Host Bill McGlaughlin explores two Nordic greats: Edvard Grieg and Jean Sibelius during the week of September 21st. Week nights at 7pm.
Week of September 7, 2020 - Béla Bartók (1881-1945) -This week Bill follows the life and musical development of one of Hungary’s greatest composers. A musician’s musician, Bartok was supported by many of the great conductors of his time; Paul Sacher, conductor of the Basel Chamber Orchestra commissioned the Divertimento for Strings, Serge Koussevitsky and Fritz Reiner commissioned the Concerto for Orchestra, and Benny Goodman commissioned his trio Contrasts for violin, clarinet and piano.
Week of September 14, 2020 - Treasure Hunt - EUREKA! This week Bill invites us to come along on a treasure hunt. We will dig deep into that overflowing box of CDs in the back of his front hall closet. He found many real treasures starting with a marvelous young Icelandic pianist, Vikingur Olafsson and a beautiful recording of the Beethoven violin concerto with Leonidas Kavakos. This is a well-rounded week where we are introduced to musicians with fresh new interpretations of works by Beethoven, Debussy, and Brahms, and we end the week crossing the world with works from Lisa Batiashvili’s City Lights, Susan Palma’s Best of Brazil, and Howard Wall’s Horn Monologues.
Week of September 21, 2020 - Grieg and Sibelius - We’ll explore the lives and music of the two Nordic greats: Edvard Grieg and Jean Sibelius. Music spanning almost one hundred years includes a number of chamber works, Grieg’s Peer Gynt, Norwegian Dances, and several Sibelius symphonies. Bill will introduce us to the hardanger fiddle, and we’ll listen to Norwegian Leif Ove Andsnes performing on Edvard Grieg’s own piano.
Week of September 28, 2020 - Schubertiade II - The title refers to home music-making among Franz Schubert’s wide circle of friends, when in each others’ homes they sang his songs and played his piano pieces and chamber music. These were evenings among semi-Bohemians, rich with music and conversations. This week we explore the chamber-music compositions of Schubert. Some of these works are very familiar like the Trout Quintet, and others like some of his string quartets are less know but equally as wonderful.
