Fishko Files

It's been 95 years since the death of Ferruccio Busoni - a complicated, underappreciated musical genius whose pianism, compositions, and ideas, says Sara Fishko, deserve better! (Produced in 2012)

The holiday season brings out the best in Baroque music. One of the best of the best is Bach's remarkable Chaconne, whose story is told by WNYC's Sara Fishko in this Fishko Files classic from 2003.

Since early fall, a corner of the Whitney Museum has been devoted to the sounds, thoughts, and visions of the jazz pianist and composer Jason Moran. As the year turns, the show goes into its final days. More from WNYC's Sara Fishko, in this edition of Fishko Files.

Jason Moran's show at the Whitney closes on January 5, with final jazz performances by Tiger Trio on January 3 & 4.

The film Marriage Story starts streaming on Netflix today. It was in December 1979 that another well-acted, thoughtful film about divorce opened to mostly raves for its writer-director, Robert Benton - who is Sara Fishko's guest on this edition of Fishko Files.

Kramer vs. Kramer, Places in the Heart, and many other Benton films are available on Amazon.

'Kramer vs. Kramer' vs. 'Marriage Story' by Jourdain Searles (Nov 12, 2019)

Screen: 'Kramer vs. Kramer' by Vincent Canby (Dec 19, 1979)

“Heart and Soul,” a 1930s song of modest melody and lilting rhythm, occupies a special place in the culture of piano-playing. Without its lyrics - with just its simple, jaunty tune - it’s become an iconic American tradition, especially at the holiday season's social gatherings. Why? WNYC’s Sara Fishko meditates on the mysteries of a popular tune. (Produced in 2006)

In the days following September 11th, television united Americans as it had few times before. In this special edition for On the Media, WNYC's Sara Fishko takes us back to November 22nd, 1963 - the Friday before Thanksgiving, when the medium was feeling its way, for the first time, through a devastating tragedy. (Produced in 2001)

This weekend, Film Forum kicks off a 13-film festival celebrating the actor and filmmaker Lee Grant. In the prime of her career - her "ingénue years," as she calls them - she was blacklisted by the House Committee on Un-American Activities, rendering her unemployable in Hollywood. She spoke to WNYC's Sara Fishko in 2014 about those years, and the bizarre circumstances of her return to stardom. (Produced in 2014)

Lee Grant: Actor. Filmmaker. begins at Film Forum on Saturday, November 17 and continues through February 12, with appearances by Grant on opening night and select dates.

Lee Grant's book, I Said Yes to Everything: A Memoir, is available on Amazon.

World War I presented civilization with unprecedented violence and destruction. The shock of the first modern, “industrial” war extended far into the 20th century and even into the 21st, and changed how people saw the world and themselves. And that was reflected in the cultural responses to the war – which included a burgeoning obsession with beauty and body image, the birth of jazz, new thinking about the human psyche, the Harlem Renaissance, Surrealism...and more.

WNYC's Sara Fishko and guests sift through the lingering effects of the Great War on modern art and life in Shell Shock 1919: How the Great War Changed Culture.

Shell Shock 1919 is supported by the Revada Foundation of the Logan Family.

World War 1 officially ended in 1919, and as WNYC's Sara Fishko tells us, its impact on art and culture during and after the war can still be felt. One early response to the war came from artists searching for a way to express their shock. More, in this edition of Fishko Files.

Next Thursday, November 7 at 7pm, Sara Fishko will be live in The Greene Space with "Shell Shock 1919: How the Great War Changed Culture." Guests include MoMA's Ann Temkin. Tickets are available now.

Tune into WNYC next Sunday, November 10 for the hourlong special Shell Shock 1919: How the Great War Changed Culture, airing through Veterans Day weekend.

With Halloween looming, WNYC's Sara Fishko relates the story of "Isle of the Dead" - a dark, mysterious 19th century painting that captivated a whole generation. More in this episode of Fishko Files.

Fishko Files with Sara Fishko

Assistant Producer: Olivia BrileyMix Engineer: Wayne ShulmisterEditor: Karen Frillmann