This Week At The Classical Station
by Rob Kennedy
Sunday, February 19, 2023
New recordings by the Chamber Orchestra of Paris, the Dover Quartet, and pianist Mao Fujita are among the new releases you can hear on Preview! this evening beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern. Cellist Camden Shaw of the Dover Quartet talks about the late string quartets of Ludwig van Beethoven.
Preview!, bringing you the latest classical releases and local arts news from 6 to 9 p.m. every Sunday evening.
The February edition of Renaissance Fare features love songs and romantic dances from the Renaissance period including the London Scholars, the King’s Noyse, the Julian Bream Consort, and much more.
Join George Douglas for Renaissance Fare this afternoon at 5 p.m. Eastern.
This morning Great Sacred Music includes music sung by the Chamber Choir of Europe, the Bavarian Radio Choir, and the Choir of St. Rombaux Cathedral, Malines, Belgium. Also on the playlist is music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Giuseppe Verdi, and Franz Schubert. Christopher Jacobson offers a commentary on Herbert Howells’ setting of the Te Deum Laudamus which he composed for King’s College, Cambridge.
Great Sacred Music. Beautiful choral and organ music. Every Sunday morning. 8 a.m. Eastern. Right after Sing For Joy. With Rob Kennedy.
On February 19 we observe the birthday of Italian composer Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805) and American violinist Gil Shaham (1971-).
A prolific composer, Signor Boccherini composed over five hundred pieces in a variety of forms. Gil Shaham is one of the most distinguished violinists performing today.
Photo: Engraving of Luigi Boccherini by Étienne Mazas, Public Domain on Wikipedia.org; Photo of Gil Shaham by Luke Ratray courtesy of Opus 3 Artists
Saturday, February 18, 2023
The Metropolitan Opera’s 2022-23 season of Saturday matinee radio broadcasts continues with Don Carlo, Giuseppe Verdi’s epic drama about power, duty, and thwarted love, in a performance from last fall. Tenor Russell Thomas stars in the title role as the crown prince of Spain, opposite soprano Eleonora Buratto as Carlo’s beloved Elisabeth, who is married to his father, the king. The acclaimed cast also features Peter Mattei as Rodrigo, Yulia Matochkina as Princess Eboli, Günther Groissböck as King Phillip the Second, and John Relyea as the Grand Inquisitor. Carlo Rizzi conducts the Met orchestra and chorus.
The curtain goes up at 1 p.m. Eastern.
Friday, February 17, 2023
The Metropolitan Opera presents
Giuseppe Verdi’s Don Carlo, Saturday, February 18, 1 p.m. Eastern
On February 17 we observe the birthdays of Italian composer Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713), French composer Henri Vieuxtemps (1820-1881), English composer Sir Edward German (1862-1936), American composer Lee Hoiby (1926-2011), Welsh composer Sir Karl Jenkins (1944-), and Dutch cellist Anner Bylsma (1934-2019).
Bach and Handel both knew of Corelli’s music. Modern listeners still enjoy his concerti grossi, especially the Christmas Concerto which has been used in several films. A virtuoso violinist until he was paralyzed by a stroke, Monsieur Vieuxtemps played a very special violin, the Vieuxtemps Guarneri del Gesù. This same violin is currently played by violinist Anne Akiko Meyers. Sir Edward German was a prolific composer who is best remembered these days for his incidental music for plays. Madison, Wisconsin native Lee Hoiby was influenced as a composer by Giancarlo Menotti. Sir Karl Jenkins has been a very successful composer of music for commercials and film scores. Principal cellist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for several years, Anner Bylsma was a leading exponent of what is called the Dutch Baroque school.
Photos: Portrait of Arcangelo Corelli, Unknown Author, Public Domain on Wikipedia.org; Henri Vieuxtemps, Lithograph by Josef Kriehuber, 1842, Public Domain on Wikipedia.org; Scan of out-of-copyright postcard of Edward German (1862-1936), Public Domain on Wikipedia.org; Photo of Lee Hoiby, Unknown Author, Estate of Lee Hoiby; Photo of Sir Karl Jenkins, Unknown Author; Photo of Anner Bylsma, Unknown Author on Alchetron.
Thursday, February 16, 2023
Celebrate the special classical music lover in your life with a daily, weekly, or monthly announcement here on The Classical Station. With a Sustaining Membership of $100 per month, you can have a weekly on-air dedication. To find out more about day dedications and patron announcements on The Classical Station or to renew your announcement, contact our Membership Department at 800-556-5178.
This evening, the Thursday Night Opera House presents Samuel Barber’s Vanessa. Vanessa, sung by Eleanor Steber, has been waiting for decades in a mirrorless home for her former lover Anatole, sung by Nicolai Gedda, to return. There is a knock at the door…has Anatole returned? Samuel Barber’s opera has remained a staple in the American operatic repertoire.
The curtain goes up at 7 p.m. Eastern.
On February 16 we observe the birthdays of English composer Charles Avison (1709-1770), Israeli conductor Eliahu Inbal (1936-), and American composer John Corigliano (1938-).
Charles Avison was a writer and music critic in addition to being a composer. He is best known to 21st-century audiences for his 12 Concerti Grossi after Scarlatti. Maestro Inbal has been the conductor of the Czech Philharmonic and the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. Winner of both a Pulitzer Prize and a couple of Grammy Awards, John Corigliano has written over one hundred compositions.
Photos: Charles Avison, Unknown Author, Public Domain on Wikipedia.org; Eliahu Inbal, Oldsoft, Public Domain on Wikipedia.org; John Corigliano by Enid Bloch
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
The Classical Station is now accepting grant applications for the Education Fund. Nonprofit organizations with a focus on music education are encouraged to apply. The deadline is March 31st.
On February 15 we observe the birthdays of German composer Michael Praetorius (1571-1621) and French composer Jean Langlais (1907-1991).
His real name was Michael Schultze, Praetorius being the Latinized version of the German surname. A prolific composer, Herr Praetorius wrote thousands of works for instruments and voices. Blind since the age of two, Monsieur Langlais studied with Marcel Dupré, Paul Dukas, and Charles Tournemire. He was one of the 20th-century great organ recitalists.
Photos: Michael Praetorius, Unknown Author in Die großen Deutschen im Bilde, Public Domain on Wikipedia.org; Jean Langlais, Unknown Author on JeanLanglais.com
Tuesday, February 14, 2023
A very Happy Valentine’s Day to you! And a heartfelt Thank You to all of you who asked us to play your requests. We know you love classical music. Most of all, we know you love the Great Classical Music we play for you 24/7 here on The Classical Station. Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day full of love from all of us here at The Classical Station.
On February 14 we observe the birthdays of Italian composer Francesco Cavalli (1602-1676), Swiss conductor Michel Corboz (1934-1921), and American soprano Renée Fleming (1959-).
Signor Cavalli’s real name was Pietro Francesco Caletti-Bruni. He wrote over forty operas, as well as some splendid polychoral sacred music. Maître Corboz founded the Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne. A Fulbright Scholar, Ms. Fleming studied with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf among other notable teachers. She has graced the stages of most of the world’s great opera houses.
Photos: Engraving of Francesco Cavalli in Enciclopedia italiana di scienze, lettere ed arti, éd. Istituto Giovanni Trecani, Unknown Author, Public Domain on Wikipedia.org; Michael Corboz, Eigenes Werk, CC by SA 3.0 on Wikipedia.org; Ms. Fleming/Andrew Eccles
Monday, February 13, 2023
The February edition of Renaissance Fare features love songs and romantic dances from the Renaissance period including the London Scholars, the King’s Noyse, the Julian Bream Consort, and much more.
Join George Douglas for Renaissance Fare this evening at 7 p.m. Eastern.
This evening, Monday Night at the Symphony features The Parley of Instruments which was founded in 1979. The program includes music by Georg Philipp Telemann, George Frederic Handel, and more, conducted by Peter Holman and Roy Goodman. Tell your smart device to “Play The Classical Station” at 8 p.m. Eastern.
On February 13 we observe the birthday of Spanish composer Fernando Sor (1778-1839). Known as a virtuoso classical guitarist, Fernando Sor o Josep Ferran Sorts i Muntades also found time to write over one hundred compositions in a variety of genres.
Photo: Fernando Sor by Godfrey Engelmann, Public Domain on Wikipedia.org