July 6 marks the 80th birthday of Vladimir Ashkenazy. Who hasn’t heard his Rachmaninoff, his Beethoven, his Chopin? It’s been done.
Then, the more I thought about it, I started to remember his cherishable recording, as conductor, of César Franck’s “Psyché.” And his disc of rarely-heard orchestral works by Boris Blacher. And his album of two-piano music by Igor Stravinsky, recorded with Andrei Gavrilov. And his Robert & Clara Schumann lieder recordings with Barbara Bonney. And his solo turns in André Previn’s Piano Concerto and Einojuhani Rautavaara’s “Gift of Dreams.” And I thought, okay, I guess I really do have the justification and the means to put together a truly compelling show.
I hope you’ll join tomorrow morning on WPRB as I salute Ashkenazy at 80.
We’ll also have a visit from accordionist Robert Young McMahan. McMahan, who is on the faculty of The College of New Jersey, is one of the foremost authorities on his instrument. He is on the governing board of the American Accordionists’ Association, which will hold its annual festival at the Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village, from July 12 to July 16. Tune in tomorrow to learn more, or look online at http://www.ameraccord.com. The AAA has commissioned prominent American composers to write for the accordion for over 65 years. McMahan will share some of his insights and recordings in the 9:00 hour.
It will be Ashkenazy in concord with the accordion, this Thursday morning from 6 to 11 EDT, on WPRB 103.3 FM and wprb.com. We’ll be tickling the keys, in whatever form, on Classic Ross Amico.