Classic Ross Amico

  • Remembering Jessye Norman

    Remembering Jessye Norman

    by 

    Ross Amico
    in
    6 responses

    PLAYING RIGHT NOW: Jessye Norman’s lush rendering of Ernest Chausson’s “Poème de l’amour et de la mer” (“Poem of Love and the Sea”). It’s the first of multiple performances we’ll be sharing to celebrate the late soprano, who died yesterday at the age of 74. Coming up between now and 4:00, we’ll also hear her beloved recording of Richard Strauss’ “Four Last Songs.”

    In addition, we’ll remember pianist Paul Badura-Skoda and hornist Myron Bloom, whom we also lost within the past few days.

    David Osenberg will have some Norman bonuses, some Mahler and some spirituals, later on this afternoon.

    Jessye is the voice of choice, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

  • Sorcerer’s Apprentice Halloween Day 1

    Sorcerer’s Apprentice Halloween Day 1

    by 

    Ross Amico
    in
    2 responses

    31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN (DAY 1)

    For Paul Dukas’ birthday, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”

    https://video.disney.com/watch/sorcerer-s-apprentice-fantasia-4ea9ebc01a74ea59a5867853

  • Rosh Hashanah Concert Celebrating Women Composers

    Rosh Hashanah Concert Celebrating Women Composers

    by 

    Ross Amico
    in
    9 responses

    For those of you who celebrate, I extend my best wishes for a good and sweet new year. The two-day observance of Rosh Hashana began last night at sunset.

    To mark the occasion, and with the shofar still fresh in our ears, this afternoon on The Classical Network, I’ll present Meira Warshauer’s “Tekeeya: Concerto for Shofar, Trombone and Orchestra.”

    Warshauer’s unusual concerto nicely dovetails with my month-long celebration of women composers, to coincide with the bicentennial of the birth of Clara Schumann.

    On this last day of September, I’ll have one more work by Schumann herself; also the “Psalm” for cello and orchestra by Irish composer Ina Boyle (a pupil of Ralph Vaughan Williams).

    As if all that weren’t enough, I’ll send out musical birthday greetings to Johan Svendsen, Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, David Oistrakh, and Valentin Silvestrov.

    The playlist will be as sweet as a mouth full of apples and honey, from 4 to 7 p.m. EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

  • Rosh Hashanah ’80s Vibe on The Lost Chord

    Rosh Hashanah ’80s Vibe on The Lost Chord

    by 

    Ross Amico
    in
    7 responses

    Shana Tova! Are you ready for the ‘80s?

    This Sunday night on “The Lost Chord,” to coincide with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, we welcome 5780, and greet the High Holidays with two complementary works.

    Jacob Weinberg’s String Quartet, Op. 55, of 1950, falls into three movements: “Rosh Hashana,” “Yom Kippur” and “Sukkot.” “Yom Kippur” is based on the cantorial chant “Kol Nidre.” (You know, the same one famously employed by Max Bruch.)

    Ernest Bloch’s “Israel Symphony,” composed between 1912 and 1917, is more like an orchestral rhapsody, with its three sections – “Prayer in the Desert,” “Yom Kippur” and “Succoth” – played continuously and capped by parts for four vocal soloists.

    Sukkot, which follows Yom Kippur by only five days, is the harvest festival, during which temporary dwellings (or sukkot) are erected to commemorate the Jews’ 40 years wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. In modern times, these are decorated with fruits and vines. In contrast to the austerity and fasting of Yom Kippur, Sukkot is a celebration of life and abundance. But in ancient Israel, it was a solemn affair, with sacrifices offered at the temple.

    The High Holidays are a period of reflection, ten days of awe and repentance, culminating in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

    I hope you’ll join me in welcoming 5780, on “Totally Awesome,” this Sunday night at 10:00 EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

  • Sleepless Week Apes Deadlines and Local Music

    Sleepless Week Apes Deadlines and Local Music

    by 

    Ross Amico
    in
    5 responses

    What a week it’s been! It’s getting so that a guy can’t simply procrastinate and push a deadline on a newspaper article. This week, I was late because I had no choice. (Of course, the fact that the would-be subject was incommunicado in New Mexico didn’t help.)

    On top of this, my radio shifts, my volunteer work, and certain personal obligations, I knew I had to push myself if I was ever going to get the new Planet of the Apes boxed set on to “Picture Perfect.” Even getting four or five hours sleep on three consecutive nights, there was not enough time in the day. The “Apes” show was recorded and in the can only by around 1:00 on Friday afternoon. (Deadline for weekend shows is Thursday.)

    That in itself might not be enough to draw sympathetic tears, but when I produce new material for “Picture Perfect” and “The Lost Chord,” I do not get paid. The only way I receive compensation for all my hard work is if the shows have an underwriter. And I’ve been working without an underwriter for over a year. Which is why, from time to time, you may dimly recollect having once or twice previously heard a show. I’m pretty good at disguising leftovers, but in a pinch and at the end of a long week, sometimes I just have to dole out a rerun.

    With my schedule, If I’m to produce a new show for free, I really have to be enthusiastic about it.

    How can you help? You can message me with any suggestions for potential underwriters.

    Also, in connection to my newspaper work, if you have any ideas for really interesting, music-related stories with a local slant, please let me know. The local slant is important. U.S. 1 (based in Princeton) prefers to emphasize a community angle. While the story can certainly tie in with your favorite organization’s upcoming concert, the hook should be something that inspires community interest.

    That said, if they’re planning an important or unique concert, a profile of the organization, performer or conductor may be enough. But if they’ve been profiled recently, please don’t be disappointed if I can’t get the go-ahead to do the story, and they wind up as a listing in the arts calendar.

    Again, please feel free to message me with any leads or suggestions. Thank you for your help in keeping Classic Ross Amico solvent (if sleepless).

Tag Cloud

Aaron Copland (93) Beethoven (95) Composer (114) Film Music (145) Film Score (143) Film Scores (255) Halloween (94) John Williams (195) KWAX (229) Leonard Bernstein (104) Marlboro Music Festival (125) Movie Music (160) Mozart (91) Opera (213) Philadelphia Orchestra (89) Picture Perfect (174) Princeton Symphony Orchestra (109) Radio (88) Ross Amico (244) Roy's Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner (290) The Classical Network (101) The Lost Chord (269) Vaughan Williams (105) WPRB (397) WWFM (881)

DON’T MISS A BEAT

Receive a weekly digest every Sunday at noon by signing up here

RECENT POSTS