Tag: Janet Baker

As one who seemingly can’t find his way home, I thought I would offer up an afternoon of music inspired by the ultimate wanderer.

Our centerpiece will be a rarely-heard work, “Odysseus: Symphony in Four Movements,” by the English composer Armstrong Gibbs. Its four movements are meant to evoke the “Escape from Calypso,” “Circe,” “Cyclops,” and “The Return.” If you’re a fan of Vaughan Williams’ “A Sea Symphony,” you might also enjoy this.

“The Return,” of course, refers to Odysseus’ return to Ithaca, after 20 years’ absence, when he finally strings his bow and lays waste to his rivals in one of the most satisfying bloodbaths in all of literature. It also forms the climax of Benjamin Britten’s “The Rescue of Penelope,” a radio play for vocal soloists and orchestra. In the work’s only recording, we’ll hear none other than Dame Janet Baker as the speaker.

I’ll try to mix it up from there, with music suggested by “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey.”

We’re homesick for Homer, from 12 to 4 p.m. EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.