YourClassical Adventures

The Rich and Vibrant Cello

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Episode 104 playlist

J. S. Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: Prélude —

Performed by Yo -Yo Ma

Anonymous: Song of the Birds -

Performed by Sheku Kanneh-Mason & CBSO Cellos

Francesco Gasparini: Cantate da camera a voce sola, Op 1 —

Performed by Roberta Invernizzi, Auser Musici & Carlo Ipata

Harold Arlen: Over the Rainbow —

Performed by Yo-Yo Ma & Kathryn Stott

Akua Dixon: Afrika! Afrika! —

Performed by Akua Dixon

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The Changing Season

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 05:00:00 +0000

When you picture your perfect day in the fall season, what does it look like Does it include crisp fall leaves, sweater weather and cooler temperatures? Join host Liz Lyon as we discover pieces that sound like the different stages of fall.

Episode 102 playlist

Scott Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag - (Used at the beginning and end of the episode) This piece by Scott Joplin was groundbreaking for the genre of rag music and became a template for the composers of rag music in the years to come.

The Maple leaves change their color in the fall to the vivid browns and fiery reds.

Performed by The Band and Lara Downes on Piano.

Fanny Mendelssohn: Das Jar No. 9 (September) - Fanny Mendelssohn composed a set of 12 piano pieces representing every month of the year.

‘September’ of Das Jahr (‘The Year’) is based it off a poem “To the Moon,” which compares the passage of time with a flowing river.

Performed by Liana Serbescu on piano.

Imogen Holst: Fall of Leaf — As you get further into the fall you can see the magic of leaves turning different colors and they begin to fall….

In this piece you can almost hear the individual leaves falling and drifting in the wind.

Performed by Steven Isserlis on Cello.

Tōru Takemitsu: A String Around Autumn — Tōru Takemitsu wrote this piece of music to celebrate a fall festival but it sounds like the end of autumn. It is sadder, more sparse and you can almost hear the promise that snow is on the way.

Performed by Saito Kinen Orchestra and featuring Nobuko Imai on viola.

Astor Piazzolla: Autumn in Buenos Aires (Otono Porteno) - Astor Piazzolla wrote a piece of music to celebrate the different seasons in Buenos Aires Argentina. Autumn contains musical raindrops and a wintery sun.

Performed by the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra featuring Tessa Lark on violin.

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Something Spooky

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Halloween is a great time to explore the most mysterious music ever composed.

Episode 58 playlist

Camille Saint-Saens: Danse Macabre — Music about ghosts and spirits coming alive in a graveyard to dance in the moonlight.

LISTEN Camille Saint-Saens: Danse Macabre

Carl Orff: O Fortuna from Carmina Burana — This piece makes us want to hide. Where is your favorite hiding spot? Do you use it when you play hide-and-seek?

LISTEN Carl Orff: O Fortuna

Edvard Grieg: Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, “In the Hall of the Mountain King” — This piece may make you feel like running. How fast can you run in place?

LISTEN Edvard Grieg: Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, “In the Hall of the Mountain King”

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More Buried Treasures

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Sometimes composers and their work can get buried in time. Join producer Melanie Renate as we uncover and learn more about composers who aren’t as well known in the traditional classical world.

Episode 96 playlist

Gerald Finzi - Cello Concerto — Some of Gerald Finzi’s pieces are well known, but after he died his family worked hard to help make sure more of his music was made accessible to people. This is the last piece he wrote.

LISTEN — Gerald Finzi: Cello Concerto

Jan Dismas Zelenka: Capriccio No. 4 — War causes great loss. One of the many things that can be lost or destroyed by war is art. Jan Dismas Zelenka’s music was thought to have been lost when his city was destroyed during a war. Luckily, some of his music survived.

LISTEN — Jan Dismas Zelenka: Capriccio No. 4

Kikuko Kanai: Ryukyu Dances - 'Maidens Under the Moon' — There are so many amazing composers who aren’t well-known simply because their music hasn’t been recorded yet. Kikuko Kanai was well-known in her home country of Japan. Even though she composed more than 150 pieces of music, only a relative few have been recorded.

LISTEN — Kikuko Kanai: Ryukyu Dances - 'Maidens Under the Moon'

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Calming Sounds

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Enjoy peaceful music that can help you feel calm and relaxed.

Episode 62 playlist

Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending — Sometimes music can help you slow down and let your mind wander by creating pictures or places in your mind. Like this piece by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

LISTEN — Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending

Claude Debussy: Claire de Lune — Music can play a part in some of our favorite memories and can help us feel comforted and happy.

LISTEN — Debussy: Claire de Lune

Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata — Some music can help us relax our minds and our bodies and lull us to sleep. This piece is a good example of sleepy sounds.

LISTEN — Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata

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Xuefei Yang - The Musical Pioneer

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 01:54:00 +0000

When Xuefei Yang was a young girl, she became the first Chinese guitarist to enter an international competition. It was one of many firsts for her as she paved the way for future female guitarists from China.

Episode 68 playlist

Xuefei Yang: Romance de Amor — This is a piece off of Xuefei Yang’s debut album.

LISTEN — Xuefei Yang: Romance de Amor

Xuefei Yang: Shuo Chang — This piece was written by Chinese composer Chen Yi. Although they were famous for writing music for various instruments, this was the first time they composed a piece for the guitar.

LISTEN — Xuefei Yang: Shuo Chang

Xuefei Yang: Flower Drum — This is from an album released in August 2020 and dedicated to the music of Yang’s home country, China.

LISTEN — Xuefei Yang: Flower Drum

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The Road to The Guitar

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 01:54:00 +0000

The modern guitar is a popular instrument, but did you know there are many different types of guitars? Join host Liz Lyon as we take a trip around the world to listen to the sounds of different guitars throughout history.

Episode 67 playlist

Issam Rafea and Gao Hong: From Our World to Yours — This piece showcases the oud, which is a pear-shaped, stringed instrument popular in countries such as Egypt, Syria, Armenia and Turkey.

LISTEN — Issam Rafea and Gao Hong: From Our World to Yours

John Dowland: Mrs. Winter’s Jump — The lute was popular in Europe in the 1500 and 1600s. There are different variations of the lute. There are lutes of different sizes and with different numbers of strings.

LISTEN — John Dowland: Mrs. Winter’s Jump

Robert de Visee: La Muzette — The Baroque Guitar was popular in Spain. Everyone, from people in the streets up to King Charles II, was fond of this guitar. You can hear it featured in this piece.

LISTEN — Robert de Visee: La Muzette

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Will You Play With Me?

Sat, 24 Sep 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Working and collaborating together is a great way to build a friendship. Join two friends, host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate, as they explore friendship in classical music.

Episode 74 playlist

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Haydn Quartets — Not much is documented about their friendship, but what we do know is that Mozart and Franz Joseph Haydn enjoyed spending time together and that they respected and inspired one another.

LISTEN — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Haydn Quartets

Edward Elgar: Enigma Variations, Nimrod — The Enigma Variations are like sketches of some of Edward Elgar’s friends. They describe not just their personality, but many of these variations also act as a musical reference to the way a friend laughed or spoke, or references a special moment they shared.

LISTEN — Edward Elgar: Enigma Variations, Nimrod

Yehudi Menuhin and Ravi Shankar: Prabhati — These two musicians were friends for 14 years before they decided to record an album together. This is a piece off their album, West Meets East.

LISTEN — Yehudi Menuhin & Ravi Shankar: Prabhati

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Practice Makes Perfect

Sat, 10 Sep 2022 05:00:00 +0000

When you are learning any subject, is it helpful to have small assignments to work on in order to practice your skills? Join host Liz Lyon as we explore pieces of music that are helpful for learning an instrument.

Episode 100 playlist

György Ligeti: Etude No.13 “The Devil’s Staircase” — Etudes are short pieces of music that are written to practice a specific technical skill. Composer György Ligeti wrote a very difficult etude for solo piano that forces the player to get used to playing the entire keyboard. It is called, “The Devil’s Staircase” because it sounds like the piece is climbing up a staircase. Performed by Maria Nemtsova on Piano.

LISTEN — György Ligeti: Etude No.13 “The Devil’s Staircase”

Nicolo Paganini: Caprice 24 in A Minor — Composer Niccolò Paganini was a violin superstar who created a ton of new techniques or ways to play the violin. Some of these techniques were published in a set of 24 pieces. The first 23 each focus on a specific skill but number 24 is a piece that combines all of the skills you have learned through the first 23. Performed by Itzhak Perlman on Violin.

LISTEN — Nicolo Paganini: Caprice 24 in A Minor

Ralph Van Williams: Concerto Grosso — The Rural Music Schools Association asked composer Ralph Vaughn Williams to write a piece of music that could be played by students at all levels. He talked to a lot of teachers to write for three different levels: Beginner, Intermediate and advanced. These three sections all play together at the same time. Performed by Bournemouth Sinfonietta.

LISTEN — Ralph Van Williams: Concerto Grosso

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Navigating Changes

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Which classical pieces go with big things that happen in your life such as moving or living with quarantines? Join host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate and listen to music that deals with change.

Episode 54 playlist

Claude Debussy: Arabesque No. 1 — Debussy moved when he was a child to live with his aunt, who discovered his musical talent. This is one of his popular pieces.

Ludwig Van Beethoven: Ode to Joy — Beethoven experienced change when he lost his hearing, but that didn’t stop him from creating great music like this well-known selection from his Symphony No. 9.

Philip Glass: Etude No. 6 — Pianist Simone Dinnerstein had to cope with change during quarantine and found a new way to record music, including this performance.

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Let's Get Loud

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0000

How do musicians know when to play loud? Join host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate as we explore classical music that loves using the loud dynamic called "forte."

Episode 56 playlist

Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 5 —This entire piece is being played at a loud, or forte level.

LISTEN Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 5

Gustav Holst: The Planets - Mars, The Bringer of War — Holst puts emotions into his piece by going from quiet to forte.

LISTEN Gustav Holst: The Planets - Mars, The Bringer of War

George Fredrich Handel: Trumpet Concerto; Overture — The trumpet is a loud and powerful instrument. This piece is used to get your attention.

LISTEN George Fredrich Handel: Trumpet Concerto; Overture

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Let's Go to the Carnival

Sat, 20 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Carnivals are a celebration of culture and community. Join host Liz Lyon as we share some classical music inspired by carnivals from around the world.

Episode 99 playlist

Camille Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals — The Carnival of the Animals is a comedic musical suite. It contains 14 movements that introduce a variety of animals including lions, hens and roosters, wild donkeys, tortoises, an elephant, kangaroos, sea animals, long-eared animals, and birds. Which animals does this piece make you think of?

LISTEN — Camille Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals

Ary Barroso: Aquarela do Brasil — This is one of the most popular Brazilian songs of all time. Barroso wrote "Aquarela do Brasil" when he couldn’t leave his home one rainy night because of a heavy storm. Sambas like this one are played with big-band instruments during the Rio Carnival Parade, where students from samba schools show off their dance skills. This version is performed by Voyager.

LISTEN — Ary Barroso: Aquarela do Brasil

Arturo Marquez: Conga del Fuego Nuevo — In Cuba, the conga dance often is used in big festivals and is seen during parades. This piece is performed by the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra.

LISTEN — Arturo Marquez: Conga del Fuego Nuevo

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: Peanuts Gallery - Snoopy Does the Samba — Peanuts Gallery is a piano concerto by American composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, inspired by the characters of the Peanuts comic strip. Can you imagine a dog named Snoopy doing a samba dance?

LISTEN — Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: Peanuts Gallery, Snoopy Does the Samba

Antonin Dvořák: Carnival Overture — Composer Antonin Dvorak wrote a piece to put right in the middle of a crowd at a carnival in Europe. He tried to capture all the different scenes such as people dancing, eating food and singing.

LISTEN — Antonin Dvořák: Carnival Overture

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Water and Waves

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Just like classical music, water can be found in many different forms. When in its liquid form water can be smooth flowing and calm or it can be fast-moving and rough. Join host Melanie Renate as we navigate water in classical music.

Episode 98 playlist

Claude Debussy: En Bateau — Can you hear the waves gently flowing back and forth, or hear them rocking up against a boat? Performed by the Lyon National Orchestra.

Margaret Bonds: Troubled Water — When life is rough you could say that there are “troubled waters”. Margaret Bonds arranged a popular song Wade in the Water into a classical piece to reflect the idea of Troubled Water. Performed by Charlotte Mueller.

Richard Wagner: Overture to The Flying Dutchman — This is apiece about a sea captain and his daughter who get caught in a wild storm while out at sea… and they must find a way to steer the ship to safety! Performed by the Berlin Philharmonic.

Henry Mancini: Moon River — When composer Henry Mancini was asked to write a song for a film, he turned to water. His childhood home in Georgia overlooked a major river, now named after his song Moon River. Performed by the Brussels Orchestra with Renaud Capucon on violin.

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The Bright Mandolin

Sat, 06 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0000

What do classical music pieces sound like when they include a mandolin? Join host Liz Lyon as we explore a bit of the history of the mandolin and listen to examples of it being used within classical music.

Episode 97 playlist

Zequinha de Abreu: Nao Me Toques — Zequinha de Abreu was a Brazilian composer who wrote this fun piece. It has been played by many different instruments, but here is an example of how the mandolin can really shine. Performed by Caterina Lichenberg and Mike Marshall.

LISTEN — Zequinha de Abreu: Nao Me Toques

Johann Sebastian Bach: Trio Sonata No 6 — The Mandolin is tuned just like a violin, which means the mandolin can easily replace the violin in a piece of music. Like in this trio from composer Johann Sebastian Bach. It features a Cello, a Bass, and instead of a violin, it features a mandolin.

LISTEN — Johann Sebastian Bach: Trio Sonata No 6

Bill Monroe: Bill Monroe Medley — The mandolin spent its early days most often playing an accompanying role in classical music. Bill Monroe created a new style of playing which became incredibly popular and even got a name for itself, Bluegrass. This is a medley of some of his most famous pieces. This version is performed by The Modern Mandolin Quartet.

LISTEN — Bill Monroe: Bill Monroe Medley

Chris Thile: Raining at Sunset — Chris Thile is what is known as a virtuoso for playing mandolin. He is also a singer, composer, bandleader, and radio personality. He often writes and plays what is sometimes referred to as progressive bluegrass. He wrote this piece. Here is another mandolin virtuoso, Joshen Ross performing the piece.

LISTEN — Chris Thile: Raining at Sunset

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Let’s Get Movin'

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Classical music and dancing have been dance floor partners for hundreds of years. Join host Liz Lyon as we explore different forms of dance and the classical music that pairs with them.

Episode 95 playlist

Peter Tchaikovsky: Waltz of the Flowers — This waltz may sound familiar. Tchaikovsky wrote it the first act of his ballet Sleeping Beauty. To dance the waltz you can move side to side and back and forth like you’re flowing and floating. You can let your arms float like the wings of a bird. The waltz also includes gentle spinning in circles.

LISTEN — Peter Tchaikovsky: Waltz of the Flowers

Johann Strauss Jr.: By the Beautiful Blue Danube — The Viennese Waltz is the oldest type of ballroom dancing. Strauss was asked to write a piece for the Vienna Men’s Choral Society to help uplift the people of Vienna. This piece started out as a choral piece and was inspired by a poem.

LISTEN — Johann Strauss Jr.: By the Beautiful Blue Danube

George Bizet: Carmen Habanera — This piece is a famous tango by French composer, George Bizet. Dancing the tango involves good posture with your knees slightly bent. As you learn to dance the tango it can be helpful to move your feet to the speed of “slow, slow, quick, quick, slow”.

LISTEN — George Bizet: Carmen Habanera

Astor Piazzolla: Libertango — Argentine musician, Astor Piazzolla wrote this piece in the ‘70s as a request by his agent to write something they felt would be good to play on the radio. He wrote this piece. Its name is the blending of two words— “libertad,” which is Spanish for “freedom” and “tango”.

LISTEN — Astor Piazzolla: Libertango

Peter Tchaikovsky: Dance of the Little Swans — Tchaikovsky is well-known for his ballets. His ballet Swan Lake is considered one of the greatest of all time. When ballet dancers perform this piece they do a move called a pas de chat which looks an awful lot like graceful hopping.

LISTEN — Peter Tchaikovsky: Dance of the Little Swans

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Get Into the Rhythm

Sat, 16 Jul 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Music can still be music without a melody or harmony, but you can’t really have music without some sort of rhythm. Join host Liz Lyon as we explore the musical concept of rhythm.

Episode 94 playlist

George Gershwin: I’ve Got Rhythm — Gershwin worked with his older brother on this piece. He composed the music, and his older brother, Ira Gershwin, wrote the lyrics. This rhythm can really help to put you in a good mood.

LISTEN — George Gershwin: I’ve Got Rhythm

Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring — Rhythm doesn’t have to be a simple pattern of sound and silence. In 1913, Stravinsky used rhythm in new ways that people weren’t used to. Because of this, many listeners didn’t like this piece at first, but over time it has become an orchestral favorite.

LISTEN — Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring

Danny Elfman: Percussion Quartet, 3rd Movement — Percussion instruments do a great job of presenting the rhythm of a piece. Sometimes pieces of music are written just for percussion, and they can play really complicated rhythms. Here the Third Coast Percussion Ensemble plays a piece by Elfman.

LISTEN — Danny Elfman: Percussion Quartet, 3rd Movement

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Gimmie More Mallets

Sat, 09 Jul 2022 05:00:00 +0000

The percussion instrument family is massive. In a previous episode, we shared pieces of music featuring a few different percussion instruments including the xylophone. Did you know that the xylophone has siblings? Join host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate as we explore pieces of classical music that feature more mallet instruments.

Episode 93 playlist

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Schnelle Füße, rascher Mut Glockenspiel — The Magic Flute is an opera composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The glockenspiel is featured in this fairytale. This instrument started out as a set of individual bells, but they were eventually replaced by steel bars. At first, the glockenspiel was considered a substitute for real bells, but it gradually became its own instrument.

LISTEN — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Schnelle Füße, rascher Mut Glockenspiel

Jennifer Bellor: Reflections at Dusk — The vibraphone was invented in 1920 and quickly became a major instrument used in jazz and dance bands. It can also be found in the orchestra. Jennifer Bellor uses the vibraphone throughout her 2019 album, which was inspired by Nevada sunsets. The feeling of sunsets is described using the mystical and magical sounds of the vibraphone.

LISTEN — Jennifer Bellor: Reflections at Dusk

Steve Reich: Nagoya Marimbas — The marimba is an instrument that has been around for hundreds of years and has its roots both in Africa and Central America. Indigenous Mayan populations even constructed and played the marimba. Composer, Steve Reich has used the marimba throughout much of his work and he is known as one of a handful of living composers who can legitimately claim to have altered the direction of musical history.

LISTEN — Steve Reich: Nagoya Marimbas

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Musical Fireworks

Sat, 02 Jul 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Fireworks have been used in many cultures for hundreds of years as a way to celebrate. Join host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate as we explore pieces of music inspired by fireworks.

Episode 92 playlist

Claude Debussy: Feux d’Artifice — This piece is the last of Debussy’s 24 preludes. It is a challenging piece to play and can help you imagine a spectacular fireworks display over Paris.

LISTEN — Claude Debussy: Feux d’Artifice

Oliver Knussen: Flourish With Fireworks — Knussen wrote this piece to celebrate his friend Michael Tilson Thomas as he began his first season as principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.

LISTEN — Oliver Knussen: Flourish With Fireworks

Peter Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture - Finale — This piece features a cannon that adds to the intense celebratory flavor. When the music is played with cannons in concert, you might see a member of the orchestra within sight of those working the cannon who cues the team with the cannon so that its booming sound hits its mark within the music.

LISTEN — Peter Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture - Finale

George Fredrich Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks — This piece was written to celebrate peace in London. There were fireworks that accompanied the music when it was performed in April 1749. However, because rainy weather caused many firework misfires and one pavilion of the performance space caught fire, Handel’s music was the true star of the show.

LISTEN — George Fredrich Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks

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Let's Add a Layer

Sat, 25 Jun 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Harmony in music is when more than one note or chord is layered on top of one another. It creates an often pleasing and sometimes interesting sound. Join host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate as we explore the concept of harmony.

Episode 91 playlist

Thomas Tallis: If Ye Love Me — A great example of harmony is a madrigal, which is a vocal piece of music that includes a number of voices ranging from two to eight, but usually three to six voices. Madrigals present a great opportunity to play with harmony.

LISTEN — Thomas Tallis: If Ye Love Me

Johann Sebastian Bach: Bach's Minuet in G Major — When learning music, this piece of music is often one of the first pieces to be included in lessons. It can happily be a solo, but once you add an accompaniment, such as a piano or even a full orchestra, then you’ve created harmony.

LISTEN — Johann Sebastian Bach: Bach's Minuet in G Major

Robert de Visee: La Muzette — This music is performed by four string instruments working together to create a piece that shows harmony in a variety of ways. Can you hear when the harmony is pleasing to the ear (consonant) or when the harmony is a little uncomfortable (dissonant)?

LISTEN — Robert de Visee: La Muzette

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Violists in the Spotlight

Sat, 18 Jun 2022 05:00:00 +0000

The viola often plays a supporting role in the orchestra, but these three viola players bring the instrument into the spotlight. Join Host Liz Lyon as we talk about how these musicians found their way to the viola.

Episode 90 playlist

Kim Kashkashian: In Nomine — Along with being a successful viola player, Kashkashian also teaches the instrument. She also founded Music for Food, a musician-led hunger relief initiative that has presented hundreds of artists in concert and has created more than one and a half million free meals for people in need.

LISTEN - Gyorgy Kurtag: In Nomine

Nokuthula Ngwenyama: Some Stuff - Ngwenyama became well-known when she won the Primrose International Viola Competition in 1993 and the Young Concert Artists International Auditions in 1994. She is not just a violist but also a composer, a teacher and a leader in the world of music. This is a piece she composed.

LISTEN - Nokuthula Nngwenyama: Some Stuff

Matthew Lipman: Fuga Libre — Lipman is new to the music world but has already made a name for himself performing with orchestras around the world. He released his first album in 2015. This is one of the pieces from that album.

LISTEN - Garth Knox: Fuga Libre

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The Warmth of the Viola

Sat, 11 Jun 2022 05:00:00 +0000

The viola plays an important role in the string section of orchestras, and it has a unique, rich sound and history. What does the viola sound like? Join host Liz Lyon and listen to beautiful viola music on this episode of YourClassical Adventures.

Episode 89 playlist

Michel Corrette: Viola da Bracchio Sonata - III. Minuetto — This piece features one of the earliest types of viola, the viola da barcchio. It was played just like a modern viola. Michel Corrette plays the viola de bracchio on this recording.

LISTEN — Michel Corrette: Viola da Bracchio Sonata - III. Minuetto

Rebecca Clarke: Viola Sonata — Rebecca Clarke’s Viola Sonata is by far the best-known of her works. She even submitted it for a competition and tied for first place. Marina Thibeault plays the viola in this recording.

LISTEN — Rebecca Clarke: Viola Sonata

William Walton: Viola Concerto — The viola most often plays the midtones in supporting the orchestra. However, there are a lot of pieces written that feature the viola as a solo, like this piece. Yuri Bashmet plays the viola in this recording.

LISTEN — William Walton: Viola Concerto

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Here Comes the Sun

Sat, 04 Jun 2022 05:00:00 +0000

What do you love about summertime? The sun is out all day long, so the days feel longer. It can really help to put you in a good mood. In this episode, producer Melanie Renate shares classical music inspired by the sun.

Episode 88 playlist

Yu Shi Wang: Sunflower — This piece was composed in 1962. There are lyrics that go along with the original composition, which describes the daily life of farmers in China.

LISTEN — Yu Shi Wang: Sunflower

George Harrison: Here Comes the Sun — This is a famous song originally performed by The Beatles. It was written by guitarist George Harrison. Here, cellist Ofra Harnoy performs the piece with the Armin String Quartet.

LISTEN — George Harrison: Here Comes the Sun

Ferde Grofe: Sunrise from Grand Canyon Suite — Can you imagine the sun coming up over the red rocks of the Grand Canyon? Maybe you can find art supplies to create the sunrise this piece makes you think of.

LISTEN — Ferde Grofe: Sunrise from The Grand Canyon Suite

Max Richter: On the Nature of Daylight — The colors of the world change throughout the day as the sun rises, crosses the sky and finally sets. This piece is all about how the sun slowly changes throughout the sky over an entire day.

LISTEN — Max Richter: On the Nature of Daylight

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The Strong and Mellow Saxophone

Sat, 28 May 2022 05:00:00 +0000

The saxophone is a unique instrument that has found itself played within classical to jazz music genres. Join host Liz Lyon as we explore the history of the saxophone and listen to examples of where the instrument shines.

Episode 87 playlist

Hector Berlioz: Chant Sacré — Hector Berlioz wrote this piece originally in 1829. In 1844, he arranged it for different groupings of instruments. One arrangement was for wind ensemble, which included two clarinets and four “saxhorns,” which we know today as the saxophone.

LISTEN — Hector Berlioz: Chant Sacré

Jacques Ibert: Concerto da Camera, Movement III — This concerto in its entirety has a large range of notes and at times requires the musician to play the saxophone’s highest notes.

LISTEN — Jacques Ibert: Concerto da Camera, Movement III

John Adams: Saxophone Concerto — John Adams’ father played the alto sax in swing bands in the 1930s. Adams said this early exposure to jazzy saxophone playing was inspiration for this piece.

LISTEN — John Adams: Saxophone Concerto

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Comfort for Your Head and Heart

Sat, 21 May 2022 05:00:00 +0000

What do you do when you are stressed, mad or sad? Do you go for a run to pound your feet on the ground, or maybe you pick up a paintbrush or an instrument? Join host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate as we explore ways musicians have used tough moments in their lives to create pieces of music that helped them to feel better. Maybe this music can help you feel better, too.

Episode 86 playlist

Garreth Brooke and Anna Salzmann: Healing — Anna Salzmann is a visual artist who has partnered with composer and musician Garreth Brooke to present a musical and visual piece of art called Healing, which they hope can help people explore the emotional process of healing.

LISTEN — Garreth Brooke and Anna Salzmann: Healing

Johann Sebastian Bach: Partita in D minor for Solo Violin — Violinist Francisco Fullana had always found comfort in Bach’s music. He practiced music on his violin to help him heal while he was recovering from a shoulder injury. He also found comfort in the music by Bach during his time in isolation during the COVID pandemic.

LISTEN — Johann Sebastian Bach: Partita in D minor for Solo Violin

Joshua McGhee: Let God Bring Tomorrow — Joshua McGhee is a talented multi-instrumentalist, meaning he plays more than one instrument. He has been commissioned to write pieces of music in response to some tragic events. Let God Bring Tomorrow was written in response to a mass shooting.

LISTEN — Joshua McGhee: Let God Bring Tomorrow

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Keep the Beat

Sun, 15 May 2022 05:00:00 +0000

A metronome is a musical device that produces a clicking sound to help you keep a certain tempo. You can snap your fingers or tap your foot to keep tempo, too. Join host Liz Lyon as we listen to classical music pieces with a wide range of tempos. One tempo is so slow that the piece of music lasts more than 600 years!

Episode 85 playlist

John Cage: Organ² (As Slow As Possible) — When this piece was written, composer John Cage did not specify a tempo. This offered a quirky opportunity to musicians: How can someone truly play this piece as slow as possible? Some musicians have spent 12 or more hours playing this piece, but in a church in Germany, a single chord of this piece is held for 2,527 days before it moves on to the next.

LISTEN — John Cage: Organ² (As Slow As Possible)

Arvo Part: Spiegel im Spiegel — If you hold a mirror facing forward and stand in front of a mirror, you will see that your reflected image is repeated over and over for infinity. The name of this piece is German and means, “Mirrors in the Mirror” which refers to an infinity mirror and the infinite number of reflected images.

LISTEN — Arvo Part: Spiegel im Spiegel

Niccolo Paganini: Moto Perpetuo — A “virtuoso” is someone who is highly skilled in music or other creative art. Niccolo Paganini was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time. If you learn any violin techniques, you will likely be learning techniques he developed.

LISTEN — Niccolo Paganini: Moto Perpetuo

Camille Saint-Saëns: Samson and Delilah - Bacchanale — Camille Saint-Saëns was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist. Before he was even 3, he was curious about the piano and had the ability to identify a musical note without assistance.

LISTEN — Camille Saint-Saëns: Samson and Delilah - Bacchanale

Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 4 — This is only one of 21 total Hungarian Dances that Brahms composed, all inspired by Hungarian folk music and Hungary’s deep tradition of dance. They were originally written for piano and were later arranged by Brahms and other composers to allow a full orchestra to present these pieces.

LISTEN — Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 4

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Stormy Weather

Sun, 08 May 2022 01:54:00 +0000

This time of year can bring a lot of interesting storms. Join host Liz Lyon as we use our imagination to picture thunderstorms while discovering classical music that was inspired by the rain, wind and rumbles of these storms.

Episode 84 playlist

Eric Whitacre: Cloudburst — Handbells, a thunder sheet, bass drum, suspended cymbal, wind chimes and piano all accompany an eight-part choir. The added claps, snaps and thick smacks by the singers help bring a thunderstorm to life through song.

LISTEN — Eric Whitacre: Cloudburst

Ludwig Van Beethoven: Pastoral Symphony — This was one of only two symphonies that Beethoven named. Using your imagination, can you recognize what parts of a thunderstorm the instruments mimic?

LISTEN — Ludwig Van Beethoven: Pastoral Symphony

Michael Kamen: The Eye of the Storm — American composer Michael Kamen was well known for his scores to many movies you might know, including The Iron Giant, X-Men, The Avengers and 101 Dalmatians. This piece is from The Iron Giant and helps to set the mood for an unknown object crashing through Earth’s atmosphere in the middle of a storm at sea.

LISTEN — Michael Kamen: The Eye of the Storm

Ferde Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite - Cloudburst — The Grand Canyon Suite includes five movements that paint a specific scene that is typical of the Grand Canyon. The movements are “Sunrise,” “Painted Desert,” “On the Trail” and “Sunset,” with the fifth and final movement, “Cloudburst,” portraying a storm in the Grand Canyon.

LISTEN — Ferde Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite, 5. Cloudburst

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Video Games and Classical Music, Part 2

Sun, 01 May 2022 01:54:00 +0000

Part 2 of a two-part episode: Video game music has evolved over time from simple 8-bit tones to classical-music masterpieces. Join host Liz Lyon as we listen to some video-game compositions that have made a name for themselves in the world of classical music.

Episode 83 playlist

Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori: Halo Theme — For the theme from Halo, composer Martin O’Donnell was inspired by the Beatles’ song “Yesterday.” This particular piece was arranged by composer and sound designer Pascal Michael Stiefel.

LISTEN — Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori: Halo Theme

Koji Kondo: The Legend of Zelda Theme — This song appears in every game in The Legend of Zelda series in one way or another. Either as the main theme, mixed in with a different piece of music or through brief cameo appearances in certain parts of the game.

LISTEN — Koji Kondo: The Legend of Zelda Theme

Austin Wintory: Journey, I Was Born for This — This is the final track of the official Journey soundtrack, which plays over the ending credits of the game. The lyrics are written in five languages, all of which were borrowed from various historical documents and works of poetry. The title, “I Was Born for This,” is a translation of a quote attributed to Joan of Arc.

LISTEN — Austin Wintory: Journey, I Was Born For This

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Video Games and Classical Music

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 01:54:00 +0000

What sort of relationship do video games and classical music share? Join host Liz Lyon for an exploration of video-game music and how it has developed a deep relationship with classical music.

Episode 82 playlist

Koji Kondo: Super Mario Brothers Theme — This was originally composed for the 1985 Nintendo Entertainment System video game Super Mario Brothers. Sound designer Koji Kondo says he found this piece to be the most difficult to compose. This version of the theme is performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

LISTEN — Koji Kondo: Super Mario Brothers Theme

Yoko Shimomura: Kingdom Hearts, Hikari — Yoko Shimomura is a Japanese composer and pianist. She has written for video games such as the Mario & Luigi series as well as Final Fantasy XV, but she is best known for writing the music for the video game Kingdom Hearts. Here is a popular piece from that game performed by the New Japanese Philharmonic Orchestra.

LISTEN — Yoko Shimomura: Kingdom Hearts, Hikari

Claude Debussy: Claire de Lune — Video-game music is often used to help set the mood and provide insight into the specific game. Those who know the game The Evil Within, a game for older teens and adults, also know that when they hear Claire de Lune, by Claude Debussy, within the game, safety is nearby.

LISTEN — Claude Debussy: Claire de Lune

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The Legendary Nobuo Uematsu

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 01:54:00 +0000

Nobuo Uematsu composed music for the Final Fantasy video-game series. The music has become so popular that orchestras have performed it on tour. Uematsu has never had a formal musical education, but he was passionate and persistent, and now his music is legendary.

Episode 81 playlist

Nobuo Uematsu: Final Fantasy, Main Theme — As Uematsu was seeking out work as a composer, a friend asked him to help her write music for video games. Final Fantasy was one of the first games he worked on. This is the main theme of the game.

LISTEN — Nobuo Uematsu: Final Fantasy, Main Theme

Nobuo Uematsu: Final Fantasy VII, One-Winged Angel — When Uematsu wrote music for Final Fantasy VII, he got to work with an orchestra and a choir for the first time. The results were amazing. Here is one of his most popular pieces from Final Fantasy VII.

LISTEN — Nobuo Uematsu: Final Fantasy VII, One-Winged Angel

Nobuo Uematsu: Final Fantasy VII, Don’t Be Afraid — “Distant Worlds” is a concert tour performed by an orchestra, choir, and vocal and instrumental soloists. The concerts are unique multimedia experiences, with Final Fantasy video game presentations projected onto giant screens throughout the concert. Here is a piece that has been performed on the tour.

LISTEN — Nobuo Uematsu: Final Fantasy VII, Don’t Be Afraid

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The Mysterious Glass Armonica

Sat, 09 Apr 2022 05:00:00 +0000

There is a strange instrument that was once believed to have magical powers. Join host Liz Lyon as we learn a little about the history of the glass armonica and listen to music composed for this unique instrument.

Episode 80 Glass Armonica

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Adagio for Glass Armonica — In the last year of Mozart’s life, he composed this piece for the glass armonica, which has been referred to as one of unearthly beauty.

LISTEN — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Adagio for Glass Armonica

Johann Abraham Peter Schulz: Largo — There were many rumors surrounding the glass armonica. In Germany, some towns actually banned the instrument. Here is a piece written for it by German composer Johann Abraham Peter Schulz.

LISTEN — Johann Abraham Peter Schulz: Largo

James Horner: Spock — The glass armonica also is sometimes referred to as the bowl organ. It produces ethereal sounds and when paired with the harp, composer James Horner thought it created the perfect theme for Spock in the Star Trek movie The Wrath of Khan.

LISTEN — James Horner: Spock

Carter Burwell: The Glass Armonica — Carter Burwell is best known for his work as a film composer. He wrote this piece for the glass armonica to accompany the movie Mr. Holmes, which portrays the famous literary detective Sherlock Holmes in his old age.

LISTEN — Carter Burwell: The Glass Armonica

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