Michael Kurek, Composer

Welcome to the “Catholic Adventures in Great Music” resource and membership page! I’m your host, composer and author Michael Kurek. Simply click on any of the page links at the top to learn more about me and my work. We also have a show Facebook page HERE. Scroll down further on this page to help us keep this show on the air with a small monthly subscription fee of $10, for which you can choose a bonus gift and have access to our insider’s page. Just click on the “Subscribe” button and provide charge card information.

Come here to get the titles of the music that was played, to ask questions, or make comments. Also, here you can find information about where and when you can hear each show. By the way, our theme music at the beginning and end of each show is the opening of the opera “Hansel and Gretel” by the German composer Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921), using his melody “Evening Prayer”.

WHEN THE SHOW AIRS ON THE CRUSADE CHANNEL: The current week’s show airs Mondays and Fridays at 5 p.m. Central Time, and selected past shows air Saturdays at 8 and 9 a.m. Central Time. The show airs on several radio stations and online, here on the Crusade Channel.

Posted just below are shows that have already aired in previous weeks. Hear the new ones on the Crusade Channel at the days and times above. With a membership in the Crusade Channel, you can hear any of the episodes, including the current week’s, at https://crusadechannel.com/catholic-adventures-nn-great-music-with-dr-michael-kurek/

THE FIRST 21 SHOWS ARE ON THE CRUSADE CHANNEL’S SEASON NO. 1, AND SEASON 2 BEGINS WITH SHOW 22.

Show No. 1: George Butterworth show.

Our first show was about English composer George Butterworth and included his compositions (in order) “The Banks of the Greenwillow”, then each of his “Two English Idylls”, then “A Shropshire Lad, Rhapsody for Orchestra”. Finally, we heard some of the piece by composer Ralph Vaughan Williams that he dedicated to George Butterworth, called “The Lark Ascending”. All the Butterworth selections were performed by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Grant Llewellyn. The solo violinist for “The Lark Ascending” was Hilary Hahn with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Colin Davis.

Show No. 2: Frederic Chopin show.

Our second show, on Frédéric Chopin, opened with his Minute Waltz and closed with his Grande Valse Brilliante, Op. 18, both performed by pianist Valentina Lisita. She also performed the Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2. Polonaise in A-flat, Op. 53 was performed by pianist Evgeny Kissin. Prelude in D-flat Major, No. 15 (“Raindrop”), Op. 28 was performed by pianist Lang Lang. Fantasie Impromptu in C-sharp Minor, Op. 66 was performed by pianist Anastasia Huppman. Prelude in E minor, No. 4, Op. 28 was performed by Eric Lu. The Berceuse (Lullaby) in D-flat Major, Op. 57 was performed by Helen Grimaud. “Cameo appearances” by singers Perry Como and Judy Garland

Show No. 3: Antonin Dvorak show.

Episode three, on Antonin Dvorak, included his Serenade for Strings, Op. 22, performed by the Vienna Symphony Radio Orchestra, Milan Horvat, conductor; the “Kyrie” and “Sanctus” from his Mass in D, Op. 86, performed by the Orquesta Sinfonica de Navarra, Anoni Wit, conductor; his Sonata in G Major for Violin and Piano, Opus. 100:  II. Larghetto – Atsuko Sahara, violin, and John Lenehan, piano; his String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96, nick-named the “American” String Quartet, performed by the Cleveland Quartet; and his Symphony No. 9: From the New World, performed by the All-Star Orchestra, Gerard Schwartz, conductor.

Show No. 4: Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky show.

Episode four, on Tchaikovsky, included music from his ballet Swan Lake, Op. 20, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, Mistislav Rostropovich conductor; the first movement, “Lord Have Mercy” from The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, performed by the National Academic Choir of the Ukraine, Yevhen Savchuk, conductor; the second movement from his Piano Concerto No. 1, performed by Martha Argerich, piano, with the Royal Philharmonic, Charles Dutoit conductor; and the first movement of his Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74, “Pathetique”, performed by the Royal Philharmonic with Yuri Temirkanov, conductor.

Show No. 5: Edvard Grieg show.

Episode five, on Grieg included the second of his Four Norwegian Dances, Op. 35, played by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Ole Kristian Ruup, conductor; selections from Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1, performed by Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert von Karajan; “Sovieg’s Song” from Peer Gynt, sung by Sissel Kyrkjebø; the last two movements from Grieg’s Lyric Suite, Opus 54 played by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Ole Kristian Ruup, conductor; and Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 16, movements 1 and 3 performed by Ronan O’Hora Piano, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, James Judd Conducting.

Show No. 6: Ludwig van Beethoven show.

Episode six, on Ludwig van Beethoven, included the second and third movements of Piano Sonata No. 8 (“Pathetique”), performed by pianist Stephen Kovacevich; Symphony No. 6 in F Major, movement one, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, Bernard Haitink, conductor; Symphony No. 7 in A Major, movement 2, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, Carlos Kleiber, conductor; Piano Sonata No. 14 in C# minor, op. 27, movement one: “Moonlight”, performed by pianist Daniel Barenboim; and Symphony No. 5 in C minor, movement four (and a snippet from the beginning of movement one at the beginning of the show), performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, Bernard Haitink, conductor.

Show No. 7: Edward Elgar show

Episode seven, link above, on Edward Elgar, included his Enigma Variations (excerpts), performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, John Eliot Gardiner, conductor; The Dream of Gerontius (excerpts), performed by the New Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus, Sir Adrian Boult, conductor; The Wand of Youth, Suite 1 (excerpts), performed by the Ulster Orchestra, Bryden Thompson, conductor; Salut d’amour, performed by violinist Daniel Hope with studio orchestra; Pomp and Circumstance, March no. 1, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, Barry Tuckwell, conductor.

Show No. 8: Johannes Brahms show

Episode 8, on Johannes Brahms, included his “Wiegenlied”, Op. 49, No. 4, sung by Renée Fleming soprano, accompanied by Harmut Höll, piano; Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G minor – played by the Vienna Philharmonic, Claudio Abbado conductor; Intermezzo in A, op. 118 no. 2,  performed by Radu Lupu, pianist; A German Requiem, Movement 4, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic and Chorus, Simon Rattle, conductor; Symphony 3 in F major, Op. 90, Movement 3, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, Claudio Abbado, conductor; Double Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra in A minor, Op. 102, Movement 2, performed by Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin, Maximilian Hornung, cello, and the Symphonie Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks; Symphony 1, Movement 4, performed by the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Herbert van Karajan conductor.

Show No. 9: Sergei Rachmaninoff show

Show No. 9: Sergei Rachmaninoff show 

Episode 9, on Rachmaninoff, included his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43 performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra with Danill Trifonov, piano; Vocalise, Op. 34, no. 14, performed by cellist Mischa Maisky and pianist Pavel Gililov; Prelude in C# Minor, performed by pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy; excerpts from Vespers (All-Night Vigil), Op. 37, performed by the St. Petersburg Chamber Choir; and Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, performed by the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, Anna Fedorova, piano.

Show No. 10: Johann Sebastian Bach show

Episode 10, on Bach, included “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” from Cantata 147, Leopold Stokowski conducting studio orchestra and choir/ remastered; “Sheep May Safely Graze” from Cantata 208, no. 9, performed by the Stuttgarten Kammerorchester, Karl Munchinger, conductor; St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244, Part II, No. 58, performed by The Bach Choir, Sir David Wilcox, conductor; St. Matthew Passion, Part II, No. 63, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra and Choir, Otto Klemperer, conductor; “Ave Maria” by Bach and Gounod, performed by Sally Stapleton, soprano; Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, performed by Tom Kooperman, organ; “Air on a G String” from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068, performed by The Bach Orchestra; Mass in B Minor: “Agnus Dei”, performed by the Netherlands Bach Society. 

Show No. 11: Maurice Ravel show

Episode 11, on Ravel, included Sonatine for Flute, Harp, and Viola performed by Paula Robison, Heidi Lehwalder, Scott Nickrenz; Mother Goose Suite, No. 1: Pavane of the Sleeping Beauty, No. 2 Tom Thumb, No. 5 Fairy Garden performed by Louise de Froment, conductor; Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet, performed by Claudia Antonelli, harp; Pavane for a Dead Princess, performed by the Orchestre National De France; Daphnis et Chloe, Suite No. 2: Part One, “Lever Du Jour,” performed by the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Segun, conductor; Piano Concerto No. 1 in G major: II, performed by Yundi Li, Berlin Philharmoniker, Seizi Ozawa, conductor.

Show No. 12: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart show

Episode 12, on Mozart, included Piano Concerto 21 in C, K. 467, II Andante. performed by the Vienna Mozart Ensemble, Herbert Kraus, conductor; Ave Verum Corpus, performed by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge; Requiem in D minor: K. 626, no. 3, Sequentia VI: Lacrimosa performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, Karl Boehm, conductor; Symphony no. 40 in G Minor: I, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, conductor; Serenade in G, K. 525 “Eine Kleine Nachtmusic” Mvt. 1  performed by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner, conductor; Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K. 545: I,  Lang Lang, piano; Concerto for Flute and Harp in C major, K. 299, II, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic with Werner Tripp and Hubert Jelinek, Karl Munchinger, conductor; “Queen of the Night Aria” from The Magic Flute, performed by Le Cercle De L’Harmonie, Jeremie Rhorer, conductor, Diana Damrau, soprano.

Show No. 13: Franz Schubert show

Episode 13, on Schubert, included Moment Musical No. 3 in F Min. Op 94 D. 780 , performed by Lang Lang, solo piano; the art song (lied) “Die Forelle” (The Trout), sung by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau; Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667, mvt. IV. Theme and Variations on the song “the Trout”, performed by Anne-Sophie Mutter, Daniil Trifonov, Hwayoon Lee, Maximillian Hornung, and Roman Patkoló; Swanengesang, D. 957, IV  Ständchen (Serenade), performed by Mischa Maisky, cello, and Daria Hovora, piano; “Ave Maria” sung by The Daughters of St. Paul, on their album Handmaiden of the Lord: Songs of Mary; Piano Sonata No. 20 in A Major, D. 959: IV. Rondo: Allegretto, performed by David Korevaar, piano; “Tantum Ergo” in E flat, D. 962, performed by the Berlin Radio Orchestra and Chorus, Peter Schreier, conductor; and Symphony No. 8, D. 759 “Unfinished”, performed by the Wiener Philharmoniker, Ricardo Muti, conductor.

Show No. 14: One-Hit Wonders of Classical Music show

Episode 14, on “One-Hit Wonders of Classical Music”, included The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, performed by unnamed orchestra with James Levine, conductor; Meditation from Thais, performed by  Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, solo violin, with the New York Chamber Symphony conducted by Gerard Schwartz; Pachelbel:  Canon in D Major, P. 37, performed by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Edward Brewer, conductor; “The Moldau,” (“Vltava”) from My Country, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, James Levine, conductor; Pietro Mascagni: “Intermezzo” from Cavalleria Rusticana, performed by Mak Ka-Lok, Conductor & Voronezh State Symphony Orchestra; “Dance of the Hours” from the opera La Gioconda by Amilcare Ponchielli,  performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, conductor; Humperdink – “Evening Prayer” from Hansel and Gretel performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Show 15: Anton Bruckner show

Episode 15, on Bruckner, included the first movements of his 7th and 4th symphonies, both performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, Daniel Barenboim, conductor; and his “Ave Maria” performed by the Latvian Radio Choir, Sigvards Klava, conductor.

Show 16: Ralph Vaughan Williams show

Episode 16, on Ralph Vaughan Williams, included his Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, Antonia Pappano, conductor; Fantasia on Greensleeves, performed by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Mariner, conductor; “O Taste and See”, performed by The Cambridge Singers, John Rutter, conductor; Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus, for harp and string orchestra, performed by The London Symphony Orchestra, Bryden Thomyson, conductor; and Serenade to Music, performed by the London Philharmonic, (no conductor listed).

Show No. 17: Camille Saint-Saëns show

Episode 17, on Saint-Saëns, included these movements from his Carnival of the Animals : The Swan, The Aquarium, The Elephant, The Aviary, Fossils, Tortoises, and Finale, all performed by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit, conductor; Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso performed by the Rundfunkorchester des Sudwestfunk Baden-Baden,  Klaus Arp, conductor;  “Ave Maria” performed by the Chorale Figure Humaine, Denis Rouger, conductor; and movements 2 – 4 of Symphony No. 3 in C Minor, “Organ”, performed by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit, conductor.

Show No. 18: Highlights of Richard Wagner and Gustav Mahler show

Episode 18, on Wagner and Mahler, included Wagner’s The Ride of the Valkyries, from the album Calendar Classics (performers uncredited); Wagner’s “Prelude” to Tristan und Isolde, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, Daniel Barenboim, conductor; and “Liebestod” from Tristan and Isolde, performed by the Oslo Philharmonic, Mariss Jansen, conductor; Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 (Movement 4), performed by the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Harmut Haenchen, conductor; and the final section of the finale of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection”, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, Simon Rattle, conductor.

Show No. 19: Gustav Holst, The Planets show

Episode 19, on Gustav Holst, his one composition on this epidose, The Planets, was performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by William Steinberg.

Show No. 20: Robert Schumann and Felix Mendelssohn show

Episode 20, on Schumann and Mendelssohn, included Schumann’s “Träumerei” from Kinderszenen, Op. 15 No. 7, performed by solo pianist Inger Sodergren; Schumann’s Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, “Rhenish”, op. 97 (1850), Movement 1, performed by the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Frankfurt, conducted by Eliahu Inbal; Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.54, Movement 1, from compilation CD, performers unlisted;  Mendelssohn’s Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 21, performed by the Philharmonia Promenade Orchestra, conductor unlisted; and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64, Movement 1, performed by the Gewandhausorchester of Leipzig, with Maxim Vengerov, solo violinist, and conducted by Kurt Masur.

Show No. 21: Treasures of Sacred Classical Music show

Episode 21, on the Treasures of Sacred Classical Music, includes Cesar Frank’s Panis Angelicus, performed by the Choir of the King’s College, Cambridge; the “Kyrie” and Sanctus et Benedictus” from Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina’s Pope Marcellus Mass, performed by The Tallis Scholars, conducted by Peter Phillips; “Ave Maria Stella” from Claudio Monteverdi’s Vespers for the Blessed Virgin of 1610, performed by Les Arts Florissants, conducted by William Christie; the “Introit”, “Dies Irae”, and “Tuba Mirum” from Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem, performed by the choir and orchestra of the Theater of La Scala, conducted by Ricardo Muti; and the “Introit”, “Sanctus”, “Pie Jesu”, and “In Paradisum” from Gabriel Faure’s Requiem, performed by the King’s College Choir, Cambridge, with the New Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Sir David Willcocks and Sir Philip Ledger.

SEASON 2 ON THE CRUSADE CHANNEL SHOW, BELOW

S. 2. No. 1, Show No. 22: “Pope Benedict XVI and Music” show

Episode 22, on Pope Benedict XVI’s love of music with his comments from various sources on his favorite composers and compositions, especially his favorite piece of all time, Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A, K. 581. This show included a musical recording of that one piece in its entirety (35 min. in four movements), Performed by members of the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble (1980). Clarinet – Antony Pay, Violin I – Iona Brown, Violin II – Malcolm Latchem, Viola – Stephen Shingles, Violoncello – Denis Vigay.

S. 2. No. 2, Show No. 23: Alexander Borodin Show

Episode 23 on Russian Romantic composer Alexander Borodin features “Stranger in Paradise” from the Broadway musical Kismet (movie version), sung by Vic Damone and Ann Blythe; “Polovtsian Dances” performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan conducting; String Quartet No. 2, Movement III “Notturno” performed by the Emerson String Quartet; “This is My Beloved” from Kismet, performed in concert by Julie Andrews; Symphony No. 2, Movements 1 and 4, performed by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky; and the tone poem In the Steppes of Central Asia, performed by the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Leonard Bernstein.

S. 2. No. 3, Show No. 24: Antonio Vivaldi Show

Episode 24 on Italian Baroque composer and Catholic priest Antonio Vivaldi.  Early in the show is a brief excerpt from the 1960’s rock song “Gloria” by the Shadows of Knight, followed by Vivaldi’s “Gloria in D Major” (RV 589), English Baroque Soloists and the Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardner, conductor. The Four Seasons is performed by the Budapest Strings, Bela Banfalvi, Conductor.   

S. 2. No. 4, Show No. 25: Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov Show

Episode 25 on Russian Romantic composer Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakav, begins with his “Flight of the Bumblebee,” performed by the Orchestre national d’Île-de-France, Wayne Marshall, conductor.  Then we heard Scheherazade Op. 35.  Movement 1: Largo e maestoso, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, conductor. Then we heard the Russian Easter Festival, Overture, Op. 36 · Wiener Philharmoniker, Seiji Ozawa, conductor. Next came his Capriccio Espagnol, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Loren Maazel, Conductor, and finally his “Dance of the Clowns,” movement 4 from his Snow Maiden Suite, played by the (Russian) National Orchestra, Mikhail Pletnev, conductor.

S. 2. No. 5, Show No. 26: The Great Composers for the Golden Age of Biblical Epic Movies, Part One 

Episode 26, the first of two devoted to the great biblical epic movie soundtracks by composers like Alfred Newman, Franz Waxman, Miklos Rozsa, and Elmer Bernstein (Song of Bernadette, The Robe, Quo Vadis, etc.). Performers are not listed, because the music is from the movie soundtracks recorded by their staff orchestras. 

S. 2 No. 6, Show No. 27: The Great Composers for the Golden Age of Biblical Epic Movies, Part Two

Episode 27, the second of two episodes devoted to the great biblical epic movie soundtracks (see previous episode description).

S. 2 No. 7, Show 28: Jean Sibelius

Episode 28, on Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Music played and performers:  “Be Still My Soul,” performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with orchestra; Finlandia, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, conductor; The Swan of Tuonela, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, conductor; Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43, Movement 1, performed by the New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein, conductor; Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47, performed by Hilary Hahn, violin, with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor.

S. 2 No. 8, Show 29: Ottorino Respighi

Episode 29, featuring Italian composer Ottorino Respighi. Music played and performers: “La Sensitiva” (excerpt), Faridah Subrata, mezzo-soprano, with Radio Symphony Orchestra Bratislava, Adriano, conductor; Fountains of Rome, Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, conductor; Pines of Rome, Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, conductor; Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite No. 1, Movement 1, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Neville Mariner, conductor. 

S. 2 No. 9, Show 30: Great 19th Century American Classical Composers

Episode 30, featuring the great classical works of 19th-century American composers the music and performers were: John Knowles Paine: Mass in D: Kyrie performed by the Saint Louis Symphony, Gunther Schuller, conductor, and Paine’s Symphony No. 2 in A major, Op. 34: “In the Spring”, movement 3, Adagio, performed by the New York Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta, conductor.  Composer Edward MacDowell, “To a Wild Rose” performed by Julian Lloyd Webber, cello, and John Lenahan, piano, and Suite No. 2: “Indian Suite” Opus 48, Movement III, “In War Time” performed by The Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic, Charles Anthony Johnson, conductor; and composer Charles Tomlinson Griffes: The White Peacock, performed by the Buffalo Philharmonic, JoAnn Falletta, conductor. Other recommended American composers: Arthur Foote, Arthur Whiting, Horatio Parker, Mrs. Amy Beach, Daniel Gregory Mason, Edward Burlingame Hill, and John Alden Carpenter.

S. 2 No. 10, Show 31: Claude Debussy

Episode 31, featuring the music of French composer Claude Debussy. Petite Suite: I  En Bateau, performed by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Francois Leleux, conductor; Suite bergamasque, L.75: III. “Clair de lune,”  performed by Lang Lang; “The Maid with the Flaxen Hair,” (“La fille aux cheveux de lin”) from Preludes, book 1, no. 8, orchestra uncredited;  “Golliwog’s Cakewalk” Movement 6 from Children’s Corner, L. 113 – Orchestration by Andres Caplet,  Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Charles Dutoit, conductor; Reverie L. 68,  solo piano performed by Lang Lang; Arabesque No. 1 in E major , performed by Alain Lefèvre, solo piano; “La Damoiselle élue” Poème lyrique d’après Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Performed by Dawn Upshaw, soprano, Paula Rasmussen, mezzo-soprano, Women of the Los Angeles Master Chorale (chorus master: Paul Salamunovich), and the  Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor.

S. 2 No. 11, Show 32: Ballet Favorites

Episode 32, featuring a dozen favorite excerpts from the great ballets. Compositions and Performers: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: The Sleeping Beauty (Suite) , Op. 66a, TH 234 – “Valse,” performed by the Berlin Philharmonic,  Herbert von Karajan, conductor;  Adolphe Adam, Giselle:  Act 1: Overture performed by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Nicolette Fraillon, conductor, and Variation de Giselle from act one, performed by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Orchestra, Neville Marriner, conductor; Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Act II, Pas de Deux, called “The Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier”, performed by The New York City Ballet Orchestra, David Zinman, conductor; Léo Delibes: Coppélia : Act I, No.1 Valse, Moderato, performed by the Saint Petersburg Radio and TV Symphony Orchestra, Stanislav Gorkovenko, conductor; Léo Delibes: Sylvia, Ballet Music: Pizzicato (solo, Act 3), performed by the Nürnberg Symphony Orchestra,  Räto Tschupp, conductor; Léon Minkus, La Bayadère, Act III (The Kingdom of Shades): 40. “Three Soloist Shades” performed by the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra, Kevin Galiè, conductor; Jules Massenet: Manon:  Act I, ‘Bedroom’ pas de deux, performed by The Royal Ballet Orchestra (conductor unlisted); Aram Khachaturian: “Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia” from the ballet Spartacus, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic (conductor not listed); Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring: “Simple Gifts,” performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein, conductor; Aaron Copland: Rodeo: “Hoedown,” performed by San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor.

S. 2 No. 12, Show 33: Great Classical Music with a Spanish Flavor

Episode 33: Great Classical Music with a Spanish Flavor. Compositions and Performers: Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnole, Op. 34, performed by the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, David Zinman, conductor; Tchaikovsky’s “Spanish Dance” from The Nutcracker, performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,  Don Jackson, conductor; Emanuel Chabrier’s España, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, John Eliot Gardiner, conductor; Manuel de Falla’s El amor brujo: Ritual Dance of Fire, The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra (conductor unlisted); Manuel de Falla’s  final dance from the ballet The Three Cornered Hat, performed by the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Gergely Madaras, conductor; Maurice Ravel’s Rapsodie Espagnole, performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa, conductor; Tchaikovsky’s Suite from Swan Lake, Op. 20a: VI. Spanish Dance performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti, conductor; Georges Bizet’s Carmen: Overture, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, conductor.

S. 2 No. 13, Show 34: Great Popular (Classical) Overtures and Encores, Part One

Episode 34: Great Popular (Classical) Overtures and Encores, Part One. The first of two programs of short concert favorites that haven’t fit in to the previous programs, but they make a nice collection of popular classical pieces here. (details coming soon).  Compositions and Performers:  Rossini’s William Tell Overture: Finale  (No performer information available); Gymnopédies: No. 1 in D Major, performed by the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin, conductor;  Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Fauré: Pavane, Op. 50, performed by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner, conductor;  Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, Sir Simon Rattle, conductor; Johann Strauss II (Jr.): The Beautiful Blue Danube, Waltz Op. 314, performed by the Strauss Orchestra Vienna, Joseph Francek, conductor;  Léo Delibes: “The Flower Duet” from Lakme, performed by Katherine Jenkins and Kiri Te Kanawa, sopranos, with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Anthony Inglis, conductor.    

S. 2 No. 14, Show 35: Great Popular (Classical) Overtures and Encores, Part Two

Episode 35 (final episode of this show): Great Popular (Classical) Overtures and Encores, Part Two. A continuation of the description for Episode 34, above. Compositions and Performers on this show: Overture to Candide, composed and conducted by Leonard Bernstein, with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra; Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C Sharp Minor, S. 244, performed by the Berlin Phlharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, conductor; Ferde Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite, Movement III, “On the Trail”, performed by the New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein, conductor; Aaron Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man (performers not listed); Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition (Orchestration by Maurice Ravel) – X. “The Great Gate of Kiev” performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Joaquim Rodrigo:  Conierto de Aranjues, Movement II, Adagio, performed by la orquesta de Radio y Televisión de España, Carlos Kalmar, conductor; guitar soloist: Pablo Sáinz-Villegas.

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