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Samuel Barber At 100, Reconsidered
He was once dismissed as a composer for "high middlebrow taste." But Barber, who wrote the famous Adagio for Strings, would not be criticized if he were an emerging composer today, 100 years after his birth.
(9 March)
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Suds And Sensibility: Barber's Violin Concerto
Barber's beautiful concerto came about at the request of a soap magnate named Samuel Fels. Although the business end of the commission was sullied, the concerto came out sparkling. Hear violinist James Ehnes play the piece in concert.
(9 March)
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Barber's 'Adagio': Naked Expression Of Emotion
There's a simple logic behind Samuel Barber's emotional Adagio. It progresses from a single note to high emotional wailing to release to final acceptance. On today's centennial of Barber's birth, take a guided tour of the music with commentator Rob Kapilow.
(9 March)
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The Life And Music Of Samuel Barber
In the middle of the 20th century, when composers were writing with angularity and dissonance, Barber forged his own lyrical, romantic style. By the time he was 26, he'd composed the iconic Adagio for Strings.
(5 March)
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Bellini's 'Zaira': Misunderstood Melodrama
Despite its beautiful music, and a storyline filled with passionate romance, violent conflict and international intrigue, Vincenzo Bellini's Zaira was received coolly at its premiere, partially due to cutthroat musical politics.
(5 March)
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SXSW 2010: Brooklyn Rider, Live In Concert
Drawing from its globe-trotting experience with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble, Brooklyn Rider blends genres and influences seamlessly, carving out its own unique space within the world of chamber music. The string quartet will perform as part of NPR Music's daytime party at The Parish in Austin, Texas, on March 18.
(3 March)
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NPR Music Presents: SXSW 2010 Schedule
See the schedule for both our opening-night showcase at Stubb's, featuring Spoon, Broken Bells, Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings, The Walkmen and Visqueen, and our day party on Thursday at the Parish, featuring Sleigh Bells, Surfer Blood, G-Side, Local Natives, Brooklyn Rider and Smith Westerns.
(3 March)
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We Apologize In Advance: A Chopin-oply Of Chopuns
All day today, the staff at NPR Music has been consumed with finding new ways to rework composer Frederic Chopin's name. It all started because this year marks the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth. NPR Music is celebrating the occasion with a series of live performances, interviews and essays, and someone mentioned that we were in a state of Chopin-demonium from all of our exhaustive coverage, followed by the appropriate groans.
(2 March)
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The Life And Music Of Frederic Chopin
A composer of matchless genius, no one before or since Chopin has contributed as many significant works to the piano's repertoire, or come closer to capturing its soul.
(2 March)
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A World Of Expression In A Tiny Chopin Mazurka
Chopin had the courage to believe that the expression contained in a three-minute Mazurka for solo piano could be as powerful as the expression in an entire four-hour Wagner opera. Hear pianist and composer Rob Kapilow, and radio host Fred Child, explain what makes Chopin great.
(2 March)
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The White Stripes, Sharon Jones, Chopin And More
All this year, NPR Music is celebrating the 200th birthday of pianist Frederic Chopin. We feature one of his impromptus, performed by pianist Yundi Li. Also on the show: a welcoming piece from Joanna Newsom's new triple-length album; the stunning arrangements of Owen Pallett; Pantha du Prince's minimal electronic music; hard-hitting soul from Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings; and a cut from The White Stripes' live concert documentary.
(1 March)
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Chopin's Iconic Funeral March
No one made funeral music quite like Frederic Chopin, the Polish composer born 200 years ago Monday. Chances are, you've heard snippets of his musical evocation of doom and gloom in cartoons, movies and — of course — funerals.
(1 March)
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Chopin We Love
What's not to love about Chopin? Perhaps even more than the works of Bach and Mozart, Chopin's music is almost universally admired — by pianists, by critics, and by people who know nothing about classical music. Hear some of NPR contributors' favorite performances of music by Chopin on the 200th anniversary of the composer's birth.
(28 February)
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Chopin With A Polish Touch
Nearly every classical pianist loves Chopin. But pianists from Poland have a special bond with the music of their countryman. NPR Music's Tom Huizenga and Weekend All Things Considered host Guy Raz spin great Chopin recordings by Polish pianists from 1917 up to today.
(28 February)
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Love For Sale: Massenet's 'Manon'
On this edition of World of Opera, host Lisa Simeone presents Jules Massenet's Manon in a production from the Vienna State Opera. It features a brilliant performance by soprano Diana Damrau as Manon, with tenor Ramon Vargas as Des Grieux.
(26 February)
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Garrick Ohlsson: The Chopin Guy
In 1970, in Cold War-era Warsaw, an unknown American pianist named Garrick Ohlsson stunned the classical world by winning the International Chopin Competition. The composer's music has played a huge role in Ohlsson's career ever since. Hear him play Chopin in the WNYC studio.
(25 February)
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The Classical Strongman's Guide To Awesome Abs
Not as macho as Mahler, nor limber as Ligeti? You'll see results almost immediately after listening to these five exercise essentials from the wild world of classical music. The sounds of iron pumping and breathless beats from the barrel organ are just what you need to inspire your personal best. Manly, yes, but women will love it, too.
(24 February)
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The Story of 'Simon Boccanegra'
(19 February)
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Fathers, Daughters And Fate: Verdi's 'Simon Boccanegra'
Verdi drew inspiration from his own tragic life as a father for a number of his operas, including Simon Boccanegra, where a father-daughter relationship fuels one of his most complex and moving of his tragedies.
(19 February)
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Gustav Mahler Gets The 'Royal' Treatment
The young British soprano Kate Royal grew up in a pop-music household with a singer-songwriter as a father. But she found her way to classical music and now has a blossoming career. Hear her sing Mahler in concert with the L.A. Philharmonic.
(17 February)
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Verdi's 'La Traviata:' The Original 'Pretty Woman'
Like the Julia Roberts movie Pretty Woman, Verdi's La Traviata tells the tale of a good-hearted call-girl who meets Mr. Right, only to give him up in the end.
(16 February)
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Maria Callas: Voice Of Perfect Imperfection
The late, great opera diva's sound could sometimes be hollow and dark, sometimes shrill, sometimes gorgeous. Callas continues to thrill and divide audiences with her distinctive voice and the raw intensity she put into it.
(15 February)
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First Listen: Rafal Blechacz Plays Chopin
In 2005, the young Rafal Blechacz was the first Pole to win the coveted Chopin Prize since 1975. Now, thrust into the spotlight with a handsome recording contract, he has recorded the two Piano Concertos by Chopin. Hear them in their entirety.
(15 February)
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Unearthing Prokofiev: Rare Works Get NYC Debut
When it comes to Prokofiev's music, pianist and Yale University professor Boris Berman is the go-to guy. Along with faculty and student musicians, Berman will present newly discovered pieces by the Soviet composer at New York's Zankel Hall on Tuesday night.
(9 February)
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Antics And Anguish: Puccini's 'La Boheme'
Passion turns into lasting love, but ends with desperate tragedy, in Puccini's beloved La Boheme — maybe the greatest "date opera" in history — in a racy new production from the Washington National Opera.
(5 February)
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The Story of 'La Boheme'
New love takes a tragic turn in Puccini's beloved La Boheme.
(4 February)
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'Cheek To Cheek': The Melody Lingers On
Top Hat, from 1935, featured Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. But commentator Rob Kapilow says the real star of the movie is Irving Berlin's classic song, "Cheek to Cheek."
(2 February)
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Quartet San Francisco: Brubeck On Strings
The chamber ensemble earned two Grammy nominations for its 2009 album, which rearranged classic tunes by the jazz composer Dave Brubeck. On the eve of the Grammy Awards, the string quartet visited NPR to play songs like "Blue Rondo a la Turk."
(31 January)
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The Story of 'Agrippina'
Early in his career, Handel unleashed an odd-ball comedy, built with ruthless characters from ancient Rome.
(29 January)
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'Agrippina,' Handel's Unlikely Comedy
In his first, true operatic masterpiece, Handel creates an odd-ball comedy filled with scheming characters from ancient Rome. Read the story and hear excerpts from the site of the opera's premiere, in 1710.
(29 January)
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Fritz Kreisler's Music (And His Violin) At WGBH
Danish violinist Nikolaj Znaider plays one of the most famous fiddles around: a 1741 Guarneri del Gesu that once belonged to the beloved violinist and composer Fritz Kreisler. Hear Znaider play works by Kreisler in the WGBH studios.
(28 January)
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First Listen: The Knife, 'Tomorrow, In A Year'
Something beautiful happens in the midst of The Knife's electro-opera, based on Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species: The music itself evolves as the album progresses. Hear the Swedish duo's collaboration with Planningtorock and Mt. Sims in its entirety until its digital release on Feb. 2.
(28 January)
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Remembering Pianist Earl Wild
Celebrated for his robust technique and rich tone, American pianist and composer Earl Wild died Saturday at age 94, after an eight-decade career. He performed for six American presidents and was the first pianist to give a solo recital on American television.
(27 January)
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Brooklyn Rider: Tiny Desk Concert
It's hard to know what will happen when the string quartet Brooklyn Rider starts playing. Yes, these four guys love to play Debussy and Brahms, but they're just as likely to team up with a singer-songwriter or a Kurdish kamancheh player. Or write their own music. So we weren't sure what they'd do when they stopped by the NPR Music offices to play a Tiny Desk Concert. What we got was a bracing sample of their visceral fire.
(26 January)
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Shenyang: A Bass Baritone With A Big Sound
The 25-year-old won the prestigious Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 2007. When American soprano Renee Fleming heard him perform in Shanghai, she was floored — so she encouraged him to go to Juilliard in New York. This past year, Shenyang made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera, and he'll soon appear in La Boheme.
(24 January)
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Sacred Songs And DJs: New Classical CDs
From the swirling sounds of 18th-century Ottoman court music to hypnotic, modern chants from Kiev, NPR Music's Tom Huizenga and Weekend All Things Considered host Guy Raz spin an extra-wide assortment of new classical music.
(24 January)
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Yuja Wang: A Pinch-Hitter Takes The Lead
By the time she was 18, Wang had carved out a niche as a performer to call when older big-name pianists couldn't make it to their engagements. But now, at 22, she's headlining a project of her own: Her debut CD, Sonatas and Etudes, has been nominated for a Grammy.
(23 January)
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The Story of 'Macbeth'
The Story of 'Macbeth'
(22 January)
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Shakespeare At The Opera: Verdi's 'Macbeth'
Verdi called Shakespeare's play "one of mankind's greatest creations." Hear the composer's own fascinating version of Shakespeare's Macbeth in a production from the Bastille Opera in Paris.
(22 January)
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Cleveland Orchestra On Strike
The sound of one of the world's best orchestras has been replaced by the sound of pickets. Musicians at the Cleveland Orchestra went on strike Sunday night after failing to reach an agreement with management.
(19 January)
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Opera Vs. Politics: Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth
When Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk was premiered in 1934, it made Shostakovich a star. When Soviet leaders denounced the opera two years later, the composer feared for his freedom, and even his life.
(15 January)
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Hiromi: Pachelbel's Canon, Reinvented
Pianists have long played Pachelbel's stately Canon, but Japanese jazz player Hiromi Uehara stands out for her treatment of this classical chestnut. While maintaining respect for its structure and charm, she still finds a way to turn the piece inside-out.
(15 January)
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The Story of 'Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk'
This graphic and searing opera by Shostakovich was a hit at its premiere, in 1934, but then got the composer in serious trouble with Soviet authorities after Stalin saw it two years later.
(14 January)
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Violist Finds Favor In Indie Rock And Classics
Violist and From the Top alum Lauren Chipman enjoys erasing the borders between classical and pop music. She plays in a string quartet and an indie rock band, teaches classical music to kids and writes film scores. Watch a video of her story.
(12 January)
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Steve Reich's 'Maximum' Minimalism
The composer's Music for 18 Musicians was a breakthrough work in the history of minimalism and a watershed moment in Reich's career. Its lush textures and expansion of a static harmonic situation make for a dynamic work, bringing elements of "maximalism" to minimalism.
(12 January)
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The Root Of All Opera: Monteverdi's 'Orfeo'
It's hard to say who wrote the very first opera, but there's little doubt about the first, truly great one — it's Monteverdi's 1607 masterpiece, Orfeo, and it comes to World of Opera from a truly great opera house, Milan's La Scala.
(8 January)
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The Story of 'Orfeo'
It's hard to say who wrote the very first opera, but there's little doubt about the first, truly great one — it's Monteverdi's 1607 masterpiece, Orfeo, and it comes to World of Opera from a truly great opera house, Milan's La Scala.
(7 January)
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The Decade In Classical Recordings
From Osvaldo Golijov's cross-cultural musical fiesta to the chestnut-colored voice of Rolando Villazon, NPR Music's Tom Huizenga and All Things Considered host Guy Raz spin a few of the most notable classical recordings of the past ten years.
(5 January)
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John Dowland's Art Of Melancholy
Dowland was an important and beloved composer at a time when there was no dichotomy between popular and classical music. He was, in effect, an Elizabethan-era pop musician. The dark, wistful mood that pervades Dowland's lute music was, in its day, a sign of maturity and intelligence.
(5 January)
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Musicians We Lost, 2000-2009
The music world lost many greats in the past decade, including artists who shaped the sounds of rock 'n' roll, soul, pop and country as we know them today. Hear remembrances of some of these legends, culled from the NPR archives. Add your own remembrances of these and other musicians who died during the past decade in the comments section.
(1 January)
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Comic Tchaikovsky: 'The Tsarina's Slippers'
Tchaikovsky is famous for dark, brooding symphonies, and of all his operas, only one is a comedy. Yet his fanciful score The Tsarina's Slippers is surely among the most charming of all Russian comic operas.
(1 January)
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The Story of 'The Tsarina's Slippers'
Tchaikovsky is famous for dark, brooding symphonies, and of all his operas, only one is a comedy. Yet his fanciful score The Tsarina's Slippers is surely among the most charming of all Russian comic operas.
(31 December)
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The Loudness Wars: Why Music Sounds Worse
In the past decade, recorded music has gotten louder — and has deteriorated from a sound-quality standpoint. A recording engineer discusses "the loudness wars," and a psychology professor explains why the ubiquity of MP3s has changed what we hear.
(31 December)
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The Summer Jam And The Return Of The Single
This past decade has seen the return of the single. Not since the 1950s and '60s have singles been so important to musicians' careers or so often accounted for the bulk of their sales. No phenomenon illustrates this more clearly than the wondrous, illogical beast known as The Summer Jam.
(31 December)
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Mahler's Apocalyptic Second Symphony
Mahler's grand-scale "Resurrection" Symphony marked the real beginning of his career as a composer. It's the work with which he answered the metaphysical challenge of Beethoven's Ninth, with a turbulent beginning and a triumphant conclusion.
(29 December)
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2006 And The Death Of Tower Records
Once, Tower Records was the place to go if you were searching for obscure music in any genre. The chain's exhaustive inventory and knowledgeable staff earned it adoring fans. But it wasn't the Internet that killed the retailing star.
(29 December)
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Darwin's Theories, Speaking Musically
Hear the genre-busting Turtle Island Quartet perform a new composition called Tree of Life, in the Performance Today studio. Inspired by Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species and written by Turtle Island's leader, David Balakrishnan, the music encompasses a wide range of cultural references.
(28 December)
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YouTube: Online Fame For Everyone
Launched in early 2005, YouTube has changed the way we communicate. The video-sharing Web site has given us a new way of reaching each other, not to mention shortcuts to fame, nostalgia and togetherness.
(28 December)
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Cinderella Revisited: Rossini's La Cenerentola
In La Cenerentola, Rossini's take on the classic story of Cinderella, the title character overcomes her dysfunctional family with an admirable combination of courage and tolerance. Joyce DiDonato stars in the tile role in a production from Houston Grand Opera.
(25 December)
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Death Metal In The Operating Room?
Many surgeons listen to music in the operating room; surveys tell us as much, and so do surgeons. But the practice hasn't been subjected to rigorous study, until now. Dr. Claudius Conrad is a German-born, Boston-based surgeon who also trained as a concert pianist and holds a Ph.D. in music philosophy. Conrad has performed scholarly research on the effect music in the operating room has on the work of surgeons.
(24 December)
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In Memoriam: Musicians We Lost In 2009
NPR Music remembers the singers, instrumentalists, songwriters and producers who died in 2009. Explore the musical legacies they leave behind. Please help us honor other artists who passed away this year by discussing them in the comments section below.
(23 December)
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Free Downloads: The Best Of NPR Music Live
Our gift to you this year: a plethora of NPR Music's favorite live recordings, all for free download. Keep the very best concerts we recorded across the country in 2009 — and, by "the country," we mean "Washington, D.C.; Newport, R.I.; New York City; Austin, Texas; and just across the room at Bob Boilen's desk."
(23 December)
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A Robot Named Shimon Wants To Jam With You
A robot programmed to play in the style of jazz masters such as Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane was part of the first intercontinental musical interaction between humans and machines. The robot can listen, improvise and interact with people using an iPhone app.
(22 December)
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Handel's Miraculous 'Messiah'
Handel's deeply felt musical setting of the life of Christ conveys the emotional tide of its story with almost miraculous insight. In the process, it's acquired a universality that is unique in the history of music.
(22 December)
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The IPod: 'A Quantum Leap In Listening'
It wasn't the first player to offer music on the go; remember the Walkman? And it wasn't the first portable MP3 player. But its impact is undeniable. Launched in 2001, the iPod represents one of the signal musical events of the decade that's coming to a close.
(22 December)
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Australian Chamber Orchestra: Tiny Desk Concert
The adventurous ensemble has been widely praised for its risk-taking attitude. Gathered around Bob Boilen's desk, a stripped-down incarnation of the group plays music by Ravel, then unpacks several Egyptian instruments for an original composition.
(21 December)
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'The Childhood Of Christ' In Concert
Driven by a dream of a child who'll destroy him, Herod flies into a rage that drives the holy family to flee into Egypt. Hear the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, with conductor Douglas Boyd and soloists, perform Hector Berlioz's vivid L'Enfance du Christ in concert.
(21 December)
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Napster: The File-Sharing Service That Started It All?
The "aughts," as some are calling these years, have seen the music industry turned on its head. The revolution actually began in 1999, with a little project by college student Shawn Fanning. By 2000, the online file-sharing service was being sued by record labels and musicians. The next year, it was gone. But Napster's legacy lingers on.
(21 December)
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Scheming in Scotland: Handel's 'Ariodante'
Handel, a German composer, became a superstar in London, England, by writing Italian operas. Ariodante, one of his best, is set in Scotland, and was premiered in 1735 in a then brand new theater at London's Covent Garden.
(18 December)
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Hitting The Sweet Spot: Best Classical Of 2009
When classical musicians literally play to their own strengths, magic can happen. Hear today's top classical musicians revisit the music they know and love best in recordings chosen by Boston's WGBH.
(18 December)
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The Story of 'Ariodante'
Handel, a German composer, became a superstar in London, England, by writing Italian operas. Ariodante, one of his best, is set in Scotland, and was premiered in 1735 in a then brand new theater at London's Covent Garden.
(18 December)
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Christmas Means Music For Boys Choir
For members of the National Cathedral Boy Choristers in Washington, D.C., Christmas is not about angling for video games or iPods, but parsing each note in Handel's Messiah, performing before thousands of people — and wondering when their voices will change.
(17 December)
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Monteverdi's Pioneering 'Vespers'
Monteverdi stood on the divide between two great musical periods, the Renaissance and the Baroque. His Vespers illustrates a mastery at blending the new with the old in a way that's coherent, expressive and moving, especially in John Eliot Gardiner's atmospheric recording made in Venice.
(15 December)
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Jingle Jams: A Holiday Mix From NPR Music
We asked 10 stations to send us 10 of their favorite holiday songs, mixed them up and this is what we got – a festive stream of songs by everyone from Bach to the Ramones to Louis Armstrong.
(14 December)
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'Hitler's Favorite Tenor' Hits A High Note
German tenor Max Lorenz had a voice that could move millions — though Lorenz will be most remembered as Hitler's (and Wagner's) favorite. A new documentary about The Life and Times of Max Lorenz, chronicles the conflict and triumph of his unlikely voice and paints an intimate portrait, according to critic Lloyd Schwartz.
(11 December)
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Profound and Perplexing: Verdi's 'Don Carlo'
Verdi's enigmatic yet profoundly beautiful opera takes just about every moral dilemma imaginable and gives them all recognizable, human faces, the sort of faces one sees every day — sometimes, even in the mirror. Tenor Jonas Kaufmann stars as the troubled title character in a production from London's Covent Garden.
(11 December)
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The Story of 'Don Carlo'
London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, presents Verdi's enigmatic yet profoundly beautiful drama, in a production starring acclaimed tenor Jonas Kaufmann as the troubled title character and bass Ferruccio Furlanetto as the tormented King Phillip.
(11 December)
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Composer George Walker Writes For His Son
The Pulitzer Prize winner has helped blaze a trail for African-American classical composers. His music has been performed by many of this country's top orchestras and he's got more than 80 commissions to his name. Yet only now — at the age of 87 — has he written a work for his son. Violinist Gregory Walker didn't even know about it until the finished score showed up in the mail.
(11 December)
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Rebuilding An Instrument By Leonardo's Design
With all the high-tech attractions in Times Square, holiday tourists are flocking to an instrument that was designed 500 years ago. Curators used the sketches of Leonardo da Vinci to figure out how to build it. Among the toughest things to re-create: a viola-harpsichord hybrid that can be played while walking.
(10 December)
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Lang Lang's Piano Choices At Nobel Prize Ceremony
Pianist Lang Lang's musical selections could add insight into Obama's Nobel Peace Prize address.
(10 December)
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Recording Studios Face Uncertain Future
As technology has evolved and become more affordable, bands no longer need to book hours of expensive studio time in a facility with million-dollar consoles. They can approximate a decent sound in the basement. So where does that leave recording engineers and all of that expensive equipment?
(10 December)
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Reich On Reich: A Composer And His Music
Steve Reich introduces key pieces in a 50-year career as one of America's most innovative composers. It's part of Maximum Reich, a weeklong celebration of the composer and his music on Q2, the new music stream from WQXR in New York.
(10 December)
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Michigan Students Make Music With IPhones
Students at the University of Michigan are performing a concert using nothing but their iPhones. They call themselves the Mobile Phone Ensemble. The group was the brainchild of engineering and music professor Georg Essl. The ensembles' first concert is Wednesday night in Ann Arbor.
(9 December)
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Classics Off The Beaten Path In 2009
In keeping with the musically offbeat direction of his weekly show ("The New Releases") on Minnesota Public Radio, host Michael Barone introduces 10 overlooked but excellent classical albums from 2009.
(9 December)
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Schubert's Desolate 'Winter Journey'
The song cycle Winterreise stands among the masterpieces in the art of song. Schubert conjures up harmonic twists and melodic turns, conveying emotions with remarkable simplicity and force.
(8 December)
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The 11th Annual Director's Cuts Gift Guide
So far, 2009 has been the year of Taylor Swift, Beyonce and Lady Gaga. But if you're looking for music gift ideas beyond the blockbusters, Weekend Edition director Ned Wharton picks a few hidden gems for fans of jazz, world music, classical and rock.
(6 December)
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Let's Make A Deal: Gounod's 'Faust'
The striking Georgian soprano Tamar Iveri stars as Marguerite in Houston Grand Opera's production of Gounod's Faust, alongside celebrated bass Samuel Ramey in one of his trademark roles as Mephistopheles, and tenor William Burden in the title role.
(4 December)
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Classical 2009: Next Generation And Beyond
With these 2009 releases, you'll find a few fresh faces: musicians hovering around age 30, including the young Jonathan Biss and the sublime Dutch fiddler Janine Jansen. Plus, this year proved exceptionally strong for music by and from Russians. Enjoy a sampling of both classic and less-familiar fare.
(4 December)
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2009's Best (Mostly) 'New Music,' From Q2
In classical-music terms, "New Music" is always complicated to define. Yes, it's the current manifestation of the classical tradition, but these days, the edges of so-called New Music tend to bleed into the realms of ambient music, indie rock, jazz and even folk. So, rather than get bogged down in picky rules, Q2's Nadia Sirota simply opts for the 10 records from the past year that she can't stop playing.
(3 December)
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Venice Baroque: Thriving On Vivaldi
The Venice-based orchestra specializes in vibrant, even daring performances of music by one of its city's native sons: Antonio Vivaldi. Hear the group, with feisty violin soloist Giuliano Carmignola, play an all-Vivaldi concert at Boston's Emmanuel Church.
(3 December)
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Renaissance Music With A Serious Groove
On his new album, Diminuito, Rolf Lislevand and his lute spin the traditions of the Italian Renaissance in surprisingly fresh directions. He and his group of musicians sound, at times, more like a jazz combo than an early-music ensemble.
(2 December)
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Bartok's Best 'Concerto For Orchestra'
After all these years, conductor Fritz Reiner's 1955 recording of Bartok's music remains the best. He understood the poignant, brooding, mysterious and exuberant moods it explores, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra plays as if it has been set on fire.
(1 December)
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DJ Spooky: An Antarctic Expedition In Sound
DJ culture has always been fascinated with the concept of cool. But musician and artist Paul Miller — aka DJ Spooky — decided to get to the core of the phenomenon. His new multimedia project is structured around his sound recordings from the icy continent.
(29 November)
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Storms And Salvation: 'The Flying Dutchman'
Wagner's stormy one-acter requires lead singers with great power, both dramatically and vocally. Alan Held and Jennifer Wilson fit the bill in this turbulent opera focused on one of Wagner's favorite themes: the redemptive power of love. From the Washington National Opera.
(27 November)
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Cadenzas: Ladling The Gravy On Classical Music
Commentator Miles Hoffman talks turkey about the classical cadenza. Just as a flavorful gravy enhances any holiday turkey, cadenzas are tasty solos composers write to spice up their concertos.
(26 November)
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Till Fellner's Journey With Beethoven
The young Viennese native is on tour, playing all 32 of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas. Hear Fellner at the WGBH studio, in Boston, where he plays the lyrical "pastoral" sonata and the cheerful Sonata No. 25.
(25 November)
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Missing The Cut: More Important '00s Music
As expected with any list of its nature, our rundown of the Decade's 50 Most Important Recordings has drawn both praise and criticism, particularly from diehard fans of artists and albums that didn't make the cut. As one user put it in the comments, "How dare they list X, and I see no mention of Y?!" While we did our best to be inclusive, a lot of our individual choices didn't end up on the final list. Here are just a few, chosen by the reviewers who lobbied for them.
(24 November)
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Dvorak's Symphony For A 'New World'
The Bohemian composer claimed that "everyone who has a nose must smell America" in his Symphony No. 9. But rather than serve as a musical postcard from abroad, Dvorak's Symphony From the New World ultimately serves as more of a fond look back toward home.
(24 November)
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Rossini, Riley And Remixes: New Classical CDs
From sensuous-sounding Chopin to a radical remix of Terry Riley's IN C, NPR Music's Tom Huizenga and All Things Considered host Guy Raz spin a wide assortment of new classical CDs.
(22 November)
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These People Recorded A Song In A Weekend: Part Four
More, more, more songs!
(20 November)
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