Classical News
02/28 André Previn, charismatic conductor, composer and pianist, dies at 89
02/21 Dominick Argento, composer who was a modern master of opera, dies at 91
02/14 The 'von' trap: Austrian battle over three noble letters
01/31 Jean Guillou, Organ Maestro Who Broke Traditions, Dies at 88
01/26 5,000 Pages of Verdi's Drafts, Long Hidden, Will Be Made Public
01/25 'Magic baton' helps blind musicians feel conductor
01/20 To Save the Sound of a Stradivarius, a Whole City Must Keep Quiet
01/17 John Mueller, influential educator and organist, has died
01/09 English composer John Joubert dies aged 91
01/01 For One Violinist, Elevating Music By Black Composers Is A 20-Year Mission
12/23 Every Christmas Eve, a Lone Choir Boy Sings to More Than 370 Million
12/21 Opera Has a Problem: Fans Aren't Subscribing
12/18 Review: The Rarely Heard Christmas Music of a Baroque Master
12/14 Andrew Frierson, Pioneering Black Opera Singer, Dies at 94
12/12 Gustavo Dudamel’s Favorite Part of ‘Otello’ is a Quiet Prayer
12/07 Best of classical music 2018: Amid the turbulence, moments to savor
12/05 Esa-Pekka Salonen named next Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony
11/23 Wolfgang Zuckermann, Harpsichord Do-It-Yourselfer, Dies at 96
11/20 Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Announces New Music Director
11/09 At 80, Joan Tower Says Great Music Comes ‘in the Risks’
11/08 Music teacher leaves $4.7 million to her orchestra
11/05 3D-printed instruments showcased
10/28 Richard Gill, world-renowned conductor and music educator, dies age 76
10/18 Rustling Gum Wrapper Causes Brawl During Mahler 5
10/06 Montserrat Caballé, Revered Spanish Prima Donna, Dies at 85
09/27 $2.5m Mellon Foundation grant launches Boston classical music initiative
09/17 Eric Lu wins Leeds International Piano Competition
09/06 Italian Conductor Claudio Scimone has Passed Away
09/01 An All-but-Extinct Piano Plays Once More
08/24 George Walker, Trailblazing American Composer, Dies At 96
08/23 Ronald Arnatt, Composer, Organist, Teacher, Dead At 88
08/14 Iraq's National Symphony Orchestra play on despite unpaid wages
08/10 Cleveland Orchestra receives $9.3 million donation
07/26 Newly discovered viola impromptu by Shostakovich
07/20 Royal College Renames Program to Shift Antiquated Perceptions of Pianists
07/02 Vasily Petrenko: New Music Director of the RPO in 2021
06/16 The conductor Gennady Rozhdestvensky has died
06/05 Acoustic evolution of old Italian violins from Amati to Stradivari
06/04 Fabio Luisi Named Next Music Director of Dallas Symphony Orchestra
05/04 The Secret Life of a Music Director
04/14 Jean-Claude Malgoire died at the age of 77
04/13 Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony needs speeding up by 20 minutes, claims conductor
03/29 BBC NOW/Van Steen review – dynamic showcase of young Welsh composers
03/08 Composer John Williams to Bequeath His Life Work to The Juilliard School Library
03/02 Daniil Trifonov and His Teacher Dazzle With Dual Virtuosity
02/18 Hear How ‘Mozart in the Jungle’ Became a Music Showcase
02/02 François Girard’s production of Wagner’s “Parsifal” - Watch the Met Opera Stage a Sea of Blood
01/28 Barbara Hannigan leads list of Grammy Awards' classical winners
01/19 Meet the New Generation Leading Berlin’s Classical Scene
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This Week At The Classical Station
by Rob Kennedy
Friday, March 22, 2019
The 2018-19 Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcast season continues with Samson et Dalila, Saint-Saëns's dramatic opera based on the biblical tale of Samson and Delilah. Mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili and tenor Gregory Kunde star as the Philistine seductress and the Hebrew leader whose love and strength she betrays. Bass-baritone Laurent Naouri is the High Priest of Dagon, bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny is the Philistine commander Abimélech, and bass Günther Groissböck is the Old Hebrew. Sir Mark Elder conducts the Met orchestra and chorus in the new production by Tony Award winner Darko Tresnjak that opened the 2018-19 season.
The Met Opera will be broadcast on The Classical Station at 1:00 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, March 23. Our listeners make these broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera possible with their financial support of The Classical Station. Pledge your support securely online or call 800-556-5178 anytime to speak with a member of staff.
Anita Rachvelishvili as Dalila in Saint-Saëns's Samson et Dalila.Photo: Ken Howard/Met Opera
On March 22 we observe the birthdays of Scottish composer Hamish MacCunn (1868-1916), English humourist Gerard Hoffnung (1925-1959), and English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (1948-) A conductor as well as a composer, Hamish MacCunn studied briefly at the fledgling Royal College of Music. Gerard Hoffnung delighted audiences with his musical parodies and jokes. Baron Lloyd-Webber has written 13 musicals, a couple of film scores and a requiem mass, among other works.
Photos: Wikipedia.org
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Today we observe the birthdays of German composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881), Belgian composer Jules Van Nuffel (1883-1953), French cellist Paul Tortelier (1914-1990), Belgian violinist Arthur Grumiaux (1921-1986), American violinist Joseph Silverstein (1932-2015), and American conductor Erich Kunzel (1935-2009).
A composer thoroughly-versed in the skills of his trade, Bach drew from the past and looked to the future in the music which he wrote for all manner of occasions and purposes. Originally destined for a military career, Mussorgsky abandoned his commission in 1858 to devote his life to music. While cantor at Mechelen Cathedral, Father Van Nuffel worked with Flor Peeters, a noted organist and composer. One of the great cellists of the 20th-century, Monsieur Tortelier taught at several universities during his lifetime. Monsieur Grumiaux was one of the great violinists of the 20-th century. Besides being a fine violinist and concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for many years, Joseph Silverstein was also a conductor and teacher. A well-known musician, Maestro Kunzel is best-known for his long tenure with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.
Photos: Wikipedia.org
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Celebrate Montserrat Caballé, enjoy The Magic Flute in English, plus arias, choruses and ensembles from our extensive music library. Join co-hosts Bob Chapman and Rob Kennedy for the Spring Membership Drive edition of Opera House Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
Photo: Wikipedia.org
On March 20 we observe the birthday of Russian pianist Sviatoslav Richter (1915-1997). The son of musical parents, Sviatoslav Teofilovich Richter was considered one of the greatest 20th-century pianists, on a par with his fellow countryman, Vladimir Horowitz.
Photo: Wikipedia.org
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Today we introduce a very special Thank You gift: Chopin: Complete Impromptus & Other Works performed by pianist Gustavo Romero. This recording is no longer in print, and these new copies are available only through The Classical Station for a pledge of $100. Gustavo Romero is a Juilliard graduate and a winner of the Avery Fisher Career Grant. He served for nine years on the faculty of the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, North Carolina. Since 2002 he has been a faculty member at the University of North Texas College of Music. We thank our volunteers, Charles and Kimberly Holloway, for providing these limited edition CDs for our membership drive. Chuck was the executive producer for this 1994 recording.
You can make your pledge online and request this special CD Thank You gift by putting "Chopin Impromptus" in the Comments section. Or, better yet, call 800-556-5178.
On March 19 we observe the birthdays of King John IV of Portugal (1604-1656), and German composer Max Reger (1873-1916), and Korean cellist Myung-Wha Chung (1944-). King John ruled the Portuguese empire at its zenith. He was also a patron of the arts and a gifted composer. A prolific composer, Herr Reger's music is familiar, and indeed terrifying, to organists. After studying with Leonard Rose at The Julliard School, Myung-What Chung has gone on to an active performing career. She teaches at professor of cello at The Mannes College of Music in New York.
Photos: Wikipedia.org
Monday, March 18, 2019
On March 18 we observe the birthdays of Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908), Japanese violist Nobuko Imai (1943-), and American conductor James Conlon (1950-). Rimsky-Korsakov was one of The Mighty Handful of Russian composers that included Mily Balakirev, César Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, and Alexander Borodin. After studying at Julliard and Yale, Ms. Imai has gone on to have a distinguished career performing and teaching. A native of Douglaston, Queens, New York, Maestro Conlon is currently Music Director of Los Angeles Opera and Principal Conductor of the Italian RAI National Symphony Orchestra.
Photos: Wikipedia.org
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