The opening piece, Jay says is one of the most joyous, most exuberant pieces ever written. It is a movement of a symphony, actually—the finale. Jay closes this program with Victor Borge, the musician-comedian, or comedian-musician—but in a serious vein. There is much to soak in, in this relatively brief program. Maybe the kind to listen to twice.

Mozart, Symphony No. 34 in C, K. 338, finale
Rorem, “Ferry Me Across the Water”
Bach-Loussier, Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565
Henriques, Lullaby

Music for a While #51: From Mozart to Borge

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In this episode, Jay begins with a shout—“Carolina Shout,” the classic jazz number by James P. Johnson. There are songs by Schumann, Puccini, and Porter (Cole). There are piano preludes—starter pieces by their composers. At the end, there is a sunburst of calypso. Enjoy this smorgasbord.

Johnson, James P., “Carolina Shout”

Schumann, “Röseleine, Röseleine!”

Bonds, Margaret, “Young Love in Spring”

Szymanowski, Prelude in E-flat minor, Op. 1, No. 8

Gorecki, Prelude, Op. 1, No. 4

Puccini, “Bevo al tuo fresco sorriso,” from “La rondine”

Puccini, “Chi il bel sogno,” from “La rondine”

Young, Victor, arr., Evans, Bill, “When I Fall in Love”

Porter, Cole, “Don’t Fence Me In”

Tanker, André, arr., Shaw, Theron, “Morena Osha”

Music for a While #88: Shout it out

The Friends of The New Criterion recently gathered for an evening in celebration of Peter Vertacnik, whose “The Nature of Things Fragile” won the magazine’s twenty-third poetry prize. Listen to hear Peter read a number of poems from this new collection.

Peter Vertacnik reads from “The Nature of Things Fragile”

Jay has assembled a little celebration of spring: songs, arias, a symphony, a sonata. Who doesn’t want to sing spring?

Argento, “Spring,” from “Six Elizabethan Songs”
Sinding, “Rustle of Spring”
Wagner, “Du bist der Lenz,” from “Die Walküre”
Beethoven, “Spring” Sonata, Rondo
Strauss, “Herr Lenz”
Saint-Saëns, “Printemps qui commence,” from “Samson et Dalila”
Schumann, “Er ist’s”
Hoiby, “Always It’s Spring”
Wolf, “Er ist’s”
Schumann, “Spring” Symphony, first movement
Warlock, “Pretty Ring Time”

Music for a While #87: Spring forward

On March 14, the Friends and Young Friends of The New Criterion gathered at the magazine’s headquarters to hear remarks from Dr. Alexander Chula on his new book, “Goodbye, Dr. Banda: Lessons for the West From a Small African Country.”

Goodbye, Dr. Banda

Recently, Carnegie Hall hosted a John Williams gala. The program was all-Williams and the composer himself conducted most of the concert. In this episode, Jay hosts his own little Williams gala.

All by John Williams:
“The Mission”
Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”
Olympic Fanfare and Theme
Main Title from “Catch Me If You Can”
Raiders March from “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark”
Flying Theme from “E.T.”
The Imperial March, a.k.a. Darth Vader’s Theme, from “Star Wars”

Music for a While #51: From Mozart to Borge

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