Week of February 5, 2024 - From the Mountains to the Sea Sweeping expansive music that expresses the breadth of land and seascapes, with a sense of coming together to where these elements touch each other—land meeting water, mountains stretching to heavens above, and distant horizons where oceans and skies blend. We’ll journey to islands with fiery volcanoes and molten earth, and in the quiet of the night sit on soft grass in front of a bonfire and listen to their music. This image brings together many genres: symphonies and folksongs from the hills of Appalachia, ballads of conquering heroes, and lost souls. We will hear the music of Liszt, Strauss, Moeran, and forgotten composers we call Traditional and Anonymous.
Week of February 12, 2024 - Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) By his early thirties, Igor Stravinsky had captured the world stage with The Firebird, dazzled audiences with Petrushka and incited riots with The Rite of Spring. Before the First World War, he had earned his place as a seminal figure of the 20th century. We’ll explore this fascinating life and sample his works.
Week of February 19, 2024 - Let Me Tell You A Story, Part I Composers telling us stories. Franz Schubert died asking for more of James Fenimore Cooper’s novels like The Last of the Mohicans. We can only imagine that Schubert was looking for more musical inspiration from stories of forbidden love caught in the crosshairs of the French and Indian War. The next two weeks will feature tone poems, operas, and symphonies inspired by folk tales and legends.
Week of February 26, 2024 - Let Me Tell You A Story, Part II Week two of composers telling us stories. From Arthur Benjamin’s composition based on A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens to John Williams composing music to the stories of Harry Potter. Stories told and feelings expressed through music go far back in history and to the core of our human spirit.
