Tuesday, April 24 - Monday, April 30

Monday, April 30
Teenaged French pianist Lise de la Salle performs at Spivey Hall this Friday; on Midday Music she goes at Liszt full force. Saturday the Albany Symphony performs Mozart and Mahler; we hear Mozart's Masonic Funeral Music. In honor of great cellist and all-round musician and mensch Mstislav Rostropovich, who passed away Friday morning, we hear him and fellow luminaries in the finale to Beethoven's Triple Concerto.

11 AM

• Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2. Hough, Dallas Sym, Litton (Hyperion 67501/2)
• Haydn: Piano Trio in A major, Hob. XV:35. Trio 1790 (CPO 777 243)
• Arcas: Fantasia on Themes from Verdi's La Traviata. David Russell (Telarc 80672)

12 N

• Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1. Boston Baroque, Pearlman (Telarc 80368)
• Liszt: Mephisto Waltz No. 1. Lise de la Salle (Naive 5006)
• Medieval Italian and Turkish mss.: Selections. Hesperion 21, Savall (Alia Vox 9848)
• Vivaldi: Concerto in D minor for viola d'amore and lute, RV 540. Rolf Lislevand et al. (Naive 30429)

1 PM

• Mackenzie: Scottish Concerto. Osborne, BBC Scottish Sym, Brabbins (Hyperion 67023)
• Mozart: Masonic Funeral Music, K. 477. Stuttgart Chamber Orch, Davies (ECM 1565/66)
• Beethoven: Triple Concerto in C major: Finale. Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter, Berlin Phil, Karajan (EMI 66092)

(Friday, April 27: Requests with Alan Cooke.)

Thursday, April 26
Tie-ins to several Georgia performances: Vivica Genaux's appearance in the Atlanta Opera's Gala Spring Concert; the Atlanta Symphony's rendition of Britten; Lise de la Salle's piano recital at Spivey Hall; Mark O'Connor's performance in Statesboro; and the Georgia State wind ensemble's concert with composer Leslie Bassett in attendance.

• Hasse: Atarserse: "Per questo dolce amplesso." Vivica Genaux, Academy of Ancient Music Berlin, Jacobs (Harmonia Mundi, "Arias for Farinelli")
• Dvorak: String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96, "American." Melos Quartet (Harmonia Mundi 2901509.10)
• Rachmaninoff: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 36. Alexander Kobrin (Harmonia Mundi 907404)
• Britten: Canadian Carnival Overture. English Chamber Orch, Bedford (Naxos 8.557198)
• Bach: Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, BWV 903. Lise de la Salle (Naive 5006)
• Bach: Trumpet Concerto in D after Vivaldi, BWV 972. Alison Balsom et al. (EMI 58047)
• O'Connor, M.: Old Country Fairytale. O'Connor, Ma, Meyer (Sony 68460)
• Bassett, L.: Narratives. Minneapolis Guitar Quartet (Albany 207)
• Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major. Scherbakov, Russian Phil, Yablonsky (Naxos 8.557824)
• Byrd: Nunc dimittis. Stile Antico (Harmonia Mundi 907419, "Music for Compline")

Wednesday, April 25
The Atlanta Symphony performs Elgar this weekend; Georgia State University's Symphonic Wind Ensemble play a concert of music of Bassett and Benson; the University of Alabama's University Singers do Carmina Burana in Spivey Hall; Mark O'Connor brings his Appalachia Waltz Trio to Georgia Southern U in Statesboro; the Valdosta Symphony offer Verdi's powerful Requiem; and Vivica Genaux fronts an Atlanta Opera concert in early May. Today's selections tie in to all that.

• Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance Marches Nos. 1 and 4. Royal Phil, Menuhin (Virgin 91175)
• Falla: Four Spanish Pieces. Daniel Ligorio (Naxos 8.555065)
• Bach: Keyboard Concerto NO. 1 in D minor, BWV 1052. Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orch (Erato 2292-45545)
• Bassett, L.: Lullaby for Kirsten. North Texas Wind Sym, Corporon (Klavier 11089)
• Orff: Carmina Burana: Introduction and Part 3. Bournemouth Sym Orch and Chorus, Alsop (Naxos 8.570033)
• Benson, W.: Aeolian Song for saxophone and orchestra. Hass, Bohuslav Martinu Phil, Trevor (Albany 331)
• Schumann: String Quartet No. 2 in F , Op. 41/2. Cherubini Quartet (EMi 50819)
• O'Connor, M.: Appalachia Waltz (arr. Meyer). O'Connor, Ma, Meyer (Sony 68460)
• Verdi: Requiem: Selections. Boston Sym Orch & Chorus Pro Musica, Nilsson et al., Leinsdorf (RCA 09026 63747)
• Broschi: Idaspe: "Ombra felice anch'io." Vivica Genaux, Academy of Ancient Music Berlin, Jacobs (Harmonia Mundi, "Arias for Farinelli")

Tuesday, April 24
Taking a deep breath after the fund drive and letting loose with some wonderful long pieces...

• Zelenka: Capriccio No. 5 in G major, ZWV 190. Neu-Eroffnete Orch, Sonnentheil (CPO 999 629)
• Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491. Stefan Vladar, Camerata Salzburg (Harmonia Mundi 901942)
• Madetoja: Overture, Op. 7. Finnish Radio Sym, Storgards (Yleis 0005)
• Schumann: Arabesque in C major, Op. 18. Jonathan Biss (EMI 65391)
• Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3, "Scottish." Chamber Orch of Europe, Harnoncourt (Teldec 9031-72308)
• Gershwin: Lullaby. Cleveland Orch, Chailly (London 417 326)
• Faure: Pavane, Op. 50, for orchestra and chorus. Boston Sym Orch, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Ozawa (DG 423 089)
• Fasch: Quadro in B-flat. Epocca Barocca (CPO 777 204)
• Fesca: Symphony No. 2 in D major. NDR Radio Phil, Beermann (CPo 999 869)
• Faure: Fantasy, Op. 79. Marc Grauwels, Belgian Sym, Vandernoot (Naxos 8.555977)

Friday, April 13 - Monday, April 23

Thanks, all who supported GPB during the membership campaign that wrapped up Monday. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Fund drives are always exceptional weeks here. We're all working and thinking and talking in overdrive, behind the scenes and on the air. It's a heightened state of being. It can be exhausting and frustrating at times, but it's a real high at others, when we get riffing on public broadcasting's purpose and those lines light up and the names roll in.

The five F's of membership campaigns, as I see them, are Funds, Feedback, Fellowship, Food, and . . . Fones.

Thanks again, music supporters in particular, for sustaining this unlikely, amazing institution.

For the drive I culled some of the most appealing recordings and rep from recent months' Midday Musics to re-air, then sprinkled in some concert tie-ins and new releases (including a sneak peek at the latest from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, music of Tallis and Vaughan Williams on Telarc). Each show also includes the recommended daily allowance of Mozart from our three-CD thank-you gift, Mozart 250: A Celebration, on Sony Classics. All Mozarts in this long post come from that set.

Working backwards:

Monday, April 23

• Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks, excerpts. Boston Baroque, Pearlman (Telarc 80594)
• Foote: Piano Quartet in C major, Op. 23. Atlanta Chamber Players (ACA Digital 20082)
• Mozart: Symphony No. 35, "Haffner": 1st mvt. Bavarian Radio Sym, Kubelik
• Maxwell Davies: An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise. Boston Pops, Williams (Philips 420 946)
• Bach: Cantata No. 34, "O Ewiges Feuer, O Ursprung der Liebe." Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, Gardiner (SDG 1212)
• Mozart: Piano Sonata in A, K. 331: Rondo alla Turca. Alicia de Larrocha
• Dvorak: Humoresque, Op. 101/7. I Salonisti (DHM 05472 77377)
• Rossini: William Tell, Overture. Atlanta Sym, Levi (Telarc 80334)
• Sibelius: Symphony No. 2: Mvts 3-4. San Francisco Sym, Blomstedt (London 433 810)
• Gliere: Bronze Horseman: Dancing Scene. BBC Philharmonic, Downes (Chandos 9379)

Friday, April 20

• Ravel: Tzigane. Grumiaux, Monte Carlo Opera Orch, Remoortel (Philips 422 274)
• Mozart: Clarinet Concerto: Adagio. Steffens, Bavarian Radio Sym, Davis
• Wagner: Parsifal: Good Friday Music. New York Phil, Mehta (Sony 45749)
• Glinka: Russlan and Ludmila, Overture. Augusta Symphony Orch (n/a)
• Mozart: Ave Verum Corpus. Augusta Choral Society (n/a)
• Vivaldi: Concerto in D minor for two violins, cello and strings, RV 565. Concerto Italiano, Alessandrini (Naive 30301)
• Hovhaness: Symphony No. 60 "To the Appalachian Mountains": 1st mvt. Berlin Radio Sym, Schwarz (Naxos 8.559294)
• Saint-Saens: Violin Sonata No. 1. James Ehnes, Wendy Chen (CBC 1138)
• Mozart: Serenade K. 361, "Gran Partita": Romanze. Bavarian Radio Sym, Davis
• Liszt: La Campanella. Marc-Andre Hamelin (Hyperion 67370)
• Tchaikovsky: Capriccio Italien. Augusta Symphony Orch (n/a)
• Mozart: Concerto for Flute and Harp: Andantino. Galway, Robles, London Sym, Mata
• Traditional (W. African): Djandjon. John Williams, John Etheridge (Sony 89483)

Thursday, April 19

• Tchaikovsky: Souvenir de Florence. Ying Quartet (Telarc 80685)
• Mozart: Cosi Fan Tutte: "Soave sia il vento." Leontyne Price, Leinsdorf et al.
• Mozart: Don Giovanni, Overture. Staatskapelle Dresden, Davis
• Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A: 1st mvt. Zukerman, Saint Paul Chamber Orch
• Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 4: Rondo. Clevenger, Franz Liszt Chamber Orch, Rolla
• Schumann: Fantasy in C, Op. 131. Mutter, New York Phil, Masur (DG 457 075)
• Mozart: Symphony No. 25 in G minor: 1st mvt. Mozarteum Orch Salzburg, Kuhn
• Shostakovich: Gadfly: Youth (Romance). Ofer, Philadelphia Orch, Chailly (London 452 701)
• Bach: Oboe d'Amore Concerto in G. Abberger, Tafelmusik, Lamon (Analekta 9815)
• Chavez: Trio for flute, viola and harp. Southwest Chamber Music (Cambria 8853)
• Delibes: Coppelia: Act 2, selections. National Phil, Bonynge (London 414 502)

Wednesday, April 18

• Mozart: Ave Verum Corpus. Tolzer Knabenchor, European Baroque Soloists
• Tallis: "Why fum'th in fight?" Atlanta Sym Chamber Chorus (Telarc 80676). NOTE: This brief choral work by Tallis, setting the biblical phrase sometimes translated "Why do the nations so furiously rage," is the theme for the piece by Vaughan Williams that follows. Both performances come from the ASO's newest disc, just out this week.
• Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis. Atlanta Sym Orch strings, Spano (Telarc 80676)
• Infante: Danzas Andaluzas. Karin Lechner, Sergio Tiempo. EMI 58472
• Mozart: Don Giovanni: "Deh, vieni alla finestra." Thomas Quasthoff et al.
• Sowerby: Festival Musick: Fanfare. David Mulbury et al. (Marco Polo 8.223725)
• Mozart: Clarinet Concerto: Rondo. Robert Marcellus, Cleveland Orch, Szell
• Beethoven: Cello Sonata No. 5 in D. Wispelwey, Lazic (Channel 22605)
• Offenbach: Tales of Hoffman: Barcarolle. Johann Strauss Orch, Rieu (Philips 314 528 786)
• Grieg: Peer Gynt: Morning Mood. Iceland Sym Orch, Engeset (Naxos 8.557017)
• Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466: Romance. Alicia de Larrocha, English Chamber Orch, Davis
• Harbison: Gatsby Etudes. Aizawa (Naxos 8.559243)
• Harbison: Remembering Gatsby. Baltimore Sym, Zinman (Argo 444 454)
• Cobb: Rubber Plant Rag. Italian Mando-Rag Club (Naxos 8.557999)

Tuesday, April 17

• Mozart: Magic Flute, Overture. Mostly Mozart Festival Orch, Brico
• Marcello: Oboe Concerto in C minor. Mion, Concerto Italiano, Alessandrini (Naive 30301)
• Hatzis: Telluric Dances: Snake Dance. Lemieux, Symphony Nova Scotia, Gueller (CBC 5243)
• Mozart: Piano Sonata in F, K. 332: Adagio. Alicia de Larrocha
• Henestrosa: El libra de cifra nueva: Finale. King, Harp Consort (Harmonia Mundi 907316)
• Guarnieri: Four Pieces for Guitar Quartet. Brazilian Guitar Quartet (Delos 3245)
• Hahn: Venezia: "La barcheta." Joyce DiDonata, Julius Drake (Wigmore 0009)
• Mackenzie: Coriolanus: Entr'acte. BBC Scottish Sym, Brabbins (Hyperion 66764)
• Biber: Sonata "La Pastorella." Romanesca (Harmonia Mundi 907134.35)
• Chaplin: City Lights, Overture. City Lights Orch, Davis (Silva 1054)
• Sondheim: A Little Night Music, medley. Boston Pops, Williams (Philips 2606)
• Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante, K. 364: Andante. Lin, Laredo, English Chamber Orch, Leppard

Monday, April 16

• Rontgen: Aus Jotunheim Suite. Rheinland-Pfalz State Phil, Porcelijn (CPO 777 119)
• Serra: Variations for orchestra and piano. Brugalla, El Valles Sym, Brotons (Naxos 8.555871)
• Chopin: Cello Sonata in G minor: Mvts 3-4. Mork, Andsnes (Simax 1063)
• Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: romance. Tafelmusik, Weill
• Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in G minor: 1st mvt. Cleveland Orch, Szell
• Sibelius: Karelia Suite. Atlanta Sym, Levi (Telarc 80320)
• Liadov: The Music Box. Cincinnati Pops, Kunzel (Telarc 60657)
• Wagner: Siegfried: Forest Murmurs. Met Orch, Levine (DG 447 764)
• Mozart: Marriage of Figaro: "Voi chi sapete." Price, English Chamber Orch, Lockhart
• Rameau: Le Temple de la Gloire, Overture. Tafelmusik, Lamon (CBC 5229)
• Mozart: Symphony No. 36, "Linz": 2nd mvt. Bavarian Radio Sym, Kubelik.
• Berlioz: Damnation of Faust: Rakoczy (Hungarian) March. Orch of the Swiss Romande, Ansermet (London 421 634)
• Smetana: Ma Vlast: Vltava (The Moldau). Vienna Phil, Harnoncourt (RCA 82876 54331)

Friday, April 13

• Glinka: Russlan and Ludmila, Overture. Cincinnati Pops, Kunzel (Telarc 60657)
• Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F minor. Budapest Festival Orch, Fischer (Channel 21704)
• Mozart: Marriage of Figaro, Overture. Staatskapelle Dresden, Davis
• Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 17 in G, K. 453: 1st mvt. Serkin, Columbia Sym, Schneider
• Bax: In the Faery Hills. BBC Phil, Handley (Chandos 10362)
• Shaw: Clarinet Concerto. Yeh, DePaul Univ Jazz Ensemble, Lark (Reference 55)
• Mozart: Exsultate Jubilate, K. 165: Alleluia. Blegen, Mostly Mozart Festival Orch, Zukerman
• Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 4: Rondo. Clevenger, Franz Liszt Chamber Orch, Rolla
• Fasch: Trio in F. Epocca Barocca (CPO 777 204)
• Ravel: Bolero. Royal Concergebouw Orch, Haitink (PentaTone 5186 167)

Friday, April 13

Please support classical music on GPB. Make a contribution at www.gpb.org or call 1-800-222-4788. Thank you! -Sarah, mid-fund-drive

Thursday, April 12

Tomorrow is lucky Friday the 13th, when our spring fund drive rolls into town. Come out and cheer us on! I'm looking forward to getting those calls, reading those names, and feelin' the love for the music. Maintenance of this page may lapse during the week-plus of the drive, but I'll be back a-blogging after the 23rd. Please remember that when you contribute to GPB, you're making possible programming like...well, like this:

11 AM

• Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4: Andantino. Budapest Festival Orch, Fischer (Channel 21704)
  
• Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D major. London Phil Orch, Alsop (Naxos 8.557429)

(Note: We'll hear the remaining movements of Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony tomorrow morning. Both the Augusta and LaGrange symphonies are performing Tchaik 4 this week.)

12 N

• Ravel: Miroirs: Une barque sur l'ocean. Angela Hewitt (Hyperion 67341/2)
• Leo: Cello Concerto in D minor. Mahler, Tafelmusik, Lamon (Analekta 9815)
• Mendelssohn: Octet. Georgia Chamber Players and friends (ACA 20102)

1 PM

• Hartmann: Axel og Valborg. Danish National Sym, Dausgaard (DaCapo 8.226061)
• Thuille: Piano Quintet in G minor, WoO. Triendl, Vogler Quartet (CPo 777 090)
• Fasch: Trio in E minor for oboe, violin and continuo. Epoca Barocca (CPO 777 204)

Wednesday, April 11

In radio land on this overcast day, Midday Music concludes each hour with a Romantic work in a minor key. I'm also giving you tastes of Steve Reich and Alan Hovhaness, two Americans influenced by musics of Asia. Hope it suits your palate.

O thou concertgoer, when not listening devoutly to thine radio, why not hie thee to these: Saturday the Augusta Symphony welcomes pianist Marina Lomazov for Tchaikovsky's sweeping First Piano Concerto. The LaGrange Symphony offers Marcello's Oboe Concerto with Melissa White and a Tchaikovsky symphony next Tuesday, April 17. Also Tuesday - what a deal! - the globetrotting Takacs Quartet trots through Athens for a free concert of Brahms, Debussy and Shostakovich. And the Steve Reich festival wraps up in Atlanta, the Adaskin String Trio and oboe-toting friend visit Auburn, and pianist Angela Hewitt plays Bach in Spivey Hall (see Hewitt's own blog).

11 AM

• Haydn: Piano Sonata No. 43 in A-flat. Fazil Say (Naive 5070)
• Gliere: Duets for Violin and Cello, Op. 39. Laredo, Robinson (Arabesque 6735)
• Davidoff: Cello Concerto No. 2 in A minor. Yang, Latvian National Sym, Mikkelsen (CPO 777 263)

12 N

• Reich: Tehillim: Parts 1-2. Ossia, Pierson (Cantaloupe 21009)
• Broca: Pensiamento Espanol. David Russell (Telarc 80672)
• Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor. Volodos, Berlin Phil, Ozawa (Sony 93067)

1 PM

• Vierdanck: Canzona in C major. Parnassi Musici (CPO 777 205)
• Hovhaness: Return and Rebuild the Desolate Places. Wallace, Royal Scottish Academy Wind Orch, Brion (Naxos 8.559207)
• Brahms: String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 51/2. Takacs String Quartet (London 425 526)

Tuesday, April 10

GPB Radio's spring fund drive starts Friday, and as of this morning we now have enough microphones in the studio for two or three of us at a time to chat with you. Thanks, Handy Andy!

We're hearing Reich and Stravinsky and Bach because of concerts: Georgia State presents a Steve Reich Festival tonight and tomorrow at Atlanta's Rialto Center, heavy on the percussion, in honor of the minimalist composer's 70th birthday. Angela Hewitt plays Bach's Goldberg Variations at Spivey Hall Saturday. And the Atlanta Symphony performs Mozart (Piano Concerto No. 17 with Garrick Ohlsson) and Stravinsky (Rite of Spring and Dumbarton Oaks) in Atlanta April 12-14 and Athens the next day.

11 AM

• Rimsky-Korsakov: Mlada, Suite. Scottish National Orch, Jarvi (Chandos 10369)
• Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 20 in A, D. 959. Andras Schiff (London 440 309)

12 N

• Ravel: Piece in the Form of an Habanera. Petri, Hannibal (OUR 8.226800)
• Stravinsky: Dumbarton Oaks. St. Paul Chamber Orch, Hogwood (London 425 614)
• Mozart: Oboe Quartet in F major, K. 370. Members of Czech Nonet (Praga 250 095)
• Glazunov: Violin Concerto. Heifetz, RCA Victor Sym, Hendl (RCA 74321-63470)

1 PM

• Reed: The Hounds of Spring. Keystone Wind Ensemble, Stamp (Klavier 11162)
• Bach: Keyboard Concerto in E, BWV 1052. Hewitt, Australian Chamber Orch, Tognetti (Hyperion 67308)
• Reich: Drumming: Part IV. Reich and musicians (DG 427 428)

Monday, April 9

This is a blog with a mission, namely, to embellish Midday Music's FM presence with online details on the music played and the events cited on air. Thus:

After a pause for Easter weekend, concerts resume apace, especially in collegiate settings. German pianist Andreas Klein plays Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven at the University of West Georgia's Townsend Center Tuesday evening. Also Tuesday, the Belgian Brass Quintet returns to UGA's Performing Arts Center in Athens. Thursday the Adaskin String Trio and oboist Thomas Gallant perform Fiala, Beethoven and Mozart at Alabama's Auburn University, presented by the Auburn Chamber Music Society (whose web page notes: Well-behaved children get in free!).

Today's show pulls out all the stops with a 20th century festive toccata for organ and orchestra, a Baroque Easter oratorio, a Romantic celebration of Russian Easter, and shorter festive fare. Also: Mozart's "Prague" Symphony, in a happening new period-instrument recording with Rene Jacobs at the helm.

11 AM

• Bach: Easter Oratorio, BWV 249. Collegium Vocale, soloists, Herreweghe (Harmonia Mundi 901513)
• Medtner: Piano Sonata in A minor, Op. 30. Marc-Andre Hamelin (Hyperion 67221/4)

12 N

• Rimsky-Korsakov: Russian Easter Overture. Baltimore Sym, Zinman (Telarc 80378)
• Scheidt: Christo, dem Osterlammlein. Capella Ducale, Musica Fiata, Wilson (CPO 777 145)
• Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90. Paul Lewis (Harmonia Mundi 901903.05)
• Barber: Toccata Festiva. Latry, Philadelphia Orch, Eschenbach (Ondine 1094-5)
• Barber: Chorale for Ascension Day (Easter Chorale). Choir of Ormond College, Lawrence (Naxos 8.559053)

1 PM

• Vaughan Williams: Serenade to Music. London Phil, Handley (Chandos 8330)
• Mozart: Symphony No. 38, "Prague." Freiburg Baroque Orch, Jacobs (new Harmonia Mundi 901958)
• Bach/Stokowski: Easter Cantata: Chorale. Bournemouth Sym, Serebrier (Naxos 8.557883)

Friday, April 6

For Good Friday we're airing a special centering on Haydn's Seven Last Words of Christ. Midday Music picks up after that. No requests today but please submit requests anytime to middaymusic@gpb.org.

12:36-ish

• Victoria: Lamentations for Good Friday. The Sixteen, Christophers (Coro 16021)
• Two selections for guitar: Debussy: Girl with Flaxen Hair; Villa-Lobos: Prelude No. 2 in E major. David Russell (Telarc 80672)

1 PM

• Wagner: Parsifal: Good Friday Music. Philadelphia Orch, Thielemann (DG 289 453 485)
• Haydn: Piano Sonata No. 37 in D major. Fazil Say (Naive 5070)
• Biber: Mystery (Rosary) Sonata No. 10, "The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus." Holloway, Moroney, Tragicomedia (Virgin 90838)
• Allegri: Miserere. Choir of King's College Cambridge, Cleobury (EMI 75877)

Thursday, April 5

Extreme emotions on today's show. First: the "Ascension" Symphony by Heitor Villa-Lobos, which as you might guess has an upward, optimistic thrust. Last: most of Antonin Dvorak's Stabat Mater, exploring the Virgin Mary's sorrow on seeing her son crucified. Dvorak wrote it after the deaths of three of his own children. Between those two hours: new releases with less of a psychic back story.

11 AM

• Villa-Lobos: Symphony No. 2, "Ascencao" (Ascension). Radio Sym Orch Stuttgart, St. Clair (CPO 999 785)
• Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5: Aria. Lamosa, Nashville Sym cellos, Schermerhorn (Naxos 557460-62)

12 N

• Vivaldi: Lute Concerto in D major, RV 93. Lislevand and friends (Naive 30429)
• Saint-Saens: Tarantelle for flute, clarinet and piano. Schulz, Schmidt, Inui (Naxos 8.570309)
• Serebrier: Fantasia for strings. London Phil, Serebrier (Naxos 8.559303)
• Harbison: Gatsby Etudes for piano. Aizawa (Nazos 8.559243)
• Fasch: Bassoon Sonata in C major. Epoca Barocca (CPO 777 204)

1 PM

• Dvorak: Stabat Mater (except mvts 1-2). Atlanta Sym Orch and Chorus, Goerke, Simpson, Olsen, Berg, Shaw (Telarc 80506)

Note: Tomorrow at 11:00 for Good Friday we're airing The Seven Last Words of Christ, music by Haydn played by the Vermeer String Quartet. The following two Fridays are devoted to our spring on-air fund drive (please support the music you love!). Requests with Alan Cooke return April 27.

Wednesday, April 4

Mix and match! With Holy Week in mind there's meaningful choral music in among the waltzes and divertimentos throughout. And it may be an odd assortment of the pieces in the first hour but I liked the way the very end of each piece led plausibly into the very start of the next.

11 AM

• Buxtehude: Membra Jesu nostri: Ad genua; Ad cor. Cantus Kolln, Junghanel (Harmonia Mundi 901912)
• Corigliano: Chaconne from The Red Violin. Hanslip, Royal Phil, Slatkin (Naxos 8.559302)
• Giuliani: Variations for Violin and Guitar, Op. 63. Savino, Hugget (Koch 7591)
• Glazunov: Waltz from Lady Soubrette. USSR Sym, Svetlanov (Melodiya 10-00179)

12 N

• Mozart: Divertimento in D for strings, K. 136. Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Marriner (Philips 422 504)
• Saint-Saens: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor. Stott, BBC Phil, Alsop (BBC Music Mag)
• Vivaldi: Stabat Mater, RV 621. Newman, Aradia Ensemble, Mallon (Naxos 8.557852)

1 PM

• Ravel: Pavane for a Dead Princess. Cincinnati Sym, Jarvi (Telarc 80601)
• Mahler: Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection": second half. Vienna Phil, DeYoung, Schafer, Vienna Singverein, Boulez (DG 6684)

Tuesday, April 3

A programming conundrum: If we hold off till Easter itself to play joyous Easter music, then it's only subdued Lenten music the week before. What would you prefer during Holy Week: Liturgical accuracy? Sounds of Easter? A combination? (A similar issue arises in December with Advent and Christmas.)

Passover gets today's first hour; Lent, parts of the second; and resurrections, the third.

11 AM

• Copland: Canticle of Freedom. Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Utah Sym, Thomas (CBS 42140)
  
• Kozeluch: Moise in Egitto (Moses in Egypt): Part 2. Rheinische Kantorei, Das Kleine Konzert, soloists, Max (CPO 999 948)
  
• Traditional/Marsh: Go Down, Moses. Jubilant Sykes, London Sym, Litton (Arioso 0001-2)
  

12 N

• Weber: Oberon, Overture. Vienna Phil, Thielemann (DG 289 474 5022)
  
• Maurice: Tableaux de Provence. Harvey Pittel, Jeff Helmer (Crystal 655)
  
• Rimsky-Korsakov: Mlada: Procession of the Nobles. Boston Pops, Williams (Philips 426 247)
  
• Mendelssohn: Six Hymns, Op. 79: Nos. 4-6 (for Passiontide, Advent and Good Friday). Oregon Sym Horns (Centaur 2344)
  
• Buxtehude: Membra Jesu nostri: Ad pedes; Ad faciem. Cantus Kolln, Junghanel (Harmonia Mundi 901912)
  
• Victoria: Videte omnes populi. Choir of King's College Cambridge, Ledger (EMI 65103)
  

1 PM

• Gibbons: Drop, drop, slow tears. Choir of King's College Cambridge, Ledger (EMI 65103)
• Elgar: Romance for bassoon and orchestra, Op. 62. Preman Tilson, New Zealand Sym, Judd (Naxos 8.557577)
  
• Mahler: Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection": first half. Vienna Phil, Boulez (DG B0006684)

Minnesota Orchestra principal bassoonist John Miller is playing in two free concerts presented by UGA's School of Music at the Performing Arts Center in Athens: a recital Wednesday and a double concerto Thursday. Also on the latter program: UGA student ensembles and alum soloists in Mahler's Resurrection Symphony. The Southern Georgia Symphony offers saxophone showpieces and Beethoven's Eroica Symphony, April 9 and 10, in Statesboro and Savannah.

Monday, April 2

The Jewish holiday of Passover begins tonight. On today's Exodus edition of Midday Music: connections to Egypt and Moses. In particular, the 1 o'clock hour features part one of Moses in Egypt, or the Liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian Servitude, an oratorio from 1787 by Bohemian-Viennese composer Leopold Anton Kozeluch. The Italian libretto focuses on dynamics between Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh and Merime just before the big departure. (Couldn't find any classical music about matzah balls.) We'll hear excerpts from part two tomorrow and also move on to music for Holy Week.

11 AM

• Paganini: Moses Fantasy. Gringolts, Ryumina (BIS 999).
• Backofen: Clarinet Concerto in B-flat, Op. 3. Klocker, SWR Radio Orch, Moesus (CPO 777 065).
• Godowsky: Java Suite (Phonoramas): Part 1. Scherbakov (Marco Polo 8.225274)
• Vivaldi: Concerto in G for two mandolins. Lislevand and friends (Naive 30429)

12 N

• Hartmann: Yrsa. Danish National Sym, Dausgaard (DaCapo 8.226061)
• Debussy: Six Ancient Epigraphs: Pour l'egyptienne. Beroff (Denon 78848)
• Verdi: Nabucco: Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves. Atlanta Sym Orch and Chorus, Shaw (Telarc 80333)
• Morricone: Moses, Suite. Ma, Roma Sinfonietta, Morricone (Sony 93456)
• Thalberg: Fantasia on Rossini's Moses. Nicolosi (Naxos 555501)
• Strauss, R.: Horn Concerto No. 1. Bloom, Cleveland Orch, Szell (Sony 63123)

1 PM

• Kozeluch: Moise in Egitto (1787): Part 1. Rheinische Kantorei, Das Kleine Konzert, soloists, Max (CPO 999 948)
• Liszt: Liebestraum No. 3. Arrau (Philips 422 060)