WWFM has begun its Fall Membership Campaign, on a harvest theme. I hope you will support the station, and that when you do, you will put in the good word for me and my shows. Also, please make sure that the phone volunteers take the information!
I will be there live on Wednesday, from 4 to 6 p.m. ET, followed by a rebroadcast of last night’s “The Lost Chord,” from 6 to 7. During the two-hour preamble, I will be playing past “Lost Chord” favorites and offering as a special thank you gift autographed copies of Robert Moran’s new album, “Game of the Antichrist.” (Of course, you can always opt for the tote bag or the station mug.)
This will be the first time I have been on the air, in a live capacity, since June. Thankfully, the station is still carrying “The Lost Chord” and “Picture Perfect,” made possible through member contributions from listeners just like you.
Whenever I interview composer Robert Moran, I’m reminded of Andre Gregory’s description of “the beehive” in “My Dinner with Andre.” Only more ribald.
Anyone who has followed Bob’s career is familiar with his merry prankster ethos. He’s written works for harpsichord and electric frying pan, and any number of performance art pieces, including one which involves people walking around a financial district in giant paper bags. Here it is – like just about everything else, it seems – on YouTube:
“For 39 minutes, 100,000 persons were tripping together.” Groovy.
Bob’s new album, “Game of the Antichrist” is being released this week – just in time for Hallowe’en – on the innova Recordings label. It is the featured work tonight on “The Lost Chord” (more information about that below).
Robert Moran was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1937. He studied composition with Hans Erich Apostel in Vienna, then earned his Masters Degree at Mills College under Darius Milhaud and Luciano Berio.
He himself has taught at a number of institutions, including the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Portland State University. He’s been composer-in-residence to the city of West Berlin; at the Buffalo, NY, Center for the Performing Arts; and Northwestern University.
Early in his career, he gained notoriety for his compositions on a grand scale, incorporating entire cities (San Francisco; Bethlehem, PA; Graz, Austria; Hartford, CT) – their automobiles, airplanes, skyscrapers, radio and television stations, marching bands, dancers, theatrical groups and tens of thousands of performers.
He collaborated on the opera, “The Juniper Tree,” with Phillip Glass, and has composed many other works for the stage, including “Desert of Roses,” after Beauty and the Beast, for Houston Grand Opera, and “Alice,” after “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” for the Scottish Ballet.
Lest I give you the impression that Bob is all flash and no substance, I assure you he can turn around and write absolutely gorgeous music. Portions of “Desert of Roses” are so beautiful my heart could break. He also composed a lovely piece for youth chorus to commemorate the tenth anniversary of 9/11, the “Trinity Requiem,” on a commission from Trinity Wall Street, the co-called “Ground Zero” church in lower Manhattan. You can sample that on YouTube, as well.
This deserves to be repertory.
Bob’s works have been performed by the San Francisco Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, the National Symphony, The Greater Trenton Symphony, Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania Ballet.
“Game of the Antichrist” is a choral/theatrical adaptation of a 12th century mystery play. It’s scored for vocal soloists, chorus, children’s chorus, winds (including recorders), brass, Alphorn, bar piano, synthesizer, harp, organ and percussion. If memory serves, I think there’s even a glass harmonica in there. Oh yeah, and puppets. Giant puppets.
Since the 1980s, Moran has made his home in Philadelphia. We had an opportunity to chat there, at his townhouse, last week, where he filled me in on some of the background to his new piece. Although I’ve edited the conversation to keep it within FCC standards (I hope), Bob still has his moments. You can listen in to his expurgated insights, as Bob is my guest tonight on “The Lost Chord.”
The program is slated to air at 10 ET. Because of the recent schedule change, the show will now repeat during the dinner hour, 6 ET, on Wednesday, smack dab in the middle of our autumn pledge drive! If that doesn’t cost me my job, nothing will. So please be generous with your support on Wednesday. To further scandalize the phone volunteers, you can even say you are pledging in honor of “the Antichrist.”
I’ve been invited to do a live preamble on Wednesday, from 4 to 6, to talk up the show and play some of my “Lost Chord” favorites from years past. Bob has generously signed and contributed ten copies of “Antichrist,” which I’ll be offering as thank you gifts exclusively during those two hours.
You can listen and make your contributions here: http://www.wwfm.org; or call Wednesday, between 4 and 6, at 1-888-232-1212. Thank you for your support!
