Classic Ross Amico

Tag: WWFM

Gordon Jacob Rediscovered on The Lost Chord

This Sunday night on “The Lost Chord,” we honor the accomplishments of Gordon Jacob.

Jacob is perhaps best remembered these days as an orchestrator. He did a popular arrangement for full orchestra of Vaughan Williams’ “English Folk Song Suite,” originally composed for symphonic band; he orchestrated Sir Edward Elgar’s Organ Sonata; and his arrangement of the ballet “Les Sylphides” has been eclipsed only by that of Roy Douglas.

But he was also a prolific composer himself. In all, he wrote some 400 works. In fact, when weighing the size of his output against his reputation, it’s tempting to underestimate – as the Angel did his Biblical namesake – Jacob’s tenacity.

We’ll listen to an example of his work as an arranger, the “William Byrd Suite,” in a classic recording on the Mercury label, and his rarely-heard Symphony No. 1, dedicated to the memory of his brother, who died in the First World War, in its world premiere recording on the Lyrita label.

I hope you’ll join me as we grapple with the range of Jacob’s accomplishments, in “Wrestling Jacob,” this Sunday night at 10:00 EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

In the meantime, follow the link for a witty survey ranking the various depictions of Jacob wrestling the angel in Western Art:

http://the-toast.net/2014/09/16/famous-paintings-jacob-wrestling-angel-ranked-much-actions-resemble-slow-dancing/

January 28, 2018
Support Classical Music Radio WWFM

What kind of a price tag do you put on something of intangible worth? It’s the age-old conundrum of the value of art.

Without getting into whether or not art is “good” for you or for your community (like spinach), consider for a moment what having classical music on WWFM has meant for the quality of your life. If you seriously feel it has done much to enrich your days and to give you solace or inspiration at all hours, then why not follow your heart – within the restraints of your budget, of course?

Public radio isn’t here to break the bank. Ideally, if everyone who enjoys the service – an endangered one in an increasingly commercial, talk, and news-driven market – then there would be no danger of having this invaluable asset lost or compromised. We’ve already had to make some hard decisions in recent years in order to survive within our budget.

If you’ve already given recently, thank you so much for your support – but if it’s been a year or more, how about it? Can you spare $20, $50, $120 for the station you love? $120 is just ten dollars a month. It may not seem like it would amount to much, but if even a few dozen people were to contribute, that’s quite a considerable chunk of change. If our entire listenership could be moved to be so generous, The Classical Network would one of the most well-off public radio stations in existence. But the reality is only a very small percentage of listeners give.

Regardless of what attracts you to the station – Who’s your favorite composer or performer? What’s your preferred era or genre? Who’s your favorite host or what’s your favorite specialty show? – we like to think we offer something for everyone who cares about classical music.

As you consider what you are able to do in order to help support our future, enjoy a day of wall-to-wall Mozart, as Alice Weiss (9 to noon), David Osenberg (10 to 2), Carl Hemmingsen (1 to 4), Michael Kownacky (2 to 6) and yours truly (4 to 6) share some of our favorites, in advance of the master’s 262nd birthday. (The actual anniversary is tomorrow.)

Then stick around for “Picture Perfect,” music for the movies, coming your way at 6 p.m. I’ve selected four recordings of scores by another one of classical music’s great musical prodigies, Erich Wolfgang Korngold. I’ll post a little more about that in just a bit.

“Picture Perfect” kicks off a Friday evening of unique specialty shows and live concert material. Bill McGlaughlin brings you another edition of “Exploring Music” (and more Mozart) at 7; Carl Hemmingsen hosts a concert of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, with music by Respighi, Schulhoff, and Mendelssohn, at 8; Allan Kelly presents “Distant Mirror” at 10; and Lewis Baratz hosts “Well-Tempered Baroque” at 11.

The Mozart celebration is already underway on WWFM – The Classical Network. Please show your support by calling 1-888-232-1212 or by contributing online at wwfm.org. We wouldn’t be here without your generosity. Thank you for your support!

January 26, 2018
Zhou Tian Grammy Nominee on WWFM

Coming up in the 3:00 hour, it’s one more chance to catch Zhou Tian’s Concerto for Orchestra in advance of this Sunday’s Grammy Awards ceremony. Zhou’s piece is nominated in the category of Best Contemporary Classical Composition. We’ll hear the world premiere recording of the work, with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Zhou was in Princeton last year for the U.S. premiere of his work, “Broken Ink,” with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra.

Prior to the airing of his Concerto for Orchestra, we’ll enjoy “An Exaltation of Larks” by one of his teachers, Philadelphia composer – and Pulitzer Prize winner – Jennifer Higdon. The work was written for the LARK Quartet (“exaltation” is the term for a collection of larks) of which Princeton Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Basia Danilow is a member.

Join me at 3:00 EST for an hour of outstanding contemporary music, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

Zhou Tian with Basia Danilow of the PSO and the Lark Quartet

January 23, 2018
Baroque Concerts NYC Marian Music & More

On today’s Noontime Concert on the Classical Network, members of the Queen’s Baroque Ensemble will join countertenor Ryland Angel and organist William Trafka – with special guest, countertenor Jonathan May – for another Midtown Concert presented by Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS).

The program, titled “Portraits of Mary,” will be made up of works by Johannes Schenck, Johann Pachelbel, Johann Sebastian Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, and Dietrich Buxtehude, all reflective of the Marian theme, the love between mother and child.

Trafka is director of music at St. Bartholomew’s Church, 50th Street and Park Avenue, where free concerts are held each Thursday at 1:15 p.m. This Thursday, violinist Theresa Salomon will present a program of works by Telemann and Bach. You’ll find a complete schedule of lunchtime performances at midtownconcerts.org.

In addition, GEMS presents evening concerts. “The Keys to Heaven: Music of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina,” which will include Palestrina’s “Missa Tu es Petrus,” will be performed by the Choir of St. Luke in the Fields. That concert will take place this Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Church of St. Luke in the Fields, 487 Hudson Street (just south of Christopher).

Gotham Early Music Scene is a non-profit organization that supports and promotes artists and organizations in New York City devoted to early music – music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, and early Classical periods. For more information and GEMS’ events calendar, look online at gemsny.org.

Then, free-associating on the Marian theme, we’ll follow-up with a symphony by Meredith Willson, composer of “The Music Man,” among our featured works. We’ll do our best to remain merry, from 12 to 4 p.m. EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

January 23, 2018
Westminster Choir Homecoming Concert Live Tonight

Owl be hanging out a little later than usual tonight on The Classical Network, as owl be manning the board for a live broadcast of Westminster Choir’s Homecoming Concert from Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University. On the program will be Frank Martin’s Mass for Double Choir, Gyorgy Ligeti’s “Lux Aeterna,” Randall Thompson’s “Alleluia,” and more. Joe Miller will direct. The concert will commence at 7:30 p.m.

Beginning at 4:00, and to take us up to the start of the simulcast, owl be presenting the usual afternoon mix, peppered with ample birthday anniversaries. Owl also do the “fill” following the concert, until 10 p.m. Sure, it will be a long shift, but all in all, I’d say it will be worthy of your interest. Owl be seeing you, between 4 and 10 p.m. EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

January 22, 2018

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