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Offstage, On Air Through the Night

Offstage, On-Air is a weekly show highlighting central Virginia's vibrant classical music community. We will air some of our favorite episodes from the last three years.

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Still Frozen in Time

The perpetual strangeness of Icelandic classical music

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1. "Der Klang der Offenbarung des Goettlichen, Teil I" {Kjartan SVEINSSON} - German Film Orchestra Babelsburg; David Thor Jonsson, conductor -
2. "Vor hinsti dagur" {Haukur TOMASSON} - Schola Cantorum Reykjavicensis - Meditatio II
3. "BLOW BRIGHT" {Daniel BJARNASON} - Iceland Symphony Orchestra -
4. "Sporddreka-dans" {Kjartan OLAFSSON} - Gudni Franzson, clarinet; Anna Gudmundsdottir, piano - What have they done to Gudni's Clarinet?
5. "Furioso" {Jonas TOMASSON} - Duo Landon - Icelandic Violin Duos
6. "Klee Practicing an Accompaniment for a Popular Song, from Klee Sketches, Op. 32 Bk. 1" {Haflidi HALLGRIMSSON} - Peter Sheppard Skaerved - Hadlidi Hallgrimsson: Offerto
7. "Ro" {Anna THORVALDSDOTTIR} - Riot Ensemble - Speak, Be Silent
8. "Raddir" {Olafur ARNALDS} - South Iceland Chamber Choir - Island Songs
9. "Fold" {Finnur KARLSSON} - Barokkbandid Brak - Two Sides
10. "Oerstef I-V" {Atli Heimir SVEINSSON} - Ashildur Haraldsdottir, flute - Tonaminutur
11. "MAR" - Iceland Symphony Orchestra -
12. "The True Meaning of Forever" {Gabriel OLAFS} - Gabriel Olafs - Polar
13. "Text VI and Postludium, from The Gospel of Mary" {Hugi GUDMUNDSSON} - Arhus Sinfonietta; Schola Cantorum Reykjavicensis; Hordur Askelsson, conductor - The Gospel of Mary

Ives in Space

As a New England transcendentalist, Charles Ives tried to investigate otherworldly musical textures in addition to pursuing his more lively, classic Americana vein that is the more celebrated part of… MoreAs a New England transcendentalist, Charles Ives tried to investigate otherworldly musical textures in addition to pursuing his more lively, classic Americana vein that is the more celebrated part of his starry repertoire. This program will climb into lves' spaceship and explore his outer regions, including the expansive galaxy that is his "Universe Symphony." Less

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1. "The Pond" {Charles Ives} - Adrienne Albert, Columbia Chamber Orchestra, Gregg Smith - Ives: The RCA and Columbia Album Anthology [Sony Classical: 1967]
2. "The Unanswered Question" {Charles Ives} - New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein - Ives: The RCA and Columbia Album Anthology [Sony Classical: 1964]
3. "Thoreau from Concord Sonata" {Charles Ives} - Aloys Kontarsky & Williy Schwegler - Ives: Concord Sonata [Time: 1963]
4. "From The Incantation" {Charles Ives} - Adrienne Albert, Columbia Chamber Orchestra, Gregg Smith - Ives: The RCA and Columbia Album Anthology [Sony Classical: 1967]
5. "Robert Browning Overture: excerpt" {Charles Ives} - Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Morton Gould - Ives: Orchestral Set No. 2 [RCA Victor Red Seal: 1967]
6. "Symphony No. 4, ii excerpt" {Charles Ives} - American Symphony Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski - Ives: The RCA and Columbia Album Anthology [Sony Classical: 1965]
7. "Universe Symphony" {Charles Ives} - American Festival of Microtonal Music, Johnny Reinhard - Ives: Universe Symphony [Stereo Society: 2005]

Nightfall of Diamonds

Join John and Jessica for an elevated night out at the concert hall with two hours of civilized, classical renditions of the vast body of work of the Grateful Dead.

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1. "Overture" - Bob Weir and Wolf Brothers w. NSO; - 2022-10-09 Kennedy Center For the Performing Arts Washington DC [ 2022]
2. "Playin' in the Band" - Bob Weir and Wolf Brothers w. NSO; - 2022-10-09 Kennedy Center For the Performing Arts Washington DC [ 2022]
3. "Dark Star" - Damià Timoner - Dead Covers Project [ 2019]
4. "Morning Dew" - Kristina Marinova - The Bus came by and I Got On [ 2025]
5. "Rosemary" - Rob Catterton - Grand Piano Tribute to the Grateful Dead [ 2016]
6. "Mountains of the Moon" - Russian National Orchestra - Dead Symphony [ 2007]
7. "Saint Stephen>The Eleven" - Holly Bolling - Seeking All That's Still Unsung [ 2020]
8. "Ripple" - Mellow Meditation - Acoustic Piano Versions [ 2022]
9. "Brokedown Palace" - Kristina Marinova - The Bus came by and I Got On [ 2025]
10. "China Doll" - Russian National Orchestra - Dead Symphony [ 2007]
11. "Unbroken Chain" - Holly Bolling - Better Left Unsung [ 2016]
12. "Scarlet Begonias" - Mellow Meditation - Acoustic Piano Versions [ 2022]
13. "Stella Blue" - Russian National Orchestra - Dead Symphony [ 2007]
14. "Sage and Spirit" - Holly Bolling - Seeking All That's Still Unsung [ 2020]
15. "Blues For Allah" - Russian National Orchestra - Dead Symphony [ 2007]

Sound of the People

How composers borrowed from folk traditions (Bartók, Kodály, Vaughan Williams, Dvořák).

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1. "Hungarian Sketches" {Bela BARTOK} - Minnesota Orchestra - Bartok: Hungarian Sketcheskodaly [Universal: 1959]
2. "Galántai táncok (Dances of Galánta)" {Zoltán KODALY} - Iván Fischer; Budapest Festival Orchestra - Kodály: Háry János Suite - Dances of Galánta & Marosszék [Universal Music Group: 1999]
3. "Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1" {Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS} - London Philharmonic Orchestra; Bryden Thomson - Vaughan Williams: Norfolk Rhapsody [Chandos: 1999]
4. "Little Suite" {Witold LUTOSLAWSKY} - NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra - Witold Lutoslawsky [Ars Sonora: 2020]
5. "交響民謠》Flower Drum Song from Feng Yang; Love Song from Kang Ding; Little Blue Flower; Girl from Da Ban City" {Huang RUO} - BBC Symphony Orchestra & Sir Andrew Davis - Live Performance [BBC Symphony: 2019]
6. "Sonnerie de Saint Geneviève du Mont-de-Paris" {Marin MARAIS} - Ensemble Fantasticus - Sonnerie & Other Portraits [Resonus Classics: 2013]
7. "Bachianas brasileiras no. 5" {Heitor VILLA-LOBOS} - Salli Terri (contralto); Laurindo Almeida (guitar) - Duets with Spanish Guitar [Capitol Records: 1958]
8. "The Bartered Bride, Overture & Dances" {Bedřich SMETANA} - Gewandhausorchester Leipzig; Václav Neumann - The Bartered Bride, Overture & Dances [Universal: 1967]
9. "Newcastle" {ANONYMOUS / PLAYFORD} - Ensemble Buon Tempo - The English Dancing Master [Hanssler Classics: 2018]

Opera Remembers

Remembering the artists opera has lost in 2025

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1. "Verdi: Ella giammai m'amo (Don Carlo)" {Giuseppe VERDI} - Paul Plishka - Paul Plishka: Verdi/Moussorgsky [Forlane: 1990]
2. "Moussorgsky: Monologue of Boris (Boris Godounov" {Modest MOUSSORGSKY} - Paul Plishka - Paul Plishka: Verdi/Moussorgsky [Forlane: 1990]
3. "Handel: Il mio crudel (Ariodante)" {G. F. HANDEL} - Edith Mathis - Ariodante [Philips: 1979/2003]
4. "Beethoven: Marzelline's Aria (Fidelio)" {Ludwig van BEETHOVEN} - Edith Mathis - Fidelio [Deutsche Grammophon: 1969/1987?]
5. "Weber: Trube augen (Der Freischutz)" {C.M. von WEBER} - Edith Mathis - Der Freischutz [Deutsche Grammophon: 1973/1985]
6. "Wagner: In fernem Land (Lohengrin)" {Richard WAGNER} - Peter Seiffert - Lohengrin [Teldec: 1998]
7. "Wagner: Mein lieber Schwan (Lohengrin)" {Richard WAGNER} - Peter Seiffert - Lohengrin [Teldec: 1998]
8. "Mozart: Dalla sua pace (Don Giovanni)" {W. A. MOZART} - Luigi Alva - Don Giovanni [EMI: 1959/1987]
9. "Mozart: Il mio tesoro (Don Giovanni)" {W. A. MOZART} - Luigi Alva - Don Giovanni [EMI: 1959/1987]
10. "Rossini: Ecco ridente in cielo (The Barber of Seville)" {Gioacchino ROSSINI} - Luigi Alva - Il Barbieri di Siviglia [EMI: 1958/1986]
11. "Mozart: Se all'impero (La Clemenza di Tito)" {W. A. MOZART} - Stuart Burrows - La Clemenza di Tito [Philips: 1976/1991]
12. "Handel: Comfort ye...Every valley (Messiah)" {G. F. HANDEL} - Stuart Burrows - The Voice of the Baroque [Decca: 1973/2002]
13. "Mozart: Deh vieni, non tardar (The Marriage of Figaro)" {W. A. MOZART} - Benita Valente - Troyanos & Valente: Handel & Mozart Arias & Duets [Music Masters: 1991]

Happy Birthday Jessye!

Jessye Norman's 80th birthday celebration, featuring her greatest performances and some of her favorite voices.

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1. "Sanctus from Messe Sollennelle" {Charles GOUNOD} - Jessye Norman; Orchestra of the Opera of Lyon; Lawrence Foster, conductor - Jessye Norman at Notre Dame
2. "Rhapsody for Alto, Op. 53" {Johannes BRAHMS} - Jessye Norman; Philadelphia Orchestra; Choral Arts Society of Philadelphis; Riccardo Muti, conductor - Brahms: Symphony No. 3
3. "Elizabeth's Hymn from Tannhaeuser, Act III" {Richard WAGNER} - Jessye Norman; London Philharmonic Orchestra; Klaus Tennstedt, conductor - The Very Best of Jessye Norman
4. "Der Musensohn, D. 764" {Franz SCHUBERT} - Jessye Norman; Phillip Moll, piano - Schubert: Lieder
5. "Panis Angelicus, FWV 61, No. 5" {Cesar FRANCK} - Jessye Norman; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Alexandra Gibson, conductor - The Essential Jessye Norman
6. "Selections from Oedipus Rex" {Igor STRAVINSKY} - Jessye Norman; Shinyukai Choir; Saito Kinen Orchestra; Seiji Ozawa, conductor - Oedipus Rex
7. "Thy Hand Belinda...When I am laid in earth, from Dido and Aeneas, Act III" {Henry PURCELL} - Jessye Norman; English Chamber Orchestra; Raymond Leppard, conductor - Dido and Aeneas
8. "O Namenlose freude, Heil sei dem Tag, from Fidelio: Act II" {Ludwig van BEETHOVEN} - Jessye Norman; Reiner Goldberg; Staatskapelle Dresden; Bernard Haitnik, conductor - Fidelio
9. "This Christmastide (Jessye's Carol)" {Donald FRASER} - Jessye Norman; New York Choral Society; Empire Chamber Society; Robert de Cormier, conductor - Christmastide
10. "Isolde's Liebestod, from Tristan und Isolde, Act III" {Richard WAGNER} - Jessye Norman; Wiener Philhamonic; Herbert von Karajan, conductor - Wagner
11. "When the Saints Go Marching In" - Jessye Norman; Mike Lovatt, Martin Williams, Ira Coleman, Mark Markham, Steve Johns - Roots: My Life, My Song

Virtuoso Hour

Focus on not only composers but also great performers (multi-instrument) from the past couple centuries.

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1. "Transcendental Etudes, S. 139: No. 11, Harmonies du Soir - Live" {Franz LISZT} - Yunchan Lim, pno. - Live from The Cliburn - Liszt: Transcendental Etudes [Steinway and Sons: 2023]
2. "Cello Concerto in C Major, RV 398" {Antonio VIVALDI} - Mstislav Rostropovich, cello; Alexandre Stein, Martin Derungs, Orchestra of the Collegium Musicum, Paul Sacher - Rostropovich - A Cellist Legend [UME - Global Clearing House: 2025]
3. "Elfentaz, Op. 39" {David POPPER} - Mstislav Rostropovich, cello; Alexander Dedyukhin - Rostropovich - A Cellist Legend [UME - Global Clearing House: 2025]
4. "Violin Sonata No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 25 "Dans le caractère populaire roumain": I. Moderato malinconico" {George ENESCU} - George Enescu, Mariana Sirbu, Milhail Sarbu - Enescu: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1-3 [Dynamic: 1994]
5. "Rigoletto: Paraphrase de Concert, S434/R267" {Franz LISZT} - Nobuyuki Tsujii - Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition [Challenge Classics: 2010]
6. "Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S. 514" {Franz LISZT} - Evgeny Kissin - Kissin Plays Liszt [RCA Red Seal: 1987]
7. "Concerto for 2 Harpsichord in C Minor, BWV 1060 (Arr. for Violin, Oboe, Strings & Continuo)" {Johann Sebastian BACH} - Hilary Hahn, vln.; Allan Vogel; Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra; Jeffrey Kahane - J.S. Bach: Violin Concertos [Deutsche Grammophon: 2003]
8. "Noveletten, Op. 21: I. Markiert und kraftig" {Robert SCHUMANN} - Vladimir Horowitz, pno. - Horowitz plays Liszt, Schumann & Mozart [UMG: 2023]
9. "Chopin / Arr. Rodionov for Violin and Piano: Nocturne No. 20 in C-Sharp Minor, B. 49" {Frederic CHOPIN} - Ginette Neveu, vln.; Jean Neveu, pno. - Ginette Neveu: The Complete Recordings [Warner Classics: 2019]

From Dawn to Dusk

We’ll create a full arc through a musical day—told entirely through the piano—with music reflecting morning light for awakening, midday energy and activity, evening calm, and the mystery of the night.

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1. "Dawn" {Ola GJEILO} - Ola Gjeilo and the 12 ensemble - Winter Songs [Decca ]
2. "Nuvole Bianche" {Ludovico EINAUDI} - Ludovico Einaudi - Una Mattina [Decca / Ponderosa ]
3. "Spring, from The Four Seasons (after A. Vivaldi) (Recomposed By Max Richter)" {Vivaldi} - Daniel Hope, violin / Max Richter, keyboards / Konzerthausorchester Berlin - André De Ridder, Conductor -
4. "Written On The Sky" {Max RICHTER} - Max Richter - The Blue Notebooks [Deutsche Grammophon ]
5. "Kiss the Rain" {YIRUMA} - Yiruma - First Love [Stomp Music ]
6. "D'un matin de printemps" {Lili BOULANGER} - BBC Philharmonic Orchestra - Yan Pascal -Tortelier, Conductor - Faust et Helene [Chandos ]
7. "BQE" {Hiromi UEHARA} - Hiromi - Place To Be [Telarc ]
8. "Les jeux d'eau a la villa d'Este from Annees de pelerinage, 3rd year, S163/R10:" {Franz LISZT} - Hélène Grimaud, piano - Water [Deutsche Grammophon ]
9. "Water Dance III" {Karen TANAKA} - Signe Bakke - Crystalline - Piano Music by Karen Tanaka [2L ]
10. "Comptine d'un autre été, l'après-midi" {Yann TIERSEN} - Yann Tiersen - Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain [Virgin Records ]
11. "Fire-Flies (from Four Sketches, Op. 15)" {Amy BEACH} - Alan Feinberg - The American Virtuoso [Decca ]
12. "Suggestion diabolique, Op. 4 No. 4" {Sergei PROKOFIEV} - Andrei Gavrilov, - 10 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet / Suggestion diabolique / RAVEL, M.: Gaspard de la nuit / Pavane pour une infante défunte [Deutsche Grammophon ]
13. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence" {Ryuichi SAKAMOTO} - Ryuichi Sakamoto - 1996 (Re-Mastered) [Decca ]
    Notes: the iconic theme from the 1983 film of the same name Sakamoto starred in the movie alongside David Bowie, winning a BAFTA for Best Film Music for his score
14. "Sonderling" {Joep BEVING} - Joep Beving - Prehension [Deutsche Grammophon ]
15. "Peace Piece (arr. J. Aitken for piano)" {Bill EVANS} - Jean-Yves Thibaudet - Conversations with Bill Evans [Decca ]
16. "Night (arr. T. Poster for cello and piano)" {Florence Beatrice PRICE} - Laura van der Heijden, cello / Jâms Coleman, piano - Path to the Moon [Chandos ]
17. "Klid (Silent Woods), Op. 68, No. 5, B. 173" {Antonin DVORAK} - Hajime Otomo, cello / Tetsuo Nomoto, piano - BACH, J.S.: Cello Suites Nos. 2 and 6, BWV 1008 and 1012 / DELIUS, F.: Romance / DVO%u0158ÁK, A.: Klid (Silent Woods) [LiveNotes ]
18. "Nocturne (Homage to John Field), Op. 33" {Samuel BARBER} - Elizabeth Joy Roe - BRITTEN, B.: Piano Concerto, Op. 13 / Night Piece / BARBER, S.: Piano Concerto, Op. 38 (Roe, London Symphony, Tabakov) [Decca ]
19. "Etude No. 2" {Philip GLASS} - Víkingur Ólafsson and Philip Glass - Philip Glass: Piano Works [Deutsche Grammophon ]