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)