Not Brahms and Liszt is my weekly radio program on MIT's community radio station, WMBR, featuring classical music of the 20th and 21st centuries, from Stravinsky to Reich to Wolfe and onward. It is broadcast on:
Mondays from 4-5:30pm
88.1 FM, Cambridge, MA
wmbr.org
There's a 52-second promo for Not Brahms and Liszt. Thanks to Ken Field for engineering it!
For most people, "classical music" is Western art music from the 18th and 19th centuries. Most of the symphony orchestra repertoire comes from this period, as do the playlists of classical music radio stations. Although this period of music has many gems, much of its music tends to bore listeners who grew up on rock and jazz. It's no wonder symphony orchestras are struggling, with ever-aging audiences listening to museum music. But classical music didn't die with the dawning of the 20th century, and the classical repertoire of the 20th and 21st centuries is edgy, challenging, stimulating and beautiful — anything but boring. My show brings the modern classical repertoire — from Stravinsky to Tippett to Reich to Nyman to Wolfe and onward — to WMBR.
"Brahms and Liszt" is Cockney rhyming slang for "pissed", as in drunk.
Requests, feedback and information about upcoming concerts can be emailed to me at alley.stoughton@icloud.com. I'm @fullyabstract on Twitter.
New modern classical releases will be gratefully accepted and considered for airplay:
WMBR
C/O Alley Stoughton, Classical Music Director
3 Ames Street
Cambridge, MA 02142
The Callithumpian Consort performs works by John Luther Adams, Pierre Boulez and Lukas Foss.
Hugh Wolff conducts NEC Philharmonia in a program of early works by Barber, Mendelssohn, Andrew Norman and Shostakovich.
Radius Ensemble presents a program entitled Eventide, with works by David Gompper, Rhonda Larson, Beth Denisch and Mozart.
Boston Modern Orchestra Project present a concert entitled The Roaring Twenties. Its first half spotlights the theremin, which was invented in the 1920s, with the instrument's first concerto, written by Joseph Schillinger, juxtaposed with the world premiere of Dalit Warshaw's Sirens: A Concerto for Theremin and Orchestra, both performed by thereminist Carolina Eyck. The concert continues with three works representing the Roaring Twenties and its fascination with American pop culture: John Alden Carpenter's Krazy Kat and Skyscrapers, and Kurt Weill's Little Threepenny Music.
Attacca String Quartet performs pieces from 2015 by Billy Childs and Caroline Shaw, plus works by Hadyn and Verdi.
(Click a show's top-link for the WMBR Track-Blaster listing, including a link to the show's audio (only available for two weeks).)
This show of songs and song cycles began with Edith Hemenway's Where Go The Boats, which is one of the songs of her 1984 A Child's Garden of Verses, Six Poems by Robert Louis Stevenson, recorded by soprano Claron McFadden, clarinetist Nancy Braithwaite, and pianist Vaughan Schlepp. This was followed by Evan Williams's (New Music USA, Navona Records) 2011 Emily's House, with its texts from ten poems by Emily Dickinson, recorded by soprano Katherine Jolly and pianist Emily Yap Chua. Next came Valerie Saalbach's circa 2016 Journey of Desire, with its texts from poems by Steven Kowit from his 2006 book Gods of Rapture, recorded by soprano Elyse Anne Kakacek and pianist Christopher Fecteau. The show continued with Hemenway's 2010 Doors, with its texts from three poems by W.S. Merwin from his 1973 Writings to an Unfinished Accompaniment, recorded by McFadden, Braithwaite, cellist Michael Stirling, and Schlepp. This was followed by Katherine Bodor's (Navona Records) 2018 Absent an Adjustment, with its text adapted from David Wallace-Wells's 2017 article The Uninhabitable Earth, recorded by Jolly, and Christa Cole on violin, Rachel Mossburg on viola, Samantha Johnson-Helms on clarinet, and Per Björkling on double bass, conducted by Joshua Harper. Next came Christopher Cerrone's (New Music USA, Wikipedia) 2015 The Branch Will Not Break, with its texts from poems by James Wright from his 1963 book of the same name, recorded by Wild Up, sopranos Eliza Bagg and Sarah Brailey, altos Mellissa Hughes and Kate Maroney, tenors Andrew Fuchs and Tomas Cruz, and basses Thomas McCargar and Steven Hrycelak. And the show concluded with Hemenway's Fairy Bread, which is one of the songs of her 1984 A Child's Garden of Verses, Six Poems by Robert Louis Stevenson, recorded by McFadden, Braithwaite and Schlepp.
This show featured a live interview with the CEO of PARMA Recordings, Bob Lord, including a selection of music from recent releases of PARMA's labels. We began with the first movement (Andante) of James Lentini's (Wikipedia, Navona Records bio) 1994 Concerto for Guitar and Strings, recorded by guitarist Iliana Matos and Zagreb Festival Orchestra, conducted by Miran Vaupotić. This was followed by the second movement (Poco a poco) of Matej Meštrović's (Navona Records bio) New England Rhapsody, recorded by Meštrović on piano, and Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Vaupotić. Next came Sergio Cervetti's (Navona Records bio) 1970 (revised 2016) Plexus, recorded by Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Petr Vronský. The show continued with Lindsey Goodman's (Navona Records bio) recording of Roger Dannenberg's (New Music USA) 2013 Separation Logic for flute and live computer processing. This was followed by José Fajardo and his All Stars's Guajirando (Ansonica liner notes), recorded by Dayron Ortega Guzmán on guitar, Maykel Elizarde Ruano on tres, and Eduardo Silveira on percussion. Next came Ensemble Arcadiana's recording of the second movement (Scherzo) of Eleanor Alberga's (Wikipedia, Navona Records bio) 2001 String Quartet No. 3. And the show concluded with Axiom Quartet's recording of Karl Blench's arrangement for string quartet of the closing duet Pur Ti Miro of Claudio Monteverdi's circa 1643 opera L'incoronazione di Poppea.
This show of Canadian orchestral music began with Jean Coulthard's (Vancouver Classical Music) 1968 Music to St. Cecilia, recorded by organist Patrick Wedd and Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Mario Bernardi. This was followed by István Anhalt's (Wikipedia, The Canadian Encyclopedia) 2006 Four Portraits from Memory (Theodore Front Musical Literature, Anhalt Centennial), recorded by SALT Festival Orchestra, conducted by Ajtony Csaba. Next came Claude Vivier's (Boosey & Hawkes, Wikipedia) 1979 Orion, recorded by WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, conducted by Peter Rundel. The show continued with Tālivaldis Ķeniņš's (Musica Baltica, Wikipedia) 1990 Concerto for Piano with String Orchestra and Percussion, recorded by pianist Arthur Ozolins, percussionist Beverley Johnston and Latvian Festival Orchestra, conducted by Alfred Strombergs. And it concluded with François Morel's (Wikipedia) 1953 Antiphonie (The Canadian Encyclopedia), recorded by Louisville Orchestra, conducted by Robert Whitney.
This show of choral music began with Edie Hill's (New Music USA) 2007 Marvellous Error!, with its text by Antonio Machado (translated by Robert Bly), recorded by The Crossing, directed by Donald Nally. This was followed by Tonia Ko's (New Music USA) 2016 From Ivory Depths, with its text from Virginia Woolf's 1921 short story Monday or Tuesday, recorded by Volti, conducted by Robert Geary. Next came Kile Smith's (Wikipedia, New Music USA) 2009 Where Flames A Word, with its texts by Paul Celan, recorded by Voces Musicales, directed by David Puderbaugh. The show continued with Gregory W. Brown's (Wikipedia) 2012 Vidi Aquam, recorded by The Crossing, tenor Steven Bradshaw, baritone Kevin Krasinski, mezzo-soprano Elisa Sutherland, soprano Shari Wilson, and organist John Grecia. This was followed by Evelin Seppar's (Estonian Music Information Centre) 2016 Sirelite Aegu, with its text by Marie Under, recorded by Voces Musicales. Next came Forrest Pierce's (New Music USA) 2013 Gratitude Sutra, with its text by Gary Synder, recorded by Volti. The show continued with Part 2 of Smith's The Arc in the Sky, with its texts by Robert Lax, recorded by The Crossing. And it concluded with Brown's 2014 A Black Birch In Winter, with its text by Richard Wilbur, recorded by Voces Musicales.
This show of three concertos began with Michael Abels's (Wikipedia, Kraft-Engel Management) circa 2018 Winged Creatures, recorded by clarinetist Anthony McGill, flutist Demarre McGill and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Allen Tinkham. This was followed by Wynton Marsalis's (Wikipedia) circa 2015 Violin Concerto in D Major, recorded by violinist Nicola Benedetti and The Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Cristian Măcelaru. And the show concluded with Christopher James's 1991/2011 Concerto for Bassoon, recorded by bassoonist Carolyn Beck and North-South Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Max Lifchitz.
This show of early minimalist music began with Michael Nyman Band's recording of three tracks from Nyman's (Wikipedia, Music Sales Classical) eponymous 1981 release: Initial Treat and Secondary Treat, which were written for Peter Greenaway's 1966 short film Tree, and later rearranged for Michael Nyman Band as part of Nyman's 1981 Five Orchestral Pieces Opus Tree; and the 1979 Bird List Song, which was written for Greenaway's 1980 film The Falls. This was followed by Terry Riley's (Wikipedia, Music Sales Classical, Innerviews) 1964 In C, recorded by Bang on a Can All-Stars, for a WNYC live broadcast on November 20, 1998. Next came Steve Reich's (Wikipedia, Boosey and Hawkes, Bruce Duffie interviews) 1973/1986 Six Marimbas (Wikipedia), recorded by Bob Becker, Kory Grossman and Manhattan Marimba Quartet. And the show concluded with Knee Play 5, the postlude of Philip Glass's (Wikipedia, Music Sales Classical, Bruce Duffie interview) 1976 opera Einstein On The Beach (Wikipedia, Nonesuch liner notes), recorded by Philip Glass Ensemble, conducted by Michael Riesman.
This show of music for and with piano began with Will Daniels's recording of Thad Anderson's (Ravello Records bio) 2014 Outside, Looking In for solo piano. This was followed by Bill Whitley's (Ravello Records bio) 2018 Then Elephant Speaks, recorded by Elena Talarico on pianos, Lucia Foti on harp, Stefano Grasso on vibes, and Francesco Zago on electric guitars. Next came Intercurrent's recording of Lachlan Skipworth's (Navona Records bio) 2016 Intercurrent for bass clarinet, marimba and piano, plus tape. The show continued with Nina C. Young's (Wikipedia, New Music USA) 2010 Kolokol, recorded by Nadia Shpachenko and Joanne Pearce Martin on pianos, and Young on electronics. This was followed by David Rosenboom's (CalArts page, New Music USA, Ravello Records bio) recording of his own 1998/2018 The Right Measure of Opposites for two Yamaha Disklavier pianos, electronics and computer algorithms. Next came three of Conlon Nancarrow's (Kyle Gann's resource, Bruce Duffie interview) Studies for Player Piano: Number 1 (composed circa 1951), Number 27 (composed by 1960), and Number 36 (composed between 1965-1977). The show continued with Jack Van Zandt's (New Music USA) Sí an Bhrú for piano and fixed electronics, performed by Shpachenko on piano, and the composer on electronics. And it concluded with Intercurrent's recording of Skipworth's 2011 The Night Sky Fall for bass clarinet, piano and "psalterphone" (an instrument created by Skipworth made of metal rectangular tubes that resonate when a bow is drawn across the opening).
This show celebrated the music of composer Ben Johnston (New Music USA, Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview, New York Times obituary), who passed away on July 21, 2019. We began with Music Amici's recording of Johnston's 1982 Trio for clarinet, violin and cello. This was followed by Johnston's 1994 Sleep and Waking for percussion ensemble, recorded by Brian Etheridge, Erik Forrester, David Johnson, Ron George, Steven Schmidt, Keith Higgins, Jeremy Reinbolt and Gabe Kader. Next came Kepler Quartet's recording of Johnston's 1966 String Quartet No. 3. The show continued with Music Amici's recording of Johnston's 1959 Gambit. This was followed by Robert Miller's recording of Johnston's 1964 Sonata for Microtonal Piano. And the show concluded with Kepler Quartet's recording of Johnston's 1984 String Quartet No. 7.
The show began with Pneuma quartet's recording of Ayelet Rose Gottlieb and François Houle's Trembling / Light for voice, clarinets and electronics, with its text by poet Richard Jeffrey Newman. This was followed by a live performance by Vanitas, which consists of Brittany Karlson on bass and vocals, and Steven Long on harmonium. They performed a cover of Louvin Brothers' She Will Get Lonesome, followed by an improvisation. Next came Wild Up and Theo Bleckmann's recording of Christopher Cerrone's (New Music USA, Wikipedia) The Naomi Songs, with texts by poet Bill Knott. The show continued with three songs from William Brittelle's (New Music USA, Wikipedia) Spiritual America, recorded by Wye Oak, Brooklyn Youth Chorus and Metropolis Ensemble: True Hunger, Strange Asylum and Topaz Were the Waves. This was followed by Nathalie Joachim's (New Music USA) Suite pou Dantan, recorded by Spektral Quartet and Joachim on vocals, flute and electronics. And the show concluded with Wild Up and Lindsay Kesselman's recording of Cerrone's 2015 The Pieces That Fall to Earth, with its texts by poet Kay Ryan.
This show of music for or with guitar began with David Pritchard's multilayered recording of his own Evanescent. This was followed by Giovanni Piacentini's (New Music USA) recording of his own 2018 Icarus for guitar and electronics. Next came Tantalus Quartet's recording of Kristian Anderson's Ignes Fatui for guitar quartet. The show continued with Duo Sequenza's recording of Jorge Muñiz's (Navona Records) 2016 South Shore Suite. This was followed by Aaron Jay Kernis's (Yale faculty page) 1993 100 Greatest Dance Hits (press release) for guitar and string quartet, recorded by Jason Vieaux and Escher Quartet. And the show concluded with Pritchard's multilayered recording of his own Resin.
The show began with Bryce Dessner's (Wikipedia, Music Sales Classical) 2019 Haven, recorded by Katia and Marielle Labèque on pianos, and Dessner and David Chalmin on guitars. This was followed by John Luther Adams's (Wikipedia, Music Sales Classical) 2017 Become Desert for large orchestra and chorus, recorded by Seattle Symphony, conducted by Ludovic Morlot. Next came Chihchun Chi-sun Lee's (Wikipedia, Ravello Records) 2013 Zusammenflusses, recorded by Haiqiong Deng on zheng, and Robert McCormick on percussion. And the show concluded with Michael Nyman's (Wikipedia, Music Sales Classical) Concerto for Amplified Harpsichord and Strings (liner notes), recorded by Chicago Philharmonic and harpsichordist Jory Vinikour, conducted by Scott Speck.
The show began with Peter Castine's (Navona Records bio) 2001 Aperture for flute and string orchestra, recorded by flutist Barbara Hill and Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Stanislav Vavřínek. This was followed by Joel Puckett's (New Music USA, Wikipedia) 2012 Concerto Duo (liner notes), recorded by clarinetist Anthony McGill, flutist Demarre McGill and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Allen Tinkham. Next came Jennifer Higdon's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview, New York Times profile) 2015 Dance Card, recorded by Chicago Sinfonietta, conducted by Mei-Ann Chen. And the show concluded with Michael Colgrass's (Wikipedia, Carl Fischer music, Bruce Duffie interview) 2007 Side by Side, recorded by Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and Joanne Kong on harpsichord and piano, conducted by Gil Rose.
The show began with Duo Sequenza's recording of Marc Mellits's (Wikipedia, Navona Records bio) 2000 Two Pieces for Flute and Guitar. This was followed by Thad Anderson's (Ravello Records bio) 2013 Five Messages (liner notes), recorded by Rose Grace and Kristie Born on pianos, and Anderson and Marja Kerney on percussion. Next came Max Giteck Duykers's (New Music USA) 2017 Folding Music for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion, recorded by Ensemble Ipse, conducted by Benjamin Grow. The show continued with Jupiter String Quartet and pianist Bernadette Harvey's recording of Pierre Jalbert's (Schott Music) 2012 Secret Alchemy for violin, viola, cello and piano. This was followed by Michael Oesterle's (The Canadian Encyclopedia) 2001 Daydream Mechanics V for string quartet, recorded by Music in the Barns. Next came Anderson's 2012 Through-Line for flute quintet and fixed media, recorded by flutists Nora Lee Garcia, Nicholas Buonanni, Adriane Hill, Kate Nichols and Amber Sheppard. And the show concluded with Ensemble Ipse's recording of Duykers's 2015 Dark Body for flute, violin, cello and piano.
This show began with Michael Byron's (Wikipedia, New Music USA) 1973 Dragon Rite for four double basses, in a multi-tracked recording by James Bergman. This was followed by Michael Gendreau's 2018 electroacoustic Polvo Serán, Mas Polvo Enamorado. Next came two pieces by Rebecka Sofia Ahvenniemi (Ravello Records): her 2013 Barnet Som Blev Osynligt (Swedish for "The Child that Became Invisible") for female voice, percussion and fixed media sound; and her 2014 electroacoustic Banalala. The show continued with Julia Wolfe's (Wikipedia, NPR on her Pulitzer, New Yorker on MacArthur Fellowship, Cantaloupe Music page) 2015 Emunah for cello and voice, recorded by Maya Beiser. And the show concluded with Matthew Burtner's (Ravello Records) 2015 Sound Cast of Matanuska Glacier, recorded by Rivanna String Quartet and Albemarle Ensemble.
This show of music for piano began with Anna Shelest's recoding of Lili Boulanger's (Wikipedia) 1911 Prelude in D-Flat Major. This was followed by Stefan Wolpe's (Wikipedia) 1932-33 March and Variations, Op. 21 for two pianos, recorded by Quattro Mani. Next came Roberta Rust's recording of Almeida Prado's (Wikipedia) 1986 Cartas celestes, Vol. 7, "Halley". The show continued with David Sanford's (Wikipedia, New Music USA) 2018 The Silent Hearth for piano four hands, recorded by Dana Muller and Gary Steigerwalt (Navona Records bio). This was followed by 88 Squared's recording of Daniel Ott's (New Music USA, Navona Records) 2014 Fantasy on a Falling Line. Next came Shelest's recording of Chiayu Hsu's (ISCM) 2014 Rhapsody Toccata. And the show concluded with Rust's recording of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's (Wikipedia, Theodore Presser Company) 1999 Lament.
The show began with Rain Worthington's (Wikipedia) 2018 Full Circle, recorded by Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra and cellist Petr Nouzovský, conducted by Petr Vronský. This was followed by Jennifer Higdon's (Wikipedia, New York Times profile) 2018 Harp Concerto, recorded by Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and harpist Yolanda Kondonassis, conducted by Ward Stare. Next came David Sanford's (Wikipedia, New Music USA) 2006 Scherzo Grosso, recorded by Boston Modern Orchestra Project and cellist Matt Haimovitz, conducted by Gil Rose. The show continued with Clarice Assad's (Wikipedia, New Music USA) 2017 Sin Fronteras, recorded by Chicago Sinfonietta, conducted by Mei-Ann Chen. And it concluded with John Robertson's (Wikipedia) 1987 Hinemoa and Tutanekai, Op. 22, recorded by flutist Kremera Acheva and Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Anthony Armoré.
The show began with Escape Ten's recording of Alejandro Viñao's (Wikipedia) Colours of a Groove, the second movement of his 2011 Book of Grooves for two marimbas. This was followed by Gunther Schuller's (Wikipedia, New England Conservatory page) 2005 Grand Concerto for Percussion and Keyboards, for percussion ensemble, celeste, piano and harp, recorded by New England Conservatory Percussion Ensemble, conducted by Schuller. Next came Studies 1-6 of James Tenney's (New York Times profile) 1985 64 Studies for 6 Harps, recorded by Alison Bjorkedal, Ellie Choate, Elizabeth Huston, Catherine Litaker, Amy Shulman and Ruriko Terada, conducted by Nicholas Deyoe. The show continued with Bekah Simms's (Canadian Music Centre) Everything Is. Distorted for chamber ensemble and electronics, recorded by Continuum Contemporary Music, conducted by Brian Current. Next came Transient Canvas's recording of Curtis K. Hughes's 2013 Vestibule III for bass clarinet and marimba. And the show concluded with three tracks — Thür, Titan and Basel — off Christian Lillinger's (Wikipedia) 2018 Open Form For Society, recorded by Lillinger on drums, Antonis Anissegos on grand piano, Kaja Draksler on upright piano, Elias Stemeseder on synthesizer and piano, Christopher Dell on vibraphone, Roland Neffe on marimbaphone, vibraphone and glockenspiel, Lucy Railton on cello, Petter Eldh on bass and electric bass, and Robert Landfermann on double bass.
This show of music for wind instruments began with Ancia Saxophone Quartet's recording of Fred Sturm's (Wikipedia) 2003 Picasso Cubed. This was followed by Ryan Jesperson's (New Music USA, Navona Records bio) 2017 Icarus, recorded by Joseph Abad on alto saxophone, and Marko Stuparevic on piano. Next came Alexandra Gardner's 1996 Ituri for trumpet, harp and electronics, recorded by Kate Amrine on trumpet, and Peggy Houng on harp. The show continued with Ancia Saxophone Quartet's recording of Jennifer Higdon's (Wikipedia, New York Times profile) 1995 Short Stories. This was followed by Fuego Quartet's recording of William Albright's (Wikipedia) 1992-1993 Fantasy Etudes. And the show concluded with Amrine's recording of the first two of Nicole Piunno's 2016 Monterey Letters (Seeking and The Voice of One Crying Out, notes by Amrine).
The show began with Ed Bennett's (Contemporary Music Centre bio) 2013 Freefalling, recorded by RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Alan Buribayev. This was followed by Reena Esmail's (Cedille Records bio, Wikipedia) #metoo, recorded by Chicago Sinfonietta, conducted by Mei-Ann Chen. Next came Lei Liang's (Wikipedia, Miller Theatre bio) 2010 (revised 2014) Five Seasons, recorded by Boston Modern Orchestra Project, with Gao Hong (BMOP bio) on pipa, conducted by Gil Rose. The show continued with Steve Reich's (Wikipedia) 2015 Pulse, recorded by International Contemporary Ensemble, conducted by David Robertson. This was followed by Jessie Montgomery's (New Music USA bio) 2017 Coincident Dances, recorded by Chicago Sinfonietta, conducted by Chen. And the show concluded with Sergio Cervetti's (Navona Records bio) 1970 (revised 2016) Plexus, recorded by Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Petr Vronský.
This show of choral music began with Patricia Van Ness's (Wikipedia) 2015 Psalm 3, recorded by Renaissance Men, conducted by Eric Christopher Perry. This was followed by Mark Winges's (New Music USA bio) 2013 All Night, with its text by Gustaf Sobin, recorded by Volti, conducted by Robert Geary. Next came Morten Lauridsen's (Faber Music, Bruce Duffie interview) 1997 Lux Aeterna, recorded by Chamber Choir of Europe and I Virtuosi Italiani, conducted by Nicol Matt. The show continued with Daniel Morse's (PARMA Recordings interview) 2007 Nachtlied (liner notes), with its text by Georg Trakl, recorded by Prague Mixed Choir, conducted by Jiří Petrdlík. And it concluded with the last five parts of Lansing McLoskey's (New Music USA bio) 2017 Zealot Canticles, with its text by Wole Soyinka (Nobel Prize bio), recorded by The Crossing, with Doris Hall Gulati on clarinet, Rebecca Harris and Mandy Wolman on violins, Lorenzo Raval on viola, and Arlen Hlusko on cello, conducted by Donald Nally.
This show of varied choral music began with Nico Muhly's 2016 Advice to a Young Woman, recorded by Brooklyn Youth Chorus and International Contemporary Ensemble, conducted by Dianne Berkun Menaker. This was followed by Dominick DiOrio's (Music Sales Classical bio) 2015 Stravinsky Refracted, with its text by Amy Lowell, recorded by Notus, conducted by DiOrio. Next came Kamala Sankaram's (New Music USA) 2016 Keeping the Look Loose, with its text by Claudia Rankine, recorded by Brooklyn Youth Chorus, conducted by Menaker. The show continued with L. Peter Deutsch's (Wikipedia, Navona Records bio) 2010 A Fisherman of the Inland Sea, with its text by Ursula K. Le Guin, recorded by Vox Futura and narrator Aaron Hatley, with Matt Sharrock on temple blocks, and Desiree Glazier-Nazro on triangles. This was followed by Jan Jirásek's (Navona Records bio) 2009 Mondi Paralleli, recorded by Bonifantes Boys Choir and Czech Soloist Consort, conducted by Jan Míšek. And the show concluded with Vox Futura's recording of Juli Nunlist's (Bruce Duffie interview) circa 1985 Spells, with its texts by Kathleen Raine.
The show began with Peter Thoegersen's (Sonic Solipsism interview) recording of his own 2018 Herniated Lumbar Discs Much Better Now for synthesizer. This was followed by Thomas Kozumplik's circa 2017 Child of the Earth, recorded by New York University Percussion Ensemble, conducted by Jonathan Haas. Next came three electronic/acoustic works by Trevor Gureckis off his 2019 release Corte: Arete, Correi Loch and Muir Glacier. The show continued with cellist Jeffrey Zeigler and Golden Hornet's recording of Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje's 2018 A Highway in State Space for amplified cello and electronics. This was off Zeigler and Golden Hornet's 2018 release The Sound of Science. And the show concluded with Matthew Burtner's (Ravello Records bio) 2014 Sonic Physiography of a Time-stretched Glacier (Burtner's blog) for vibraphone, cymbals, crotales and an interactive computer program, featuring Brandon Bell on percussion.
We were joined in the WMBR studios by composer and MIT professor John Harbison (Wikipedia, MIT faculty page, Bruce Duffie interview, Boston Globe profile) for an interview and a selection of his works. We began with Harbison's 1982 Exequien for Calvin Simmons (liner notes), recorded by Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), under the direction of Gil Rose. This was followed by Act II, Scene II and Dumbshow 5 of Harbison's 1974 opera Winter's Tale (liner notes), recorded by Boston Modern Orchestra Project, baritone David Kravitz, mezzo-soprano Pamela Dellal, bass Dana Whiteside, tenor Matthew Anderson, and soprano Anne Harley, conducted by Rose. Next came Harbison's 1987 The Natural World (liner notes), recorded by Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group and mezzo-soprano Janice Felty, conducted by Harbison. And the show concluded with Act 2, Scene 3, Interlude 3 and Scene 4 of Harbison's 1983 Ulysses (liner notes), recorded by Boston Modern Orchestra Project, conducted by Rose.
This show of vocal music began with Episode 5: The Cow Song of Lisa Bielawa's (Wikipedia) 2017 opera Vireo: The Spiritual Biography Of A Witch's Accuser, with its libretto by Erik Ehn (Wikipedia), recorded by soprano Rowen Sabala, mezzo-soprano Maria Lazarova, contralto Kirsten Sollek, San Francisco Girls Chorus, Vireo Wind Octet and Shadow Hills High School Regiment of the Realm Marching Band. This was followed by soprano Patrice Michaels (Cedille Records bio) and pianist Kuang-Hao Huang's recording of Michaels's 2017 The Long View (A Portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Nine Songs). Next came tenor Paul Appleby and pianist Natalia Katyukova's recording of Harold Meltzer's (Wikipedia) 2010 Beautiful Ohio, with its texts by James Wright. And the show concluded with the first five parts of Donnacha Dennehy's (Wikipedia, Princeton faculty page) chamber opera The Last Hotel, with its libretto by Enda Walsh (Wikipedia), recorded by baritone Robin Adams, soprano Claudia Boyle, soprano Katherine Manley, and Crash Ensemble, conducted by Alan Pierson.
The show began with violinist Francesca Anderegg's recording of Ernani Aguiar's (Wikipedia) 1987 Meloritmias No. 4. This was followed by Formosa Quartet's recording of Lei Liang's (Wikipedia, Miller Theatre bio) 2013 Verge Quartet. Next came Playground Ensemble String Quartet's recording of Loretta Notareschi's (Regis University page) 2015 String Quartet OCD. The show continued with David Carpenter's (Navona Records bio) 2014 Trio, recorded by Rebecca Harris on violin, Myanna Harvey on viola, and Cassia Harvey on cello. This was followed by Mivos Quartet's recording of the first seven parts of Frank Horvat's (Canadian Music Centre bio) 2016-2017 The Thailand HRDs. And the show concluded with violist Matthew Lipman's recording of Garth Knox's (Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland) 2008 Fuga libre.
This show began with David Rosenboom (CalArts page, New Music USA, Ravello Records bio) and Trichy Sankaran's (Wikipedia, Ravello Records bio) 1990 Layagnānam, recorded by Sankaran on mrdangam, and Rosenboom on electronics/computer algorithms. This was followed by Frédéric D'haene's (Ravello Records bio) 2003-2006 Music with Silent Aitake's (liner notes), recorded by Reigakusha Gagaku Ensemble and Ensemble Modern (Ravello bio), with Kasper de Roo conducting. Next came Steven Schick's recording of Lei Liang's (Wikipedia, Miller Theatre bio) 2013 Trans (liner notes) for solo percussion and audience. And the show concluded with Paul Elwood's (New Music USA, Wikipedia) 2016 Émissions Transparents for solo electric guitar, piano, mellotron, percussion, cello and electronics, recorded by The Callithumpian Consort, conducted by Stephen Drury.
This show for Women's Week at WMBR began with Maya Beiser's recording of her arrangement for voice, cello and electronics of Imogen Heap's (Wikipedia) 2005 Hide and Seek. Next came Julia Wolfe's (Wikipedia, NPR on her Pulitzer, New Yorker on MacArthur Fellowship, Cantaloupe Music page) 2014 Anthracite Fields (Bang on a Can page, NPR piece), recorded by Bang On a Can All-Stars and Choir Of Trinity Wall Street. This was followed by Cornelius Dufallo's recording of Missy Mazzoli's (Wikipedia) 2010-2011 Dissolve, O My Heart (Liner Notes) for violin and electronics. And the show concluded with Nordic Affect's recording of Hildur Guðnadóttir's (Wikipedia) 2010 Point of Departure.
The show began with Gernot Wolfgang's (New Music USA) 2017 Road Signs, recorded by Judith Farmer on bassoon, and Nic Gerpe on piano. This was followed by Elizabeth Vercoe's (Wikipedia) 2009 Kleemation, recorded by Mary Jane Rupert on piano, and Peter H. Bloom on flute. Next came Phil Salathé's (Ravello Records) 2009 The Wood Between the Worlds, recorded by Katie Kennedy on cello, Ling-Fei Kang on oboe, Charles Huang on English horn, and Mohamed Shams on piano. The show continued with Wolfgang's 2014 Windows, recorded by Edgar David Lopéz on clarinet, Farmer on bassoon, and Nadia Shpachenko on piano. This was followed by with Garth Baxter's (Navona Records) circa 2003 The Silver Run, recorded by Melissa Wertheimer on flute, and Andrew Stewart on piano. Next came by Brendan Collins's (Navona Records) 2014 Trumpet Sonata, recorded by Phillip Chase Hawkins on trumpet, and Maria Fuller on piano. And the show concluded with an excerpt of oboist Margaret Herlehy and guitarist David Newsam's recording of Celso Machado's (Wikipedia) Pé De Moleque.
This show of orchestral music began with Stephen Chatman's (Canadian Music Centre) 1999 Fanfare for a Cold Land, recorded by University of British Columbia Symphony Orchestra, conduducted by Eric Wilson. This was followed by Jan Järvlepp's (Canadian Music Centre) 2009 Suite for Strings, recorded by Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Stanislav Vavřínek. Next came Kenneth Fuchs's (Wikipedia, University of Connecticut) 2014 Glacier, recorded by guitarist D. J. Sparr and London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by JoAnn Falletta. The show continued with Christopher Keyes's (Navona Records) 2010 An Inescapable Entanglement, recorded by pianist Lucie Kaucká and Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Petr Vronský. And it concluded with Michael G. Cunningham's (Navona Records) 1958-60 (published 2003) Silhouettes, Op. 225, recorded by Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Vronský.
The show began with Paul Lombardi's (Ravello Records bio) 2008 Phosphorescent, recorded by David Schepps on cello, and Mark Tatum on double bass. This was followed by Formosa Quartet's recording of Lei Liang's (Wikipedia, Miller Theatre bio) 2016 Song Recollections for string quartet. Next came Jeff Morris's (Ravello Records bio) Three Improvisations with Violin, realized in 2005-2006 by Eric KM Clark on violin, and Morris on electronics/computer. The show continued with Avalon String Quartet's recording of Harold Meltzer's (Wikipedia) 2010-2011 Aqua. And it concluded with Lombardi's 2007 Persiguiéndose, recorded by Lisa Collins and Joel Becktell on cellos.
The show began with Oliver Knussen's (Wikipedia, The Guardian obituary, New York Times obituary) 1995 Two Organa, Op. 27, recorded by London Sinfonietta, with Knussen conducting. This was followed by Jennifer Higdon's (Wikipedia, New York Times profile) 2008 Violin Concerto, recorded by violinist Hilary Hahn and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Vasily Petrenko. Next came Elena Ruehr's (MIT MTA page, Wikipedia, Sonagrama interview) 2011 Cloud Atlas, recorded by Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) and cellist Jennifer Kloetzel, conducted by Gil Rose. And the show concluded with Tim Brady's (The Canadian Encylopedia) 2016-2017 Désir for electric guitar and large chamber ensemble, recorded by Bradyworks and Brady on electric guitar, conducted by Christian Gort.
The show began with Brendan Eder Ensemble's recording of Brendan Eder's (Musings from Boston) Pastorale. This was followed by Pablo Aslan and Cuarteto Petrus's recording of Alexis Cuadrado's (New Music USA) Confluencias for bass and string quartet. Next came Chamber Cartel's recording of Aaron Jay Myers's (New Music USA) 2014 Wabi Sabi, with Alan Theisen on alto saxophone, Brandyn Taylor on tenor saxophone, Shawna Pennock on baritone saxophone, and Paul Stevens, Caleb Herron and Keller Steinson on percussion, and with Paul Scanling conducting. The show continued with Tower Duo's recording of Thomas Wells's (Wikipedia) 2017 Tower Music for flute and saxophone. This was followed by Chamber Cartel's recording of Myers's 2011 Left-Handed, with Ariana Warren on bass clarinet, Taylor on tenor saxophone, Herron on percussion, and Scanling conducting. Next came Aslan and Cuarteto Petrus's recording of Gabriel Senanes's circa 2018 Riendo Suelto. And the show concluded with Elizabeth Vercoe's (Wikipedia) 2009 Butterfly Effects, recorded by Peter H. Bloom on flutes, and Mary Jane Rupert on harp.
This show of music for Martin Luther King, Jr., Day began with Alvin Singleton's (Schott Music) 1971 Argoru III for solo flute, recorded by Sara Vargas-Barritt. This was followed by George Walker's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 1966 Perimeters for Clarinet and Piano, recorded by Scott Anderson on clarinet, and Robert Pollock on piano. Next came Quincy Hilliard's Coty (Africlassical blog), recorded by Marcus Eley on clarinet, and Lucerne DeSa on piano. The show continued with Francesco Trio's recording of Olly Wilson's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 1976 Trio, for violin, cello and piano. This was followed by Ensemble Dal Niente's recording of George Lewis's (Wikipedia) 2014 The Mangle of Practice for violin and piano. Next came Jonathan Bailey Holland's (Boston Conservatory) 2015 Synchrony for oboe, bassoon, violin, cello, piano and tape, recorded by Radius Ensemble. Next came Errollyn Wallen's (Wikipedia, The Guardian, Gramilano interview, The Arts Desk: 10 Questions) 2007 Photography, recorded by Ensemble X, with Nicholas Kok conducting. And the show concluded with Dorothy Rudd Moore's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interiew) 1978 Night Fantasy, recorded by Eley on clarinet, and DeSa on piano.
The show began with Chaya Czernowin's (Wikipedia) 2014 Five Action Sketches: No. 1, recorded by International Contemporary Ensemble, countertenor Kai Wessel, and baritone Jeffrey Gavett, conducted by Steven Schick. This was followed by Wet Ink Ensemble's recording of Part II of Kate Soper's (Wikipedia) 2010-16 Ipsa Dixit (Miller Theatre program notes by Lara Pellegrinelli). Part II is entitled Only The Words Themselves Mean What They Say, and its text is by Lydia Davis. Next came Part 2 of Dan Trueman's (Princeton University page) circa 2015 Olagón, with its text by Paul Muldoon, recorded by Eighth Blackbird, with Trueman on fiddle and electronics, and Iarla Ó Lionáird on vocals. The work was composed with Ó Lionáird, and Gallicantus vocal ensemble perform on the fourth subpart. The show continued with Reiko Füting's (New Music USA bio) 2012 "in allem frieden" — wie der Tag — wie das Licht, recorded by AuditivVokal Dresden and Art d'Echo, with Ulrich Grafe, Matthias Schleyer and Georg Wieland Wagner on percussion, conducted by Olaf Katzer. The title translates as "'in all peace' - like the day - as the light", and the piece is based on a composition by Baroque composer Heinrich Schütz. And the show concluded with Part 1 ("Heaven") of Nathan Davis's (International Contemporary Ensemble bio) 2015 Hagoromo, recorded by International Contemporary Ensemble and Brooklyn Youth Chorus, conducted by Nicholas DeMaison.
Matthew St. Laurent's (Navona Records bio) 2017 Overture for a Lucid Dream for piano four hands, recorded by Dana Muller and Gary Steigerwalt (Navona Records bio). Arlene Sierra's (Wikipedia) 2013 Butterflies Remember a Mountain, recorded by Nicola Benedetti on violin, Leonard Elschenbroich on cello, and Alexei Grynyuk on piano. Elizabeth R. Austin's (Navona Records bio, Wikipedia) 2007 B-A-C-Homage, recorded by Laura Krentzman on viola, and Erberk Eryilmaz on piano. Pianist Christina Petrowska Quilico's recording of Ann Southam's (Wikipedia) 1963 Altitude Lake. Land's End Ensemble's recording of Omar Daniel's (Wikipedia) 2015 Piano Trio No. 2 for violin, cello and piano. Quattro Mani's recording of Sierra's 1997 Of Risk and Memory for two pianos. Muller and Steigerwalt's recording of Daniel Asia's (Theodore Presser bio, Navona Records bio, Wikipedia) 2017 Iris for piano four hands.
The show began with violinist Moonkyung Lee and pianist Martha Locker's recording of Rain Worthington's (Wikipedia) 2009 Jilted Tango. This was followed by Samuel A. Livingston's Quiet Summer Night, recorded by Pedroia String Quartet and clarinetist Yhasmin Valenzuela. Next came University of Alabama at Birmingham Chamber Trio's recording of Valentin Mihai Bogdan's (Ravello Records bio) 2017 City Scenes. The show continued with Locker and Lee's recording of Timo Andres's (Wikipedia) 2004 Violin Sonata. This was followed by Thimble Islands Saxophone Quartet's recording of Frank Vasi's 2014 Random Thoughts. And the show concluded with Arcadian Winds's recording of Livingston's Gentle Winds for flute, oboe, clarinet and horn.
The show began with Astor Piazzolla's (Wikipedia) 1979 Escualo, recorded by Jason Vieaux on guitar, and Julien Labro on bandoneón. This was followed by Gaspar Cassadó's (Wikipedia) 1924 Cello Sonata, recorded by cellist Nada Radulovich and pianist Cullan Bryant. Next came Neave Trio's recording of Piazzolla's 1965-1970 4 Estaciones porteñas (Wikipedia), in an arragement for violin, cello and piano. The show continued with an arrangement for violin and piano of Piazzolla's 1974 Libertango, recorded by Machiko Ozawa on violin, and Alon Yavnai on piano. And it concluded with Apollo Chamber Players's recording of Arthur Gottschalk's (Rice University faculty page, Navona Records) 2015 Imágenes de Cuba for string quartet.
The show began with cellist Matt Haimovitz's recording of Isang Yun's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 1970 Glissées. This was followed by Jiuan-Reng Yeh's recording of Stephen Yip's (Navona bio) 2014 Ran for solo guzheng. Next came Kaija Saariaho's (Music Sales Classical, Wikipedia) 2009 Cloud Trio, recorded by Jennifer Koh on violin, Hsin-Yun Huang on viola, and Wilhelmina Smith on cello. The show continued with Yun's 1963 Gasa, recorded by Yumi Hwang-Williams on violin, and Dennis Russell Davies on piano. And it concluded with cellist Alisa Weilerstein's recording of Bright Sheng's (Music Sales Classical bio, Wikipedia) 1995 Seven Tunes Heard in China.
This show of new chamber music releases began with Andrew R. Steinberg's recording of Hayes Biggs's (Columbia University, Navona Records bio) 2013 The Trill Is Gone for tenor saxophone. This was followed by Land's End Ensemble's recording of Laurie Radford's (Canadian Music Centre) 2014 Event Horizon for violin, cello, piano and audio signal processing. Next came Arthur Gottschalk's (Rice University faculty page, Navona Records) 2009 Sonata for Bass Clarinet and Piano, recorded by Sauro Berti on bass clarinet, and Naomi Fujiya on piano. The show continued with Greg D'Alessio's (Navona Records) 2016 Now's the Time, recorded by John Perrine on alto saxophone, and Shuai Wang on piano. This was followed by Phoenix Ensemble's recording of Elliott Carter's (Wikipedia, Boosey and Hawkes, Bruce Duffie interview) 2007 Clarinet Quintet (Navona liner notes). Next came Land's End Ensemble's recording of Allan Gordon Bell's (Wikipedia) 2016 Markings. And the show concluded with Biggs's 1997 When You Are Reminded by the Instruments, recorded by Elizabeth England on oboe/English horn, Rane Moore on clarinet/bass clarinet, Kevin Owen on horn, Julia Okrusko on violin, Peter Sulski on viola, Ming-Hui Lin on cello, and Tony D’Amico on contrabass, with James Blachly conducting.
The show began with Tom Prescott's electroacoustic The Singing Forest. This was followed by Nordic Affect's recording of María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir's Spirals (Second Inversion review). Next came Ted Coffey's (Ravello bio) computer-mediated performance of his own 2017/18 Petals 8. The show continued with Nordic Affect's recording of Mirjam Tally's Warm Life at the Foot of the Iceberg. This was followed by Jennifer Bernard Merkowitz's (Ravello bio) 2015/16 Les crapauds de la fontaine ("The Toads from the Fountain") for bass clarinet and fixed media, featuring clarinetist Andrew Kovaleski. Next came Nordic Affect's recording of Anna Thorvaldsdottir's (Music Sales Classical bio, Wikipedia) 2015 Impressions for prepared harpsichord, performed on the inside of the instrument. And the show concluded with Doug Bielmeier's (Ravello bio) recording of his own 2017 Costa Mesa Rocking Chair, for lap steel and computer.
For WMBR's annual pledge drive, we revisited just a little of the music played on Not Brahms and Liszt during the preceding twelve months. The show began with Nico Muhly's circa 2017 Lean, recorded by violists Jonah Sirota and Nadia Sirota. This was followed by Elena Ruehr (MIT MTA page, Wikipedia, Sonagrama interview) 2000 The Law of Floating Objects for five flutes, in a multi-track recording by Sarah Brady. Next came Ferdinando De Sena's (Navona Records) 2016 Secrets for Free for flute and electronic sounds, featuring flutist Carol Naveira-Nicholson. The show continued with Marti Epstein's (Wikipedia, Berklee) 2017 Komorebi (Japanese for "sunlight filtering through the trees"), recorded by Winsor Music, with Gabriela Diaz on violin, Rane Moore on clarinet, and Peggy Pearson on oboe. This was followed by Akropolis Reed Quintet's recording of Rob Deemer's 2015 Gallimaufry for oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone and bassoon. Next came Steven Snowden (American Composers Forum profile) 2012 Appalachian Polaroids, recorded by Aeolus Quartet. The show continued with Ingrid Stölzel's (Wikipedia, University of Kansas) 2006 Here There, recorded by violinist Véronique Mathieu and pianist Ellen Sommer. This was followed by Felipe Pérez Santiago's 1997 El Ansia, recorded by Anacrúsax Saxophone Quartet and pianist Edith Ruíz. And the show concluded with Transient Canvas's recording of Tina Tallon's 2014 (revised 2015) Dirty Water.
The show began with cellist Alisa Weilerstein's recording of Benjamin Britten's (Wikipedia) 1976 Tema "Sacher" (Faber Music program notes). This was followed by Chiara String Quartet's recording of Béla Bartók's (Boosey and Hawkes) 1927 String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85. Next came Lindsay String Quartet's recording of Michael Tippett's (Wikipedia) String Quartet No. 3. The show continued with Parts 1-7 of Bartók's 1931 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz. 98, recorded by Sarah Nemtanu and Deborah Nemtanu. And it concluded with Brodsky Quartet's recording of Britten's String Quartet No. 1, Op. 25 in D Major.
The show began with violinist Rachel Barton Pine's recording of Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson's (Wikipedia) 1972 Blue/s Forms. This was followed by guitarist Alan Rinehart's recording of William Beauvais's (Ravello) 2017 Beginning of the Day. Next came William Bolcom's (Wikipedia) 1978 Violin Sonata No. 2, recorded by Blue Violet Duo. The show continued with Richard Brodhead's (Navona Records) 2011 Una Carta de Buenos Aires: Tango Sonatina for Piano, recorded by Clipper Erickson. This was followed by Pine's recording of Dolores White's (Listening to Ladies) 1988/2016 Blues Dialogues for solo violin. Next came Michael Karmon's (Ravello Records) 2012 Dreams Laid Down for solo guitar, recorded by Rinehart. And the show concluded with pianist Jin-Ok Lee's recording of Douglas Anderson's (Ravello Records) 1981 Abe's Rag.
The show began with John A. Carollo's (Navona Records) 2013 Awakenings, recorded by Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Stanislav Vavřínek. This was followed by Karlheinz Stockhausen's (Wikipedia) 1955-57 Gruppen, for 3 orchestras (The Guardian), recorded by Berliner Philharmoniker, conducted by Claudio Abbado, Marcus Creed and Friedrich Goldmann. Next came Richard Brooks's (Ravello Records) 1989 Seascape "Overture to Moby Dick", recorded by Polish Radio National Orchestra, conducted by Joel Eric Suben. The show continued with Michael G. Cunningham's 1997 Clarinet Concerto, Op. 186, recorded by clarinetist Bruno Philipp and Croatian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Miran Vaupotic. This was followed by Chen Yi's (Wikipedia) 1998/2004 Suite for Cello and Chamber Winds, recorded by cellist David Russell and Boston Modern Orchestra Project, conducted by Gil Rose. And the show concluded with Carollo's 2013 Bright Stillness (You Are My Desire), recorded by Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Vavřínek.
The show began with Arthur Gottschalk's (Rice University faculty page, Navona Records) 2011 Oh, More or Less, recorded by Mario Ciaccio on tenor saxophone, and Sauro Berti on bass clarinet. This was followed by Craig Morris's recording of his arrangment for solo trumpet of Philip Glass's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 1995 Melodies for Saxophone. Next came Arthur Marc Bachmann's The Curmudgeon and the Lark, recorded by Sara Hahn on flute, and Sarah Gieck on alto flute. The show continued with Gottschalk's 2007 Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano, recorded by Ciaccio on alto saxophone, and Naomi Fujiya on piano. And it concluded with Windscape's recording of Paul Lansky's (Carl Fischer Music, Wikipedia) 2015 The Long and Short of It for flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn and bassoon.
The show began with Krzysztof Penderecki's (Wikipedia, Schott Music) 1960 Anaklasis, recorded by Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Antoni Wit. This was followed by György Kurtág's (Wikipedia, The Guardian) 1994 Stele, Op. 33, recorded by Berliner Philharmoniker, conducted by Claudio Abbado. Next came Penderecki's 1992-95 Violin Concerto No. 2 "Metamorphosen", recorded by violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and London Symphony Orchestra, with Penderecki conducting. And the show concluded with Luciano Berio's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 1972-73 Concerto for Two Pianos, recorded by pianists Antonio Ballista and Bruno Canino, and London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Berio.
The show began with pianist Andrew Cooperstock's recording of Leonard Bernstein's (Boosey & Hawkes) 1981 Touches. This was followed by soprano Emily Sternfeld-Dunn and pianist Amanda Pfenninger's recording of Ricky Ian Gordon's (Wikipedia) 2000 Too Few the Mornings Be, with its texts by Emily Dickinson. Next came pianist Christina Petrowska Quilico's recording of Ann Southam's (Wikipedia) 1979 Stitches in Time. The show continued with Ingrid Stölzel's (Wikipedia, University of Kansas) 2016 The Gorgeous Nothings, with its texts by Dickinson, recorded by soparano Sarah Tannehill Anderson, Anne Gnojek on flute, Margaret Marco on oboe, and Ellen Sommer on piano. And it concluded with Duo Sureño's (soprano Nancy King and guitarist Robert Nathanson) recording of David Kechley's 2013 Waking the Sparrows (Five Haiku Songs).
The show began with Tesla Quartet's recording of Igor Stravinsky's (Wikipedia) 1920 Concertino for String Quartet. This was followed by Srul Irving Glick's (Canadian Music Centre, Wikipedia) 1975 Suite Hebraique No. 3, recorded by Elissa Lee and Barry Shiffman on violin, Sharon Wei on viola, and Cameron Crozman on cello. Next came Telegraph Quartet's recording of Benjamin Britten's (Wikipedia) 1936 Three Divertimentos. The show continued with A Far Cry's recording of Britten's 1937 Variations on a Theme by Frank Bridge. And it concluded with Telegraph Quartet's recording of Leon Kirchner's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 1949 String Quartet No. 1.
The show began with Bekah Simms's (Canadian Music Centre) 2016 Microlattice, recorded by Anthony Thompson on bass clarinet, Adam Scime on double bass, Stephanie Chua on piano, Daniel Morphy on percussion, with Pratik Gandhi conducting. This was followed by Eighth Blackbird's recording of Jennifer Higdon's (Wikipedia, New York Times profile) 2003 Zaka for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion. The show continued with Michael Wittgraf's (Ravello Records) 2012 Topographic Timepiece, recorded by Jesse Langen on guitar, and the composer on computer. This was followed by Geir Hjorthol, Magnar Åm (Ravello biography, Wikipedia) and Andreas Barth's 2016 recording of their own Deconstruction/Reconstruction. Next came Scott Barton's (Ravello Records) 2013 electroacoustic Opus Palladianum "Voice and Drums", with Barton on vocals. Next came Dmitri Tymoczko's (Wikipedia) 2008 Let the Bodies Hit the Floor, recorded by Newspeak, and featuring passages of the This American Life episode In Country, featuring Jack Hitt and Marine Corp First Lieutenant Robert Miller. The show continued with Simms's 2015 electroacoustic Impurity Chains, recorded by Andrew Noseworthy on electric guitar. And it concluded with Barton's 2009 electroacoustic Breeding in Pieces, with Barton on guitar.
This show of music for and with piano began with Ingrid Stölzel's (Wikipedia, University of Kansas) 2006 Here There, recorded by violinist Véronique Mathieu and pianist Ellen Sommer. This was followed by Gene Pritsker's (Wikipedia) 2004 Suite No. 1, recorded by Kai Schumacher on piano and Peter Krysa on violin. Next came pianist Keisuke Nakagoshi's recording of Allan Crossman's 2011 Sonata fLux. The show continued with pianist Daniele Pollini's recording of Alexander Scriabin's (Wikipedia) 1914 Five Préludes, Op. 74. This was followed by Stölzel's 2007 The Road Is All for piano trio, recorded by Anne-Marie Brown on violin, Lawrence Figg on cello, and Robert Pherigo on piano. Next came pianist Ryan MacEvoy McCullough's recording of Nicholas Vines's (Wikipedia, SICPP) 2011 Uncanny Valley. And the show concluded with pianist Benjamin Goodman's recording of Sara Feigin's (Wikipedia) 1992 Four Scenes.
The show began with Mara Gibson's (New Music Box) 2016 Sky-Born, with its text from the poem Music by Ralph Waldo Emerson, recorded by UMKC Conservatory Singers, Elaine Ng and Samuel Huang on violin, Esther Seitz on cello, with Robert Bode conducting. This was followed by John Gibson's (Indiana University) 2015 In Flight (Innova liner notes) for chorus and electronics, recorded by Notus, directed by Dominick DiOrio. Its texts are by William Carlos Williams, Linda Allardt, Ted Kooser, Margaret Atwood and Elizabeth Bishop. Next came Kenneth Fuchs's (Wikipedia) 2017 Poems of Life, with its texts from twelve poems by Judith G. Wolf, recorded by countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen and London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by JoAnn Falletta. And the show concluded with Act II, Scene 2, of John Adams's (Wikipedia, Boosey & Hawkes) 2005 opera Doctor Atomic (New York Times review), with its libretto by Peter Sellars drawn from original sources, recorded by BBC Symphony Orchestra and Singers, with Adams conducting, and bass-baritone Aubrey Allicock as General Leslie Groves, soprano Julia Bullock as Kitty Oppenheimer, baritone Marcus Farnsworth as Frank/Jack Hubbard, baritone Gerald Finley as Robert Oppenheimer, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston as Pasqualita (the Oppenheimer's Tewa Indian housemaid), bass Brindley Sherratt as Edward Teller, and tenor Andrew Staples as Robert Wilson.
The show began with Civitas Ensemble's recording of Lukáš Sommer's circa 2017 Cigi-civi for violin, cello, clarinet and piano. This was followed by two arrangements for violin and piano featuring violinist Machiko Ozawa: Gerardo Matos Rodríguez's (TODO Tango) 1916 La cumparsita, recorded with Alon Yavnai; and Astor Piazzolla's (Wikipedia) 1982 Oblivion, recorded with Octavio Brunetti. Next came guitarist Jason Vieaux and accordionist Julien Labro's recording of Leo Brouwer's 1958 Tres Danzas Concertantes. The show continued with Ferdinando De Sena's (Navona Records) 2016 Secrets for Free for flute and electronic sounds, featuring flutist Carol Naveira-Nicholson. This was followed by Onix Ensamble's recording of Felipe Pérez Santiago's 2012 Hospital Suite. Next came Alberto Ginastera's (Boosey and Hawkes) 1950 Pampeana No. 2, recorded by cellist Carlos Nozzi and pianist Claudio Espector. The show continued with an arrangement of Piazzolla's 1986 Café 1930, recorded by Margaret Herlehy on oboe and David Newsam on guitar. And it concluded with violinist Pavel Šporcl's recording of Sylvie Bodorová (Wikipedia) 1990 Gypsy ballad Dža more.
August 25 will mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein (Boosey & Hawkes, Wikipedia, The Guardian), and today's program consists of a selection of his work. We began with Charles Ives's (Wikipedia) 1906 (revised 1930-1935) The Unanswered Question, recorded by trumpeter William Vacchiano and New York Philharmonic, conducted by Bernstein. This was followed by Bernstein's 1937 Piano Trio (Kennedy Center notes), recorded by violinist Erin Keefe, cellist Amit Peled and pianist Adam Neiman. Next came Bernstein's 1949 Symphony No. 2, "The Age Of Anxiety", recorded by Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and pianist Jeffrey Kahane, conducted by Andrew Litton. The show continued with pianist Andrew Cooperstock's recording of Bernstein's 1942-43 Seven Anniversaries. This was followed by Aaron Copland's (Wikipedia) 1939-1940 Quiet City, recorded by Philip Smith on trumpet, Thomas Stacy on English horn, and New York Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Bernstein. And the show concluded with the Brass Ensemble of Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's recording of Bernstein's 1989 Dance Suite for brass quintet.
The show began with David Taddie's (Ravello) 2017 Wayward Country for alto saxophone and computer, recorded by Taddie and saxophonist Michael Ibrahim. This was followed by Wadada Leo Smith's (Wikipedia) 2013 Sweet Bay Magnolia with Berry Clusters, recorded by cellist Ashley Walters. Next came accordionist Miloš Katanić's recording of Wellington E. Alves's (Wikipedia) 2018 Time is A Face On The Waters. The show continued with Stephen Yip's (New Music USA) 2015 Ding, recorded by Henry Chen on double bass and Yu-Chen Wang on guzheng. This was followed by Andrew McIntosh's (CalArts) 2011 Another Secular Calvinist Creed for solo cello, recorded by Walters. Next came Taddie's 2006 fixed media piece Caterwaul Dreams. The show continued with Thelema Trio's recording of Yip's 2014 Peace of Mind for clarinet, saxophone and piano. And it concluded with Katanić's recording of Antonio Correa's 2017 From This Barren Rock I See Blossoming Worlds for solo accordion.
This show of vocal music began with Anna Rubin's (Wikipedia, Sonograma interview) 1983 tape composition Crying the Laughing and Golden. This was followed by Michael Genese's (The Good Five Cent Cigar profile) 2015 Three Miniatures, recorded live by Verdant Vibes, featuring narrator Kate Bergstrom and violinist EmmaLee Holmes-Hicks. Next came Act III of Dave Soldier's (Mulatta Records, WMFU profile) 1997 opera Naked Revolution (Washington Post review, Washington City Paper review), recorded by soprano Elena Mindlina, countertenor Oleg Ryabets, tenor Timur Bekbosunov, baritone Vladimir Avetsian, Yuri Lemeshev on accordion, and Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Richard Auldon Clark. The opera's libretto is by Maita di Niscemi, and the opera was created with Vitaly Komar and Alex Melamid. The show continued with Rubin's 1989/1993 Remembering for soprano, tape and piano, featuring soprano Judith Kellock and pianist Karl Paulnack. And it concluded with soprano Rachel Mikol and cellist Graham Cullen's live recording of Dominick DiOrio's (Music Sales Classical, Indiana University Bloomington faculty page) 2011 And the Barriers Had Vanished.
This show of music for and with guitar began with Graham Banfield's recording of Randy Hathaway's 2008 Winter's Arrival for solo guitar. This was followed by Andrew York's (Wikipedia, Ravello, Classical Guitar interview) 2017 Open the River, recorded by Duo Sureño (soprano Nancy King and guitarist Robert Nathanson) and violinist Danijela Žeželj-Gualdi. Next came Poul Ruders's (Wikipedia, Dacapo Records, Alex Ross) 2012 Schrödinger's Cat, recorded by guitarist David Starobin and violinist Amalia Hall. The show continued with William Neil's (Ravello) 2017 Out of the Darkness into Light, recorded by Duo Sureño, Žeželj-Gualdi on violin, Laurent Estoppey on saxophones, Helena Kopchick Spencer on bassoon and contrabassoon, and Neil on digital acoustics. This was followed by Monica Houghton's (Navona) 2010 Three Songs Without Words, recorded by flutist Mary Kay Robinson and guitarist Donald Better. Next came Ruders's 2013 Occam's Razor, recorded by Starobin on guitar and Liang Wang on oboe. And the show concluded with Tantalus Quartet's recording of Apostolos Paraskevas's (Berklee) 2007 A Feast for Tantalus for guitar quartet.
The show began with Simon Andrews's (Wikipedia, Navona) circa 2009 And that moment when the bird sings, recorded by Doris Hall-Gulati on clarinet, Gregory Vitale and Christine Vitale on violins, Kenneth Stalberg on viola, and Aron Zelkowicz on cello, with the composer conducting. This was followed by Christian Wolff's (Wikipedia) 1998 John, David, recorded by percussionist Robyn Schulkowsky and SWR Sinfonieorchester, conducted by Lothar Zagrosek. Next came Ryan MacEvoy McCullough's recording of Nicholas Vines's (Wikipedia, SICPP) 1999 Terraformation for solo piano. The show continued with Newstead Trio's recording of Andrews's For the earth is hollow and I have touched the sky for violin, cello and piano. And it concluded with Gina Biver's (New Music USA) 2011 The Cellar Door, recorded by pianist Ina Mirtcheva Blevins and cellist Pam Clem of Fuse Ensemble.
The show began with Oliver Knussen's (Wikipedia, The Guardian obituary, New York Times obituary) 1979 Coursing — Etude No. 1, recorded by London Sinfonietta with Knussen conducting. This was followed by Peter Child's (Wikipedia) 2011 Shanti, recorded by Boston Modern Orchestra Project, conducted by Gil Rose. Next came Knussen's 1994 Horn Concerto, recorded by Barry Tuckwell and London Sinfonietta, with Knussen conducting. And the show concluded with Jennifer Higdon's (Wikipedia, New York Times profile) 2005 Percussion Concerto, recorded by Colin Currie and London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Marin Alsop.
We were joined in the WMBR studios by violist and Castle of Our Skins Artistic and Executive Director Ashleigh Gordon for an interview and a selection of a recordings from Castle of Our Skins concerts. The show began with Movement II, Andante Moderato, of Florence Price's (New York Times article, Boston Globe article) 1929 String Quartet In G Major, recorded live by Matthew Vera and Mina Lavcheva on violins, Eve Boltax on viola, and Patrick McGuire on cello. This was followed by Movement III, Peace till we meet again, of Anthony R. Green's (Castle of Our Skins bio) 2015 Oh, Freedom!, recorded live by tenor Fred C. VanNess Jr., Orlando Cela on flute, Gordon on viola, and Javier Caballero on cello. Next came Gordon's live recording of Part I of her and Green's 2014 children's education project A Little History. This part is about the 18th century poet and African slave Phillis Wheatley, and is scored for viola and voice. The show continued with Movement II, Larghetto affettuoso, of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's 1895 Clarinet Quintet Op. 10 in F-sharp Minor, recorded live by Vera and Shaw Pong Liu on violins, Gordon on viola, Caballero on cello, and Alexis Lanz on clarinet. This was followed by Gordon and Lizzie Burns's recording of Jeffrey Mumford's (Theodore Presser, I Care If You Listen interview) 2001 through the filtering dawn of spreading daybright for viola and double bass. And the show concluded with Harriet Tubman, Free Woman, which is Part III of Nkeiru Okoye's 2006 Harriet Tubman Songs, recorded live by soprano Synthia Pullum and pianist Sarah Bob.
SICPP 2018 is this week at New England Conservatory, and today's show consists of music by SICPP featured composer Julian Anderson (Scott Music, Wikipedia) and guest performers violinist and violist Mark Menzies and percussionist Allen Otte. The show began with Menzies's recording of Teresa LeVelle's 1993 Epitaph for solo violin. This was followed by Anderson's 1998 The Stations of the Sun, recorded by London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. Next came movement III — velocities crossing in phase-space — of John Luther Adams's (Wikipedia) 1997 Strange and Sacred Noise, recorded by Percussion Group Cincinnati, which was co-founded by, and includes, Otte. The show continued with Anderson's 2002 Imagin'd Corners, recorded by City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sakari Oramo. This was followed by Menzies's recording of Barry Schrader's (SEAMUS interview) 2005 Fallen Sparrow for violin and electronic music. Next came Anderson's 1994 Khorovod, recorded by London Sinfonietta, conducted by Oliver Knussen. And the show concluded with John Cage's (Wikipedia) 1942 Imaginary Landscape No. 3 plus an excerpt of his 1951 Imaginary Landscape No. 4 (March No. 2), recorded by Percussion Group Cincinnati.
The show began with Nico Muhly's circa 2017 Lean, recorded by violists Jonah Sirota and Nadia Sirota. This was followed by Max Richter's (Wikipedia) On the Nature of Daylight, which is part of his 2003 The Blue Notebooks, recorded by Louisa Fuller and Natalia Bonner on violins, John Metcalf on viola, and Philip Sheppard and Chris Worsey on cellos. Next came Transient Canvas's recording of Adam Roberts's 2015 Nostalgia Variations for bass clarinet and marimba. The show continued with Doug Perkins's recording of Robert Honstein's 2015 An Economy of Means for vibraphone. Next came A.J. McCaffrey's circa 2017 Here Comes the Waterworks, recorded by Sirota on viola and Molly Morkowski on piano. And the show concluded with three tracks off Jóhann Jóhannsson's (Wikipedia) 2002 album Englabörn (Pitchfork review), recorded by Jóhann and Ethos String quartet. The album was just re-released with new material by Deutsche Grammophon. The tracks are entitled Krókódíll ("Crocodile"), "Ef Ég Hefði Aldrei ..." ("If I Never Had ...") and ... Eins Og Venjulegt Fólk (Like Normal People ...).
We began this show of LGBTQIA+-themed music for Boston Pride week with pianist Sara Davis Buechner's recording of Stephen Chatman's 2008 Mountain Spirit. This was followed by Ethel Smyth's (Exploring Surrey's Past) 1913 song Possession, with its text by Ethel Carnie Holdsworth, recorded by mezzo soprano Melinda Paulsen and pianist Angela Gassenhuber. Next came Chris DeBlasio's 1990 song cycle All The Way Through Evening, with its text by Perry Brass, recorded by baritone Michael Dash and DeBlasio on piano. Its five songs are entitled The Disappearance of Light, Train Station, An Elegy to Paul Jacobs, Poussin and Walt Whitman in 1989. The show continued with pianist Marc Peloquin's recording of David Del Tredici's (Wikipedia) 2007 S/M Ballade. This was followed by Del Tredici's 1999 Three Baritone Songs (liner notes), recorded by baritone Christopher Trakas and Del Tredici on piano. Its three songs are Quietness, with its text by Rumi; Drinking Song, with its text by Michael Klein; and Matthew Shepard, with its text by Jaime Manrique. Next came Margaret Bonds's (Wikipedia) 1959 Dream Variations, with its text by Langston Hughes, recorded by mezzo soprano Tona Brown and pianist Geraldine Boone. The show continued with Joseph Rebman's 2014 He Would Not Stay, with its texts from seven poems by A.E. Housman (The Guardian), in a live recording by baritone Mark Billy, Lauren Hughes on flute, Cassie Keogh on clarinet, Abraham Wallace on piano, Catherine Rinderknecht on violin, and Paula SantaCruz on cello, conducted by Mervin Tay. And it concluded with an excerpt of movement III of Chatman's 2003 Lawren S. Harris Suite for Piano Quintet, recorded by Buechner and Borealis String Quartet. Harris was a leading Canadian landscape painter, and each movement of the quintet is an interpretation of one of his paintings, with movement III being based on the painting The Spirit Settling in the Heaven World State.
The show began with part VII — Paru River — of Philip Glass's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 1993/1999 Aguas da Amazonia ("waters of the Amazon"), recorded by MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra and Absolute Ensemble, conducted by Kristjan Järvi. This was followed by Simone Dinnerstein and A Far Cry's recording of Glass's 2017 Piano Concerto No. 3. Next came Clive Muncaster's 2009 Reflective Thought Patterns, recorded by Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Robert Ian Winstin. And the show concluded with Julian Wachner's (Wikipedia) 2014 Chamber Symphony, recorded by New Orchestra of Washington, conducted by Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez.
The show began with Akropolis Reed Quintet's recording of Gregory Wanamaker's (Wikipedia) 2016 Elegy. This was followed by Patricia Morehead's (Canadian Music Centre) 2010 Prairie Portraits, recorded by Terry Storr on clarinet and Philip Morehead on piano. Next came Aaron Jay Kernis's (Yale faculty page) 1996 Air, recorded by Alice K. Dade on flute, Scott Yoo and Erik Arvinder on violin, Maurycy Banaszek on viola, and Jonah Kim on cello. The show continued with Eighth Blackbird's recording of Steven Mackey's 1989 Indigenous Instruments. This was followed by cellist Ovidiu Marinescu and pianist Anna Kislitsyna's recording of Bruce A. Babcock's 2005 Imagined/Remembered. Next came Transient Canvas's recording of Tina Tallon's 2014 (revised 2015) Dirty Water. This was followed by Duo Entrè-Nous's recording of Wanamaker's 2015 Ragahoro Breakdown for clarinet and alto saxophone. And the show concluded with Michael Fine's 2013 Skipping Stones, recorded by Dade on flute, Yoo and Arvinder on violin, Banaszek on viola, Kim on cello, and Susan Cahill on double bass.
This show began with Jennifer Higdon's (Wikipedia, New York Times profile) 2000 Fanfare Ritmico, recorded by Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Paavo Järvi. This was followed by Harold Fortuin's 1989 Extremities, recorded by Radio and TV Symphony of Krakow, conducted by Szymon Kawalla. Next came Marcus Blunt's 2002 Symphony No. 2, recorded by Manchester Camerata, conducted by Stephen Threlfall. The show continued with Higdon's 2005/2008 Oboe Concerto, recorded by University of Michigan Symphony Band and oboist Nancy Ambrose King, conducted by Michael Haithcock. This was followed by James Stephenson's (Cedille Records page) 2011 Liquid Melancholy, recorded by Lake Forest Symphony and clarinettist John Bruce Yeh, conducted by Vladimir Kulenovic. And the show concluded with Manchester Camerata's recording of Blunt's circa 1996 Aspects of Saturn.
We were joined in the WMBR studios by composer and MIT faculty Elena Ruehr (MIT MTA page, Wikipedia, Sonagrama interview) for an interview and a selection of her work. The show began with Sarah Bob's recording of Swing Set, the third of Ruehr's 2002 piano Preludes. This was followed by Ruehr's 1995 Shimmer, recorded by Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), conducted by Gil Rose. Next came Ruehr's 2000 The Law of Floating Objects for five flutes, in a multi-track recording by Sarah Brady. And the show concluded with violinist Irina Muresanu and pianist Bob's recording of Ruehr's 2012 Second Violin Sonata.
This show of choral music began with Carlyle Sharpe's 2004 Peace, with its text by Gerard Manley Hopkins, recorded by The Seraphim Singers, directed by Jennifer Lester. This was followed by Eric Whitacre's (Wikipedia) 1999 Three Songs of Faith (Navona notes), with its texts by e.e. cummings, recorded by soprano Maria Servodidio and Vanderbilt Chorale, directed by Tucker Biddlecombe. Next came Gregory W. Brown's (Wikipedia) 2017 un/bodying/s, with its text by Todd Hearon, recorded by The Crossing, directed by Donald Nally. The show continued with The Seraphim Singers's recording of Christina Whitten Thomas's 2017 The Deceiver, with its text by Marian Partee. And the show concluded with Vanderbilt Chorale's recording of Jonathan Dove's (Wikipedia, Faber Music) 2000 The Passing of the Year, with its texts by William Blake, Emily Dickinson, Thomas Nashe, George Peele and Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
The show began with cellist Rhonda Rider's recording of Laura Kaminsky's 2010 The Great Unconformity, which is part of Rider's Grand Canyon Project. This was followed by Magnar Åm (Ravello biography, Wikipedia), Andreas Barth and Geir Hjorthol's 2016 recording of their own Refractions. Next came Stratis Minakakis's (BMOP biography) circa 2016 Skiagrafies II, recorded by Orlando Cela on flute, with the composer providing piano resonance. The show continued with Robert Morris's (Ravello biography, Wikipedia) 2013 realization of his electroacoustic Mysterious Landscape. This was followed by Marti Epstein's (Wikipedia, Berklee) 2011 so near, so far for solo cello, recorded by Rider, and also part of her Grand Canyon Project. And the show concluded with Åm, Barth and Hjorthol's recording of their own 2016 The Broken Vessel.
This show of new chamber music releases began with Angélica Negrón's (Good Child Music, Wikipedia) 2004 Tres insultos para dos violines, recorded by the violin duo Miolina. This was followed by Beo String Quartet's recording of Alejandro Rutty's (Navona) 2014 Exhaling Space. Next came Matthew Davich's recording of Mark Volker's (Belmont University) circa 2016 Echoes of Yesterday for clarinet and interactive electronics. The show continued with Peter Dayton's (Navona) 2013 Morceaux des Noces for string quartet, recorded by Sarah Jane Thomas and Marika Suzuki on violins, Yang Guo on viola and Lavena Johanson on cello. This was followed by Luna Nova Ensemble's recording of Volker's 2016 Three Quotations for flute, clarinet and bass clarinet, violin, cello and piano. Next came Miolina's recording of Milica Paranosic's (Urban Culture Tribe interview) 1990/2013 Scene for Miolina. The show continued with Rutty's 2016 As You Say, recorded by Fabián López and Marjorie Bagley on violins and Steve Stusek on soprano saxophone. And it concluded with Dayton's 2009 Fantasy, recorded by Guo on viola and Michael Sheppard on piano.
The show began with Olivia De Prato's recording of Missy Mazzoli's (Wikipedia) 2014 Vespers for Violin for amplified violin with delay, and soundtrack. This was followed by Kyle Gann's (Wikipedia) 2015-17 Hyperchromatica for three microtonally tuned Disklaviers (computer-driven pianos): Andromeda Memories and Futility Row. The show continued with Andrea Clearfield's (Wikipedia) 1996 Spirit Island, recorded by Dolce Suono Trio, with Mimi Stillman on flute, Charles Abramovic on piano, and Nathan Vickery on cello. This was followed by Jason Tad Howard's Piano Sonata No. 2 "9 Short Shorts", recorded by Nancy J. DeSalvo. Next came De Prato's premiere recording of Taylor Brook's Wane, in which the lead violin part accompanies four additional pre-recorded "shadow" violins, all tuned slightly differently (and all recorded by De Prato). The show continued with cellist Sebastian Bäverstam and pianist Alla Elana Cohen's (New England Conservatory) recording of Cohen's 2003 Querying the Silence. And it concluded with one more part of Gann's Hyperchromatica: Spacecat.
We were joined in the WMBR studios by composer, guitarist and Berklee College of Music professor William C. (Bill) Banfield (AfriClassical profile, New Music Box interview, American Mavericks interview) for an interview and a selection of his work. The show began with Banfield's 2004 Deep Rivers, with its text by Langston Hughes, recorded by VocalEssence Chorus and Ensemble Singers. This was followed by Banfield's 1989 Four Persons, recorded by Harry Sargous on oboe, Fred Ormand on clarinet, Lynette Diers Cohen on bassoon, and Ellen Weckler on piano. Next came VocalEssence Orchestra's recording of Prelude and Sunday of Banfield's 1997 Symphony No. 7: "Reveries". The show continued with Banfield's 1992 The Prophetess II, recorded by soprano Louise Toppin and pianist Howard Watkins. And it concluded with Banfield's 2011 Peace Symphony, recorded by UCLA Philharmonia, conducted by Neal Stulberg. This was part of a collaborative work in honor of legendary jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell's 80th birthday.
The show began with violist Paul Neubauer and pianist Margo Garrett's recording of Ernest Bloch's (Music Sales Classical, Wikipedia, Milken Archive) 1951 Two Pieces. This was followed by Bloch's 1923 Piano Quintet No. 1, recorded by Damien Francoeur-Krzyzek on piano, Danny Koo and Eva Aronian on violins, Leonid Plashinov-Johnson on viola, and Jamie Clark on cello. This was a live recording from a Music for Food Benefit Concert at Theodore Parker Church on January 20, 2018. Next came Roger Sessions's (Theodore Presser, Wikipedia) 1942 Duo, recorded by violinist David Bowlin and pianist David Holzman. The show continued with Aura Quartet and pianist Han Joerg Fink's recording of Bloch's 1957 Piano Quintet No. 2. And the show concluded with John Harbison's (Wikipedia, MIT faculty page) 1969 Piano Trio, recorded by Francesco Trio.
We were joined in the WMBR studios by pianist, conductor and New England Conservatory faculty member Stephen Drury (Boston Globe interview). Stephen is Artistic Director of The Callithumpian Consort and SICPP—Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance Practice. The show began with Julian Anderson's (Scott Music, Wikipedia) 2015 Van Gogh Blue— I: L'Aube, soleil naissant ("Dawn, rising sun"), recorded by The Callithumpian Consort on January 31, 2017, at New England Conservatory. This was followed by Rand Steiger's (Wikipedia) 2017 Post-truth Lament for two pianos tuned 1/4 tone apart, recorded by Drury and Yukiko Takagi at SICPP 2017 at New England Conservatory. Next came Georg Friedrich Haas's (Wikipedia, Columbia University) 2001 tria ex uno, recorded by The Callithumpian Consort at SICPP 2017. And the show concluded with John Zorn's 1989 (revised 1996) Carny for solo piano, recorded by Drury at SICPP 2014 at New England Conservatory.
This show featuring women's voices, stories and music began with Edie Hill's 2014 We Bloomed in Spring, recorded by The Crossing, directed by Donald Nally. Its text is by St. Teresa of Ávila, translated by Daniel Ladinsky. This was followed by mezzo-soprano Aylish Kerrigan and pianist Dearbhla Collins's recording of Seóirse Bodley's (Wikipedia) 1978 A Girl, with its text by Brendan Kennelly. Next came soprano Eileen Strempel and pianist Sylvie Beaudette's recording of Lori Laitman's (Wikipedia) 2006 Orange Afternoon Lover. It is a setting of three poems by Margaret Atwood: Against Still Life, I Was Reading a Scientific Article and I Am Sitting on the Edge. And the show concluded with Angelique Poteat's 2015 Listen to the Girls (Seattle Magazine interview), recorded by Seattle Collaborative Orchestra and Northwest Girlchoir. Its text was assembled by the composer using answers from anonymous questionnaires taken by teenage girls mixed with the composer's own text.
The show begin with Escape Ten's recording of Ivan Trevino's 2013 2+1 for two players and one marimba. This was followed by Jacob Druckman's (Bruce Duffie interview, New York Times obituary) 1986 Reflections on the Nature of Water for solo marimba, recorded by a member of Third Coast Percussion. Next came Seunghee Lee's 2016 Pung-Kyung, recorded by pianist Eunmi Ko and McCormick Percussion Group. The show continued with Steven Kemper's 2010 The Seven Stars for amplified, prepared piano, recorded by Aurie Hsu. This was followed by John Liberatore's 2015 This Living Air for piano and percussion ensemble, recorded by Ko and McCormick Percussion Group. And the show concluded with Third Coast Percussion's recording of Philip Glass's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 1993 Aguas da Amazonia ("waters of the Amazon"). Its four parts were originally taken from Glass's 12 Pieces for Ballet for solo piano, and Third Coast Percussion's arrangement was partly based on an earlier arrangement by the Brazilian ensemble Uakti.
We were joined in the WMBR studios by local composer Stefanie Lubkowski (New Music USA) for an interview and a selection of her music. The show began with Lubkowski's 2015 Right now, in a second for bass clarinet and marimba, recorded by Transient Canvas. This was followed by Lubkowski's 2013 Avanc, recorded live by violist Ashleigh Gordon on November 7, 2014, at New Gallery Concert Series. Next came Lubkowski's 2013 Bliss Whispers for chamber orchestra, recorded live by EQ Ensemble, with Matt Sharrock conducting, on October 15, 2016, at Equilibrium Concert Series. The show continued with Lubkowski's 2017 electronic CMB 52121, realized by the composer on April 26, 2017, at The Armory in Somerville. This was followed by verse 4 of Lubkowski's 2015 Vassal of the Sun for soprano, flute, bass trombone and accordion, recorded by The Fourth Wall and soprano Elisabeth Halliday on March 2, 2016. And it concluded with Lubkowski's 2013 This is the light of autumn... for string quartet, recorded live by Semiosis Quartet on January 14, 2017, at Boston Sculptors Gallery.
The show began with Judith Shatin's 2001 electroacoustic Grito del Corazón, recorded by clarinetists F. Gerard Errante and D. Gause. This was followed by Felipe Pérez Santiago's 2014 Exoesqueleto, recorded by Anacrúsax Saxophone Quartet and Sofía Zumbado on alto saxophone, with Pérez Santiago conducting. Next came Akropolis Reed Quintet's recording of Gregory Wanamaker's (Wikipedia) 2015 The Space Between Us for oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone and bassoon. The show continued with Helmut Lachenmann's (The Guardian) 1966 Trio fluido, recorded by Gregory Oakes on clarinet, Matthew Coley on percussion, and Jonathan Sturm on viola. This was followed by Shatin's 2006 Time to Burn, recorded by Aaron Hill on oboe, and I-Jen Fang and Mike Schutz on percussion. Next came Pérez Santiago's 1997 El Ansia, recorded by Anacrúsax Saxophone Quartet and pianist Edith Ruíz. It was originally scored for string quartet, and this rearrangement dates from 2016. The show continued with Akropolis Reed Quintet's recording of Rob Deemer's 2015 Gallimaufry for oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone and bassoon. And it concluded with an excerpt of Tamayo Ensemble's recording of Pérez Santiago's 2013 Pengamat Bulan for clarinet, violin, cello and piano.
The show began with Nordic Affect's recording of Hafdís Bjarnadóttir's 2011 From Beacon to Beacon for baroque cello and violin, harpsichord and electronics. This was followed by a live telephone interview with Irish composer Ann Cleare (Contemporary Music Centre). She was promoting her upcoming Composer Portrait at Columbia University's Miller Theatre. The show continued with Cleare's 2015-17 eyam v (woven), recorded by Richard Craig on contrabass flute, Carol McGonnell on contrabass clarinet, and RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, conducted by Gavin Maloney. This was followed by Joan Tower's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview, Los Angeles Times Q&A) 1986 Silver Ladders, recorded by Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Slatkin. BMOP (Boston Modern Orchestra Project) is celebrating her work with a concert at New England Conservatory on February 9. Next came Tower's 1985 Island Rhythms, recorded by Louisville Orchestra, conducted by Lawrence Leighton Smith. And the show concluded with Nordic Affect's recording of María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir's 2010 Sleeping Pendulum, followed by an excerpt of Hildur Guðnadóttir's (Wikipedia) 2013 Two Circles.
This was a program of music by Joan Tower (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview, Los Angeles Times Q&A). BMOP (Boston Modern Orchestra Project) is celebrating her work with a concert at New England Conservatory on February 9. The show began with American Brass Quintet's recording of Tower's 1993 Fifth Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman for trumpet quartet. This was followed by Tower's 1981 Sequoia, recorded live in 1982 by New York Philharmonic, conducted by Zubin Mehta. Next came Tower's 1980 Petroushkates, recorded by Da Capo Chamber Players, with Joel Lester on violin, André Emelianoff on cello, Patricia Spencer on flute, Laura Flax on clarinet, and Sarah Rothenberg on piano. The show continued with Tower's 1991 Violin Concerto, recorded by Cho-Liang Lin and Nashville Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero. This was followed by Tokyo String Quartet's recording of Tower's 2002 In Memory. And the show concluded with pianist Ursula Oppens's recording of Tower's 1996 Holding A Daisy, 1994 Or Like a...an Engine and 2000 Throbbing Still, followed by an excerpt of her 2000 Vast Antique Cubes.
Composer Marti Epstein (Wikipedia, Berklee, Boston Globe) joined us in the WMBR studios for an interview and a selection of her music. We began with Ludovico Ensemble's recording of Epstein's 2013 ...A Little Celestial Tenderness... for flute, clarinet and cimbalom. This was followed by Epstein's 2017 Komorebi (Japanese for "sunlight filtering through the trees"), recorded by Winsor Music, with Gabriela Diaz on violin, Rane Moore on clarinet, and Peggy Pearson on oboe. This was a recording of the piece's premiere on Sunday, November 26, 2017, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brookline. Next came Epstein's 2016 Different Kinds of Light, recorded by soprano Aliana de la Guardia and cellist Stephen Marotto. This was a live recording from EQ Ensemble's concert at Cambridge's New School of Music on December 2, 2017. Epstein's piece is a setting of Jackson Mac Low's 1962 First Light Poem. And the show concluded with Epstein's 2000 Hothouse for piano four hands, recorded by the composer and John McDonald.
This show of music for Martin Luther King, Jr., Day began with George Walker's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 1946 Lyric for Strings, recorded live by Du Bois Orchestra at Harvard, at a rehearsal on November 28, 2017. This was followed by Ensemble Dal Niente's recording of George Lewis's (Wikipedia) 2012 Mnemosis (liner notes). Next came Anthony R. Green's 2017 electroacoustic A Single Voice: Solitary, Unified, recorded live by saxophonist Mary Joy Patchett on December 17, 2017, at Distillery Gallery, Boston. The show continued with Jonathan Bailey Holland's (Boston Conservatory) 2003 Halcyon Sun, recorded by Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Paavo Järvi. This piece was commisioned to commemorate the opening of Cincinnati's National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. This was followed by Olly Wilson's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 1976 electroacoustic Sometimes, recorded by tenor William Brown. And the show concluded with Bill Banfield's (AfriClassical profile) 2011 Peace Symphony, recorded by UCLA Philharmonia, conducted by Neal Stulberg. This was part of a collaborative work in honor of legendary jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell's 80th birthday.
Boston Composer Steven Snowden (American Composers Forum profile) joined us in the WMBR studios for a live interview and a selection of his music. The show began with Friction Quartet's recording of Snowden's 2015 Take This Hammer. This was followed by Bel Cuore Quartet's recording of Snowden's 2012 Speed Studies for saxophone quartet. Next came Snowden's 2016 Bird Catching from Above, recorded live by Semiosis Quartet at their concert on December 15, 2017, at Makeshift Boston. The show continued with Frederic Cardoso's recording of Snowden's 2011 Shovelhead for bass clarinet and interactive electronics. This was followed by Snowden's 2012 Appalachian Polaroids, recorded by Aeolus Quartet. And the show concluded with an excerpt of Victor Pons's recording of Snowden's 2013 Long Distance: Monroe, NC — 1977 for solo percussion and electronics.
This show began with the first and last movements of Igor Stravinsky's 1913 The Rite of Spring, peformed by London Symphony Orchestra with Robert Craft conducting. This was followed by Gene Pritsker's (Wikipedia) 2013 Rite Through an Eclectic Spectrum, recorded live by Gene Pritsker's Sound Liberation at the 2014 Outreach Music Festival. Next came three pieces for electric violin and soundscape, composed and performed by Mary Lou Newmark: Bossa Coyote and Oceanica from 2017, and Bed Bath and Bird from 2016. And the show concluded with two c. 2013 electroacoustic pieces by Pritsker: Modified No. 2, featuring Pritsker on guitar; and an excerpt of Sorrow, Like Pleasure, Creates Its Own Atmosphere, featuring Margaret Lancaster on flute.
This program of Christmas choral music began with three carols: Kenneth Leighton's (Wikipedia) 1956 Coventry Carol, recorded by The Sixteen, directed by Harry Christophers; Bob Chilcott's (Wikipedia) 2000 The Shepherd's Carol, recorded by Choir of King's College, Cambridge, conducted by Stephen Cleobury; and Harold Darke's (Wikipedia) 1911 In the Bleak Midwinter, recorded by Choir of King's College, baritone Hugo Herman-Wilson and organist Douglas Tang, also conducted by Cleobury. This was followed by Benjamin Britten's (Wikipedia) 1942 A Ceremony Of Carols, recorded by The Sixteen, conducted by Christophers. Next came three carols recorded by The Crossing, conducted by Donald Nally: Zachary Wadsworth's 2011 Gabriel's Message, recorded with organist Scott Dettra, soprano Veronica Chapman-Smith and St. Paul's Church Choir, Philadelphia; Robert Convery's 1996 Christmas Daybreak; and Gabriel Jackson's 2000 Ane Sang of the Birth of Christ, recorded with Dettra on organ, and soprano Rebecca Siler. The show continued with three carols recorded by Choir of Merton College, Oxford, directed by Benjamin Nicholas: Chilcott's c. 2014 The Bird of Dawning, featuring soprano Clare Webb; Morten Lauridsen's (Wikipedia) 1994 O magnum mysterium; and Thomas Hewitt Jones's (Wikipedia) c. 2011 What Child Is This?, featuring soprano Eleanor Hicks. This was followed by Ralph Vaughan Williams's (Wikipedia) 1912 Fantasia on Christmas Carols, recorded by Guildford Choral Society, baritone Stephen Gadd and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Hilary Davan Wetton. And the show concluded with two c. 1990 carols by Jan Jirásek, recorded by Czech children's choir Jitro and Capella Bohemica, directed by Jirí Skopal: Pad rosa studená (Dew Is Falling) and Sedí pantáta (The Sitting Farmer).
This show began with Hlynur Aðils Vilmarsson's 2016 electronic composition noa::ems. This was followed by Chaya Czernowin's (Wikipedia) 2003 Wintersong II — "Stones" (Schott Music) for seven instrumentalists and three amplified percussionists, recorded by International Contemporary Ensemble, conducted by Steven Schick. Next came Ann Cleare's (Contemporary Music Centre) 2009/2013 to another of that other, recorded by Richard Haynes on clarinets, Tristram Williams on trumpet, Benjamin Marks on trombone, and RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, conducted by Gavin Maloney. The soloists are members of ELISION, and the piece was recorded by RTÉ Lyric FM on February 12, 2013, from the National Concert Hall in Dublin. The show continued with Anna Thorvaldsdottir's (Wikipedia) 2011 Aeriality, recorded by Iceland Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ilan Volkov. This was followed by Cleare's 2012/2013 phôsphors (... of ether), recorded by RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, conducted by Maloney. The piece was also recorded by RTÉ Lyric FM on February 12, 2013, from the National Concert Hall in Dublin. Next came Czernowin's Wintersong IV — "Wounds/Mistletoe" for two septets and three percussionists, recorded by International Contemporary Ensemble, conducted by Schick. And the show concluded with Anna's 2009-2010 Hrim, recorded by Caput, conducted by Snorri Sigfús Birgisson.
This show began with Eighth Blackbird's recording of Ryan Lott's This Is My Line. This was followed by Sean Friar's (Wikipedia) 2009 Velvet Hammer, recorded by NOW Ensemble. Next came American Contemporary Music Ensemble's recording of Timo Andres's (Wikipedia) 2010 Thrive on Routine for string quartet. The show continued with Eighth Blackbird's recording of Nico Muhly's (Wikipedia) 2012 Doublespeak. This was followed by Paul Kerekes 2012/2013 Trio in Two Parts for cello, percussion and piano, recorded New Morse Code and Andres on piano. Next came NOW Ensemble's recording of Missy Mazzoli's (Wikipedia) 2007 Magic with Everyday Objects. The show continued with New Morse Code's recording of Caroline Shaw's (Wikipedia) 2012 Boris Kerner for cello and flower pots (Shaw's program note). And it concluded with Bryce Dessner's (Wikipedia) 2013 Murder Ballades, recorded by Eighth Blackbird.
This show of music for stringed instruments began with Zoltán Kodály's 1905 Intermezzo for String Trio, recorded by Krysia Osostowicz on violin, Timothy Boulton on viola, and Richard Lester on cello. This was followed by Henriette Renié's 1901 Trio for Violin, Cello and Harp, recorded by Valérie Milot on harp, Antoine Bareil on violin, and Stéphane Tétreault on cello. Next came Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic String Trio's recording of Nancy Van de Vate's (Wikipedia) 1974 Trio for Strings. The show continued with North/South String Quartet's recording of Thomas Whitman's 2000 Ori. And it concluded with Javier Farias's 2017 Andean Suite for string quartet and guitar, recorded by Apollo Chamber Players and Farias.
This show began with Mara Gibson's 2015 Folium Cubed for soprano saxophone, recorded by Zach Shemon. This was followed by William Price's 1999-2000 Rush Hour for alto saxophone and digital sound file, recorded by John Perrine. Next came David Evan Jones's (Wikipedia) 2012 Tsedek Chevrati? ("Social Justice?"), recorded by Paul Miller on clarinet, David A. Wells on bassoon, Anna Presler on violin, Leighton Fong on cello, Kirsten Smith on piano, and the composer on computer, conducted by Daniel Kennedy. The show continued with Gibson's 2014 Spark, recorded by JoDee Davis on trombone, and Trevor Thornton and Emily Trapp on piano. This was followed by Laura Usiskin's recording of Price's 2006 Sans Titre V ("Untitled V") for amplified cello. And it concluded with Steve Rouse's (Ravello) 2015 10 Little Things, recorded by Matthew Nelson on clarinet, and Greg Byrne on percussion.
This show of music for wind instruments began with Powell Quartet's recording of Scott Pender's 1989 Toccatina. This was followed by David Chaitkin's 1981 Summersong, recorded by 23 musicians under the umbrella of the Sylvan Winds quintet. Next came Myron Fink's 1977 Sextet for Piano and Wind Quintet, recorded live by pianist Robert Levin and Weston Wind Quintet, on April 20, 1980, at Harvard's Eliot House. The show continued with Pender's 1989 (revised 2013) Suite for Woodwind Quintet, recorded by Niall Casey on oboe, Brian Tracey on clarinet, Jenny Smoak on horn, and Hanul Park on bassoon. This was followed by George Tsontakis's (Wikipedia) 1988 Three Mood Sketches, recorded by Sylvan Winds. And the show concluded with oboist Matthew Sullivan and clarinetist Edward Gilmore's recording of Allen Brings's 1998 Duologue.
For WMBR's annual pledge drive, we revisited just a little of the music played on Not Brahms and Liszt during the preceding twelve months. Our background music was Steve Reich's (Wikipedia) 1970-71 Drumming, performed by Steve Reich and Musicians. We began with saxophonist Amy Dickson and pianist Catherine Milledge's recording of Philip Glass's (Wikipedia) Escape!, which is part of his 2002 soundtrack for the 2002 film The Hours. This was followed by Hat Trick's recording of Miguel del Águila's 2013 Submerged. Next came Vijay Iyer's (Wikipedia) 2012 Dig the Say, recorded by Brooklyn Rider. The show continued with Tantalus Quartet's recording of Edie Hill's 2001 Above the Green Night. This was followed by Timo Andres's 2015 Words Fail, recorded by violinist Yevgeny Kutik and Andres on piano. Next came guitarist Jason Vieaux (Wikipedia) and accordionist Julien Labro's recording of Vieaux's arrangement of Pat Metheny's (Wikipedia) c. 1991 Antonia. And the show concluded with Paul Chihara's (Wikipedia) 2014 The Girl From Yerevan, recorded by David Starobin on guitar, Movses Pogossian on violin and Paul Coletti on viola.
This was a show of string quartets by Dmitri Shostakovich (Boosey & Hawkes). We began with Emerson String Quartet's recording of the 1931 Adagio (Elegy) for String Quartet. This was followed by the 1944 String Quartet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 68 (quartets.de), recorded by Dover Quartet. Next came Altius Quartet's recording of the 1960 String Quartet No. 7 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 108 (quartets.de). And the show concluded with the 1972-3 String Quartet No. 14 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 142 (quartets.de), recorded by Emerson String Quartet.
The show began with Jonathan Little's (Wikipedia) 2005 Kyrie, recorded by Thomas Tallis Society Choir, directed by Philip Simms. This was followed by my interview of composer James Matthews Grant regarding the upcoming JP Concerts premiere of his opera Before Thy Throne: Bach's Final Performance, which was composed in collaboration with Roger Graybill. The interview was engineered and edited by Ted Cartselos. The show continued with Ēriks Ešenvalds's (Wikipedia) 2006 Passion and Resurrection, recorded by Portland State Chamber Choir, Portland State String Ensemble and soprano Hannah Consenz, conducted by Ethan Sperry. And it concluded with New York Polyphony's recording of Gregory W. Brown's 2011 Missa Charles Darwin.
Mike Hardin and Josh Ziemann of percussion ensemble Rest/Noise joined us for talk about percussion, as well as music by Michael Gordon (Wikipedia) and Steve Reich (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview, The Guardian). The show began with Reich's 1972 Clapping Music (Wikipedia, score, Classic FM interview), recorded by the composer and Russell Hartenberger. This was followed by Gordon's 1997 XY for five tuned drums, recorded by Justin Dehart. And the show concluded with Matthew Duvall and Third Coast Percussion's recording of Reich's 1973 Music for Pieces of Wood for five pairs of tuned claves.
This show of recent art song releases began with Robert Hugill's 2016 When Summer's End Is Nighing, with its text by A.E. Housman, recorded by baritone Johnny Herford and pianist William Vann. This was followed by David DiChiera's 1969 Black Beads, with its text by Richard Kubinski, recorded by mezzo-soprano Annalise Dzwonczyk and Ivan Moshchuk on piano. Next came Hugill's 2009 Winter Journey, with its text by Rowan Williams, recorded by Herford and Vann. The show continued with three songs from Simon O'Connor and Michelle O'Rourke's 2015 Left Behind: Your Face through Time (Song of Kathleen), Help Me Draw the Ghosts, William (Song of Grace) and Carousel (Song of Áine). These songs were recorded by O’Rourke on vocals, O'Connor on piano and guitar, Dara Higgins on bass guitar, John Dermody on percussion, and Robinson Panoramic Quartet. This was followed by Hugill's 2001 Quickening, with its text by Christina Rossetti, recorded by mezzo-soprano Anna Huntley, violist Rosalind Ventris and Vann on piano. Next came mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard and guitarist Sharon Isbin's recording of Isbin's arrangement of three songs by Federico García Lorca (Wikipedia) from his 1961 Canciones Españolas Antiguas: El Café de Chinitas, Las Morillas de Jaén and Anda, Jaleo. And the show concluded with DiChiera's 1964/65 4 Sonnets, with its text by Edna St. Vincent Millay, recorded by soprano Angela Theis and Moshchuk on piano.
The show began with Mario Davidovsky's (Wikipedia) 1965 Synchronisms No. 3 for cello and electronics, recorded by Madeleine Shapiro. This was followed by Ensemble Dal Niente's recording of George Lewis's (Wikipedia) 2013 Assemblage for flute, clarinet, saxophone, violin, viola, cello, harp, piano and percussion, off the 2017 release of the same name. Next came Jonathan Nangle's 2016 Tessellate for cello and electronics, recorded by Kate Ellis of Crash Ensemble, and off the 2017 release Pause. The show continued with Judith Ring's 2006 tape composition Metallurgy. This was followed by Ensemble Dal Niente's recording of Lewis's 2014 The Mangle of Practice for violin and piano, also off the Assemblage album. Next came Nangle's 2011 where distant city lights flicker on half-frozen ponds for violin and electronics, recorded by Aoife Ní Bhriain of Crash Ensemble, and also off the Pause album. The show continued with Shapiro's recording of Michael Gordon's (Wikipedia) 1992 Industry for cello and electronics. And it concluded with Ensemble Dal Niente's recording of Lewis's 2013 Hexis for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion, off the Assemblage album.
This show began with North/South Consonance Ensemble's recording of Allan Crossman's (Canadian Music Centre) 1999 Millennium Overture Dance. This was followed by Wayne Peterson's (Wikipedia) 1985 Transformations, recorded by Boston Modern Orchestra Project. Next came Indiana University New Music Ensemble's recording of Steve Rouse's (Ravello) 2014 Form Fades. The show continued with Ken Walicki's (MusicaNeo) 1997 electro-acoustic Nada Brahma, recorded by Eclipse Quartet and the composer. And the show concluded with Peterson's 1994 And the Winds Shall Blow for saxophone quartet, winds and percussion, recorded by Prism Quartet and Boston Modern Orchestra Project.
This show began with Fumiko Miyachi's 2011 C12, recorded by Miyachi on piano, Louis Stanhope on alto saxophone, Matt Johnstone on viola, Patrick Womack on drum, and Jose Daniel Martinez Martin on vibraphone. This was followed by Martin Boykan's (Wikipedia) 2006 Piano Trio No. 3 "Rites of Passage", recorded by Yohanan Chendler on violin, Joshua Gordon on cello, and Steven Weigt on piano. Next came Miyachi's 2016 Ag47 (Silver) for two pianos, recorded by Miyachi and Kate Halsall. The show continued with Anne-Marie McDermott's recording of Charles Wuorinen's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 2007 Fourth Piano Sonata. And it concluded with Kevin Volans's (Wikipedia, Music Sales Classical) 2009 viola:piano, recorded by Waldo Alexander on viola, and Jill Richards on piano.
This show began with Nora Morrow's 2015 Dawn, recorded by Arielle Burke on flute, Michael Norsworthy on clarinet, Daniel Beilman on bassoon, and Kinga Bacik on cello, with Xiao'an Li conducting. This was followed by Phillip Rehfeldt's recording of Barney Childs's (New York Times obituary) 1951 Sonata for Solo Clarinet. Next came Camille Saint-Saëns's 1921 Clarinet Sonata in E-Flat Major, Op. 167, recorded by clarinetist Christopher Nichols and pianist Julie Nishimura. The show continued with McGill/McHale Trio's recording of Paul Schoenfield's 1994 Sonatina for Flute, Clarinet and Piano. This was followed by Childs's 1981 Real Music for two clarinets, recorded by Scott Vance and Rehfeldt. Next came McGill/McHale Trio's recording of Chris Rogerson's 2016 A Fish Will Rise. The show continued with John Cage's (Wikipedia) 1933 Clarinet Sonata, recorded by Nichols. And it concluded with Bruce Babcock's 2005 Irrational Exuberance, recorded by Doug Masek on alto saxophone, David Speltz on cello, and Louise Thomas on piano.
This show of vocal music by Michael Nyman (Wikipedia) began with a song, Psalm, from Nyman's 1990 Six Celan Songs, recorded by Michael Nyman Band and contralto Hilary Summers. These songs are settings of poems by Paul Celan. This was followed by Nyman's 1986 chamber opera The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat, with its libretto by Christopher Rawlence based on the book by Oliver Sacks, recorded by soprano Sarah Leonard, tenor Emile Belcourt, baritone Frederick Westcott, Alexander Bălănescu and Jonathan Carney on violin, Kate Musker on viola, Moray Welsh and Anthony Hinnigan on cello, Helen Tunstall on harp and Nyman on piano. Next came five songs, Full Fathom Five, While You Here Do Snoring Lie, Come Unto These Yellow Sands, Come and Go and Where the Bee Sucks, from Nyman's 1991 Prospero's Books, recorded by Michael Nyman Band and Leonard. And the show concluded with another song, Blume, from Nyman's Six Celan Songs, recorded by Michael Nyman Band and Summers.
This show of choral music was dedicated to my daughter, Cleo Stoughton, and the staff of Dana-Farber, Brigham and Women's and Good Shepherd. We began with The Stanbery Singers's recording of Jonathan Little's (Wikipedia) 2004 (first sketches 1985, minor revisions 2016) That Time of Year (Thou Mayst in Me Behold). This was followed by Edie Hill's 2007 A Sound Like This, recorded by Cantus. Next came The Crossing and International Contemporary Ensemble's recording of Santa Ratniece's (Wikipedia) 2016 My Soul Will Sink Within Me. The show continued with Cantus's recording of Maura Bosch's (Wikipedia) 2007 The Turning. And it concluded with Little's 2016 Woefully Arrayed, recorded by Vox Futura and organist Heinrich Christensen.
This show of 21st century music by Steve Reich (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview, The Guardian) and Terry Riley (Wikipedia, Innerviews) began with the title movement of Riley's 2003 The Cusp of Magic, recorded by Kronos Quartet and Wu Man on pipa. This was followed by Reich's 2012 Radio Rewrite, recorded by Ensemble Signal, conducted by Brad Lubman. Next came Riley's 2015 Dark Queen Mantra, recorded by Del Sol String Quartet and guitarist Gyan Riley. The show continued with Bang On A Can's recording of Reich's 2009 2x5. And it concluded with another movement of Riley's The Cusp of Magic: Emily and Alice, also recorded by Kronos Quartet and Wu Man.
This show began with Jeffrey Loeffert's 2013 Bombinate for soprano saxophone trio and singing bowl, recorded by Jonathan Nichol, Geoffrey Deibel and the composer (who played the singing bowl as well). This was followed by Weiss Kaplan Stumpf Trio's recording of Fred Lerdahl's (Wikipedia) 2012 Times 3 for violin, cello and piano. Next came Counterpoint Ensemble's recording of Paul SanGregory's 2013 Shining Through Cracks. The show continued with Gavin String Trio's recording of Paul Chihara's (Wikipedia) 1985 String Trio. This was followed by Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's recording of Lerdahl 2014 Time And Again. And the show concluded with Jonathan Bailey Holland's (Boston Conservatory) 2015 Synchrony for oboe, bassoon, violin, cello, piano and tape, recorded by Radius Ensemble.
This show of music for and/or accompanied by piano began with Frank Huang's recording of Jack Gallagher's (Wikipedia) 1984 Pastorale. This was followed by Lowell Liebermann's (Wikipedia) 1987 Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 23, recorded by Linda Chatterton on flute and John Jensen on piano. Next came the theme and first twelve variations of Frederic Rzewski's 1975 The People United Will Never Be Defeated!, recorded by pianist Stephen Drury. The theme was based on Sergio Ortega's 1973 protest anthem ¡El Pueblo Unido, Jamás Será Vencido! The show continued with Patrick Houlihan's circa 2016 Snoqualmie Passages (Ouachita Baptist University article), recorded by Caroline Taylor on alto saxophone and Lei Cai on piano. This was followed by Huang's recording of Gallagher's 2009 Malambo Nouveau. Next came Roberto Sierra's (Wikipedia) 2003 Sonata No. 1 for Flute and Piano, recorded by Chatterton and Jensen. The show continued with Huang's recording of Gallagher's 1989 Six Pieces for Kelly. And it concluded with Witold Lutosławski's (Music Sales Classical) 1988 Partita for Violin and Piano (Navona), recorded by Véronique Mathieu on violin and Jasmin Arakawa on piano.
This show of music by female composers began with Judith Ring's (Contempory Music Centre of Ireland) 2011 My One's Bigger Than Yours, recorded by Kate Ellis on cello and Malachy Robinson on double bass. This was followed by Eighth Blackbird's recording of Missy Mazzoli's (Wikipedia) 2008 Still Life With Avalanche. Next came Jane O'Leary's (Wikipedia) 2002 Reflections II, recorded by Harry Sparnaay on bass clarinet and Concorde, conducted by Dermot Dunne. The show continued with Julia Wolfe's 1989 The Vermeer Room, recorded by Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, conducted by Lorraine Vaillancourt. This was followed by Elena Kats-Chernin's (Wikipedia) 1993 Clocks, recorded by Sydney Alpha Ensemble, conducted by David Stanhope. Next came Concorde's recording of Ring's 2009 ... Within an Egg of Space .... And the show concluded with Newspeak's recording of Mazzoli's 2005 In Spite of All This.
This show of recently released art songs began with Louis Durey's (Wikipedia) 1950 Une Femme du Sud Chante, Op. 65, with its text (Southern Mammy Sings) by Langston Hughes, recorded by baritone Sidney Outlaw and pianist Jocelyn Dueck. This was followed by György Kurtág's (Wikipedia, The Guardian) 1970-71 Four Capriccios, Op. 9 (ECM New Series), recorded by soprano Natalia Zagorinskaja and Asko | Schönberg, conducted by Reinbert de Leeuw. Next came mezzo-soprano Aylish Kerrigan and pianist Dearbhla Collins's recording of Seóirse Bodley's (Wikipedia) 1978 A Girl, with its text by Brendan Kennelly. The show continued with Kurtág's 1973-75 Four Songs To Poems By János Pilinszky, Op. 11, recorded by bass Harry van der Kamp and Asko | Schönberg. This was followed by baritone Jesse Blumberg and Dueck's recording of Durey's 1952-53 3 Poèmes de Paul Éluard, Op. 74a. And the show concluded with Zagorinskaja and Asko | Schönberg's recording of Kurtág's 1997-2008 Four Poems by Anna Akhmatova, Op. 41.
This show began with Brooklyn Rider's recording of Bill Frisell's (Wikipedia) 2014 John Steinbeck. This was followed by Ken Benshoof's 2004 Swing Low, recorded by St. Helens String Quartet. Next came two traditional folk songs recorded by Kronos Quartet: Rhiannon Giddens's version of Factory Girl, arranged for string quartet by Gabriel Witcher, and sung by Giddens; and Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier, arranged by Jacob Garchik, and sung by Natalie Merchant. The show continued with St. Helens String Quartet's recording of Bern Herbolsheimer's (Wikipedia) 2008 Botanas. This was followed by Dan Visconti's 2012 Lonesome Roads for violin, cello and piano, recorded by Horszowski Trio. Next came Benshoof's 1993 Out and Back Again, recorded by violinist Ella Marie Gray, cellist Walter Gray and North Texas Wind Symphony, conducted by Eugene Migliaro Corporon. And the show concluded with Brooklyn Rider's recording of Christina Courtin's 2014 Tralala.
This show of music for guitar began with Nikos Zarkos's recording of Lina Tonia's 2010 Breath. This was followed by Phillip Houghton's (Austrailian Music Centre) 2014 Opals, recorded by Tantalus Quartet. Next came Christopher Mallett's recording of Nikita Koshkin's 1998 The Porcelain Tower. The show continued with Edie Hill's 2001 Above the Green Night, recorded by Tantalus Quartet. This was followed by Zarkos's recording of Franghiz Ali-Zadeh's (Wikipedia) 1994 Fantasy. Next came David Tanenbaum's recording of two compositions by Sofia Gubaidulina (Boosey and Hawkes, Bruce Duffie interview): her 1960 Serenade, and her 1969 Toccata. The show continued with Aleph Guitar Quartet's recording of Georg Friedrich Haas's (Wikipedia, Columbia University) 2007 Guitar Quartet. And the show concluded with Mallett's recording of Heitor Villa-Lobos's (Wikipedia) 1929 Étude No. 12.
This show of music for cello and/or piano began with cellist Scott Kluksdahl's recording of Augusta Read Thomas's (Wikipedia, Gramophone) 1995 Spring Song. This was followed by David Sanford's (Mount Holyoke, Wikipedia) 1995 22 Part I, recorded by cellist Eric Bartlett and pianist Margaret Kampmeier. Next came Elliott Carter's (Wikipedia, Boosey and Hawkes, Bruce Duffie interview) 1948 Sonata for Cello and Piano, recorded by cellist Matt Haimovitz and pianist Geoffrey Burleson. The show continued with Martin Perry's recording of Hugo Weisgall's (Theodore Presser Company, Bruce Duffie interview) 1982 Sonata for Piano. This was followed by Haimovitz and Burleson's recording of Thomas's 2007 Cantos for Slava. And the show concluded with Charles Rosen's recording of Carter's 1994 90+.
This show began with Gregory Mertl's (Wikipedia) 2000 Afterglow of a Kiss, recorded by University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble and flutist Immanuel Davis, with Craig Kirchoff conducting. This was followed by Sergio Cervetti's (Wikipedia) 1973 Concerto for trumpet, strings and timpani, recorded by Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra and trumpeter Ondřej Jurčecka, with Petr Vronský conducting. Next came Ursula Mamlok's (official website in German, Bruce Duffie interview, New York Times obituary) 1984-1987 Concertino for woodwind quintet, string orchestra and percussion, recorded by Odense Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Scott Yoo. The show continued with Andrew Schultz's (Wikipedia) 2005 Falling Man/Dancing Man, recorded by Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra and organist Karel Martinek, with Vronský conducting. This was followed by Mark John McEncroe's (Wikipedia) 2015 Echoes from a Haunted Past, recorded by Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Anthony Armoré. And the show concluded with Mertl's 1998 Empress, recorded by University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble, conducted by Kirchoff.
This show of music for saxophone began with saxophonist Amy Dickson and pianist Catherine Milledge's recording of Philip Glass's (Wikipedia) Escape!, which is part of his 2002 soundtrack for the 2002 film The Hours. This is off Dickson and Milledge's 2017 release Glass. Next came Ida Gotkovsky's (French) 2010 Incandescence, which is off saxophonist Michael Duke and pianist David Howie's 2014 release Incandescence. This was followed by Jane Brockman's 1997 (revised and adapted for saxophone in 2004) Tagore Songs, recorded by Demetrius Spaneas. The show continued with Stacy Garrop's 1998 Fragmented Spirit, which is also off Duke and Howie's Incandescence. This was followed by Dickson and Milledge's recording of Glass's 2008 Sonata for Violin and Piano (arranged for saxophone), which is also off their album Glass. Next came Katy Abbott's 2011 UndercurrenT, recorded by Duke and Howie, and also off Incandescence. And the show conluded with an excerpt of Dickson and Milledge's recording of Glass's Morning Passages, which is also from the soundtrack of The Hours, and appears on their album Glass.
This show of Icelandic music began with Nordic Affect's recording of Hildur Guðnadóttir's (Wikipedia) 2013 Two Circles. This was followed by Anna Thorvaldsdottir's (Wikipedia) 2008 Dreaming, recorded by Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Next came Nordic Affect's recording of Hafdís Bjarnadóttir's 2011 From Beacon to Beacon for baroque cello, baroque violin, harpsichord and electronics. The show continued with María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir's 2016 Aequora, recorded by Iceland Symphony Orchestra. This was followed by Kjartan Ólafsson's (Wikipedia) recording of his own 2008 Sonology. Next came Thurídur Jónsdóttir's (ISCM) 2002 Flow and Fusion for orchestra and electronics, recorded by Iceland Symphony Orchestra. The show continued with Anna Thorvaldsdottir & Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir's recording of Anna Thorvaldsdottir's 2013 Trajectories for piano and electronics. And the show continued with Kjartan Ólafsson's recording of his own 1986 Hljómspil ("sound collage").
This show of choral music began with Edie Hill's 2014 Clay Jug, recorded by The Crossing. This was followed by Tigran Mansurian's (Wikipedia) 2011 Requiem, recorded by Rias Kammerchor and Münchener Kammerorchester. Next came Ars Brunensis and Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra's recording of Allen Brings's 1988 Three Holy Sonnets. And the show concluded with The Crossing's recording of Hill's 2013 From the Wingbone of a Swan, with Ted Babcock on percussion, Arlen Hlusko on cello and Mimi Stillman on flute.
This show began with Ólafur Arnalds's (Wikipedia) 2016 Dalur, recorded by Ólafur on piano and Brasstríó Mosfellsdals. This was followed by three pieces from 2012 by Ljova (Wikipedia): Melting River, Birds and Never is a Good Time. Next came Lydia Kakabadse's (Naxos) 2011 Cantus Planus, recorded by Sound Collective. The show continued with three pieces recorded by Trio Mediaeval and trumpeter Arve Henriksen: Anna Maria Friman's Krummi; the traditional Icelandic Þinn Guð Mér Gef Þú Víst, arranged by Friman; and the traditional Norwegian Sulla Lulla, arranged Linn Andrea Fuglseth. This was followed by Sound Collective's recording of Kakabadse's 2014 Concertato for cello and double bass. Next came duoJalal's recording of Glen Velez (Wikipedia) 2007 Homage for frame drum and viola. The show continued with Cavatina (Flute and Guitar) Duo and Avalon String Quartet's recording of David Leisner's (Wikipedia) 2015 Love Dreams of the Exile. And it conluded with Ólafur's 1995, recorded by Ólafur on synthesizers, Dagný Arnalds on organ, Sólveig Vaka Eyþórsdóttir and Ása Guðjónsdóttir on violin, and Ásta Kristín Pjetursdóttir on viola.
This show of electroacoustic music began with Mari Kimura's (Wikipedia) recording of her own 2013 Sarahal for two violins and electronics. This was followed by Pierre Boulez's (New York Times obituary) 1997 Anthèmes 2 (Universal Edition, 2017 recording) for violin and live electronics, performed by Michael Barenboim and IRCAM. Next came Kimura's recording of Eric Chasalow's (Wikipedia) 2010 Scuffle and Snap for violin and electronics. The show continued with Ian David Rosenbaum's recording of Christopher Cerrone's (Wikipedia) 2012 Memory Palace for percussion and electronics. This was followed by Hannah Lash's (Wikipedia) 2014 Mièle for violin and electronics, recorded by Kimura. Next came Tawnie Olson's (Canadian Music Centre) 2014-16 Meadowlark for marimba and electronics, recorded by Rosenbaum. And the show concluded with Kimura's recording of Eric Moe's (Wikipedia) 2014 Obey Your Thirst for violin and electroacoustic sound.
This show of 2017 instrumental releases began with Ralph Shapey's (Theodore Presser, The Guardian) 1991 Movement of Varied Moments for flute and percussion, recorded by McCormick Duo. This was followed by Jeffrey Jacob's (PARMA interview) recording of his own Reawakening for piano. Next came guitarist David William Ross's recording of two pieces from 1999 by Georges Raillard (PARMA blog): Night Waves and Pacemaker. The show continued with Henri Dutilleux's (The Guardian) 1943 Sonatine, recorded by flutist Dionne Jackson and pianist Marija Stroke. This was followed by Allen Brings's 2003 Duette, recorded by Lisa Hansen on flute and Brings on piano. Next came R.D. King's recording of three of his own pieces for guitar: Lightness of Being, The Precipice and vs. Self. The show continued with cellist Meredith Blecha-Wells and pianist Sun Min Kim's recording of Bohuslav Martinů's (Boosey & Hawkes) 1931 Suite Miniature. And the show concluded with John Musto's (Wikipedia) 2011 Passacaglia for two pianos, recorded by Quattro Mani.
This show of choral music began with Tenebrae's recording of Jonathan Harvey's (Wikipedia) 1960 (revised 2010) Song of June, with its text by Wilfred Owen. This was followed by Skylark Vocal Ensemble's recording of Robert Vuichard's circa 2007 Heliocentric Meditation (program note), with its text by John Donne. Next came Tenebrae's recording of Francis Poulenc's 1943 Figure Humaine, with its texts from the French Resistance by Paul Éluard. The show continued with Skylark's recording of William Schuman's (Wikipedia) 1958 Carols of Death, with texts by Walt Whitman (there are three movements: The Last Invocation, The Unknown Region and To All, To Each). This was followed by Volti's recording of Donald Crockett's 2008 Daglarym/My Mountains. Next came Tenebrae's recording of Bob Chilcott's (Oxford University Press, Wikipedia) 1991 The Modern Man I Sing, with its texts by Whitman. The show continued with Mark Winges's 2010 Luna, Nova Luna, recorded by Volti. And the show conluded with Tenebrae's recording of Frank Bridge's (Music Web International) 1913 The Bee, with its text by Alfred Tennyson.
This show began with Michael Harrison's (Wikipedia, Cantaloupe) 2012 Time Loops for cello and taped piano, recorded by cellist Maya Beiser. This was followed by Kronos Quartet's recording of Terry Riley's (Wikipedia, Innerviews) 1999 Requiem for Adam. Next came Steve Reich's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview, The Guardian, Rebecca Y. Kim interview, CBC Radio audio interview) 1985 New York Counterpoint for amplified clarinet and taped clarinets, recorded by Roland Diry. And the show concluded with Beiser's recording of Harrison's 2011 Just Ancient Loops for solo cello and taped cellos (Beiser, Cantaloupe).
This show of music for string quartet began with Bryce Dessner's (Wikipedia) 2012 Little Blue Something, recorded by Kronos Quartet. This was followed by New England String Quartet's recording of Fred Broer's 2014 String Quartet No. 8. Next came JACK Quartet's recording of John Luther Adams's (Wikipedia) 2011 The Wind in High Places. The show continued with Alan Beeler's String Quartet No. 2, recorded by New England String Quartet. This was followed by Pedroia Quartet's recording of Michael G. Cunningham's 1985 Quartet No. 4: Interlacings. Next came Marie Incontrera's 2011 Limbic Breath, recorded by Boston String Quartet. And the show concluded with JACK Quartet's recording of Adams's 2013 Dream of the Canyon Wren.
This show began with Gaudete Brass's recording of Steven Bryant's (Wikipedia) 2013 Sevenfive, off their 2017 release Sevenfive: The John Corigliano Effect, the album that grew out of the 75th birthday celebration for composer and educator John Corigliano (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview). Next came Steven Stucky's (Wikipedia, New York Times obituary) 2008 Rhapsodies, recorded by Boston Modern Orchestra Project with Gil Rose conducting, off their 2016 release Steven Stucky: American Muse. This was followed by came Jonathan Newman's 2013 Prayers of Steel, recorded by Gaudete Brass. The show continued with Boston Modern Orchestra Project's recording of Stucky's 1987 Concerto for Orchestra. This was followed by Philip Glass's (Wikipedia) 1992 The Windcatcher for saxophone sextet, recorded by Philip Glass Ensemble woodwinds. And the show concluded with Gaudete Brass's recording of Conrad Winslow's 2013 The Record of a Lost Tribe.
This show of recently released chamber music began with pianist Karolina Rojahn's recording of Alan Beeler's My Identity Suite, off the 2017 release Forever Beeler. This was followed by Ruth Lomon's (Wikipedia, Brandeis, Bruce Duffie) 2010 The Sunflower Variations, recorded by pianist Eileen Hutchins, and off the 2017 release Ruth Lomon: Shadowing. Next came Richard Wernick's (Theodore Presser, Bruce Duffie) 1996 Piano Trio No. 1, recorded by violinist Gregory Fulkerson, cellist Barbara Haffner and pianist Lambert Orkis, and off the 2016 release Richard Wernick: Vol. 3. The show continued with flutist Petr Hladík and pianist Lucie Kaucká's recording of Beeler's Flute and Piano Sonata, also off Forever Beeler. Next came Wernick's 1980 Concerto for Cello and Ten Players, recorded by Haffner on cello, Fulkerson on violin, Andrew Anderson on double bass, Kate Eakin on oboe, Laurie Bloom on bass clarinet, Drew Thompson on contra bassoon, Matt Bronstein on French Horn, Chris Hasselbring on trumpet, Nicholas Pine on trombone, Marcia Labella on harp and Matthew Coley on percussion, with Robert Trevino conducting, and also off Richard Wernick: Vol. 3. This was followed by violinist Katherine Winterstein, violist Scott Woolweaver, cellist Patrick Owen and pianist Hutchins's recording of Lomon's 1995 Shadowing, also off Ruth Lomon: Shadowing. And the show concluded with Kaucká's recording of Beeler's 3 Early Pieces for Solo Piano, also off Forever Beeler.
This show began with Sergio Cervetti's (Wikipedia) recording of his own 2014 I Can't Breathe for piano and electronics, off his 2017 album Sunset at Noon. This was followed by Chaya Czernowin's (Wikipedia) 1995 Die Kreuzung (A Crossbreed), recorded by Mayumi Miyata on shō (Japanese mouth organ), Takashi Saito on saxophone, and Keizo Misoiri on bass. Next came Cervetti's 2015 And the Huddled Masses for clarinet quartet, recorded by Alden Ortuño Cabezas on clarinet, Leonardo Pérez Baster and Luis Alberto Mariño Fernández on first and second violins, Yamed Aguillón Santa Cruz on viola, and Lester Monier Serrano on cello, with Enrique Pérez Mesa conducting. The show continued with Czernowin's 2001 Maim Zarim Maim Gnuvim (Strange Water Stolen Water), recorded by the Experimental Studio of SWR (Southwest Radio in Freiburg, Germany) and Konzerthausorchester Berlin, conducted by Johannes Kalitzke. This was followed by violinist Vit Muzik and violist Dominika Mužíková's recording of Cervetti's 1995 Sunset at Noon. And the show concluded with John Fonville's recording of Czernowin's 1988 Ina for bass flute and six recorded flutes.
This show of music for string quartet began with Vijay Iyer's (Wikipedia) 2012 Dig the Say, recorded by Brooklyn Rider. This was followed by Left Coast Ensemble String Quartet's recording of Aleksandra Vrebalov's (Wikipedia) 1997 String Quartet No. 2. Next came Ken Thomson's (Bang on a Can) 2011 Thaw (reviews), recorded by JACK Quartet. The show continued with two pieces recorded by Spektral Quartet: Eliza Brown's 2011/2013 String Quartet No. 1, followed by Hans Thomalla's (Wikipedia) 2010 Albumblatt. And it concluded with Brooklyn Rider's recording of Gonzalo Grau's 2014 Five-Legged Cat.
This show of 2017 vocal releases began with Hilary Tann's (Wikipedia) 1997 The Moor, recorded by Cappella Clausura, off their album Exultet Terra: Choral Music of Hilary Tann. This was followed by Scott Perkins's (Wikipedia) 2006 The Stolen Child, recorded by Audivi, off their album The Stolen Child: Choral Works of Scott Perkins. Next came Caroline Shaw's (Wikipedia) 2016 To The Hands, recorded by The Crossing and International Contemporary Ensemble, off their album Seven Responses. The show continued with Stacy Garrop's 2011 Songs Of Lowly Life, recorded by Volti and soloist Kelly Ballou, off their album This Is What Happened: More New Directions In American Choral Music. This was followed by The Crossing and International Contemporary Ensemble's recording of Anna Thorvaldsdottir's (Wikipedia) 2016 Ad Genua ("To the Knees"), and also off Seven Responses. And the show concluded with Shawn Crouch's 2009/2013 Paradise, recorded by Volti, and also off This Is What Happened.
This show began with Ted Hearne's (Wikipedia) 2010 Nobody's, recorded by violinist Francesca Anderegg, and off her 2016 album Wild Cities. This was followed by Anderegg and pianist Brent Funderburk's recording of Reinaldo Moya's 2012 Imagined Archipelagos, also off Wild Cities. Next came Christopher Cerrone's (Wikipedia) 2010 Hoyt-Schermerhorn, recorded by pianist Vicky Chow, and off her 2016 album A O R T A. The show continued with Moya's 2011 Rayuela Preludes, recorded by pianist Yael Manor, and off her 2015 album Elixir. This was followed by Hearne's 2014 By-By Huey, recorded by Eighth Blackbird, and off their 2016 album Hand Eye. And the show concluded with two pieces recorded by Red Light New Music, and off their 2015 release Barbary Coast: Cerrone's 2011 The Night Mare, followed by Hearne's 2012 Crispy Gentlemen.
This show of innovative vocal music began with bass-baritone Robert Osborne and Newband's recording of Harry Partch's (Wikipedia) 1942-43 Dark Brother, which takes its text from the final two paragraphs of Thomas Wolfe's essay God's Lonely Man. This was followed by tenor Ben Johnston and Kronos Quartet's recording of Partch's 1941/1954/1967 Barstow, "Eight Hitchhikers' Inscriptions from a Highway Railing at Barstow, California". Next came Dean Drummond's (New York Times obituary) 1999 Congressional Record, recorded by Osborne, Drummond and Newband. The show continued with Roomful Of Teeth's recording of Caroline Shaw's (Wikipedia) 2009-2012 Partita for 8 Voices (New York Times interview). This was followed by Neil B. Rolnick's (Wikipedia) 2004 Body Work for soprano voice and computer, recorded by Joan La Barbara (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview). And the show concluded with La Barbara's 1977 Twelvesong for multi-track tape.
This show of new releases began with Bob Kroeger's recording of his 2017 Elections Have Consequences. This was followed by guitarist David William Ross's recording of two pieces by Georges Raillard (PARMA blog): He Burst Out Laughing (2006) and Patio (2008). Next came Peter Greve's (Navona) 2005 Sonata for Flute and Piano, recorded by pianist Lucie Kaucká and flutist Petr Hladík. The show continued with Meridian String Quartet's recording of Joel Mandelbaum's (Ravello) 1962-78 String Quartet No. 2. Next came Hat Trick's recording of Sofia Gubaidulina's (Boosey and Hawkes, Bruce Duffie interview) 1980 Garten von Freuden und Traurigkeiten (Garden of Joy and Sorrow) for flute, viola and harp. The show continued with Hans Bakker's (Navona) 2005 Trio for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet, recorded by Markéta Soldánová on flute, Aleš Janeček on clarinet, and Gabriela Kummerová on oboe. And the show concluded with Hat Trick's recording of Miguel del Águila's 2013 Submerged.
This program of new releases began with Björk (Wikipedia) and Thomas Knak's 2001 Undo, recorded by soprano Renée Fleming and Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sakari Oramo. This was followed by mezzo-soprano Aylish Kerrigan and pianist Dearbhla Collins's recording of Anne-Marie O'Farrell's 2009 Hoopoe Song, with its text by Seamus Cashman. Next came Anders Hillborg's 2012-13 The Strand Settings, with its text by Mark Strand, recorded by Fleming and Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, with Oramo conducting. The show continued with ConTempo Quartet's recording of Jane O'Leary's (Wikipedia) 2015 The Passing Sound of Forever. This was followed by bassonist Frank Forst and pianist Yukiko Sano's recording of Peter Hope's (Wikipedia) 2014 Bassoon Sonata. Next came clarinetist Paul Roe and pianist David Bremner's recording of O'Leary's 2015 Murmurs and Echoes. And the show concluded with Hope's 2010 A Walk with My Dog, Molly, narrated by Pam Zinneman-Hope, with John Turner on recorder.
This Martin Luther King Jr. Day show of music inspired by Dr. King began with David Amram's (Wikipedia) 1974 Three Songs for America, recorded by Manhattan Chamber Orchestra and bass James Courtney, with Richard Auldon Clark conducting. The Three Songs take their texts from John F. Kennedy, King and Robert F. Kennedy, respectively. This was followed by Duke Ellington's (Wikipedia) 1943 Three Black Kings, recorded by Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, with Sal Andolina on clarinet and alto saxophone, conducted by JoAnn Falletta. Three Black Kings was left unfinished upon Ellington's death in 1974, and was completed between then and 1976 by his son Mercer Ellington. The movements of Three Black Kings are entitled King of the Magi, King Solomon and Martin Luther King, respectively. Next came New York Philharmonic and The Swingle Singers' recording of Luciano Berio's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 1968 Sinfonia, with Berio conducting. The lyrics of its second movement are based on the phonemes of "O Martin Luther King". The show continued with Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra's recording of Leonardo Balada's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 1968 Sinfonía en Negro (Symphony in Black), Homage to Martin Luther King, "Symphony No. 1", with Edmon Colomer conducting. And it concluded with movement XI. His Truth Is a Shield of Dave Brubeck's (Wikipedia) 1968 The Gates of Justice, recorded by Baltimore Choral Arts Society, Dave Brubeck Trio and baritone Kevin Deas, with Russell Gloyd conducting. The first stanza of the movement's text comes from King's words at a late 1963 meeting in Gadsden, Alabama. And the movement's title and the final stanza of its text are from Psalm 91:4-5.
This show of solo works by Philip Glass (Wikipedia) began with harpist Lavinia Meijer's (Wikipedia) recording of her arrangement of Glass's 1982 Koyaanisqatsi, the main theme for his score for the 1982 film of the same name. This was off Meijer's 2016 album The Glass Effect. Next came Glass's 1992-2012 Etudes Nos. 1, 8, 10 and 17, the second and fourth harp arrangements by Meijer off The Glass Effect, and the first and third off pianist Bruce Levingston's 2016 album Dreaming Awake. This was followed by pianist Paul Barnes's recording of Orphée Suite, Barnes's 2000 arrangement of Glass's 1993 chamber opera Orphée. The show continued with organist Donald Joyce's recording of Glass's 1979 Mad Rush (notes by Aleck Karis). This was followed by Levingston's recording of Glass's 1988 Metamorphosis II (notes by Aleck Karis), also off Dreaming Awake. And the show concluded with an excerpt of Barnes's recording of his piano arrangement of the epilogue of Glass's 1997 opera Monsters of Grace.
This show began with Errollyn Wallen's (Wikipedia, The Guardian, Gramilano interview, The Arts Desk: 10 Questions) 2001 In Earth, recorded by Quartet X, Wallen on vocals, and Tim Harries on bass guitar. This was followed by Poul Ruders's (Wikipedia, Dacapo Records, Alex Ross) 2012 Symphony No. 5, recorded by Danish National Symphony Orchestra, with Olari Elts conducting. Next came Wallen's 2007 Photography, recorded by Ensemble X, with Nicholas Kok conducting. The show continued with Christopher Rouse's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 2013 Symphony No. 4, recorded by New York Philharmonic, with Alan Gilbert conducting. This was followed by Ruders's 1987 Nightshade, recorded by Capricorn Ensemble, with Oliver Knussen conducting. And the show concluded with an excerpt of Rouses's 1976 Ogoun Badagris for five percussionists, recorded by Concordia Orchestra, conducted by Marin Alsop.
This show of 2016 orchestral releases began with Christopher Rouse's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 2012 Prospero's Rooms, recorded by New York Philharmonic, with Alan Gilbert conducting. This was followed by Charles Wuorinen's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview) 2003 Fourth Piano Concerto, recorded by Boston Symphony Orchestra and pianist Peter Serkin, with James Levine conducting. Next came Macedonian Radio Symphonic Orchestra's recording of Jean Catoire's 1971 String Sextet III, Opus 214. And the show concluded with Rouse's 2009 Odna Zhizn, recorded by New York Philharmonic, with Gilbert conducting.
This show of 2016 chamber music releases began with Kreutzer Quartet's recording of Michael Slayton's 2010 Sursum, off his 2016 album Sursum. This was followed by Vox Clamantis's recording of three pieces by Arvo Pärt (Wikipedia, The Guardian) from the 2016 album Arvo Pärt: The Deer's Cry (Pitchfork): the 2005 Von Angesicht zu Angesicht, the 2008 Alleluia-Tropus and the 2012-2013 Virgencita. Next came pianists Sang-Hie Lee and Martha Thomas's recording of Daniel Perlongo's 2009 Windhover, off the 2016 album Ars Nostra: But Now the Night. The show continued with violinist Davis Brooks's recording of two pieces by Corey Fant from the 2016 album Early Musings: ....Of The Mind and ....Of The Eyes. This was followed by three compositions by Meredith Monk (Wikipedia, The Guardian, New York Times) off the 2016 album On Behalf of Nature (Pitchfork): High Realm, Fractal Activity and Environs 1. Next came Atlantic Ensemble's recording of Slayton's 2014 Dreamers' Meadows, also off Sursum. This was followed by Brooks's recording of Tyler Jones's 2016 Solitude, also off Early Musings. And the show concluded with Slayton's 2007 Le Soir Tombe, recorded by soprano Amy Jarman and pianists Melissa Rose and Jerome Reed, and also off Sursum.
This show celebrated the music of composer and accordionist Pauline Oliveros (Wikipedia, New York Times obituary, American Mavericks interview, "Fifteen" Questions interview, Bruce Duffie interview, ESTWeb interview, Snapshots interview, Artsmania interview), who passed away on November 24. We began with In the Houses of My Families, a part of Oliveros's 1998 electro-acoustic Ghostdance. This was followed by her 1959 electro-acoustic work Time Perspectives (Resident Advisor review). Next came Oliveros's 1982 Rattlesnake Mountain for accordion and voice. The show continued with Oliveros and American Voices's recording of Oliveros's 1991 In Memoriam Mr. Whitney (Steve Mobia review). And the show conluded with Oliveros's 1971-1997 Four Meditations for Orchestra (Pitchfork review, score), recorded by Oliveros, the poet Ione (who wrote the text for the piece) and Ensemble Musiques Nouvelle.
This was a show of 2016 releases that are cross cultural, either literally or figuratively. We began with guitarist Jason Vieaux (Wikipedia) and accordionist Julien Labro's recording of Vieaux's arrangement of Pat Metheny's (Wikipedia) c. 1991 Antonia, off Vieaux and Labro's album Infusion. This was followed by three pieces off poet Aidan Andrew Dun and pianist Lucie Rejchrtova's (PARMA Interview) album Honeyland: Ball, Black Passing and Insomnia. Next came Labro's arrangement of Radamés Gnattali's (Wikipedia) 1956-1957 Suite Retratos, recorded by Vieaux, Labro, Peter Dominguez on bass, and Jamey Haddad on percussion, and also off Infusion. The show continued with duoJalal's recording of Ljova's 2013 Shadow and Light for viola and percussion, off their album Shadow and Light: The Rumi Experience. This was followed by Trio Xia's recording of Marty Regan's 2004 Runaway Train, off the album Splash of Indigo. Next came saxophonist Allen Harrington and organist Lottie Enns-Braun's recording of Ton Verhiel's 1993 Partita Brève, off Harrington and Enns-Braun's album Vanishing Point. And the show concluded with duoJalal's recording of Shirish Korde's 2012 Joy, also off Shadow and Light.
This show of 2016 chamber music releases began with cellist Matt Haimovitz's recording of Vijay Iyer's (Wikipedia) 2015 Run, off Haimovitz's album Overtures to Bach. This was followed by Ken Thomson's (Bang on a Can) 2014 Restless (Broadway World), recorded by cellist Ashley Bathgate and pianist Karl Larson, and off the album Ken Thomson: Restless. Next came Chiara String Quartet's recording of Béla Bartók's (Boosey and Hawkes) 1934 String Quartet No. 5, off the album Bartók by Heart (Arts Fuse interview). The show continued with Allan Crossman's 2015 Florébius for violin and piano, recorded by Eusebius Duo, and off the album Between the Echoes. And it concluded with Haimovitz's recording of Roberto Sierra's 2015 La Memoria, also off Overtures to Bach.
This was our Annual Fundraising Week show, featuring a selection of the music played on Not Brahms and Liszt during the last year. As background music, we used Suzanne Ciani's (Wikipedia) Concert at WBAI Free Music Store. The show began with Ludovico Ensemble's recording of Marti Epstein's (Wikipedia, Berklee, Boston Globe) 2013 ...A Little Celestial Tenderness.... This was followed by Elmira Darvarova's recording of Norman Zocher's Rock Ethic. Next came Mimi Rabson's 2014 Strunk, recorded by her Strings Theory Trio. The show continued with Julia Wolfe's (Wikipedia, NPR on her Pulitzer, New Yorker on MacArthur Fellowship, Cantaloupe Music page) Breaker Boys, a movement of her 2014 Anthracite Fields (Bang on a Can page, NPR piece), recorded by Bang On a Can All-Stars and Choir Of Trinity Wall Street. This was followed by Nordic Affect's recording of María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir's 2013 Clockworking. Next came Joan La Barbara's 1979 Klee Alee for voice and multi-track tape, recorded by the composer. The show continued with Steve Reich's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview, The Guardian, Rebecca Y. Kim interview, CBC Radio audio interview) 1994 Nagoya Marimbas, recorded by Sean Connors and Peter Martin. This was followed by Eighth Blackbird's recording of Christopher Cerrone's 2014 South Catalina. And the show concluded with André Santos's 2015 A Skeleton in the Closet, recorded by João Vidinha-Duarte on flute, Salvador Parola on oboe and Cândido Fernandes on piano.
This show featured an in-studio interview with violinist Yevgeny Kutik (Wikipedia, violinist.com, New York Times), focusing on his new Marquis Classics release Words Fail. To set the stage, we began with Felix Mendelssohn's 1830 Songs Without Words: Op. 19, No. 1, recorded by Kutik and pianist John Novacek. This was followed by two pieces whose starting points were the motif at the beginning of the Mendelssohn, and that were commissioned for the album: Timo Andres's 2015 Words Fail, recorded with Andres on piano, followed by Michael Gandolfi's 2016 Arioso Doloroso/Estatico. After the interview, the show continued with Eighth Blackbird's recording of Andres's 2014 Checkered Shade. Next came Gandolfi's 2011 Winter Light, recorded by San Francisco Choral Artists and Alexander String Quartet. And the show concluded with Andres and David Kaplan's recording of two parts of Andres's 2010 Shy and Mighty: Antennae followed by an excerpt of The Night Jaunt.
Today's Halloween show featured full versions of some of the compositions featured on the soundtrack of Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film The Shining. We began with Krzysztof Penderecki's (Wikipedia, The Guardian) 1966 De Natura Sonoris No. 1, recorded by Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Antoni Wit. This was followed by György Ligeti's (Alex Ross) 1967 Lontano, recorded by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Claudio Abbado. Next came Béla Bartók's (Boosey and Hawkes) 1936 Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, recorded by Los Angeles Philharmonic under the direction of Esa-Pekka Salonen. The show continued with Penderecki's 1974 The Awakening of Jacob, recorded by Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Wit. This was followed by Penderecki's 1962 Kanon, recorded by Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Penderecki. Next came Penderecki's 1971 De Natura Sonoris No. 2, recorded by Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Penderecki. And the show concluded with an exerpt of Penderecki's 1961 Polymorphia, recorded by AUKSO Chamber Orchestra of the City of Tychy under the direction of Penderecki.
This show of new vocal music began with Ensemble Vocal Luna's recording of Christina Rusnak's 2011 Dearly Beloved, off Ansonica Records's 2016 release Intersections. This was followed by three songs performed by saxophonist Trygve Seim (Wikipedia), mezzo-soprano Tora Augestad, accordianist Frode Haltli and violinist Svante Henryson, off ECM's 2016 release Rumi Songs: In Your Beauty, composed by Seim, Seeing Double, composed by Camille and Kabir Helminski and Lidia Saedian, and Across The Doorsill, composed by Seim. Next came Kuhn Choir's recording of Timothy Kramer's 2004 Lux Aeterna, off Navona Records's 2016 release Cadence: New Works for Voices in Verse. The show continued with three songs by folksinger, kantele player and composer Sinikka Langeland (Wikipedia) off ECM's 2016 release The Magical Forest, recorded by Sinikka Langeland Ensemble and Trio Mediaeval: Puun Loitsu ("Prayer to the Tree Goddess"), Sammas ("Same") and Jacob's Dream. This was followed by Joanne D. Carey's 1978 The Tyger, recorded by Vox Futura, and also off Cadence. Next came Heidi Jacob's 2014 Untouched by Morning and Untouched by Noon, recorded by baritone Brian Church, Alden Ortuño Cabezas on bass clarinet, Yasek Manzano Silva on trumpet, Marisel González Valdés on trombone, and Charles Abramovic on piano, and also off Intersections. This was followed by soprano Jennifer Bird and pianist Mutsumi Moteki's recording of David Kirtley's 2006 Haiku Songs of Karigane, also off Cadence. And the show concluded with an excerpt of Ensemble Vocal Luna's recording of Rusnak's 2016 Dearly Departed, also off Intersections.
This show began with a 2015 improvisation on piano by Sebastiano Meloni: Transparencies. Next came violinist Gil Shaham and pianist Orli Shaham's recording of Alberto Ginastera's (Boosey and Hawkes page) 1947 Pampeana No. 1, Op. 16, the first of three works off Oberlin Music's 2016 celebration of the centenary of Ginastera's birth. This was followed by two pieces by Ferdinando De Sena, his 2007 Lasting Virtue, recorded by Deirdre Viau on flute and Peter Sulski on viola, and his 2012 Eyes of Resurrection, recorded by Julia Okruska on violin and Molly McCaffrey on harp. The show continued with Jason Vieaux's recording of Ginastera's 1976 Sonata for Guitar, Op. 47, which was revised in 1981. This was followed by Radius Ensemble's recording of Elena Ruehr's 2015 Quetzal Garden for flute, string quartet and bass. Next came Ginastera's 1937 Danzas Argentinas, Op. 2 for piano, recorded by Shaham. And the show concluded with Radius Ensemble's recording of John Harbison's (Wikipedia) 2016 The Nine Rasas for clarinet, viola and piano.
This show featuring the music of Julia Wolfe (Wikipedia, NPR on her Pulitzer, New Yorker on MacArthur Fellowship, Cantaloupe Music page), winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Music and a 2016 MacArthur Fellow, began with Bang on a Can All-Stars and Trio Mediaeval's recording of Wolfe's Characteristics, which is part of her 2009 Steel Hammer (Cantaloupe Music page, WQXR review, New York Times review). Next came Wolfe's 2014 Anthracite Fields (Bang on a Can page, NPR piece), recorded by Bang On a Can All-Stars and Choir Of Trinity Wall Street. This was followed by Bang On a Can All-Stars's recording of Wolfe's 2002 Big Beautiful Dark and Scary. And the show concluded with Bang on a Can All-Stars and Trio Mediaeval's recording of one more part of Wolfe's Steel Hammer, Lord, Lord.
This show was a celebration of Steve Reich's (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview, The Guardian, Rebecca Y. Kim interview, CBC Radio audio interview) 80th Birthday: October 3, 2016. We began with Reich's 1994 Nagoya Marimbas, performed by Sean Connors and Peter Martin. This was followed by Reich's 1974-76 Music for 18 Musicians (more information), recorded by Steve Reich and Musicians, and just reissued on ECM New Series. Next came Reich's 1978 Music for a Large Ensemble, also recorded by Steve Reich and Musicians and just reissued by ECM. And the show concluded with an excerpt of Part II of Reich's 1970-71 Drumming, performed by Steve Reich and Musicians.
This was a show of music for electronic instruments designed by Don Buchla (Wikipedia, Strange Attractor interview, New York Times obituary, KQED obituary), who passed away on September 14. Buchla photos: Modular Electronic Music System (Buchla 100); Suzanne Ciani working Bucha 200; Buchla Music Easel. Buchla videos: Phil Cirocco on Buchla 100; Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith on Buchla Music Easel; Smith demonstrating complex Buchla system. We began with Smith's (Fractured Air interview) Stunts, off her 2015 release Euclid. This was followed by Morton Subotnick's (Wikipedia) 1967 Silver Apples Of The Moon, the first electronic music composition to be commissioned by a record label (Nonesuch Records). Next came Suzanne Ciani's (Wikipedia) Concert at WBAI Free Music Store, off her 2016 release Buchla Concerts 1975 (Live). The show continued with David First's Pulse Piece, off his 2014 release Electronic Works 1976-1977. And it concluded with Charles Cohen's The Boy and the Snake Dance, off his 2015 release Brother I Prove You Wrong, followed by Alessandro Cortini's Strada, off his 2013 release Forse 2.
This show of music for percussion began with Steven Schick's recording of David Lang's (Wikipedia) 1991 The Anvil Chorus. This was followed by two recordings off Third Coast Percussion's 2013 release: Owen Clayton Condon's 2011 Fractalia, and Christopher Deane's 2003 Vespertine Formations. Next came Iannis Xenakis's (Wikipedia) 1978 Pléïades (Mode Records liner notes), recorded by red fish blue fish and Schick. (Xenakis invented a new instrument to use in his composition — the microtonally-tuned sixxen.) The show continued with two pieces for solo marimba off Tomasz Arnold's 2011 release: Kazunori Miyake's 2001 Chain, and Joseph Schwantner's (Wikipedia) 1990 Velocities. And it concluded with an excerpt of Svet Stoyanov's c. 2005 Improvisation for Bulgarian Tapan (Bulgarian tapan, YouTube).
This show of 2016 releases began with pianist Cicilia Yudha's recording of Robert Casadesus's (Wikipedia) 1946 Toccata. This was followed by two pieces from 2015 by André Santos: A Skeleton in the Closet, recorded by João Vidinha-Duarte on flute, Salvador Parola on oboe and Cândido Fernandes on piano; and Word Study "Manipulation", recorded by Sergio Neves on clarinet, Carisa Marcelino on accordion and Miguel Vieira da Silva on guitar. Next came Scott Brickman's (UMFK) 2014 Ninety-Six Strings and Two Whistles, recorded by Eight Strings & a Whistle and pianist Beth Levin. The show continued with Santos's 2011 Lima, recorded by João Miguel on oboe, Fernandes on piano and Bruno Graça on clarinet, followed by Brickman's 2011 Wind Power, recorded by Suzanne Gilchrest (of Eight Strings & a Whistle) on flute and Levin on piano. Next came Arcadian Winds's recording of Daniel Burwasser's 2013 Whirlwind. This was followed by Eighth Blackbird's recording of Timo Andres's (Wikipedia) 2014 Checkered Shade. And the show concluded with Ferdinando De Sena's 2014 Deceptive Clarity, recorded by Deirdre Viau on flute and David William Ross on guitar.
This show of music by Ursula Mamlok (Official Website in German, Bruce Duffie interview, New York Times obituary, Alba Potes's remembrance, Continuum performs Mamlok review) began with pianist Holger Groschopp's recording of Mamlok's 1947 Molto Vivo ("very lively"). This was followed by Mamlok's 1956 Woodwind Quintet, recorded by Windscape. Next came Daedalus Quartet's recording of Mamlok's 1962 String Quartet No. 1. The show continued with Mamlok's 1969 Sintra, recorded by Claire Chase on alto flute and David Eggar on cello, followed by Mamlok's 1977 Sextet, recorded by Keith Underwood on flute, Robert Yamins on clarinet, Cyrus Stevens on violin, Dennis Smylie on bass clarinet, Donald Palma on base and Edmund Niemann on piano, conducted by Anthony Korf. Next came violinist David Bowlin's recording of Mamlok's 1987 Wild Flowers, followed by Mamlok's 1995 Polarities, recorded by Parnassus Ensemble, with Korf conducting. The show continued with Mamlok's 2009 Aphorisms II, recorded by Charles Neidich and Ayako Oshima on clarinet. And the show concluded with Mamlok's 2013-14 Above Clouds, recorded by violist Hartmut Rohde and Groschopp.
This show began with Michael Laurello's recording of his own 2012 Tell Hope Everything You Hear, off Ravello Records's 2016 release Rose. Next came Sonic.Art Saxophone Quartet's recording of Philip Glass's (Wikipedia) 1995 Saxophone Quartet. This was followed by Lawrence Ball's (Wikipedia) 2000 Energy Diamond, recorded by Althea Talbot-Howard on cor anglais, Jackie Norrie on violin, Amanda Chancellor on viola, and Dinah Beamish on cello, and off Navona Records's 2016 release Energy Diamond. The show continued with Sonic.Art's recording of Glass's 1985 String Quartet No. 3 "Mishima", arranged for Saxophone Quartet by Christoph Enzel (Liner Notes). This was followed by violist Neil Davis's recording of Ball's 1990 Viola Suite 2, also off his 2016 Energy Diamond. And the show concluded with Ferdinando De Sena's 2014 Spalding's Bounce, recorded by Philipp Staudlin on saxophone, Javier Caballero on cello, and Karolina Rojahn on piano, and off Navona's 2016 release Ferdinando De Sena: Spalding's Bounce and Other Chamber Works.
This show of chamber music began with Huw Watkins's (Wikipedia) 1998 Sonata for Cello and Eight Instruments, recorded by cellist Paul Watkins and Nash Ensemble. This was followed by Lindsay Quartet's recording of Michael Tippett's 1934-35 (revised 1943) String Quartet No. 1. Next came Chiara String Quartet's recording of Béla Bartók's 1939 String Quartet No. 6, off Chiara's 2016 release Bartók by Heart (Arts Fuse interview). And the show concluded with Alfred Schnittke's (Alex Ross article) 1963 Violin Sonata No. 1, recorded by violinist Roman Mints and pianist Katya Apekisheva, and off their 2016 release Alfred Schnittke: Works for Violin and Piano.
This show of summer-themed music began with pianist Donald Berman's recording of Scott Wheeler's (Piano Addict interview) 2007 The Fifth of July. This was followed by Elliott Miles McKinley's 2012 Three Portraits, recorded by SOLI Chamber Ensemble. Next came Eclipse Quartet and pianist Joanne Pearce Martin's recording of Gernot Wolfgang's 2008 New England Travelogue: I. Vineyard Reggae. The show continued with Baylor Woodwind Quintet's recording of Charles Rochester Young's 2000 3 Summer Evenings, followed by Carl Vollrath's 2012-2015 Piano Concerto No. 3 "Pastel III", recorded by pianist Karolina Rojahn and Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Petr Vronský. And the show concluded with oboist Katsuya Watanabe and pianist David Johnson's recording of Miguel del Aguila's 1988 Summer Song.
This show of music for piano began with Chris Brown's (Wikipedia) recording of his 2014 11-5-4-3, off his 2016 release 6Primes. This was followed by three pieces from 2005-2007 by Timo Andres (Wikipedia), recorded by Andres and David Kaplan on piano, and off Andres's 2010 release Shy and Mighty: Out of Shape, La Malinconia and How Can I Live In Your World of Ideas?. Next came Brown's recording of his 2014 13-6-5-4. The show continued with Huw Watkins's 2009 Three Auden Songs (W. H. Auden), recorded by tenor Mark Padmore and Watkins on piano: Brussels in Winter, Eyes Look Into the Well and At Last the Secret Is Out. Next came Brown's recording of his 2014 13-7-6-4, followed by Kathleen Supové's recording of Dan Becker's 2004 Revolution, which samples a speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. And the show concluded with Brown's recording of his 2014 13-11-8-6.
This show of electro-acoustic music began with Karlheinz Stockhausen's (Wikipedia) 1968 Spiral (Wikipedia) for shortwave receiver and soloist, recorded by Harald Bojé on electronium and piano. Next came Morton Subotnick's (Wikipedia, Tom Murphy interview) 1979 The Last Dream of the Beast, recorded by the composer on electronics and "ghost electronics", soparano Joan La Barbara and cellists Erika Duke and Dane Little. This was followed by Stockhausen's 1958-60 Kontakte (StockhausenSpace, Wikipedia) for four-channel tape and soloists, with James Avery on piano and Steven Schick on percussion. And the show concluded with Subotnick's 1999-2000 Gestures: It Starts with Colors, recorded by La Barbara.
This show of music by Steve Reich (Wikipedia, Bruce Duffie interview, The Guardian) began with his 1972 Clapping Music (Wikipedia, score, Classic FM interview), recorded by the composer and Russell Hartenberger. This was followed by Eighth Blackbird's recording of Reich's 2007 Double Sextet (Wikipedia, release notes). Next came Reich's 1986 Six Marimbas (Wikipedia), recorded by Bob Becker, Kory Grossman and Manhattan Marimba Quartet. The show continued with duo-pianists Edmund Niemann and Nurit Tilles's recording of Reich's 1967 Piano Phase (Wikipedia, visualization). And it concluded with Reich's 1973 Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ (Wikipedia), recorded by London Symphony Orchestra, with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting.
This show of electronic and electro-acoustic music began with Gene Pritsker's (Wikipedia) 2012 Modified No. 1, recorded by John Clark on French horn. This was followed by Laurie Spiegel's (Wikipedia) 1974 Appalachian Grove, off the 2012 reissue of her 1980 LP The Expanding Universe (The New Yorker). Next came Pritsker's 2012 Electrically Tragic, recorded by Martin Kuuskmann on electric bassoon. The show continued with pianist Kathleen Supové's (Wikipedia) recording of Randall Woolf's 2001 Sutra Sutra, with a text by Valeria Vasilevski, followed by Spiegel's 1974-76 Patchwork, also off The Expanding Universe. Next came Pritsker's 2012 Free Will Problem, recorded by Lynn Bechtold on violin, Keve Wilson on oboe and Matthias Kronsteiner's on bassoon. And the show concluded with Supové's recording of Anna Clyne's (Wikipedia) 2007 On Track.
This Independence (from genre boundaries!) Day show of jazz, rock and pop music pushing at the boundary of contemporary classical music began with two pieces by the Becca Stevens Band (New York Times): Weightless, off the 2011 release Weightless; and Off The Chart, off the 2008 release Tea Bye Sea. Next came three pieces by Laurie Anderson (Wikipedia): Time to Go, recorded with Scott Johnson on Guitar and Organ, off the 1977 release New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media: Women In Electronic Music - 1977; and O Superman (Anderson's Guardian Article) and Let X=X, off the 2007 release Big Science (PopMatters). This was followed by three pieces by John Cale and Lou Reed (Memorial) off their 1990 tribute to Andy Warhol, Songs for Drella (New York Times, New York Times): Work, Images and Forever Changed. The show continued with three pieces by the Patti Smith Group (Guardian): Wave, off the 1979 release Wave; and Elegie (co-written by Allen Lanier) and Birdland (co-written by Richard Sohl, Lenny Kaye (Wikipedia) and Ivan Kral (Wikipedia)), off the 1975 release Horses (BBC, Guardian), which was produced by Cale. This was followed by three pieces by Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band off the 2009 release Between My Head and the Sky: The Sun Is Down!, Moving Mountains and Between My Head and the Sky. And the show concluded with three pieces by Björk (Wikipedia, New Yorker) off the 2011 release Biophilia (New York Times, The Atlantic): Crystalline, Sacrifice and Solstice (lyrics by Sjón).
This show began with Kronos Quartet's recording of Carlos Paredes's 1963 Canção Verdes Anos (Green Years's Song), which was written for guitar, but arranged for string quartet by Osvaldo Golijov. The guitar version was featured on the soundtrack of Paulo Rocha's 1963 film The Green Years. This was followed by Clarice Assad's (Wikipedia) 2015 Sephardic Suite, recorded by Cavatina (Flute and Guitar) Duo and Avalon String Quartet. Next came Kronos Quartet's recording of Aleksandra Vrebalov's (Wikipedia) 1997 Pannonia Boundless. The show continued with Dan Visconti's 2015 Native Tongues, recorded by Fifth House Ensemble and Baladino. This was followed by Alan Thomas's 2014 Trío Sefardí, recorded by Cavatina Duo and David Cunliffe on cello. Next came Paul Chihara's (Wikipedia) 2014 The Girl From Yerevan, recorded by David Starobin on guitar, Movses Pogossian on violin and Paul Coletti on viola. And the show concluded with Fifth House Ensemble and Baladino's recording of Part III (Driving) of Ken Benshoof's 1974 Traveling Music No. 4, which was originally written for string quartet.
This show of music by Michael Nyman (Wikipedia) began with Michael Nyman Band's recording of Nyman's 1982 The Disposition of the Linen, from the soundtrack of Peter Greenaway's 1982 film The Draughtman's Contract. This piece was based on Henry Purcell's song She Loves and She Confesses Too. Next came Nyman's 1993 Songs for Tony, recorded by Sonic Art Saxophone Quartet. This was followed by Nyman's 1991 Where the Bee Dances, recorded by saxophonist Amy Dickson and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Mikel Toms. The show continued with Nyman's 1997 Double Concerto for Saxophone and Cello, recorded by saxophonist John Harle, cellist Julian Lloyd Webber and Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Nyman. And it concluded with Balanescu Quartet's recording of Nyman's 1990 String Quartet No. 3.
This show of electronic music by female composers began with Johanna Beyer's 1938 Music of the Spheres, recorded by Donald Buchla and Brenda Hutchinson on electronics, Allen Strange, David Morse and Stephen Ruppenthal on synthesizers, and Charles Amirkhanian on triangle. Next came Daphne Oram's (Wikipedia) 1968 Four Aspects, followed by Pauline Oliveros's (Wikipedia) 1966 Jar Piece and Beatriz Ferreyra's (French) 1967 Demeures Aquatiques (Aquatic Homes). The show continued with two pieces by Annea Lockwood (Wikipedia), her 2013 Buoyant, and her 2012 Dusk. This was followed by Megan Roberts's 1976 I Could Sit Here All Day, recorded by Danny Sofer on drums, and Phil Loarie and William Novak on vocals. Next came Joan La Barbara's (Wikipedia) 1984 Time(d) Trials and Unscheduled Events. And the show concluded with Alice Shields's (Wikipedia) 1970 The Transformation Of Ani.
This show of choral music began with Zachary Wadsworth's 2013 Come to the Road, recorded by Luminous Voices. This was followed by three pieces by Ola Gjeilo: his 2014 Ubi Caritas, recorded by Gjeilo on piano and Voces8; his 2010 The Spheres, recorded by Tenebrae and Chamber Orchestra of London; and his 2011 The Ground, recorded by Tenebrae, Gjeilo on piano and Chamber Orchestra of London. Next came Luminous Voices, tenor Lawrence Wiliford and Luminous Voices Chamber Orchestra's recording of Wadsworth's 2014 The Far West. The show continued with Lou Harrison's 1955 Strict Songs, recorded by Louisville Orchestra, soloist Davis Bingham and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Choir, conducted by Robert Whitney. And it concluded with Terry Riley's 1990 Cry of a Lady, recorded by Kronos Quartet and Bulgarian State Radio and Television Female Vocal Choir.
This show began with trumpeter James Zingara's recording of William Price's 2010 Sans Titre VII (Untitled VII). This was followed by John Adams's (Wikipedia) 2009 City Noir, recorded by St. Louis Symphony with David Robertson conducting. Next came Nico Muhly's 2010 Drones and Piano for piano and tape, recorded by pianist Bruce Brubaker. The show continued with UAB Chamber Trio's recording of Price's 2013 Ich Bin Maroon, Part 1 for clarinet (Denise Gainey), trumpet (Zingara), and piano (Christopher Steele). And it concluded with Muhly's 2011 Drones and Viola, recorded by Nadia Sirota on viola and Brubaker on piano.
This show of musical settings of political writings and speech began with Kronos Quartet's recording of Michael Daugherty's 1992 Sing Sing: J. Edgar Hoover, featuring the voice of the infamous FBI director. This was followed by Frederic Rzewski's 1972 Coming Together, recorded by Alter Ego and rapper Frankie hi-nrg. The text for this piece came from letters by Attica prisoner Sam Melville, who led and died in the 1971 prison uprising. Next came Rzewski's 1992 De Profundis for piano and spoken voice, recorded by the composer. The text for this piece is excerpted from a letter written by Oscar Wilde near the end of his two year imprisonment in Reading Gaol for homosexual acts. The show continued with Kronos Quartet's recording of Scott Johnson's 1991-3 Cold War Suite from How It Happens, featuring the voice of investigative journalist I. F. Stone. And it concluded with Rzewski's 1972 Attica, recorded by the composer and Alter Ego. This piece's text is a statement made by prison revolt leader Richard X. Clark upon his 1972 release from the Attica.
The show began with JACK Quartet's recording of Felipe Lara's 2008 Second String Quartet Tran(slate). This was followed by Pierre Boulez's 1981-84 composition Répons (Response) for chamber orchestra with six percussion soloists and live electronics, recorded by Ensemble InterContemporain with the composer conducting. Next came Jonathan Harvey's 2004 composition String Trio, recorded by violist Ralf Ehlers, cellist Lucas Fels and violinist Irvine Arditti, members of Arditti Quartet. And the show concluded with JACK Quartet's recording of Jorge Villavicencio Grossmann's 2009 composition String Quartet No. 3 — Música Fúnebre y Nocturna (Funeral and Night Music).
This show of American music began with St. Helens String Quartet's recording of Janice Giteck's 2004 composition Where Can One Live Safely, Then? In Surrender. This was followed by Mark Louis Lehman's 1988 composition Three Primitives for Alto and Baritone Saxophone, recorded by Om Srivastava and Ryan Van Scoyk. Next came Peter Schickele's 1983 String Quartet No. 1 "American Dreams", recorded by St. Helens String Quartet, followed by Kris Frankenfeld, Larrie Howard and Elizabeth Steva's recording of Rick Sowash's 1989 composition Suite for Three Violins. The show continued with Eric Moe's 2006 composition All Sensation is Already Memory, recorded by flutist Tara Helen O'Connor and pianist Margaret Kampmeier, for whom it was written. And it concluded with violinist Stephen Bryant (violinist of St. Helens String Quartet) and pianist Lisa Bergman's recording of Ken Benshoof's 2005 composition 6 Diversions.
The show began with Richard Carrick's 2013 composition Sub-merge, recorded by the composer on piano and DZ4 Wind Quartet. Next came Gernot Wolfgang's 2013 composition String Theory, recorded by New Hollywood String Quartet, followed by Eighth Blackbird's recording of Andrew Norman's 2015 composition Mine, Mime, Meme. The show continued with String Orchestra of Brooklyn and Toomai String Quintet's recording of Carrick's 2013 composition Adagios for String Orchestra, followed by Eighth Blackbird's recording of Christopher Cerrone's 2014 composition South Catalina. Next came oboist Jennifer Johnson and bassoonist Judith Farmer's recording of Wolfgang's 2011 composition Passing Through, followed by Either/Or's recording of Carrick's 2013 composition The Veins of Marble. And the show concluded with Farmer and pianist Nic Gerpe's recording of Wolfgang's 2011 composition Flurry.
This show of vocal music began with Skylark Vocal Ensemble's recording of Daniel Elder's 2013 composition Elegy, which was inspired by the Taps bugle call and whose text by Horace Lorenzo Trim was written to accompany Taps. This was off Skylark's 2016 release Crossing Over, featuring choral works that "depict the dream state at the end of life". Next came soprano Caroline MacPhie and pianist Joseph Middleton's recording of Muriel Herbert's (Guardian) songs To Daffodils (from 1916, with its text by Robert Herrick), The Lost Nightingale (from 1939, with its text by Alcuin, translated by Helen Waddell), Renouncement (from 1923, with its text by Alice Meynell) and Cradle Song (from 1922, with its text by A. C. Swinburne). These songs are off MacPhie and Middleton's 2015 release Love Said to Me. This was followed by Cheryl Frances-Hoad's 2005 composition The Glory Tree, recorded by the Kreisler Ensemble. The Glory Tree is inspired by Shamanic rituals and is set to the text of Old English poems, including Dream of the Rood and Judith. The show continued with Skylark's recording of William Schuman's 1958 composition Carols of Death, with texts by Walt Whitman. There are three movements: The Last Invocation, The Unknown Region and To All, To Each. This was followed by MacPhie and Middleton's recording of Frances-Hoad's 2014 composition 2 Shakespeare Songs, with texts by Ian McMillan. Next came Skylark's recording of John Tavener's (Wikipedia) 2003 composition Butterfly Dreams. The show continued with three songs written by Ruth Lomon (Wikipedia, Brandeis, Bruce Duffie) in 1996, off her 2002 reflection on the Holocaust, Songs of Remembrance: Chor der Waisen (Chorus of the Orphans), with a text by Nelly Sachs, who fled Germany in 1940, recorded by soprano Jayne West, tenor Frank Kelley and oboist Laura Ahlbeck; Mes Yeux (My Eyes), with a text by Berthe Wizenberg Fleischer, who survived the occupation of France hidden in an orphanage, recorded by mezzo soprano Pamela Dellal and pianist Donald Berman; and Love Poem, with a text by Auschwitz survivor Charlotte Delbo, recorded by Dellal, Berman and Ahlbeck. And the show concluded with an excerpt of MacPhie and Middleton's recording of Rhian Samuel's 2013 composition The Gaze, whose text is from Hamlet.
This show of electronic and electro-acoustic music began with Daphne Oram (Wikipedia) and Andrea Parker's 2011 piece Women's Hour. This is off Parker's 2012 CD Private Dreams and Public Nightmares, consisting of her reworkings of material from electronic music pioneer Oram's musical archive. This was followed by Iannis Xenakis's 1991 computer music composition Gendy3. Next came Region IV of Karlheinz Stockhausen's 1967 composition Hymnen for electronics, tape and soloists, in a 1969 recording by Harald Bojé (electronium), Johannes Fritsch (electric viola), Alfred Alings and Rolf Gehlhaar (tam-tam), Aloys Kontarsky (piano) and the composer (live electronics). The show continued with Oram and Parker's 2011 composition Trepidation, followed by Xenakis's 1987 electro-acoustic composition Taurhiphanie. And the show concluded with Oram and Parker's 2011 composition Ghost Hamlet.
This was a show of music at the boundary of composition and improvisation, and at the intersection of classical music and jazz. We began with Lucian Ban's (Wikipedia) 2014 composition Irreverence, performed by Albrecht Maurer on violin, Mat Maneri on viola, and Ban on piano, and off their 2015 CD Fantasm. This was followed by Grupo de Musica Folklorica del Peru's recording of Joseph Celli's 1990 composition Andes, off his 1995 release Video Ears Music Eyes. The pieces on this CD were written to accompany multi-channel video presentations. Next came Maurer's 2013 composition Whatever Met My Ear, recorded by Maurer and flutist Norbert Rodenkirchen, off their 2014 release Loplop's Call, followed by Ban's 2014 composition Twin Rivers, off Fantasm. Loplop is a birdlike character featuring in the work of the artist Max Ernst. The show continued with Celli's 1992 composition 36 Strings, recorded by Jin Hi Kim on geomungo, and off Video Ears Music Eyes. This was followed by Rodenkirchen's 2013 composition Helpless Flames, off Loplop's Call, and then Paul Motian's 2014 composition Fantasm off the CD of the same name. And the show concluded with Celli's 1988 multi-track composition Violin and Video, recorded by Malcolm Goldstein, and off Video Ears Music Eyes.
This show featured work by two Boston-area composers. We began with Ruth Lomon's (Wikipedia, Brandeis, Bruce Duffie) 2000 composition Tributary, recorded by Jesse Begelfer, Jill Dreeben and Emily Krainer on flute. Next came the Ludovico Ensemble's recording of Marti Epstein's (Wikipedia, Berklee, Boston Globe) 2009 composition Hypnagogia, for clarinet, oboe, violin, cello, harp, piano and cimbalom. The show continued with Lomon's 1989 composition The Butterfly Effect, recorded by the Lydian String Quartet, followed by her 2009 composition Weavings, recorded by James Shields (clarinet/bass clarinet), Sally Guenther (cello), David Tolen (vibraphone/tom-toms) and Madeline Williamson (piano). And the show concluded with the Ludovico Ensemble's recording of Epstein's 2013 composition ...A Little Celestial Tenderness....
We celebrated the work of British composer and conductor Peter Maxwell Davies (Guardian obituary, Wikipedia), who passed away last week at the age of 81. Davies was born in Salford, educated in Manchester, and moved to (the) Orkney (islands) in 1971. He died at his home on the remote island of Sanday, where he had lived since the late 1990s. The show began with pianist Richard Casey's recording of Davies's 1978 composition Stevie's Ferry to Hoy (an island of Orkney). This was followed by Davies's 2003 composition Naxos Quartet No. 3, performed by the Maggini Quartet. Next came the London Symphony Orchestra's recording of Davies's 2013 composition Symphony No. 10, Op. 327 "Alla Ricerca di Borromini" ("Finding Borromini"), with Antonio Pappano conducting. And the show concluded with one more recording by Casey of one of Davies's works for piano: Farewell to Stromness (a town of Orkney), which was written in 1980.
The show began with William Price's 2005 composition Hook, Line and Sinker, recorded by Christopher Ayer on clarinet, Brian Utley on saxophone and Kae Hosoda-Ayer on piano. Next came three pieces by pianist Anthony de Mare from his Liaisons Project, in which 36 contemporary composers were invited to choose a song by Stephen Sondheim and re-imagine it as a solo piano piece. We listened to Steve Reich's take on Finishing the Hat, Nico Muhly's adapatation of Color and Light, and Gabriel Kahane's re-imagining of Being Alive. This was followed by Utley and Hosada-Ayer's recording of Perry Goldstein's 2006 composition Sonata for Soprano Saxophone and Piano. The show continued with Paul Hindemith's 1930 composition 7 Pieces for 3 Trautoniums, recorded by Oskar Sala on trautonium. This was followed by the Arditti String Quartet's recording of Henri Dutilleux's 1976 String Quartet "Ainsi la nuit". And the show concluded with an excerpt from Sala's recording of his own 1978 composition Electronic Impressions, No. 5 for trautonium.
This program of orchestral music began with Stacy Garrop's 2001 composition Shadow, recorded by the CCPA Chamber Orchestra with Markand Thakar conducting, and from Garrop's 2015 CD. This was followed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's recording of Béla Bartók's 1943 Concerto for Orchestra, conducted by Georg Solti. Next came two pieces by Rain Worthington off her 2016 CD: her 2004 composition Shredding Glass, recorded by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra with Robert Ian Winstin conducting, and her 2012 composition Reversing Mirrors in the Quiet, recorded by the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra with Petr Vronsky conducting. The show continued with Garrop's 1999 composition Thunderwalker, also off her 2015 CD featuring the CCPA Chamber Orchestra with Markand Thakar conducting. And it concluded with another piece by Worthington off her 2016 CD, recorded by the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra with Petr Vronsky conducting: her 2013 composition Fast Through Dark Winds.
The show began with the Spektral Quartet's recording of Sky Macklay's 2014 composition Many Many Cadences, which was commisioned for the quartet. This and two additional recordings by Spektral Quartet are off their 2016 release, Serious Business. This was followed by Mimi Rabson's compositions Strunk and E Ascending off her Strings Theory Trio's 2014 self-titled CD. Strings Theory Trio consists of Rabson and Helen Sherrah-Davies on five string violin, and Junko Fujiwara on cello; their music is improvised within the boundaries of a score. Next came collectif9's recording of Geof Holbrook's composition Volksmobiles, off their 2016 release of the same name; the composition was commisioned by collectif9. The show continued with Spektral Quartet's recording of David Reminick's 2014 composition The Ancestral Mousetrap for string quartet and vocalists (the quartet members themselves!), with a text by poet Russell Edson, from his 1994 book Poems from the Tunnel: Selected Poems of Russell Edson. This composition was commissioned by Spektral Quartet. This was followed by Strings Theory Trio's recording of Mimi Rabson's composition String Trio No. 1, also off their 2014 CD. And the show concluded with Chris Fisher-Lochhead's 2015 composition Hack, performed by Spektral Quartet, for whom it was commisioned.
In this show celebrating the work of composer Terry Riley (Wikipedia article), who is 80 this year, we began with the ZOFO (ZO = 20, FO = Finger Orchestra) four-hand piano duet's 2015 recording of Riley's 1985 composition Half-Wolf Dances Mad in Moonlight, in an arragement by ZOFO member Keisuke Nakagoshi. ZOFO's other member is Eva-Maria Zimmermann. This was followed by Riley's 1964 composition In C, in a 1968 recording by Riley and Members of the Creative and Performing Arts at SUNY-Buffalo, remastered in 2009. Next came ZOFO's 2015 recording of Riley's 1980 composition G Song (additional), arranged by Nakagoshi. The show continued with Riley's 1968 A Rainbow In Curved Air, realized by the composer through extensive overdubbing, with Riley playing electric organ, electric harpsichord, dumbec (goblet drum) and tambourine. And it concluded with ZOFO's 2015 recording of Riley's 1994 composition Jaztine. The Guardian's Guide to Terry Riley's Music.
This was a program of music by Steve Reich. We started with his 1994 composition Nagoya Marimbas for two marimbas, performed by Sean Connors and Peter Martin of Third Coast Percussion. This was followed by a recording of his 1981 composition Tehillim for voices and orchestra, based on Psalms 19, 34, 18 and 150, performed by Ossia, with Alan Pierson conducting. Next came Third Coast Percussion's performance of Reich's 2009 Mallet Quartet for two marimbas and two vibraphones. The show continued with Reich's 1987 composition Electric Counterpoint for guitar and taped guitar, performed by Pat Metheny. This was followed by Matthew Duvall and Third Coast Percussion's performance of Reich's 1973 composition Music for Pieces of Wood for five pairs of tuned claves. And the show concluded with an excerpt of Part IV of Reich's 1970-71 composition Drumming for 4 pairs of tuned bongo drums, 3 marimbas, 3 glockenspiels, 2 female voices, whistling and piccolo, performed by Steve Reich and Musicians.
The show began with Joan La Barbara's 1979 composition ShadowSong for voice and multi-track tape, performed by the composer. This was followed by Region III of Karlheinz Stockhausen's 1967 composition Hymnen for electronics, tape and soloists, in a 1969 recording by Harald Bojé (electronium), Johannes Fritsch (electric viola), Alfred Alings and Rolf Gehlhaar (tam-tam), Aloys Kontarsky (piano) and the composer (live electronics). Next came the Arditti Quartet's recording of Jonathan Harvey's 2003 String Quartet No. 4 (with Live Electronics), with Gilbert Nouno realizing the electronics. The show continued with La Barbara's 1979 composition Klee Alee for voice and multi-track tape, performed by the composer, and it concluded with an excerpt from La Barbara's 1980 composition Erin for voice and multi-track tape, also performed by the composer.
We began with Michael Tippett's 1946 composition Little Music for String Orchestra, performed by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with Neville Marriner conducting. This was followed by Elliott Carter's 1965 Piano Concerto, recorded by pianist Ursula Oppens and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Gielen. There is an American Mavericks interview with Carter. Next came the Lindsay String Quartet's recording of Tippett's 1978 String Quartet No. 4. The show continued with Carter's 1971 String Quartet No. 3, performed by the Pacifica Quartet. And the show concluded with an excerpt of Tippett's 1952 composition Ritual Dances (From "The Midsummer Marriage"), recorded by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, with John Pritchard conducting.
We began with Cheryl Frances-Hoad's 2010 composition Invocation, performed by cellist Leonid Gorokhov and Michael Petrov, Steffan Morris, Irene Enzlin, Sebastian Kolin, Andrew Power, Rosie Stoner and Rodrigo Moro Martín. This was followed by the International Contemporary Ensemble's recording of Anna Thorvaldsdottir's 2014 composition In the Light of Air. We continued with María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir's 2010 composition Sleeping Pendulum, performed by Nordic Affect. Next came the London Mozart Trio's recording of Frances-Hoad's 2012 composition Melancholia. This was followed by Thorvaldsdottir's 2012 work Shades Of Silence, performed by Nordic Affect. The show concluded with Sigfúsdóttir's 2013 composition Clockworking, recorded by Nordic Affect.
We celebrated the work of composer Pierre Boulez, who died last week at the age of 90. The show began with Boulez's 1984 composition Dérive 1 ("derivative", additional information), performed by Ensemble InterContemporain with Boulez conducting. Next came Paavali Jumppanen's recording of Boulez's 1948 composition Piano Sonata No. 2. This was followed by Boulez's 1997 composition Anthèmes 2 Pour Violon et Dispositif Électronique ("for violin and electronics", title combines "anthem" and "theme", additional information), performed by violinist Hae-Sun Kang, with Boulez's collaborator Andrew Gerzso controlling the electronics. There is a Scientific American article by Boulez and Gerzso on Computers in Music. The show continued with Boulez's 1985 composition Memoriale (... Explosante Fixe.... Originel) (additional information, Explosante Fixe), performed by Ensemble InterContemporain and flutist Sophie Cherrier, and conducted by Boulez. This was followed by clarinettist Alain Damiens's performance of Boulez's 1969 composition Domaines ("areas", additional information). The show concluded with pianist Hideki Nagano's performance of Boulez's 2005 composition Une Page d'Éphéméride ("a page of ephemeris"). Bruce Duffie's interviews of Boulez.
The show began with Aaron Copland's 1924 composition Prelude for Piano Trio, performed by cellist Wilhelmina Smith, violinist Nicholas Kitchen, and pianist Michael Boriskin. Next came the Amar Quartet's recording of Paul Hindemith's 1945 composition String Quartet No. 7 in E-flat Major. This was followed by Copland's 1937 composition Sextet for String Quartet, Clarinet and Piano, performed by Boriskin on piano, clarinettist Derek Bermel and the Borromeo String Quartet. The show continued with the Wiener Oktett's (Vienna Octet) 1964 recording of Hindemith's 1958 composition Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Violin, Two Violas, Cello and Double Bass. Next came Copland's 1971 composition Duo for Flute and Piano, performed by flutist Paul Dunkel and Boriskin on piano. And the show concluded with the original 1934 recording of Hindemith's Scherzo for Viola and Cello, with the composer on viola and Emanuel Feuermann on cello.
The show began with Alan Beeler's 1986 composition Homage to Roger Sessions, performed by the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra with Vladimír Válek conducting. Next came David Crumb's 2006-2011 composition Red Desert Triptych performed by pianist Marcantonio Barone. This was followed by piano duo Quattro Mani's recording of Paul Lansky's 2005 composition It All Adds Up. There's a New York Times profile on Lansky. The show continued with Judith Lang Zaimont's 1989 composition Piano Trio No. 1 "Russian Summer", performed by violinist Peter Winograd, cellist Peter Wyrick and pianist Joanne Polk. The show concluded with Alan Beeler's 2007 composition Marimba Concerto No. 2 "Da Chiesa" (Church), performed by Ladislav Bilan and the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra.
We began with Steven Scher's 1988 composition Brechtstimme, performed by the marimba/violin duo Marimolin, off their 1996 album Phantasmata. Marimolin consisted of marimbist Nancy Zeltsman and violinist Sharan Leventhal. This was followed by Steve Reich's 1984 piece Sextet for percussion and keyboards, peformed by Steve Reich and Musicians. Next came Igor Stravinsky's 1913 composition The Rite of Spring, peformed by the London Symphony Orchestra with Robert Craft conducting. The show concluded with two more pieces off Marimolin's Phantasmata CD: Karl Kohn's 1985 composition Cantilena II, and Daniel Levitan's 1987 composition Duo for Violin and Marimba.
This was a show of electro-acoustic compositions. We began with Luciano Berio's 1959 tape composition Thema (Omaggio a Joyce), in which a reading by Cathy Berberian from James Joyce's Ulysses is manipulated electronically. This was followed by Morton Subotnick's 1986 work Jacob's Room for voice, cello and electronics, drawing on the novel by Virginia Woolf, Plato's Phaedrus, and Nicholas Gage's Eleni, and performed by soprano Joan La Barbara and cellist Erika Duke. Next came Region II of Karlheinz Stockhausen's 1967 composition Hymnen for tape and live soloists, performed by Aloys Kontarsky, Alfred Alings, Rolf Gehlhaar, Johannes Fritsch, Harald Bojé and the composer. And the show concluded with Milton Babbitt's 1964 composition Philomel for voice, recorded voice and electronics, with a libretto by John Hollander based on Ovid's myth of Philomela, and performed by soprano Bethany Beardslee.
The show began with a 2006 recording of Gene Pritsker's Clarinet Quintet: "Falls to with an Appetite", peformed by the Lumina String Quartet with clarinettist Phillip Bashor. This was followed by Amjad Ali Khan's composition Rivers of Bliss, performed by Amaan Ali Khan on sarod, Elmira Darvarova on violin, and Tanmoy Bose on tabla. This was off the 2015 release Soul Strings, a collaboration between Khan's sons, Amaan Ali and Ayaan Ali, and Western classical violinist Darvarova. Next came two performances by the Kronos Quartet off their 1992 album Pieces of Africa: Escalay ("Waterwheel"), composed by Hamza El Din, and Wawshishijay ("Our Beginning"), composed by Obo Addy. This was followed by Elmira Darvarova's performance of Norman Zocher's composition Rock Ethic, off the Soul Strings collaboration. The show continued with Lester Trimble's composition 4 Fragments from the Canterbury Tales, in a 2015 performance by soprano Melissa Fogarty, Kaoru Hinata on flute, Christopher Cullen on clarinet, and Jennifer Griesbach on harpsichord. The show concluded with guitarist David Starobin and violinist Amalia Hall's 2015 recording of Schrödinger's Cat, composed by Poul Ruders.
The show started with Michael Tippett's 1971 composition Fanfare for Brass, performed by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. Next came Tippett's 1946 composition String Quartet No. 3, performed by the Lindsay String Quartet. This was followed by Elliott Carter's 1959 composition String Quartet No. 2, performed by the Pacifica Quartet. There is an American Mavericks interview with Carter. We then heard Iannis Xenakis's 1989 composition Rebonds, performed by percussionist Steven Schick. The show concluded with Iannis Xenakis's 1989 composition Okho, performed by red fish blue fish and Steven Schick.
The show started with clarinettist Catriana Scott's performance of Cheryl Frances-Hoad's 2008 composition Bouleumata (ability to deliberate). Continuing with Frances-Hoad's music, we next heard her 2007 work The Ogre Lover, performed by the Lendvai String Trio. This was followed by Dmitri Shostakovich's 1948 composition Violin Concerto No. 1 In A Minor, performed by Ilya Kaler and the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Antoni Wit. Next came cellist Michael Nicolas's performance of Anna Thorvaldsdottir's 2014 composition Transitions. The show concluded with the Chelsea Symphony's performance of David Cheskey's 2015 composition Arbeit Macht Frei, conducted by Yaniv Segal, off the new release Joy and Sorrow.
This was fundraising week on WMBR. The show used Steve Reich's 1971 composition Drumming as its bed music. We began with two tracks off the Kronos Quartet's 1992 album Pieces of Africa: Mai Nozipo (Mother Nozipo), composed by Dumisani Maraire, and Ekitundu Ekisooka (First Movement), composed by Justinian Tamasuza. Next came two tracks off the soundtrack to Godfrey Reggio's 1982 film Koyaanisqatsi, which was composed and directed by Phillip Glass: Organic and Clouds. This was followed by recordings by the Chelsea Symphony of two compositions by David Cheskey off the new release Joy and Sorrow: Dora's Dance and Betty's March. Then came two tracks from the soundtrack of Peter Greenaway's 1991 film Prospero's Books, composed by Michael Nyman and performed by the Michael Nyman Band: Prospero's Magic and Miranda. This was followed by recordings of two compositions by Julia Wolfe, from the new release Anthracite Fields, performed by Mark Stewart, Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Bang on a Can All-Stars and Julian Wachner: Speech and Flowers. The show concluded with Don Plonsey's Stay Fresh Baggies 4, off the new release Killer Tuba Songs, Vol. 2: Naked Singularity.
This was a show of new releases on the Bridge Records label. We began with Roger Sessions's 1930 composition Waltz for Brenda, performed by pianist David Holzman. This was followed by Stefan Wolpe's 1949 composition Sonata for Violin and Piano, performed by violinist Movses Pogossian and pianist Susan Grace. Next came Sessions's 1953 composition Sonata for Violin, peformed by David Bowlin. The show continued with Wolpe's composition Two Studies for Two Violins and Piano, performed by Pogossian, Grace and violinist Varty Manouelian. We concluded with Sessions's 1942 composition Duo, performed by Holzman and Bowlin.
We started with singer and composer Joan La Barbara's 1990 recording of John Cage's song Forever and Sunsmell, which takes its text from the E. E. Cummings poem. Next came Cage's 1950 composition String Quartet in Four Parts, recorded by the LaSalle Quartet. This was followed by Cage's 1976 composition Apartment House 1776, performed by the New England Conservatory Philharmonia. It was commissioned for the United States Bicentennial. Next came Jeanne Kirstein's performance of Cage's 1944 composition for prepared piano, The Perilous Night. The show concluded with La Barbara's vocal composition Berliner Träume — Berlin Dreams — realized by the composer in 1983. Bruce Duffie conducted excellent interviews of John Cage and Joan La Barbara.
We started with two songs — Sofa No. 2 and Idiot Bastard Son — by Frank Zappa, arranged for tuba and played by Jay Rozen, off Rozen's 2015 CD Killer Tuba Songs, Vol. 2: Naked Singularity. This was followed by Morton Subotnick's 1968 electronic music composition The Wild Bull, motivated by an ancient Sumerian poem of mourning. We then heard Steve Reich's 1988 composition for string quartet and tape, Different Trains, played by the Kronos String Quartet. This composition is Reich's reflection on the Holocaust, and the tape features the voices of Holocaust survivors. Next came two electronic pieces by Zappa, realized by the composer in 1984: Love Story and Outside Now Again. The show concluded with two pieces by the Zentripetal [Violin/Cello] Duo. The first was Heitor Villa-Lobos's 1928 composition Deux Choros (bis). The second was Gene Pritsker's Clubbin'.
We started with an excerpt from Michael Nyman's The Draughtman's Contract, which was part of the soundtrack for the Peter Greenaway film of the same name. Next came Region I of Karlheinz Stockhausen's work of electronic and concrete music, Hymnen. We heard the 1969 recording in which the four channel tape was accompanied by live instrumentalists. Then we returned to Nyman, playing an excerpt from his chamber opera The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, based on the Oliver Sacks neurological case study. Finally, we played an excerpt from Stockhausen's 1968 composition Stimmung.
