No Payne, no gain!

I hope you’ll join me this afternoon, as we celebrate the 80th birthday of composer and musicologist Anthony Payne. Payne did an uncanny job channeling the spirit of one of England’s most celebrated composers in bringing about the completion of sketches for Sir Edward Elgar’s Symphony No. 3. The resultant work, judiciously titled “Edward Elgar: Sketches for the Symphony No. 3 elaborated by Anthony Payne,” will be heard in the 1:00 hour.

We’ll also honor a former Master of the Queen’s Music, Sir Arthur Bliss, on his birthday, and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if music by Karl Amadeus Hartmann will turn up at some point, as well.

Hartmann was an anti-fascist German composer who played the dangerous game of remaining in Nazi Germany during World War II. He withdrew completely from musical life there and refused to allow his works to be performed. However, his symphonies continued to be championed abroad. Though still very much underrated, Hartmann was one of the great composers of the 20th century. We’ll be listening to his Symphony No. 6.

Experience these and more today, when you tune in from noon to 4 p.m. EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and at wwfm.org.

PHOTOS: Elgar (top) and Payne