta have each grown up to have successful careers, and now, they're sharing a stage again. Join us to hear sisters Ani and Marta Aznavoorian play at a concert presented by the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida.

1:59:00
The intersection of classical and jazz

The intersection of classical and jazz

Nikolai Kapustin’s compositions are full of joyful syncopations, and some listeners called him a jazz pianist. But, Kapustin emphasized that he was a classically trained composer who just happened to love jazz. We’ll hear Kapustin’s music at the intersection of classical and jazz on today’s show.

1:59:00
Michael Abels: Winged Creatures

Michael Abels: Winged Creatures

Composer Michael Abels wrote a piece specifically for brothers Anthony and Demarre McGill. It's cooperative and competitive, as well as delicate and powerful at the same time. On today's show, hear the McGill brothers perform Winged Creatures by Michael Abels.

1:59:00
Ruth Gipps: Symphony No. 2

Ruth Gipps: Symphony No. 2

On today's show, hear a piece that conductor Jessica Horsley describes as "...the sort of music that just makes everything alright in the world. It heals all wounds…" It’s the Symphony No. 2 by Ruth Gipps.

1:59:00
PT Weekend: Richard Danielpour

PT Weekend: Richard Danielpour

Dante's Divine Comedy takes us through hell, purgatory, and paradise. Composer Richard Danielpour says he sees a metaphor for the recent pandemic in that, and he wrote a new symphony reflecting on those themes. The ensemble ROCO plays Danielpour's Triptych on this weekend's episode of Performance Today.

1:59:00
El Dia de los Muertos

El Dia de los Muertos

El Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a time to joyfully remember family and friends who've passed away. Because death is always present, life is worth living to the fullest. Today, we’re celebrating life... on the Day of the Dead.

1:59:00
Alim Beisembayev

Alim Beisembayev

Winning a music competition often means winning cash prizes and publicity galore. Pianist Alim Beisembayev also won the chance to perform the world premiere of a new piece. He'll play a brand piano concerto by Eleanor Alberga on today's show.

1:59:00
The Piano Puzzler

The Piano Puzzler

Every week on our Piano Puzzler, composer Bruce Adolphe re-writes a familiar tune in the style of a great composer. One of our listeners calls in and tries to guess the tune and the composer whose style Bruce is mimicking. Tune in and play along with our weekly musical game: the Piano Puzzler.

1:59:00
Wang Jie: The Night When You See Again

Wang Jie: The Night When You See Again

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.

1:59:00
A "terrible" sonata by Rossini

A "terrible" sonata by Rossini

When composer Gioachino Rossini was 12, he wrote six "terrible" sonatas. WE don't think they're terrible—Rossini is the one that used that word. So, see what you think... join us today to hear Rossini's not-so-terrible String Sonata No. 3 from a concert in Portland, Oregon.

1:59:00
VIEW ALL EPISODES

About Performance Today®

To find a station near you on our Stations Listings page, click here.

American Public Media’s Performance Today® is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations across the country, including at 1 p.m. central weekdays on Minnesota Public Radio. More information about our stations can be found at APM Distribution.

Performance Today® features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, highlights from new album releases, and in-studio performances and interviews. Performance Today® is based at the APM studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country. Also, each Wednesday, composer Bruce Adolphe joins host Fred Child for a classical musical game and listener favorite: the Piano Puzzler.

How do I leave a comment?

Send us a comment here.

About Performance Today®