This Week At The Classical Station

Photo:”Forsythia” by RdSmith4 on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 2.5

This Week At The Classical Station

by Rob Kennedy

April 9, 2023
Easter Day

This evening the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Marin Alsop opens Preview! with Miranda: Monolithic Cliff from The Moons Symphony by Amanda Lee Falkenberg. Paul Merkelo, Principal Trumpet of the Montreal Symphony, talks about his new recording of trumpet concertos by Arutiunian, Weinberg, and Shostakovich.

Preview! brings you new releases and local arts news every Sunday evening at 6 p.m. Eastern.

Our guest on the April edition of My Life In Music is North Carolina organist, Dr. William Weisser. Bill was Minister of Music for 35+ years at Edenton St. United Methodist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina where he was responsible for seven singing choirs, three handbell choirs, three dance ensembles, and instrumental ensembles with over 460 musicians. My Life In Music is made possible by our listeners and by The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle. Information about the Orchestra’s upcoming events is available on its website.

Join Rob Kennedy for My Life In Music this afternoon at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

This morning Great Sacred Music includes music for Easter sung by the Harvard University Choir, the Choir of Christ Church, Georgetown, and Les Arts Florissants. Also on the playlist is music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, and George Frederic Handel.

Great Sacred Music. Beautiful choral and organ music. Every Sunday morning. 8 a.m. Eastern.

On April 9 we observe the birthdays of American composer Florence Price (1887-1953), Hungarian-born American conductor Antal Doráti (1906-1988), Swiss conductor Armin Jordan (1932-2006), and Polish conductor Jerzy Maksymiuk (1936-).

Mentored by George Whitfield Chadwick at the New England Conservatory, Florence Price was the first African-American woman to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra, the Chicago Symphony in 1933. Maestro Doráti was music director of several American orchestras including the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (1945-48), Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (1949-60), the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington, D.C. (1970-77), and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (1977-81). Maestro Jordan championed the music of French composer throughout his career. A composer as well as a conductor, Maestro Maksymiuk is highly regarded for his work with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Krakow Philharmonic Orchestra.

Photos: Florence Price, Unknown Author, University of Arkansas Libraries Special Collections; Antal Doráti, Galera from State Library of New South Wales collection, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons; Armin Jordan, Unknown Author, Fair Use, Res Musica; Jerzy Maksymiuk, Unknown Author, Fair Use, Alchetron


Saturday, April 8, 2023

The Metropolitan Opera’s 2022-23 season of live Saturday matinee broadcasts continues this afternoon when celebrated soprano Angela Gheorghiu returns to the Met stage to star as opera’s quintessential diva in Tosca. This production of Giacomo Puccini’s thriller also features tenor Matthew Polenzani making a Met role debut as Tosca’s lover, the idealistic artist Mario Cavaradossi. Baritone Željko Lučić reprises a signature role as Baron Scarpia, the malignant chief of police, intent on having Tosca for himself. Domingo Hindoyan conducts Puccini’s sumptuous melodies in this unforgettable drama.

The curtain goes up at 1 p.m. Eastern.

On April 8 we observe the birthdays of Italian composers Claudio Merulo (1533-1604) and Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770) as well as English conductor Sir Adrian Boult (1889-1983).

Besides composing music for keyboards, Signor Merulo was one of the organists of Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco, Venice. A prolific composer of violin concerti and teacher of the violin, Signor Tartini is best known to modern audiences for his Devil’s Trill Sonata. Sir Adrian Boult was one of the great conductors of the 20th century. He was highly regarded for his work with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Photos: Claudio Merulo, Unknown Author, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons; Giuseppe Tartini, Unknown Author, Public Domain-Art, Wikimedia Commons;  Cropped EMI publicity photograph, photographer Godfrey MacDomnic, circa 1970, of Adrian Boult, Fair use, Wikimedia Commons

 


Friday, April 7, 2023

The Metropolitan Opera presents
Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca
Saturday, April 8, 1 p.m. Eastern

On April 7 we observe the birthdays of French pianist Robert Casadesus (1899-1972) and Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes (1970-). A highly-regarded pianist of the 20th-century, Monsieur Casadesus was a member of a prominent French music family. More about him at A pianist and chamber musician, Leif Ove Andsnes has recorded extensively with over 50 CDs currently available. You can hear him play Josef Haydn’s Piano Sonata No. 49 in C sharp minor at 9 a.m. Eastern.

Photo: Robert Casadesus, Unknown Author, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl, Wikimedia Commons; Leif Ove Ansnes, Özgür Albayrak


Thursday, April 6, 2023

This evening the Thursday Night Opera House presents a double bill: Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. Known as Cav/Pag, these operas have been performed as a double bill since 1893. They are prime examples of verismo, focusing on the lives of common people.

Tell your smart device to “Play The Classical Station” at 7 p.m. Eastern.

On April 6 we observe the birthdays of German-American conductor André Previn (1929-2019) and French pianist Pascal Rogé (1951-). A most versatile musician, André Previn earned 4 Academy Awards and 10 Grammy Awards during his lifetime. After attending the Paris Conservatoire, Monsieur Rogé has specialized in performing music written by French composers.

Photos:  André Previn by Harald Hoffmann/DG; Pascal Rogé, Unknown Author on Pascalroge.net


Wednesday, April 5, 2023

The Jewish holiday of Passover begins at sundown this evening. We will observe Passover with a special program featuring our own Greysolynne Hyman as narrator. Greysolynne explains Passover and introduces beautiful music sung by Western Wind and the Monteverdi Choir. The program begins at 6 p.m. Eastern.  Happy Pesach!

Leaving a legacy gift to The Classical Station will help ensure that the station has a solid foundation to continue operating for generations to come. Educational Information Corporation is the legal name of The Classical Station. The station is a nonprofit, listener-supported radio station. It relies on your tax-deductible support for its funding. Please contact Dan McHugh for further information about planned giving.

On April 5 we observe the birthdays of German composer Louis Spohr (1784-1859) and Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989).

Louis Spohr, also known as Ludvig Spohr, was an inventive composer who came up with the ‘chin-rest’ for the violin, was one of the first conductors to use a baton and mark his scores with ‘rehearsal letters’ so he could guide his musicians. Principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 35 years, Maestro von Karajan was one of the greatest 20th-century conductors. He recorded prolifically. Over 700 of his recordings are still available. You can hear him conduct the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in C, Op. 56, at 9 a.m. Eastern.  See our Compact Playlists and Daily Playlist for details of today’s programming.

Photos: Herbert von Karajan, Edith Posse, Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-S47421/CC-BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Louis Spohr, self-portrait, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons


Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Have you discovered our Conversations With Composers? It’s fascinating listening to composers like Sara Kirkland Snider, Christopher Tin, and Jennifer Higdon talking about their craft. These musicians love what they do and are most eager to share their art with everybody. Let your family and friends know about these conversations which they can listen to or download anytime. You can also enjoy these conversations on our app.

On April 4 we observe the birthdays of French conductor Pierre Monteux (1875-1964) and Russian conductor Vladimir Jurowski (1972-).

During his lifetime Monsieur Monteux was the conductor of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Orchestre Symphonique de Paris, the San Francisco Symphony, and the London Symphony Orchestra. Among his other positions, Maestro Jurowski was Music Director of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera from 2001-2013.

Photos: Pierre Monteux, Unknown Author, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons; Vladimir Jurowski, Roman Gontcharov


Monday, April 3, 2023

You have done it again! Thanks to their generosity and love of classical music, our listeners gave $384,000 during our Spring Membership Drive 2023. We appreciate your pledge because it shows you care enough to take an active role in the future of The Classical Station. Your gift will ensure that you can always hear Great Classical Music on this special broadcasting service.

If you didn’t have a chance to donate, it’s never too late. Click a gift to us online or via our app. Or call us anytime at 800-556-5178. A live announcer is on duty 24/7. Don’t forget to take a Thank You Gift.

This evening, Monday Night at the Symphony features the National Symphony Orchestra, which was founded in 1931. The program includes music by Antonín Dvořák, Dmitri Kabalevsky, and more, conducted by Leonard Slatkin, Mstislav Rostropovich, and current music director, Gianandrea Noseda.

Tell your smart device to “Play The Classical Station” at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Our guest on the April edition of My Life In Music is North Carolina organist, Dr. William Weisser. Bill was Minister of Music for 35+ years at Edenton St. United Methodist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina where he was responsible for seven singing choirs, three handbell choirs, three dance ensembles, and instrumental ensembles with over 460 musicians. My Life In Music is made possible by our listeners and by The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle. Information about the Orchestra’s upcoming events is available on its website.

Join Rob Kennedy for My Life In Music tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

On April 3 we observe the birthdays of Italian composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and American pianist Garrick Ohlsson.

A student of Ildebrando Pizzetti, Signor Castelnuovo-Tedesco wrote 100 works for the guitar. A native of New York, Garrick Ohlsson was the first American to win the International Chopin Competition. Listen to Garrick speak about his life and career as a performer in a conversation we recorded in 2020.

Photos: Garrick Ohlsson, Hart Hohlmann; Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Unknown Author, mariocastelnuovotedesco.com