A couple of weeks ago, Alexei Lubimov, a Russian pianist, was playing at an anti-war concert in Moscow. Police burst in to stop the concert. Lubimov kept playing until he had finished his piece (a Schubert impromptu). At the end of this episode, Jay plays a recording by Lubimov (Chopin this time). There is also Bach, Granados, Kapustin, Glass—a fine assortment.

Bach, Sinfonia, Easter Oratorio

Granados, “Canciones amatorias”

Kapustin, Prelude No. 10 in C-sharp minor

Berg, “Die Nachtigall,” from “Seven Early Songs”

Glass, Etude No. 6

Vaughan Williamson, “Silent Noon”

Chopin, Berceuse

Music for a While #56: Playing on

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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 #86: A Williams gala

On February 29, the Galliard Society joined the Friends and Young Friends of The New Criterion at The Players in New York for remarks delivered by Dominic Green.

Music for a While #56: Playing on

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