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Thank You for Supporting WWUH Radio!
I am very pleased to report that our Fall Fund drive was a huge success. The week ended with about $35,500 pledged which was $500 over our goal of $35,000. As of the end of December we have received over $38,000 in paid donations showing once again how generous our listeners can be. If you supported WWUH at any time during the year please accept my sincere thanks. This incredible experiment in FM broadcasting would not be possible without listener support.
The fall fund drive was such as success we had to order additional coffee mugs and jackets so some people had to wait a bit longer than usual to get their premiums but as of the 3rd week of December all back-ordered premiums have been sent out. What can you expect from WWUH in 2014? More great music, more alternative public affairs programs, more musicians performing live on the air and more specials. If you like what you hear on 91.3 please spread the word by telling a friend! John Ramsey General Manager
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| Never Miss Your Favorite WWUH Programs Again! | |
 Introducing... the WWUH Archive!
We are very excited to announce that all WWUH programs are now available on demand
using the "Program Archive" link
This means that if you missed one of your favorite shows, or if you want to listen to parts of it again, you can do so easily using the Archive link. Programs are available for listening for two weeks after their air date.
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Hartford Hawks on WWUH Radio
| |  WWUH's live coverage of the Hartford Hawks basketball games continues in 2014 beginning with the Hawks' January 4th home game against Dartmouth at 2pm. For the full broadcast schedule of upcoming games, |
| Celtic Airs | | |
Karan Casey Trio
in concert
The Karan Casey Trio will open the Celtic Airs Concert series' 2014 season on Friday, February 28th, 2014. The concert will take place at 7:30 in the University of Hartford's Wilde Auditorium. Karan comes from Ballyduff Lower parish. She moved to Dublin for her university studies. While there, she also attended the Irish School of Music and the Royal Irish Academy of Music. In 1993 she emigrated to New York City with intentions to pursue a jazz degree at Long Island University. Her plans changed when she met Seamus Egan and Winifred Horan in the lively New York Irish session scene. Joined by John Doyle and John Williams, they formed the highly acclaimed band Solas in 1995. As a member of this ensemble for the next 4.5 years, she toured extensively and recorded three band CD's. Even during her time with Solas, she had a desire to establish a solo career and in 1997, shortly after the release of Solas's second album "Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers", she recorded her solo debut "Songlines", produced by band mate Seamus Egan and featuring other members of the Solas line up as well. However, it was not until she had left Solas that she recorded her second solo album, 2001's "The Wind Begins To Sing". "Distant Shore" followed in 2003, "Chasing the Sun" in 2005 and "Ships In the Forest" in 2008. In 2010, she teamed up with another Solas ex-pat, John Doyle, to record "Exiles Return", released to critical acclaim and included it the Top 5 Albums of 2010 by The Irish Echo newspaper. Her latest album "Two More Hours" will be released during the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow in January of this year. It will consist of self-penned contemporary songs, quite a departure from her previous efforts! I hope to obtain a pre-release copy to play for you during the weeks leading up to the concert. During her 20+ year musical career, Karan has twice been named "Best Female Traditional Vocalist" by the discerning readers of Irish Music Magazine, and has been nominated for the prestigious "BBC Radio 2 Folk Award". She has long been one of the most innovative, provocative and imitated voices in Irish traditional music. The media are consistent and exuberant in their praise of Karan. The Associated Press said she has "a voice so beautiful it's almost impossible to avoid falling under her spell." The Wall Street Journal said she is "one of the true glories of Irish music today." "Karan Casey's voice is among the loveliest in folk music. She's a wonderful interpreter of both contemporary and traditional songs." (Boston Globe). "Her clear voice maintains the taut quivering ornamentation of the old ballad style." (New York Times) We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to see Karan perform in the intimate setting of the Wilde Auditorium. Her touring often takes her to much larger venues such as The Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Symphony Space in New York City, The Grand Ole Opry" in Nashville, Dublin's Royal Concert Hall and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, just to name a few. She and her band have also been featured performers at numerous prestigious festivals including The Cambridge (England) Folk Festival, The Milwaukee Irish Festival, The Lorient Interceltique Festival, and Celtic Connection in Glasgow. Don't miss this opportunity to see the singer "who has no vocal peer" (The Irish Echo) when the Karan Casey Trio appears Friday, February 28th at 7:30 in the Wilde Auditorium. I look forward to meeting you there! Tickets for this performance are only available through The University of Hartford Box Office, open Monday-Friday 10:00 - 5:00. Call 1-800-274-8587 or 860-768-4228. Make your online purchase at www.hartford.edu/hartt. Celtic Airs, now in it's 20th year on the air, can be heard Tuesdays 6:00-9:00am on WWUH Radio 91.3FM or online at wwuh.org. Thanks for listening and attending the concerts!
Upcoming Concerts: 3/22/14- Masters of the Tradition, Lincoln Theater (Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill, Iarla O'Lionaird, Cathal Hayden, Seamie O'Dowd, David Power and Mairtin O'Connor) 4/12/14- The Teetotalers, Wilde Auditorium (Kevin Crawford, John Doyle, Martin Hayes) 6/6/14- Andy Irvine, Wilde Auditorium Tickets for our concerts go on sale 2 months before the event date. Tune into Celtic Airs every Tuesday, 6:00-9:00 AM for great music and concert updates. Thanks so much for your support. Steve Dieterich, Producer/ Host of Celtic Airs And promoter of the Celtic Airs Concert Series |
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The Year in Jazz: 2013
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A Guided Tour of Spirit, Soul & Musical Celebration:
My Favorite Jazz Recordings of 2013
by Chuck Obuchowski
WWUH Jazz Music Director
As winter takes hold in central Connecticut, the ecstacy of live jazz in Bushnell Park on hot Monday nights may seem like a distant memory, but we at WWUH haven't forgotten. We who broadcast the concerts as they happen, in the shadow of the State Capital Building ... who interview the music makers, who offer WWUH merchandise to concert-goers, who share our love of the music with like-minded listeners ... we remember the concerts like they happened yesterday.
And we continue to broadcast jazz recordings which span decades and styles for your listening pleasure Monday - Friday mornings from 9 a.m. - noon, and Tuesday - Friday evenings from 9 p.m. - midnight.
The past year was an eventful one for jazz music in our region. We were happy to welcome Javon Jackson as new chair of The University of Hartford's Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz. At the same time, we were sad to say goodbye to Kris Allen, one of Greater Hartford's outstanding saxophonists, who has relocated to the Berkshires to teach and direct the jazz ensemble at Williams College.
The live jazz scene was enhanced by new venues like Scatz in Middletown and the SideDoor Jazz club in Old Lyme. Nonprofit angels like the Hartford Jazz Society and Jazz Haven continued their shared mission of supporting the art form throughout the state.
And the onslaught of new jazz CDs continued to strain the storage capacity at WWUH in 2013. To my jaded ears, there were far too many mediocre vocal releases, with a precious few rising to the top (Gregory Porter, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Andy Bey). On the other hand, fascinating large ensemble works were plentiful last year: three of them even made it onto my 10 favorite recordings list.
A surprising number of very good solo piano releases also entered the UH jazz library in 2013: recent albums by Marc Cary, Geoffrey Keezer and Matthew Shipp were among the best of a bumper crop.
Please consider the following list simply as a sampling of some of the excellent jazz recordings issued during the past year. It is NOT a "10-best" list, nor do I claim to speak for anyone but myself in choosing these particular artists and releases. But I do hope you'll realize that there's still a lot of wonderful jazz being recorded, although it may sometimes take a little work to search it out.
Jamie Baum Septet -
She may not be the most prolific jazz artist (this is only her fifth release as a leader since 1992), but Jamie Baum has created a unique body of work which highlights her carefully crafted compositions given life by very creative improvisers. The flutist has also explored a number of intriguing musical sources as inspiration for her writing. In This Life
derives its primary influence from the sounds Baum experienced during several tours of South Asia, particularly Indian bansuri flute music and songs by the late Pakistani vocalist Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn. Baum has arranged two of Ali Kahn's songs in instrumental settings to complement her own compositions.
Baum's flute playing is impressive, as always, but does not dominate; her bandmates each receive ample time in the spotlight. The Arabic-tinged trumpet work of Amir ElSaffar deserves special mention. ElSaffar had a fine record date of his own in 2013: Alchemy, issued by Pi Recordings.
New Gary Burton Quartet -
Guided Tour
(Mack Avenue Records)
In his memoir "Learning to Listen," published in 2013, Gary Burton asserts that he was among the first to integrate elements of rock music into a jazz context. One listen to Larry Coryell's Hendrix-flavored guitar on
Duster (from 1967) offers proof of that claim.
Rock potency remains part of the mix on "Guided Tour," Burton's second release with his current quartet. On tracks like "Sunday's Uncle," guitarist Julian Lage kicks the band into high gear, demonstrating once again that Burton still has a knack for selecting outstanding young guitarists (Lage was among Burton's students before the vibesman retired from teaching at Berklee).
The quartet - which also features bassist Scott Colley and drummer Antonio Sanchez - offers a diverse program here, with each member contributing at least one composition. Their September performance at The Jorgensen Center for the Arts in Storrs was among my favorite concerts of the year.
Etienne Charles -
Creole Soul (Culture Shock)
Whether you're talking about cuisine or culture, "creole" suggests the influence of many diverse ingredients. Such is the case with this trumpeter's latest release, and it has ample soul too.
The Trinidad native seamlessly melds a wide variety of Afro-Caribbean and jazz styles on this record. He's chosen a first-class group of young improvisers to accompany him on the journey, including keyboardist Kris Bowers, bassist Ben Williams and drummer Obed Calvaire. Echoes of the trumpeter's mentors - Marcus Roberts, Monty Alexander and Wynton Marsalis - occasionally emerge, but it's the voice of Etienne Charles that leads the charge.
Whether tackling Thelonious Monk or Bob Marley - or one of Etienne's fine originals - these players create engaging, accessible music that alternately dances, caresses and remembers.
Marty Ehrlich Large Ensemble -
A Trumpet in the Morning (New World)
Marty Ehrlich has become one of the leading clarinet and saxophone improvisers of his generation. Even though he only performs as a non-soloing ensemble member on one piece here, A Trumpet in the Morning is among the best releases of his 30-year recording career as a leader.
Comprised of six originals - with two pieces over 20 minutes in length -
Trumpet finds Ehrlich triumphant in the roles of conductor, arranger and composer. The 24-piece ensemble includes some of Ehrlich's oldest compatriots (Ray Anderson, J.D. Parran) as well as newer associates (Jason Robinson, Adam Kolker).
These are complex charts, but they resound with gut-wrenching blues, fiery postbop and impassioned rhythms. Parran's dynamic narration of a poem by Arthur Brown on the title piece is a highpoint, but great instrumental solos abound throughout.
Alan Ferber -
March Sublime (Sunnyside)
Trombonist Ferber has been a respected sideman for years, but only recently have people begun taking notice of his compositional and band leading skills. March Sublime is the follow-up to 2010's captivating
Chamber Songs: Music for Nonet and Strings. This time out, Ferber has assembled a big band, and the results are every bit as exciting.
Some of New York's most talented young jazz players join Ferber on the eight compositions included here. Most are originals, the exceptions being "Hyperballad" (penned by Nordic rocker Bj�rk) and the standard "I Get Along Without You Very Well."
While there are plenty of swinging segments and strong solos on the record, it's the creative ensemble passages and clever arranging that make this music so special. It's both surprising and heartening to note that
March Sublime has been nominated for a 2014 Grammy in the "Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album" category.
Mary Halvorson Septet -
Illusionary Sea (Firehouse 12)
Still in her early 30s, Mary Halvorson has forged one of the most unique sounds in contemporary music, not only with her guitar work but through her compositional structures as well. Following two memorable quintet sessions, the guitarist has added trombonist Jacob Garchik and tenor saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock (the latter recently guested at the exceptional Real Art Ways Improvisations Series), thereby expanding the tonal range and solo capabilities of her band.
Halvorson studied with Anthony Braxton at Wesleyan University, graduating in 2002. Chances are that he encouraged her to pursue the musical road less travelled. In any case, she has done so, with gusto, and has achieved a level of visibility that most cutting-edge musicians only dream of. Halvorson's music may be challenging to the uninitiated, but the patient listener will be rewarded with new revelations with each subsequent hearing.
Dave Holland -
Prism (Dare2)
At 67, you'd think bassist Dave Holland might have settled into a comfortable groove. After all, his acoustic bands of the past several decades have been among the most acclaimed of the era. Yet, just like Miles Davis - one of his early mentors - Holland has a restless creative spirit. Enter
Prism, a hornless project powered by the electric guitar gymnastics of Kevin Eubanks, along with potent contributions from keyboardist Craig Taborn, drummer Eric Harland and - of course - the leader's deep, dark double bass resonances.
Anyone expecting a nostalgic return to the nascent fusion of the Bitches Brew era - to which Holland made significant contributions - will be sorely disappointed. Prism is clearly 21st century jazz, created by four very sophisticated improvisers whose tool kits just happen to include concepts and techniques associated with rock music.
Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom -
No Morphine No Lilies (Foxhaven)
Miller says many of these tunes were written during a difficult time, yet the music which resulted is very much an affirmation of life. From the buoyant reggae groove of "Pork Belly" to the controlled chaos of "Nuh-uh, No Sir," these pieces exhibit the exuberant interplay of a tightknit quartet at the height of its power. Even on pensive ballads ("Waiting," "Sun Comes Up The Reservoir"), the band projects confidence and strength.
Miller uses her drum kit like a small orchestra, coaxing an astounding array of sounds from it. Pianist Myra Melford proves a perfect match for Miller, often engaging in fluent sonic conversations with the drummer. (Melford's 2013 solo release, Life Carries Me This Way, merits serious attention, too.) Violinist Jenny Scheinman, best known for her work with Bill Frisell, adds unique textures to the Boom Tic Boom sound. Several guests - including slide trumpeter Steven Bernstein and cellist Eric Friedlander - also make fine contributions.
Michele Rosewoman's New Yor-Uba
A Musical Celebration of Cuba in America (Advance Dance Disques)
The pianist's New Yor-Uba ensemble performed its first concert on December 12, 1983. Astoundingly, this is their first recording. Even though most of the personnel has changed, the concept and the spirit of the group are as strong as ever, and the cross-cultural dimensions of this project have actually expanded over the years.
As Rosewoman explains, "the name 'New Yor-Uba' reflects the progression of the music of the ancient Yoruba people from Nigeria, through Cuba and onto present day New York."
On this brilliant two-disc set, the band blends the traditional and contemporary strains of African and Afro-Cuban folkloric sounds with modern jazz. Rosewoman's compositions salute Yoruban deities with vocal chants and a bata drum choir, while a five-piece horn section, bassist and trap drummer imbue the pieces with inspired improvisations. The leader's strong piano work bridges the gap between the two. It's great to hear saxophonist Oliver Lake still making vital musical statements at age 70; his big band recorded an exceptional 2013 release called
Gregory Porter -
Liquid Spirit (Blue Note)
Gregory Porter's set at the 2013 Litchfield Jazz Festival was one of the most exciting vocal performances I've seen in years. This California native has been blessed with a rich, soulful voice to accompany his memorable songwriting.
By holding together the band he formed in Brooklyn five years ago, Porter has avoided the tempting trap of hiring an all star band for a one-off studio project. Consequently, the group's rapport gives this music more depth and cohesiveness than so many personality-starved recordings these days.
Porter grew up listening to R&B and gospel music, in addition to jazz, so he sounds right at home covering "The In Crowd" or infusing the title track with evangelical zeal. The sense of social consciousness prevalent on his first two records takes a back seat here to songs about lost and found love - but Porter still manages to slip in a strong personal statement about his artistic calling, "Musical Genocide."
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WWUH Classical Programming -
January/February 2014
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Sunday Afternoon at the Opera... Sundays 1:00 - 4:30 pm
Evening Classics... Weekdays 4:00 to 7:00/ 8:00 pm
Drake's Village Brass Band... Mondays 7:00-8:00 pm
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January
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Wed
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1
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Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 25; Cherubini: String Quartet No. 1; Chopin: Mazurkas; Respighi: Suite in E Major; Gossec: Symphony, Op. 5 No. 2; Ciconia: Secular Music
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Thu
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2
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Brixi: Symphony in D; Balakirev: Islamey, Piano Concerto #1 in f sharp Op. 1; Tippett: A Child of Our Time - Negro Spirituals, Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli; Read: Night Flight Op. 44; Eotvos: Replica for Viola and Orchestra; Whitacre: Lux Aurumque, Cloudburst; Classical Happy Hour Carols for the Season; Vivaldi: Chamber Concerto in D, RV 90 "Il gardellino"; Chopin: Polonaise, Op. 53 "Heroic".
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Fri
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3
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Some of my favorites of the past year
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Sun
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5
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Haydn: Die Schopfung
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Mon
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6
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To Think of Time...Gould: Time and the River; Dutilleux: Time and the Clock; McCabe: Symphony #4 "Of Time and the River"; Starer: To Think of Time; Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time; Druckman: The Sound of Time
Drake's Village Brass Band... West Point Band 200 Anniversary CDs selections
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Tue
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7
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Telemann: Suite in E-flat major after Die Kleine Kammermusik; Alwyn: Violin Concerto; D. Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonatas; Lloyd: Piano Concerto No. 2; Joan Tower: Island Prelude for Oboe and String Quartet; Dvorak: Symphony No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 4;
Selections by Gottfried August Homilius and C.P.E. Bach (both born in early 1714)
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Wed
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8
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Martinu: Symphony No. 6; Hakenberger: Motets; Luchesi: Piano Sonatas; Quantz: Flute Concerto in B Minor; Hasse: Flute Concerto in D
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Thu
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9
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Franceschini: Suonata a 7 Con due Trombe; Paine: Fantasy for Organ on "A Mighty Fortress" Op 13, As You Like It Overture Op 28; Gianneo: Piano Sonatina; Schumann: Violin Sonata #3; Tartini: Sonata in b; Burgm�ller: 4 Entr'actes Op. 17; Beethoven: Piano Sonata #30 in E Op. 109.
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Fri
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10
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Let's hit Outerspace
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Sun
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12
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Pre-empted
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Mon
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13
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The Four Seasons....Lee: Persephone and the Four Seasons; Rorem: Violin Concerto; Ashmore: The Four Seasons (English Folksongs); Danielpour: Animus Mundi; Glazunov: The Seasons
Drake's Village Brass Band... West Point Band 200 Anniversary CDs selections
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Tue
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14
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Smetana: Piano Trio in g, Op. 15; Ives: Symphony #2; Mendelssohn: String Quartet #6 in f, Op. 80; Dvoř�k: Cello Concerto in b, Op. 104
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Wed
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15
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Hosts's choice
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Thu
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16
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Mancini: Recorder Concerto in g, Gl' Amanti Generosi - Sinfonia; Piccinni: Sinfonia in D; Ernesto Halffter: Haba�era, Sinfonietta in D; Wernick: Da'ase; Bryars: The Porazzi Fragment, Incipit Vita Nova; Ferneyhough: Superscriptio; Lindgren: Metamorphose Remix; Lindroth: Spin Cycle; Hoffmeister: Flute Concerto #16 in C; Schumann: Piano Sonata #2 in g Op. 22.
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Fri
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17
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Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King with Wynton Marsalis' All Rise
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Sun
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19
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Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District
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Mon
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20
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Schwantner: New Morning for the World-Daybreak of Freedom and other music to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Drake's Village Brass Band... Preempted
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Tue
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21
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Franck: Sonata in A; Wesley: Symphony #3 in A; Arensky: Piano Quintet in D, Op. 51; Sibelius: Kullervo, Choral Symphony, Op. 7
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Wed
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22
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Mendelssohn: String Symphony No. 10; Rheinberger: Missa in G; Piazzola: Four Seasons in Buenos Aires; Vierdanck: Capriccios; Clerambault: L'Isle de Delos;
Clara Schumann: Sonata in G Minor
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Thu
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23
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Clementi: Piano Sonatas in f sharp Op. 25 #5 and d/D Op. 40 #3; Boughton: Songs without Words; John Luther Adams: Dark Waters.
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Fri
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24
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Percussionists front & center
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Sun
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26
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Rameau: Anacreon, LeBerger Fidele; Telemann: Ino
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Mon
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27
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Time Machine.... Pavlova: Symphony #2 "For the New Millennium"; Werner-Jenseen: New Year's Eve in New York; Daugherty: Time Machine for Three Conductors and Orchestra; Schwantner: Aftertones of Infinity; Glass: The Hours
Drake's Village Brass Band... Sampson: Distant Voices; Bolcom: Brass Quintet- Remembered Fathers; Peaslee: Arrows of Time
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Tue
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28
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Telemann: Suite in B-flat major after Die Kleine Kammermusik; Nikos Skalkottas: Violin Concerto; D. Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonatas; Lloyd: Piano Concerto No. 3;
Mendelssohn: Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 13; Miriam Gideon: Symphonia Brevis; Selections by G.A. Homilius and C.P.E. Bach
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Wed
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29
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Liszt: Symphonic Poem No. 5, "Prometheus"; Herz: Piano Concerto No. 4: Roy Harris: Duo for Cello and Piano; Charpentier: Litanies a la Vierge; Geminiani: Concerti Grossi
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Thu
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30
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Quantz: Flute Concerto in G; Loeffler: Two Rhapsodies for Oboe, Viola and Piano; Mitch Leigh: The Impossible Dream; Dvor�k Sonatina for Violin and Piano in G Op. 100; Blumenthal: Grand Trio Op 26.
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Fri
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31
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Celebrating the Year of the Horse
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February
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Sun
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2
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Preempted
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Mon
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3
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Daugherty: Route 66, Sunset Strip; Avshalomov: Symphony of Songs; Charpentier/Druckman: Medea Suite for Orchestra; Druckman: Lamia; Tavener: The Hidden Treasure
Drake's Village Brass Band... Baker: Tuba Concerto; Balada: Mosaico for Brass Quintet, Song and Dance, Union of Oceans
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Tue
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4
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Telemann: Suite in G minor after Die Kleine Kammermusik; Bloch: Violin Concerto; D. Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonatas; Lloyd: Piano Concerto No. 4; Beethoven: Trio in C major, Op. 87 for 2 oboes & English Horn; Dobrinka Tabakova: Cello Concerto; Selections by G.A. Homilius and C.P.E. Bach
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Wed
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5
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Roberto Gerhard: Symphony No. 1; Jacobus Clemens Non Papa: Missa Ecce Quam Bonum; Nicola Matteis: Ayres; Nikolay Tcherepnin: La Plainte d'Armide; Matthew Locke: Broken Consorts; Pavel Tchesnokov: Panychida
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Thu
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6
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New Releases. A Sampling of New Acquisitions from the WWUH Library.
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Fri
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7
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Let's look in the basement
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Sun
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9
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Massenet: Werther
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Mon
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10
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Rozsa: Piano Sonata; Carter: Piano Sonata; Moravec: Clarinet Concerto; Finzi: Clarinet Concerto; Adams: Grand Pianola Music
Drake's Village Brass Band... Seattle Trumpet Consert - After Baroque, Music for Natural Trumpet
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Tue
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11
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Alwyn: Symphony #1; Chopin: Sonata in g for Cello & Piano, Op. 65; Tartini: Trumpet Concerto in D; Mozart: String Quartet #15 in d, K. 421
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Wed
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12
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Haydn: Symphony No. 31; Beethoven: Trio, Op. 1, No 2; Johann Gletle: Motets; Tcherepnin: Piano Quartet; Filipe de Magalhaes: Missa O Soberana Luz; Purcell: Songs
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Thu
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13
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Kusser: Suite #2; Cambini: Wind Quintet #3 in F; Godowsky: The Gardens of Buitenzorg, Passacaglia; Friedman: Piano Music; Kleinsinger: Tubby the Tuba; Childs: London Rice Wine; Colin Matthews: Pluto, the Renewer; Holst: The Planets.
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Fri
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14
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Copland: A Lincoln Portrait & music to celebrate Valentine's Day
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Sun
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16
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Preempted
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Mon
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17
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Berlioz: Eight Scenes from Faust, Op. 1; R. Strauss: Macbeth; Liszt: A Faust Symphony
Drake's Village Brass Band... Bolling: Toot Suite with Maurice Andr�
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Tue
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18
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Muffat: Concerto Grosso in F; Schubert: Fantasie for violin & piano, D. 934; Svendsen: Symphony #1 in D, Op. 4; R�ntgen: Aus Goethes Faust
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Wed
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19
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Schubert: Symphony No. 2; Jean Richafort: Requiem;
Tcherepnin: Flores Musicales; Rodrigo: Four Andalusian Pictures
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Thu
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20
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Beck: Sinfonie Op 4; Salomon: Romance for Violin; Gyrowetz: Divertissement for piano flute & cello in A Op 50, Symphony in F Op 6 #3; Carulli: Duo in D Op. 134; Czerny: Variations Op. 12; Beriot: Violin Concerto #9 in a Op. 104; Gipps: Honey-Coloured Cow; Mayuzumi: Symphonic Mood; Domeniconi: Konyunbaba Op 19.
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Fri
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21
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Is it Jazzy Classical or Classical Jazz?
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Sun
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23
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Wagner: Das Liebesverbot
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Mon
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24
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Monday Night at the Movies...Two for Marilyn, Music from River of No Return and Niagara;
Horner: Cocoon; Rozsa: The Last Embrace
Drake's Village Brass Band... Goodwin: Escape from the Dark - Grimethorpe Colliery Band
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Tue
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25
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Women Composers Festival interview with Daniel Morel
Telemann: Suite in E minor after Die Kleine Kammermusik; Bartok: Violin Concerto No. 2; D. Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonatas; Joan Tower: Concerto for Orchestra; Lera Auerbach: Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano; Selections by G.A. Homilius and C.P.E. Bach
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Wed
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26
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Copland: Dance Symphony; Grzegorz Gorczycki: Missa Paschalis; Poulenc: 4 Motets pour un Temps de Penitence; Mikolajus Ciurlionis: Preludes; Igor Markevitch: Concerto Grosso
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Thu
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27
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Krieger: Sonata in d Op 2; Parry: Blest Pair of Sirens, Jerusalem, Lady Radnor's Suite, Choral Fantasia on an Old English Tune, Symphony #3 "English"; Peterson-Berger: Frosoblomster (Froso-Flowers) Book 3, Tornrossagan (Sleeping Beauty) - Suite; Lauridsen: O Magnum Mysterium, Dirait-on, Sure on This Shining Night; J�nsson: Lage.
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Fri
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28
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Classical Conversations - a quarterly feature
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Composer Birthdays | |
 | | Johann Joachim Quantz |
Thursday Evening Classics -
Composer Birthdays for
January and February 2014
Jan 2
1732 (Bapt) Franz Xaver Brixi
1837 Mily Balakirev
1905 Michael Tippett
1912 Barbara Pentland
1913 Gardner Read
1913 Robert Hall Elmore
1944 Peter Eotvos
1947 Vasily Pavlovich Lobanov
1951 Volker Blumenthaler
1970 Eric Whitacre
Jan 9
1651 Petronio Franceschini
1820 Pavel Krizkovsky
1839 John Knowles Paine
1856 Stevan Mokranjac
1897 Luis Gianneo
1921 Seymour Barab
1955 Jan Jirasek
1967 James Sale
1976 Svitlana Azarova
Jan 16
1672 Francesco Mancini
1728 Niccolo Piccinni
1893 Pauline Alderman
1905 Ernesto Halffter
1907 Martin Scherber
1928 Ezra Sims
1934 Richard Wernick
1943 Gavin Bryars
1943 Brian Ferneyhough
1951 Klas Torstensson
1952 Par Lindgren
1955 David Thomas Roberts
1958 Scott Lindroth
1962 Ludmila Yurina
1968 Milos Bok
Jan 23
1752 Muzio Clementi
1820 Alexander Serov
1878 Rutland Boughton
1888 Jerzy Gablenz
1933 Joel Spiegelman
1944 Carmelo Saitta
1947 Nikolay Sergeyevich Korndorf
1953 Wendy Mae Chambers
1953 John Luther Adams
1977 Mason Bates
Jan 30
1697 Johann Joachim Quantz
1760 Franz [Frantisek] Xaver Partsch [Bartsch]
1861 Charles Martin Loeffler
1892 Charles Haubiel
1900 Isaak Iosifovich Dunayevsky
1928 Mitch Leigh
1862 Walter (Johannes) Damrosch
1940 David Carl Johnson
1966 Benedikt Brydern
1969 Keith Denning
Feb 6
1705 (Bapt) Johann Matthias Leffloth
1882 Karl Weigl
1909 Israel Citkowitz
1938 Ellsworth Milburn
1941 Stephen Albert
1948 Bruce J. Taub
1970 Sean Hickey
Feb 13
1660 (Bapt) Johann Sigismund Kusser
1713 (Bapt) Domingo Terradellas
1746 Giuseppe Maria Cambini
1820 Bela Keler [Adalbert Paul Von Keler]
1859 Ida Georgina Moberg
1862 Karel Weis
1870 Leopold Godowsky
1882 Ignaz Friedman
1883 Bainbridge Crist
1908 Gerald Strang
1910 Jaqueline Else Barraine
1914 George Kleinsinger
1926 Barney Childs
1928 Gerald Fried
1946 Colin Matthews
1948 Junko Mori
1954 Orlando Jacinto Garc�a
1973 Walter Taieb
Feb 20
1734 Franz Ignaz Beck
1749 (Bapt) Johann Peter Salomon
1761 Johann Christian Ludwig Abeille
1763 Adalbert Vojtech Gyrowetz [Jirovec]
1770 Ferdinando Carulli
1791 Carl Czerny
1802 Charles-Auguste de Beriot
1817 Jozef Poniatowski
1870 Emiel Hullebroeck
1876 Fedir Stepanovych Akimenko
1897 Johannes Weyrauch
1901 C�sar Geoffray
1911 Robert McBride
1921 Ruth Gipps
1929 Toshiro Mayuzumi
1935 Sandor Balassa
1947 Carlo Domeniconi
1951 Anthony Davis
1953 Cindy Mctee
1958 Colin Eatock
1965 Ian Crutchley
Feb 27
1649 (Bapt) Johann Philipp Krieger
1846 Joaquin Valverde Duran
1848 Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
1867 Wilhelm Olof Peterson-Berger
1870 Louis Coerne
1890 Mar�a de Baratta
1891 Georges Migot
1921 Andras Szollosy
1943 Morten Lauridsen
1960 Reine Jonsson
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Sunday Afternoon at the Opera
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Your "lyric theater" program with Keith Brown programming selections for the months of January and February Sunday 1-4:30pm 
Sunday, January 5th: Haydn: Die Schopfung Once again the old year rounds the corner into a new one. At this annual turning point I have often broadcast one or the other of those two classics of the oratorio repertoire, Joseph Haydn's Die Schopfung ("The Creation," 1799) or Die Jahreszeiten ("The Seasons," 1801). "The Creation" endures in the repertoire because of its vivid depiction in music of the seven days of the Genesis creation story, retold with some poetic reinforcement from the English poet Milton,and rendered into a German language libretto by Austria's cultural mentor of the age, Baron van Swieten.Among so many available recordings of "The Creation" I have chosen to start the broadcast year 2014 with a relatively new one in our ever-growing library of classical music on disc here at WWUH. It's on two Naxos compact discs and was released in 2005. This is an audio-document of a radio broadcast concert performance from Radio Cologne, given in July of 2003. Andreas Spering directs the period instrument players of the Capella Augustina and the choral forces of the Vocal Ensemble of Cologne, with three vocal soloists. The recording was co-produced by Deutschlandfunk and took place in the Sendesaal, the "Broadcast Hall" in Cologne. What better way to begin the lyric theater programming year than with such an irrepressibly life-affirming and melodious work going out to you courtesy of Radio Germany. Sunday, January 12th: (Pre-empted by a University of Hartford basketball game) Sunday, January 19th: Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District This was the second of the two (or actually three) operas of Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-75), perhaps the one most significant Russian composer of the Soviet era. This operatic satire was overwhelmingly successful both in Russia and foreign parts. Then Stalin walked out on a performance. Pravda condemned the opera and it was banished from the stage in the USSR for 27 years. Shostakovich reworked it in 1963 into its new form as Katerina Ishmailova. Lady Macbeth pits illicit love against the stultifying Soviet bureaucracy and the omnipresent police. Way back on Sunday, March 18, 1984 I presented the world premiere recording of Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, made at Abbey Road studios in London and originally released through EMI on three Angel stereo LP's. Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskaya stars as the adultress Katerina. Her boy friend Sergei is tenor Nicolai Gedda. Mstislav Rostropovich conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Ambrosian Opera Chorus. Today you hear that same recording in its 1990 EMI reissue on two CD's. Thanks to my radio colleague David Schonfeld for donating to our WWUH classics library his Archiv Music copy of those two silver discs.
Sunday, January 26th: Rameau: Anacreon, LeBerger Fidele; Telemann: Mutzenbecher golden anniversary oratorio and serenata, Ino, dramatic cantata
This Sunday I present three out-of the -way examples of the lyric theater music of two masters of the late baroque style. It's been a long time since I've introduced my radio audience to any new recordings of French baroque opera. The Dutch label Brilliant Classics has reissued a 1996 Deutsche Grammophon CD of Jean Philippe Rameau's one-act opera-ballet Anacreon (1757). The subject of the one-acter was quite popular in 18th century France.It dealt with the ancient Greek poet Anacreon, who sang the praises of love and wine.Rameau liked the subject so well he wrote two versions of his Anacreon opera to the refined banter of the poet Bernard's libretto. French audiences expected ballet sequences in such stageworks, so Rameau's operatic scores always include sprightly dances. Rameau's revised 1757 Anacreon gets its best possible historically-informed interpretation from baroque specialist Marc Minkowski and his period instrument ensemble les Musiciens du Louvre. Period orchestra and chorus were recorded live in performance with four vocal soloists, one of whom is soprano Veronique Gens. The single Brilliant Classics compact disc reissue is filled out with Rameau's pastoral cantata Le Berger Fidele (1728), from the start of his career in writing for the lyric stage. The organist and music theorist began composing opera at the advanced age of fifty and kept at it right up to his death at age eighty one in 1764. Veronique Gens is heard again in the "Faithful Shepherd" cantata with the same orchestral forces.
Rameau's German contemporary Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) is one of the all-time most prolific of composers. Over the years I have broadcast recordings of his operas and oratorios. From 1721 onwards Telemann resided in Hamburg, where he wrote cantatas and Passions for the city's most important churches, operas for the "Goose Market" opera house and works for various civic functions. He also picked up commissions from private individuals,often to provide wedding cantatas. In 1732 a prominent merchant and city official Matthias Mutzenbecher engaged Telemann to write music for his golden anniversary celebration. This Telemann delivered in two lengthy parts: first, a mini-oratorio for a special church service of blessing upon the Mutzenbecher patriarch and matriarch and their numerous offspring. Following that was a secular serenata allegorically displaying the virtues that make for a long and happy marriage,this second part to be performed at the Mutzenbecher family banquet. All this celebratory singing and playing has been recorded, presumably for the first time,in broadcast under the auspices of West German Radio/Cologne. WDR Koln was on hand to facilitate the concert aired live from the 2012 Knechtsteden Festival of Early Music. Hermann Max directed the period instrumentalists of Das Kleine Konzert, with six vocal soloists. In 2013 the German label cpo issued the Mutzenbecher oratorio and serenata on two compact discs.
Unlike his colleague J. S. Bach in Leipzig, Telemann was a musical progressive and internationalist in style.He long outlived Bach. Into his eighties Telemann remained on top of the latest trends,ie. the early classical or "gallant" style. A new, heated concert hall opened in Hamburg in January, 1761. For this venue old Telemann wrote his last lyric works. One of the master's very last compositions is his dramatic cantata Ino, dating certainly from 1765 or possibly later. His operatic treatment sounds remarkably like Gluck! After Telemann's passing, his successor in Hamburg, old Bach's son Carl Philipp Emanuel saw to it that Ino was performed publicly in 1768. This cantata was broadcast in 1989 over Radio Germany of Cologne from the Sendesaal, the same auditorium from which Haydn's "Creation" went over the air in 2003. Soprano Barbara Schlick portrays Ino, the mortal who, according to Ovid's Metamorphoses,was transformed into a sea goddess. Reinhard Goebel directs the period instrument players of Musica Antiqua Koln. The concert recording of Ino was originally issued on compact disc through Deutsche Grammophon in 1990. It's again available in CD format courtesy of the Brilliant Classics label.
Sunday, February 2nd: (Pre-empted)
Sunday, February 9th:
Massenet: Werther
No opera could be more romantic in spirit than Jules Massenet's Werther (1892), based on the enormously popular novel by the Shakespeare of Germany, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832). Goethe practically created the movement called Romanticism in literature. There have been several operatic treatments of Goethe's book, but none so successful as Massenet's in capturing the haunting sadness of the original.The story is at heart autobiographical, although of course Goethe never did commit suicide like his character the young poet Werther. Massenet's opera begins and ends with a Christmas carol, ironically and innocently sung by children. Its most poignant scenes are set at Christmas Eve. The first time I broadcast Werther was at Christmas of 1988. This Sunday will be the fourth time I have aired one or another recording of it. Covent Garden mounted a production of Werther in 2011, starring tenor Rolando Villazon in the title role. Werther's beloved Charlotte was soprano Sophie Koch. This UK production pulled together an international cast of singers. Antonio Pappano directed the orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Recorded live in performance in London, Werther was issued on two CD's in 2012 through Deutsche Grammophon.
Sunday February 16th: (Pre-empted)
Sunday February 23rd:
Wagner: Das Liebesverbot
Frankfurt Opera quickly follows up on its previous Oehms Classics release of Richard Wagner's first opera Die Feen (1833) with his second opera, Das Liebesverbot (1836), an even more obscure work of Wagner's youth and a true rarity on disc. (I broadcast Die Feen less than a year ago on Sunday, May 12, 2013.) Like that previous Frankfurt Opera production of "The Fairies", this one was recorded live from a series of concert performances given in 2012. Sebastian Weigle is again directing the Chorus and Museum Orchestra of Frankfurt Opera, with a cast of eleven solo voices. As always,even way back then in his career, Wagner wrote his own libretto for Das Liebesverbot (The Ban on Love"), adapting it himself in part from a German language translation of Shakespeare's comedy Measure for Measure. Wagner managed to get his "Grand Comic Opera" staged just once in Magdeburg, where it was a flop. Wagner tried to have it mounted in other German cities, and even proffered a French language version of it for production in Paris, but to no avail, so he subsequently chose to forget all about Das Liebesverbot, scarcely mentioning it in his memoirs. We don't normally think of Richard Wagner as a humorist in music. The 2013 release of "The Ban on Love" on two CD's, which I can only assume is its world premiere on disc, at the very least offers us some insight into the lighter side of this German Romantic heavyweight.
So many of the recordings I feature Sunday after Sunday are derived from our station's ever -growing library of classical music on disc. That's the case with everything programmed for this two-month period, with the sole exception of Sunday,Jaunuary 26th. The recordings of the works of Rameau and Telemann come from my own collection of CD's. Thanks once again to our station's operations director Kevin O'Toole for mentoring me in the preparation of these notes for cyber-publication.
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Hartford Symphony Orchestra - Upcoming Events
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Hartford Symphony Orchestra:
January - March 2014 Events
MASTERWORKS SERIES: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
January 9-12, 2014
Thursday 7:30pm | Friday & Saturday 8:00 p.m. | Sunday 3:00 p.m.
Belding Theater│ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Carolyn Kuan, conductor; Darko Tresnjak, Hartford Stage, artistic director
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra and the Hartford Stage Company will join during our respective 70th and 50th anniversary seasons to present a new concert staging of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, combining a theatrical performance of Shakespeare's timeless story with Mendelssohn's incidental music.
SUNDAY SERENADES SERIES: PICASSO & PROKOFIEV
Sunday, January 26, 2014 at 2:00 p.m.
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
Program:
Erwin Schulhoff: Concertino for Flute, Viola and Double Bass; Manuel de Falla: Concerto for Harpsichord & Chamber Ensemble; Igor Stravinsky: Pour Pablo Picasso;
Sergei Prokofiev: Quintet, Op. 39
Sunday Serenades chamber music concerts are presented in collaboration with the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art's special exhibitions and permanent collections. Concerts take place in the museum galleries and feature Concertmaster Leonid Sigal and Hartford Symphony Orchestra musicians.
MASTERWORKS SERIES: WEST SIDE STORY
February 13-16 , 2014
Thursday 7:30pm | Friday & Saturday 8:00 p.m. | Sunday 3:00 p.m.
Belding Theater│ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Carolyn Kuan, conductor; Mariangela Vacatello, piano
Program: R. Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier Suite;
Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini;
Bernstein: Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
This romantic Valentine features several moving love stories told through music, including Richard Strauss' comic opera, Rachmaninoff's poetic variations, and Bernstein's theatrical retelling of Romeo and Juliet.
POPS! SERIES: THE MUSIC OF BILLY JOEL & MORE
Saturday, March 8, 2014| 7:30 p.m.
Mortensen Hall│ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Michael Cavanaugh, guest artist
Hand-picked by Billy Joel for the show's starring role in the hit Broadway musical, Movin' Out, Michael Cavanaugh won the hearts of audiences and critics night after night. His accolades included both Tony and Grammy award nominations. Catch this rising star performing the hits of the "Piano Man," plus rock 'n' roll classics from the 1950s through the current day, such as Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Beatles, The Who and Elton John.
MASTERWORKS SERIES: MICHAEL LANKESTER CONDUCTS ENIGMA VARIATIONS
March 20-23, 2014
Thursday 7:30pm | Friday & Saturday 8:00 p.m. | Sunday 3:00 p.m.
Belding Theater│ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Michael Lankester, guest conductor, HSO music director from 1985-2000
Program: Elgar: Enigma Variations;
Bruckner: Symphony No. 3
Michael Lankester makes a triumphant return to the Hartford Symphony Orchestra to lead two pieces of expressive personality. Lankester's fellow Englishman Edward Elgar dedicated his Enigma Variations to "my friends pictured
within" - and made each variation an affectionate portrayal.
This is followed by Bruckner's grand, dramatic, and brassy Third Symphony.
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Jorgensen Center : Upcoming Concerts
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Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts 2014 Events
Opened in December of 1955, Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts is the largest college-based presenting program in New England. Each season, Jorgensen events attract more than 70,000 students, faculty and staff from the University of Connecticut, as well as residents from Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Jorgensen presents 25-30 nationally and internationally acclaimed artists and ensembles annually, ranging from classical music to world music and dance, classical and contemporary dance, comedy, family programming and contemporary entertainment. Box Office: 860.486.4226 or http://jorgensen.uconn.edu.
Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts 2014 Events
2/1
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
2/13
Haifa Orchestra of Israel
2/23
Venice Baroque Orchestra
w/ countertenor Phillipe Jaroussky
2/28
Big Sam's Funky Nation
3/9
Irish Baroque Orchestra
3/13
Scharoun Ensemble Berlin
3/14
Danu
3/23
Popovich Comedy Pet Theater
3/27
Giselle
3/28
The Piano Guys
4/5
Latin Fest '14
4/23
Alonzo King LINES Ballet
4/27
LUMA Theater of Light
4/29
RTE Vanbrugh Quartet
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The Musical Club of Hartford
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The Musical Club of Hartford -
Upcoming Events
The Musical Club of Hartford, Inc.
The Musical Club of Hartford, Inc., is a non-profit Connecticut organization celebrating its 123rd anniversary this year. Each year, from October to May, ten or more concerts are presented by performing members, featuring soloists and vocal or instrumental ensembles. These concerts usually take place on Thursday mornings at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2080 Boulevard, West Hartford, CT. For more information, visit:
Program Dates:
| Thurs., Jan. 9 Music by Members | Thurs., Mar. 6 Musical Exploration Sarah Masterson | | Sun., Jan. 19 High School Competition Winners, 2 pm | Thurs., Mar. 20 Piano Recital E.B. Storrs Scholars | | Thurs., Jan. 30 Music by Members |
Sun., Mar. 23 Piano Ensemble Day, at Hartt,
3 pm
| | Thurs., Feb. 6 Mid-Year Business Meeting and Reception | Thurs., Apr. 3 Music by Members | | Thurs., Feb. 13 Music by Members | Thurs., Apr. 24 Music by Members | | Thurs., Feb. 27 Concert Saxophone Ensembles | Thurs., May 8 Annual Meeting and Luncheon, Town & County Club |
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Connecticut Valley Chamber Orchestra
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The Connecticut Valley Chamber Orchestra
2014 Concert Season
All concerts are at 3:00 PM at Trinity Episcopal Church
120 Sigourney St., Hartford.
The Connecticut Valley Chamber Orchestra, a non-profit Community Orchestra, presents numerous concerts in the Greater Hartford area, performing works from all periods in a wide range of musical styles. The members of Hartford's only community orchestra are serious amateurs who come from a broad spectrum of occupations. Besides commissioning and performing new works, the CVCO has made concert tours to Romania, Spain, Hungary, Austria and Poland under the sponsorship of organizations such as the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation.
February 9, 2014 - Classic Masterworks
The second concert features one hit piece after another. We begin with Rossini's sparkling Overture to L'italiana in Algeri , which is followed by Mozart's "Haffner" Symphony. The program closes with the amazing second Piano Concerto of Rachmaninoff, with soloist Michelle Nam. Miss Nam is a graduate of the Juilliard School and has won first prize in several competitions, including the Shean Piano Competition and Canadian Music Competition.
April 13, 2014 - "Variations Through the Ages"
The third concert of our season is a great concert for children to attend. In our "Variations Through the Ages," we will explore pieces that employ a theme-and-variation style of composition and trace them throughout history. We will begin with Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue , originally written for organ and later orchestrated by Leopold Stokowski. Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme will follow, featuring French cellist Louise Gr�vin, a graduate of the New England Conservatory. In Ives' Variations on 'America,' listeners will recognize the familiar "America" theme (which Ives twists and contorts), and we may stretch your ears with Ernst Toch's Big Ben Variations Fantasy , where the famous "clock" theme is ever-present underneath the experimental sounds of the 1930s.
June 8, 2014 - "Dance"
We will end the season with a collaboration with a local dance company, performing many beloved dance pieces from all over the world. The program is still being determined, but we hope to highlight the orchestra in music from countries such as Mexico, Hungary, Romania, America, Russia, and Vienna, including excerpts from some of Tchaikovsky's famous ballets.
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