Classical Classroom

Muzio Clementi is often called the "Father of the Piano" and is known for his sonatinas. But as it turns out, this smarty pants single-handedly changed classical music and made it what we know today. Jeremy Eskenazi, founder of the Muzio Clementi Society, tells all about the quiet mover and shaker in this episode – from a Tardisin Australia (seriously!).

Jeremy Eskenazi, founder of the Muzio Clementi Society. Photo courtesy of the Society.

Audio production for this episode by Todd "Tall Texan" Hulslander with smiles for miles by Dacia Clay.

Music in this episode: (By Muzio Clementi)

• Toccata op.11 in Bb major
• Sonata op.34 no.1 3rd movement in C major
• Sonata op.7 no.3 3rd mvt on clementi piano
• Symphony no.3, 2nd movement

(Not by Muzio Clementi)

• Theme song from Doctor Who, 11th Doctor edition

Think you know Beethoven's Fifth? Think again!

Beethoven's Fifth. We've never done a show on it because everybody knows it! Right? Emily Reese, on air host for Classical Minnesota Public Radio, host of Top Score (part of the Infinite Guest podcast series), and creator of MPR's Learning to Listen, says that we are wrong, so wrong! Emily takes us through the entire symphony, which, as it turns out, is completely surprising and amazing. Plus, we play drinking games! Or at least give you some to play.

Audio production by Todd "The Tower" Hulslander with fear of heights by Dacia Clay.

Music in this episode: – Symphony No. 5, Ludwig van Beethoven. Played by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, and conducted by John Eliot Gardiner. Archiv.

The former Moores School director and composer teaches us about carols, and shares some of his favorites.

It's Christmastime in the Classroom! David Ashley White – Professor of Composition at (and former director of) the Moores School of Music, composer, and guy who writes hymns for actual hymnals – teaches us what makes a "carol" and shares some of his favorites with us. There are oldies, goodies, and stuff you've never heard. We assure you, it will put you in the Christmas spirit. Not the ghosty kind. The happy kind.

PS, MERRY CHRISTMAS, listeners! We hope your holidays are both merry and bright.

Composer David Ashely White. Photo courtesy of the Moores School website.

Audio production by Todd "Feliz Navi-Todd" Hulslander with elfin shenanigans by Dacia Clay.

Music in this episode:

• Handel: Messiah, HWV 56 – For Unto Us A Child Is Born, Susan Gritton, Bernarda Fink, Etc.; Paul McCreesh: Gabrieli Consort & Players. Handel: Messiah (Disc 1).
• Mary Had A Baby, Kathleen Battle, Christopher Parkening. Angels' Glory.
• Sunny Bank (I Saw Three Ships, Julie Andrews. A Christmas Treasure Holiday.
• Cherry Tree Carol, Sting. If On A Winter's Night…
• O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Sufjan Stevens. Songs for Christmas.
• Tomorrow shall by my dancing day, Harry Christophers: The Sixteen, 20th Century Christmas Collection.
• White Christmas, Anne Sofie Von Otter. Home For Christmas.
• Sweet Was the Song, Palmer Memorial Episcopal Choir. By David Ashley White.
• Deck The Halls, Julie Andrews. A Christmas Treasure.

Pianist, Shepherd School of Music professor, and recording artist Jon Kimura Parker – or as we like to call him, Captain Jon Solo – talks about the hidden world of the guest soloist. From the singular experience of performing with an orchestra in one ear and a concert hall in the other, to rehearsal times that will give you stage fright just hearing about them, it's a behind-the-scenes tell-all exposé of concertic proportions. (That's a word. We swear.)

Audio production by Todd "The Tobogganator" Hulslander with a running start by Dacia Clay.

Music in this episode was recorded live with Jon Kimura Parker in the Geary Performance Studio at Houston Public Media except for:

– Ludwig van Beethoven: Klavierkonzert Nr. 1 C-Dur, op. 15 played by Martha Argerich and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra – P.D.Q. Bach: Concerto for Two Pianos vs. Orchestra, S. 2 are better than one (P.D.Q. Bach).

For more about Jon Kimura Parker: www.jonkimuraparker.com

Okay, I lied last week: Producer Todd is still working on the new Two Star Symphony album (for which we are pretty darn excited). But! Never fear: We have unearthed a timely gem from the vault to keep you busy until next week, when we will really for real have a new episode for you. Please enjoy!

PS, The info about the Mozart Festival at the end of this episode is outdated. However, you can still find tons of information over at www.themozartfestival.org. —————————–

Mozart's death, on December 5, 1791, is still so mysterious over two centuries later, that we couldn't help but do a Research Presentation about it. In this short, we explore why his death is an unsolved mystery, and why we're still so fascinated by it. Intweeged? Hit play to find out more!

Audio production by Todd "Sir Toddfried" Hulslander with much brow furrowing and consternation by Dacia Clay.

(Producer Todd is off recording Two Star Symphony's new album right now (sweet!), so we have unearthed some old gold for you from the vault. Please enjoy this repeat of our class with conductor James Gaffigan. We'll be back next week with another spankin' new episode.)

Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 is dramatic, cinematic, erratic, sarcastic, and full of existential longing – according to Chief Conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, James Gaffigan. Why is it important to listen to this symphony, the musical expression of Shostakovich's depression and anxiety as he lived under Stalin's thumb? Listen to this episode and find out!

Audio production by Todd "Taller than Necessary" Hulslander with inspired napping from Dacia Clay.

Music in the episode includes:

– Dmitri Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47, New York Philharmonic Orchestra led by Leonard Bernstein

To find out more about hilarious comedian Jim Gaffigan, go to a different website. :)

Classical music: the future frontier. These are the voyages of the podcast Classical Classroom. It's mission: to explore strange new music – Sorry. I'll stop. Where was I? Right! Composer, performer, and Mannes College of Musiccomposition faculty member, Missy Mazzoli talks to us about the future of classical music, from the future, aka, New York. Also talked about in this episode: Beth Morrison, Schoenberg, David Little, pillow fights, Lars von Trier, eighth blackbird, Richard Reed Parry, Bryce Dessner, Victoire, Abigail Fischer, "bands" vs. "ensembles", operatic voice, and streaming music.

PS, If you're in the Houston area, Missy's opera, Song from the Uproar, will be making its premiere here at Da Camera in March of 2015. For more info, click here!

Audio production of this episode by Todd "Tisk Tisk" Hulslander with buckets of help from Dacia Clay.

All music in this episode was composed by Missy Mazzoli.

For more about Missy Mazzoli: www.missymazzoli.com

What makes creativity? Is it money? Is it a gift from the Powers That Be? Is it won through trials and tribulations? Shepherd School of Music Professor of Violin Kenneth Goldsmith unveils the ancient formula. He looks at how Haydn, Grieg, and Ravel – composers from different life circumstances and different times – all used their mysterious powers of creativity to explore the same theme.

Audio production by Todd "Tether Ball King" Hulslander with a really good try at defense by Dacia Clay.

Music in this episode: – Josef Haydn: Symphony #6 "Le Matin" – Edvard Grieg: Morning Mood from Peer Gynt Suite #1 – Maurice Ravel: Daphnis and Chloe, Suite #2

Professor Kenneth Goldsmith. Photo courtesy of Shepherd School website.

For more about Kenneth Goldsmith:www.music.rice.edu/facultybios/goldsmith.shtml

What would the movies be like without music? They're like peanut butter and jelly, Luke and Darth, et and cetera… Would we be as moved at a movie without music? Film composer Vivek Maddala takes us behind the scenes to show us how movies use music to toy with our emotions. But like, in a nice way.

Audio production by Todd "Sir Toddius of Toddsville" Hulslander with curtsies and bows by Dacia Clay.

All music used in this episode is by Vivek Maddala and is from the film, "American Revolutionary: The evolution of Grace Lee Boggs".

Composer Vivek Maddala. Photo courtesy of the composer's Myspace page.

For more about the film: www.americanrevolutionaryfilm.com For more about Vivek Maddala: www.tadcaster.com

"You gotta hear this one song. It'll change your life." – Pierre Jalbert to me*.

Have you ever heard a piece of music that truly moved you? Has a piece of music actually changed the course of your life? Ravel and George Crumb wrote pieces of music that played huge roles in the life of a young Pierre Jalbert. He talks about these two pieces of music, how he encountered them, how they work, and how they are woven into the fabric of his life and work.

Audio production in this episode by Todd "Toots" Hulslander with angry Footloosedancing from Dacia Clay.

Music in this episode:

– Maurice Ravel: String Quartet in F major, fourth movement, played by the Emerson String Quartet

– George Crumb: Black Angels, "God-music", played by the Miro Quartet

– Pierre Jalbert:

– Visual Abstract, for chamber ensemble: II. Dome of Heaven (from the CD Chamber Music)

– Icefield Sonnets for string quartet

For more about Pierre Jalbert: www.pierrejalbert.com

Hear music from our episode using this handy Spotify playlist!

*Actually, Pierre didn't say this to me. But, Natalie Portman says it to Zach Braff in the movie Garden State about a song by the Shins called "New Slang", which is, actually, a darn good song.