Week of November 1, 2021 - Slipped Through the Cracks: Great, Little Known Symphonies from Late 19th Century Slipped Through the Cracks is an episode in our ongoing series of symphonic voyages. In over a decade of exploring the symphonic form, we’ve found plenty of rare gems to share with you, and in this episode, we hope that you, too, will be delighted to discover these lesser-known offerings. From the turn of the 20th century, we’ll explore symphonies by English composer Arnold Bax and the Swedish composer Hugo Alfven and then sail across the pond to hear works from the New World.
Week of November 8, 2021 - Autumn Leaves The changing seasons are a beloved theme of Exploring Music. “Composers,” Bill says, “just as much as poets and painters, love to celebrate the joys, the very charms of Autumn.” Bill begins with opposite expressions: the energetic Autumn section of Alexander Glazunov’s ballet "The Seasons" and Mahler’s gloomy “The Lonely One in Autumn” from The Song of the Earth (Das Lied von der Erde). Bill then crosses countries, continents, and centuries in Autumn, from Europe to North America, to South America and to Japan. Week of November 15, 2021 - Russian Five: The Mighty Handful Five prominent composers; Balakirev, Mussorgsky, Cui, Borodin, and Rimsky-Korsakov all worked to help form the Russian National School of Composers, which later was named The New Russian School. These five composers, led by Mily Balakirev, all lived in Saint Petersburg and collaborated from 1856 to 1870. Throughout these five episodes, Bill will research each of these composers and demonstrate some of their most prominent works. Monday, Mussorgsky; Tuesday, Rimsky-Korsakov; Wednesday, Borodin; Thursday, Cui; Friday, Balakirev.
Week of November 22, 2021 - Family Matters: All in the Family Musicians are like that proverbial apple; they too do not fall far from the tree. When musicians marry musicians, their children are bound to be musical. This week Bill features families of composers and their music-making kin, including many generations of the Bach family, Scarlatti family, plus Robert and Clara Schumann. Enjoy and listen for the familial connections in their works.
Week of November 29, 2021 - TBA