The Trio Anima Mundi calls what they do “piano trio archaeology.” Buried under the standard repertoire are layers of exceptional music. And the trio has unearthed some real finds. Two of these composers in this program are well-known (sort of), the others not. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Rutland Boughton have been rated one-hit wonders, for “Hiawatha” […]
Classical music
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Homilius and Agricola cantatas anticipate Bach
The Easter cantatas in this recording come from two contemporaries of Johann Sebastian Bach. And both take different approaches to the subject. Gottfried August Homilius was thirty years younger than Bach. Gottfried August Homilius was thirty years younger than Bach. Contemporary accounts describe him as one of the best sacred music composers of his day. […]
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#ClassicsaDay #WeWriteSymphonies Week 1
Last month the Classics a Day team made #BlackLivesMatter the theme. Systemic racism in classical music has limited exposure to composers of color. So for August, the team opened up the focus even further. #WeWriteSymphonies is a hashtag used by composers of color, and it seems like a logical extension of #BlackLivesMatter. For my contributions […]
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Torbjörn Iwan Lundquist Symphonic cycle continues
This release is the third recording of Torbjörn Iwan Lundquist symphonies by Sterling, and the fourth overall of his music. The two symphonies here both have unusual origins. Lundquist wrote a work for the Kroumata Percussion Ensemble in 1976. The project inspired him to do something larger, using the ensemble. The result was his eighth […]
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Zdenek Fibich orchestral series ends in fine form
This is the final volume in Naxos’ series of Zdenek Fibich orchestral works. It includes the last of his three symphonies, as well as orchestral music from three of his operas. Fibich completed his third symphony in 1898, just two years before his death. The work is ambitious, with a “darkness-to-light” premise that keeps the […]
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David Monrad Johansen – Norwegian treasure
As I continue to explore the highways and the byways of the classical repertoire, I find that every country has its national treasure. Sometimes, as with Antonin Dvorak, that treasure is shared with the world. Norway’s treasure, David Monrad Johanson hasn’t been — so far. Johansen is Norwegian, but his taste is cosmopolitan. Mixed in […]
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Myroslav Skoryk concertos continue to entertain
The final volume of Andrej Vielow’s traversal of Myroslav Skoryk violin concertos doesn’t disappoint. Ukrainian composer Myroslav wrote nine concerti, each with a different character, and yet all with a consistently high level of quality. This volume covers his last five concertos, written between 2004 and 2014. When I play the 5th and the 9th […]
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Classical Interviews – John Kanu
John Kanu is a UVA student and Cellist for Charlottesville Symphony. We spoke with him about how he got started, how he gets others into classical music, and what he’d like to see change in the classical music field. These interviews aired as part of Classical Sunrise, weekday mornings from 7-9am. Emotive playing How he […]
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Classical Interviews – Judith Shatin
Judith Shatin is a local composer, educator, and founder of UVA’s Virginia Center for Computer Music. We spoke about her teaching experience, music in her early years, and recent compositions she’s composed. For more on Judith Shatin, visit: JudithShatin.com These interviews aired as part of Classical Sunrise, weekday mornings from 7-9am. Her first exposure to music Classical […]