Thursday, December 27

Well, Oceana is popping up in best-of-year lists all over! Yesterday I noted NPR's endorsement of this latest recording of music by Osvaldo Golijov with the Atlanta Symphony and Robert Spano and friends. Today the disc shows up in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's reckoning of local cultural highlights of 2007. And if you go a-googling you'll notice a Charleston critic also puts the CD on his best-of list (here), and, oh, it crops up in Philadelphia too, described as "global contempo-classical" (here), and it's listed in a New York publication (here) and in Madison, Wisconsin as well (here). So although it didn't pick up any Grammy nominations, the CD is still garnering notice regionally and beyond.

In the one o'clock hour, then, let's hear two of Golijov's creations, with singers Dawn Upshaw and Luciana Souza shining up front.

Alan Cooke hosts Midday Music this Friday and Monday. Tuesday we bring you a waltzy, schmaltzy "New Year from Vienna." Happy New Year!

11 AM

• Tchaikovsky: Russian Dance. Trio Voronezh (Angel 56892)
  
• Alkan: Concerto for Solo Piano: first movement (allegro assai). Marc-Andre Hamelin (Hyperion 67569)
  
• Haydn: Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat. Berlin Philharmonic, Rattle (EMI 94237)
  

12 N

• Fasch: Quadro in D minor. Epocca Barocca (CPO 777 204)
  
• Dvorak: Piano Quartet in E-flat, Op. 87. Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS)
  
• Vivaldi: Trio Sonata in C major. Rolf Lislevand et al. (Naive 30429)
  
• Mozart/Triebensee: Don Giovanni: selection. Opera Senza (MDG 603 1464)
  

1 PM

• Torroba: Estampas. Minneapolis Guitar Quartet (Albany 339)
  
• Golijov: Three Songs: Lua Descolorida. Dawn Upshaw, Atlanta Sym, Spano (DG 9069)
  
• Golijov: Oceana. Luciana Souza, Atlanta Sym Orch and Chorus, Los Angeles Guitar Quartet members, Gwinnett Young Singers, Spano (DG 9069)
  

Wednesday, December 26

Big news here at GPB Radio!

Our own Terrance McKnight, host of Studio GPB and The ASO on GPB, has accepted a job in the Big Apple. He's becoming the evening music host at Manhattan public radio giant WNYC. His last day with GPB is coming up in mid-January. Read more about it here, in a posting by Atlanta-Journal Constitution classical critic Pierre Ruhe. I'm thrilled for Terrance's success but will miss him as a colleague and a friend.

On another note, on npr.org John Schaefer names his top ten albums of the year. His top classical pick? Oceana. That's music of Osvaldo Golijov featuring Robert Spano and our own Atlanta Symphony and Chorus (as well as noted non-Georgia soloists). Rah! Schaefer is one of Terrance's future colleagues at WNYC, as it happens.

And now, the playlist for today's Midday Music:

11 AM . . . .

• Weinberger: Schwanda the Bagpiper: Polka and Fugue. Cincinnati Pops, Kunzel (Telarc 80595)
• Praetorius: Dances from Terpsichore. US Air Force Reserve Brass Quintet (in concert, RiverCenter, Columbus, Ga., 9/10/07)
• Nielsen: Sinfonia Espansiva (Symphony No. 3). San Francisco Sym, Blomstedt (London/Decca 430 280; pictured: rerelease on two-disc set 460 985)

12 N . . . . . .

• Bach: Christmas Oratorio: Sinfonia from Part 2. English Baroque Soloists, Gardiner (Archiv 427 653; pictured: 423 232)
  
• Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 3. English Concert, Pinnock (Archiv 427 112; pictured: 872 302, rerelease with all four suites)
  
• Canteloube: Songs of the Auvergne: Pastorale (Bailero). Veronique Gens, Natioanl Orch Lille, Baudo (Naxos 8.570338)
  
• Rodrigo: Concierto Serenata for harp and orchestra. Gwyneth Wentink, Asturias Sym, Valdes (Naxos 8.555843)
  

1 PM . . . . . .

• Chaminade: Concertino for Flute. Paula Robison, Charleston Sym, Stahl (Pergola 1032)
  
• Schoenfield: Cafe Music. Ehnes, Arron, Russo (Black Box 1109)
  
• Dvorak: Romance in F minor. Pamela Frank, Czech Phil, Mackerras (London 289 460 316)
  
• Sammartini: Recorder Sonata in G, Op. 2/4. Maurice Steger et al. (Harmonia Mundi 905266)
  

Thursday, December 20

The "Santa Claus" Symphony by William Henry Fry (1813-64) tells a story, scene by detailed scene. Here's how Kile Smith describes Fry's program in his notes to the Naxos recording we hear this morning. Follow along as you listen.

The trumpet announces the Saviour's birth, and the celestial host takes up the chorus. The exultation is broken by loud discords as some of the angels fall away in anger, but harmonious triumph concludes the section. Now a Christmas Eve party: reunited family, dancing, and general frivolity are depicted in pell-mell joy. An impending snowstorm arrives in the brass, but the dancing resumes, quieter this time as the party-goers leave for home. As sleep descends...we hear The Lord's Prayer in syllabic cadence on the upper strings, followed by "Rock-a-by baby" on the soprano saxophone. Muted strings even mimic the baby's breathing. The snowstorm again comes into view, and in the middle of it is a traveller (the solo double bass). Lost and alone, his moans are heard through the wind as he perishes [!]. But this depressing scene shifts as Santa Claus enters, with the voice of the high bassoon, here in his horse-drawn sleigh. Down the chimney he slides with flutes accompanying; plucked strings signify the clicking of toys being dropped into stockings... Santa leaves, the sound of hooves and bells receding into the distance. Up in the sky, extremely high violins portray a chorus of angels singing the familiar "Adeste fideles." The sun rises on Christmas Day. The house awakens to the sounds of "Get up!" on the horn and "Little Bo-peep" on the trumpets as the children play. The beginning of the work reappears, as does "Adeste fideles," as Santa Claus closes in a hymn of praise.

Other highlights today include the original 1723 version of Bach's Magnificat, conducted by Philippe Herreweghe, and (the original 1966 version of) How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Friday please join Alan Cooke at 11:00 for Midday Music Requests. Monday at 11:00 GPB brings you the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from Cambridge, England, in real time. On Christmas Day please join us for Handel's Messiah from Philadelphia. I'll be back with you Wednesday. Rest ye merry, listeners!

11 AM . . . .

• Grechaninov: In Thy Kingdom, from Passion Week. Phoenix Bach Choir, Kansas City Chorale, Bruffy (Chandos 5044, multiple Grammy nominee)
• Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in E, "Rest, for Christmas Night," RV 270. Fabio Biondi, Europa Galante (Virgin 45424)
• Mackenzie: The Cricket on the Hearth, Overture (based on Dickens). BBC Scottish Sym, Brabbins (Hyperion 66764)
• Fry: Santa Claus Symphony. Royal Scottish National Orch, Rowe (Naxos 8.559057)

12 N . . .

• Mendelssohn: Hymns, Op. 79: Advent; Christmas. Oregon Symphony Horns (Centaur 2344)
• Bach: Magnificat, BWV 243a (original 1723 version). Collegium Vocale Gent, Herreweghe (Harmonia Mundi 901781.82; also available on 901326)
• Dello Joio: Variants on a Mediaeval Tune (In Dulci Jubilo). Keystone Wind Ensemble, Stamp (Klavier 11138)
• Tchaikovsky: The Seasons: December - Christmas-tide. Moscow Chamber Orch, Orbelian (Delos 3255)
  

1 PM . . .

• Handel: Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus. Boston Baroque, Pearlman (Telarc 80322)
• Feliciano/Kromer: Feliz Navidad. Eaken Piano Trio (Naxos 8.554714)
  
• Seuss, Hague: How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Boris Karloff, Who Village Orchestra and Chorus (Mercury 314 528 438)
  
• Locatelli: Christmas Concerto (Concerto Grosso Op. 1/8 in F minor). Tafelmusik Baroque Orch, Lamon (Analekta 9811)
  

Wednesday, December 19

11 AM . . .

• Mahler: Symphony No. 4. Atlanta Sym, Stade, Levi (Telarc 80499)

12 N . . . . . . .

• Bach/Gounod: Ave Maria. Carl Tanner et al. (Timeless 17822)
• Humperdinck: The Blue Bird: The Christmas Dream; Star Dance. Bamberg Sym, Rickenbacher (Virgin 61128)
• Graupner: Machet die Tore weit, cantata for Advent. Les Idees Heureuses, Soly (Analekta 9115)
• Debussy: Reverie. Yolanda Kondonassis (Telarc 80622)
• Rozsa: Ben Hur, Choral Suite. Cincinnati Pops, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Kunzel (Telarc 80631)

1 PM . . . . . .

• Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker: End of Act 2. Cincinnati Pops, Kunzel (Telarc 80674)
• Byrd: Out of the orient crystal skies. Emma Kirkby, Fretwork (Harmonia Mundi 907383)
• Beach: Romance, Op. 23. Rachel Barton Pine, Matthew Hagle (Cedille 097)
• Petritz: Die Herrlichkeit des Herrn. Saxon Vocal Ens, Batzdorf Court Ens, Jung (CPO 777 332)
• Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. Ignacy Jan Paderewski (Nimbus 8812)
  

Tuesday, December 18

11 AM . . . . . .

• Byrd/Jacob: William Byrd Suite. U.S. Air Force Band, Graham (Klavier 11159)
• Haydn: Baryton Trio No. 87 in A minor. Hsu, Miller, Arico (ASV 104)
• Jacobi: Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt (God So Loved the World). Saxon Vocal Ens, Batzdorf Court Ens, Jung (CPO 777 332)
• Ravel: Pavane for a Dead Princess. Alexandre Tharaud (Harmonia Mundi 901811.12)
• Rodrigo: Retablo de Navidad (Christmas Altarpiece). Anna Stephany, BBC Sym, Philharmonia Chorus, Zinman (RCA [Sony] 88697 11561)

12 N . . . . .

• Mozart: Ave Verum Corpus. Tolzer Knabenchor, European Baroque Soloists, Schmidt-Gaden (Sony 75944)
  
• Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas Carols. Stephen Gadd, Guildford Choral Soc, Royal Phil, Wetton (Naxos 8.570439)
  
• Brahms: Clarinet Sonata in E-flat, Op. 120/2. Gervase de Peyer, Daniel Barenboim (EMI 55674)
• Nicolai: Christmas Overture. Bamberg Sym, Rickenbacher (Virgin 90179)
  
• Sears/Willis: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear. Chanticleer (Warner 284988)
  

1 PM . . . . . .

• Pachelbel: Canon and Gigue in D major. Taverner Players, Parrott (Virgin 391340)
• Montero: Improvisation on Pachelbel's Canon. Gabriela Montero (EMI 00234)
• Fuchs: Eventide (English-horn concerto based on spirituals including "Mary Had a Baby" and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"). Thomas Stacy, London Sym, Falletta (Naxos 8.559224)
• Negri; Vecchi: three Renaissance tunes (Bianco fiore; Catena d'amore; So ben mi ch'ha bon tempo). Baltimore Consort (Dorian 90601)
• Elms: Three Carols (Gabriel's Message; Rocking; Angels from the Realms of Glory). Joyful Company of Singers, Royal Phil, Bell (Naxos 8.570793)

Monday, December 17

'Tis the week before Christmas and Midday Music shifts to mostly holiday fare. With centuries of classical music to choose from, we can breeze through the week with nary a single repeated carol. Today's offerings include choral works by Ralph Vaughan Williams (Hodie), William Ferris (four carols) and Philipp Heinrich Erlebach (a Baroque cantata) as well as an instrumental bit of Bach's Christmas Oratorio and the latest from Chanticleer.

For Christmassy musical events, consider the Albany Chorale tonight in Albany, Cantus Christmas 2007 tonight in Columbus or the Atlanta Ballet's ongoing Nutcracker in midtown Atlanta. (P.S. on the Atlanta Ballet: The panda dancer injured earlier this month is now home from the hospital and working on her walking.)

11 AM . . . .

• Vaughan Williams: Hodie (This Day). Guildford Choral Society, St. Catherine's School Middle Chamber Choir, Watson, Hoare, Gadd, Royal Philharmonic, Wetton.
  
• Schubert/Jennings: Ave Maria. Chanticleer, Chanticleer Holiday Orch, Jennings (Warner 284988)
  

12 N . . . . . .

• Bach: Christmas Oratorio: Sinfonia. Taverner Players, Parrott (Virgin 391340)
  
• Stokowski: Traditional Slavic Christmas Music. Bournemouth Sym, Serebrier (Naxos 8.557645)
  
• Ferris: four carols (The Lord Said to Me; Gentle Mary; Lift Up Your Heads, O Mighty Gates; Infant Holy, Infant Lowly). William Ferris Chorale, Composer Festival Orch, French (Cedille 101)
  
• Serra: Variations for Orchestra and Piano. Emili Brugalla, El Valles Sym, Brotons (Naxos 8.555871)
  
• Erlebach: Furchtet euch nicht. Saxon Vocal Ens, Batzdorf Court Ens, Jung (CPO 777 332)
  

1 PM . . .

• Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio in A minor. Borodin Trio (Brilliant Classics box 93423)

Thursday, December 13

There's so much live musicmaking going on right now - if it's your flavor, go out and hear some! :-) For Christmas concerts near or nearish you, see Wednesday's clickable list below. It may not include your kid's school concert or your friend's church singalong, but it'll get you started with some of our larger performing groups.

And as always, thanks for listening to GPB during all those non-concert hours. Today's Midday Music features two great new recordings for the season. If you're looking for a fantastic new Nutcracker disc, with more than just the suite but less than the whole ballet, check out Yuri Temirkanov and the St. Petersburg Philharmonic in the 1 o'clock hour.

11 AM . . .

• Evald: Brass Quintet No. 4. Stockholm Chamber Brass (BIS 613)
• Lutoslawski: Polish Christmas Carols. Julia Doyle, BBC Sym, Philharmonia Chorus, Zinman (RCA [SonyBMG] 88697 11561)

12 N

• Ionafan: Liturgy of Peace: Bless the Lord. Kyiv Chamber Choir, Hobdych (Hearts of Space 11118)
• Schubert: Symphony No. 5. Chamber Orch of Europe, Abbado (DG 423 654)
• Offenbach: Gaîté Parisienne, selections. New York Phil, Bernstein (Sony 61830)

1 PM . . .

• Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite. St. Petersburg Phil, Temirkanov (EMI 11272)
• Sammartini: Recorder Sonata No. 21 in B-flat. Maurice Steger et al. (Harmonia Mundi 905266)
  
• Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen. Joel Quarrington, Andrew Burashko (CBC MVCD 1108)
• Traditional Norwegian: Dance from Vestfold. Trio Mediaeval (ECM 2003)
  

Wednesday, December 12

Here's a quick list of this week's (December 13-18) Christmas concerts coming up in GPB communities, with links for details.

• Albany Chorale: Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. Monday at 7:30. St. Patrick's Episcopal, Albany.
• Atlanta Symphony's Messiah. Thursday and Saturday at 8. Symphony Hall, Atlanta.
• Atlanta Symphony's Gospel Christmas. Friday at 8 and Saturday at 2. Symphony Hall, Atlanta.
• Augusta Symphony with New York Voice. Pops concert Friday the 14th at Augusta's Bell Auditorium and again Saturday the 15th at Aiken's Etherredge Center. Family concert Sunday the 16th at 3 in the Maxwell Theatre at Augusta State.
  
• Cantus Christmas 2007 with Cantus Columbus. Monday at 7:30. RiverCenter, Columbus.
• Choral Society of Middle Georgia's Messiah. Friday at Fickling Hall, Mercer University, Macon, and again Tuesday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Warner Robins.
• Cobb Symphony's Family Concert. Saturday at 10. Dozier Center, Kennesaw.
• Gwinnett Philharmonic and Atlanta Sacred Chorale. Tuesday at 8:00. Gwinnett Center, Duluth.
• An Irish Christmas with Ronan Tynan. Saturday at 8:15. Spivey Hall, Morrow.
• LaGrange Symphony and Sons of Lafayette. Saturday at 3, Callaway Auditorium, LaGrange.
• Newnan's multi-church Messiah singalong, Friday at 7, St. Paul's Episcopal, Newnan
• Ocmulgee Symphony Orchestra. Saturday at 7:30. Opera House, Hawkinsville.
• Savannah Sinfonietta's Messiah Sing-Along. Friday at 8. Wesley UMC, Savannah.

11 AM . . . . .

• Schelle: Machet die Tore weit. Saxon Vocal Ensemble, Batzdorf Court Ensemble, Jung (CPO 777 332)
  
• Smetana: Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 15. Beaux Arts Trio (Philips 432 125; pictured: Decca box 150602)
  
• Poulenc: Hodie Christus Natus Est. Mercer Singers, Roberts (ACA Digital 30004)
  
• Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 4. Concerto Italiano, Alessandrini (Naive 30412)
  

12 N . . . . .

• Bizet: Symphony in C. Orchestra of Paris, Bychkov (Philips 432 096)
  
• Sammartini: Recorder Sonata in G major, Op. 2/4. Maurice Steger et al. (Harmonia Mundi 905266)
• Vaughan Williams: Romance. Helen Callus, Philip Bush (ASV 184)
  
• Gabrieli: Sonata No. 20 for 22 players. Gabrieli Players, McCreesh (Archiv 449 180)
  

1 PM . . . .

• Vivaldi: Dixit Dominus in D, RV 594. Choir of King's College Cambridge, Academy of Ancient Music, Cleobury (EMI 57265)
  
• Debussy: Violin Sonata in G minor. LAurent Korcia, Michael Wendeberg (Naive 5066)
  
• Turina: Rapsodia Sinfonica. Angela Cheng, Calgary Phil, Graf (CBC SMCD 5195)
  

Tuesday, December 11

Concerts mentioned on air: The Ocmulgee Symphony's Christmas Concert (Hawkinsville Opera House, Saturday, 7:30) and tonight's LaGrange Symphony concert (7:30, Callaway Auditorium, LaGrange College).

11 AM . . . .

• Prokofiev: Troika from Lieutenant Kije. St. Petersburg Phil, Temirkanov (EMI 11272)
  
• Schutz: Magnificat (with Christmas interpolations). Gabrieli Consort and Players, McCreesh (Archiv 289 463 046)
  
• Labor, J.: Quintet in D for clarinet, strings and piano. Orion Ensemble (Cedille 088)
  
• Robinson: Great Is the Miracle: Ozi and Oy Chanukah. Eaken Piano Trio (Naxos 8.554714)
  

12 N . . .

• Corelli: Christmas Concerto. Europa Galante, Biondi (Naive 20012)
• Klenau: Little Ida's Flowers, Overture. Odense Sym, Wagner (Da Capo 8.224183)
  
• Rouse: Karolju. BBC Sym, Philharmonia Chorus, Zinman (RCA 11561)

1 PM

• Nicolai: Symphony in D major. Bamberg Sym, Rickenbacher (Virgin 91079)
• Weintraub: Eight Bright Candles. Eaken Piano Trio (Naxos 8.554714)
• Adler: The Flames of Freedom: Who Can Retell; Rock of Ages. New London Children's Choir, Corp (Naxos 8.559410)
  
• Anderson: The Typewriter; Sleigh Ride. Richard Hayman and His Orchestra (Naxos 8.559125)

Monday, December 10

Seasonal choral fare is on offer at the far eastern and western sides of Georgia. Tonight in Augusta, the Augusta Collegium Musicum (left) performs a Christmas concert at 7:30 p.m. at the Augusta Museum of History.

Then tomorrow in LaGrange the Sons of Lafayette male choir (below) teams up with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra for favorite choruses from Vivaldi's Gloria and Handel's Messiah and other seasonal fare (plus Hummel's Bassoon Concerto with soloist Constantin Barcov, because...well, why not?). The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. at LaGrange College's Callaway Auditorium. (If you can't make Tuesday's performance, they'll be at it again Saturday at 3:00, minus the bassoonist, because...well, why not?)

.

On Midday Music we move into the two-week period before Christmas with Antonio Vivaldi's Gloria and Samuel Barber's orchestral fantasy on carol tunes. The show wraps up with a couple of nods to the hero of the Hanukkah story, Judah Maccabee. Tonight is the second-to-last night of that holiday.

11 AM . . . .

• Vivaldi: Concerto for Two Trumpets, arr. brass quintet. Canadian Brass (Philips 432 571)
  
• Vivaldi: Gloria in D major. College of King's College Cambridge, Academy of Ancient Music, Cleobury (EMI 57265)
  
• Barber: Die Natalis. Royal Scottish National Orch, Alsop (Naxos 8.559133)
  

12 N . . . .

• Mainerio: Five Dances from The First Book of Dances (1578). Early Music Consort of London, Munrow (Testament 1080)
  
• Stanford: Piano Quartet in F major, Op. 15. Ames Piano Quartet (Albany 910/11)
  
• Marcello: Concerto No. 4 in E minor from La Cetra. Collegium Musicum 90, Standage (Chaconne 0744)
  
• Sarasate: Moscovienne. Tianwa Yang, Markus Hadulla (Naxos 8.570192)
  

1 PM . . . .

• Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466. Martha Argerich, Padua and Veneto Orch, Rabinovitch (Teldec 4509 98407 2; pictured: 0927 46740 2)
  
• Beethoven: Twelve Variations on a Theme ("See the Conquering Hero Comes") from Handel's Judas Maccabeus. Anne Gastinel, Francois-Frederic Guy (Naive 4995)
  
• Handel: Judas Maccabeus: See the Conquering Hero Comes; March; Sing unto God. Academy and Chorus of St. Martin in the Fields, Marriner (Philips 13-15)
  

Thursday, December 6

Holiday musical festivities continue across Georgia both live in local venues and recorded over Georgia Public Broadcasting. As always, Midday Music helps you connect the two. You have to listen on air or online in real time, though; we're not ready quite yet for instant online archiving. Today...

• Columbus Symphony music director George Del Gobbo tells us about tonight's "Cowboy Christmas" with Riders in the Sky (one answer to the eternal quest for novel holiday concerts!), and we hear classical music's most famous orchestral cowboy tunes.
• The LaGrange Symphony's Patricio Cobos describes the LSO's Christmas concert, a collaborative celebration coming up Tuesday with the Sons of Lafayette Male Choir and (why not!) a bassoonist, and we hear the bassoon work in question.
• And though there's no interview for this one, let me also point out the Augusta Collegium Musicum's Christmas concert just ahead on Monday at the Augusta Museum of History.

For more musical goings-on, heavy on the Handel and Tchaikovsky, please see the bulleted list in Tuesday's entry below. (On a more serious Nutcracker note, to follow up on the panda vs. pit incident I mentioned yesterday, read this in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.)

11 AM . . . .

• Handel: Messiah, Part I: And he shall purify; Behold, a virgin shall conceive; O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion. London Sym Orch, Tenebrae Choir, Sarah Mingardo, Davis (LSO Live 0607)
• Hummel: Grand Bassoon Concerto in F. Yoshiyuki Nakanishi, London Mozart Players, N. Cleobury (ASV 6159)
• Ippolitov-Ivanov: Caucasian Sketches [a musical picture of the "other" Georgia!]. Baltimore Sym, Zinman (Telarc 80378)
  

12 N . . . . .

• Lewandowski: Hanerot Hallalu. Eaken Piano Trio (Naxos 8.554714)
• Copland: Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes. New York Phil, Bernstein (Sony 63082)
• Bizet/Loeb: The Pearl Fishers: Au fond du temple saint. Sohn, Nuttall, Loeb (Naxos 8.570202)
  
• Corelli: Christmas Concerto (Concerto Grosso in G minor, Op. 6/8). Europa Galante, Bionde (Naive 20012)
• Bavel: Hanukkah Fantasy. Tucson Sym, Hanson (ZBPI)

1 PM . . . . .

• Gibbons: Hosanna to the Son of David. Choir of King's College, S. Cleobury (EMI 94430)
  
• Mozart: Divertimento in D for strings, K. 136. Freiburg Baroque Orch, Mullejans (Harmonia Mundi 901809)
  
• Orff/Krance: Carmina Burana, Suite. Peabody Conservatory Wind Ens, Parker (Naxos 8.570242)

Wednesday, December 5

A sobering item from the Nutcracker beat: In honor of the mother and baby panda at Zoo Atlanta, the Atlanta Ballet this year incorporated two panda characters into the Chinese Dance in act two. Sunday one of the be-panda-ed ballerinas lost her bearings and plummeted off the stage into the orchestra pit. The teenaged dancer was rushed to the hospital and remains in critical but stable condition (read more here). The silver lining to the company's decision to use canned music rather than a live orchestra is that, with an empty pit, no other artists were hurt. We wish the young dancer a full recovery.

For calendar listings, please see Tuesday's entry below.

To see the art by Viktor Hartmann that Modest Mussorgsky immortalizes in Pictures at an Exhibition, take a look here.


11 AM . . . .

• Berlioz: Roman Carnival Overture. Danish National Sym Orch, Dausgaard (Chados 10416)
  
• Bach: Suite No. 1 in G major for solo cello. Jean-Guihen Queyras (Harmonia Mundi 901970.71)
  
• Alkan: Concerto for Solo Piano, Op.39/8: Allegro assai. Marc-Andre Hamelin (Hyperion 67569)
  

12 N . . . . . .

• Handel: Messiah: comfort ye; Every valley; And the glory of the Lord. Bruce Fowler, Boston Baroque, Pearlman (Telarc 80322)
  
• Piazzolla/Scott: Oblivion. Imani Winds (Koch 7661)
  
• Haydn: "Miracle" Symphony (Symphony No. 96). Lausanne Chamber Orch, Lopez-Cobos (Denon 18079)
  
• Shatin: Nun, Gimel, Hei, Shin. New London Children's Choir, Corp (Naxos 8.559410)
  
• Telemann: Concerto in C major for oboes, strings and continuo. Berlin Baroque Soloists, Kussmaul (DG 5761)
  

1 PM . . . . .

• Phalese: Three tunes. Baltimore Consort (Dorian 90601)
  
• Wieniawski: Reverie in F-sharp minor. Helen Callus, Philip Bush (ASV 1184)
  
• Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition. Oslo Phil, Jansons (EMI 50824)
• Chopin: Waltz No. 3 in A minor. Helen Callus, Philip Bush (ASV 1184)

Tuesday, December 4

Albany Symphony music director Claire Fox Hillard joins us twice today to talk about the orchestra's busy week of performances. Tonight is the popular "Peppermint Pops" concert, with a cast of many and a participatory audience of many more, at 7:30 at the capacious James H. Gray Sr. Civic Center in Albany. Then Saturday it's "A Classical Christmas" with Saint-Saens' Christmas Oratorio and seasonal favorites by Corelli and Vaughan Williams, at the more intimate Albany Municipal Auditorium.

Elsewhere in Georgia, tonight is the night for Augusta's 19th annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols with the Augusta Choral Society and Collegium Music at the Sacred Heart Cultural Center. Thursday you might opt for "A Cowboy Christmas" with the Columbus Symphony and Riders in the Sky. Or try one of these standbys, in a community near you:

Messiahs

• Augusta Choral Society's singalong performance, Friday 12/7, Sacred Heart Cultural Center, Augusta
• Rome Symphony performance, Saturday 12/8, 7:30, Rome City Auditorium, Rome
• Atlanta Symphony performance, 12/13 & 15, Symphony Hall, Atlanta
• Newnan multi-church singalong, 7:00, Friday 12/14, St. Paul's Episcopal, Newnan
• Savannah Sinfonietta's singalong performance, Friday 12/14, Wesley UMC, Savannah
• Michael O'Neal Singers' singalong performance up to Hallelujah Chorus, Sunday 12/16, 3:00, Roswell UMC, Roswell
  

Nutcrackers

• Atlanta Ballet, throughout December, times vary, Fox Theatre, Atlanta
• Nutcracker of Middle Georgia, December 5-9, Grand Opera House, Macon

Today on Midday Music we're hearing...

11 AM . . . .

• Reznicek: Eine Lustpiel-Ouverture. WDR Sym Orch Cologne, Jurowski (CPO 777 047)
• Schumann: Piano Sonata No. 1 in F-sharp minor, Op. 11. Angela Hewitt (Hyperion 67618)
• Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves. New Zealand Sym, Judd (Naxos 8.555867)
  

12 N . . . . .

• Respighi: Brazilian Impressions. Buffalo Phil, Falletta (Naxos 8.557711)
• Kraus: Olympie, Incidental Music. New Zealand Sym Orch, Grodd (Naxos 8.570334)
• Byrd: Ne irascaris, Domine. Tallis Scholars, Phillips (Gimell 208)

1 PM . . . . .

• Beethoven: String Quartet No. 6 in B-flat, Op. 18/6. Tokyo String Quartet (Harmonia Mundi 907436.37)
• Enescue: Octet, Op. 7: Finale. Kremerata Baltica (Nonesuch 79682)
  
• Adler, S.: To Celebrate a Miracle (Hanukkah fantasy). University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory Wind Sym, Winther (Naxos 8.559410)

Happy Hanukkah/Chanukah/(insert your preferred spelling here)!

Monday, December 3

Two local traditions take place Tuesday (tomorrow): Albany's 16th annual Peppermint Pops at the Albany Civic Center, and Augusta's 19th annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols with the Augusta Choral Society and Collegium Music at the Sacred Heart Cultural Center. Thursday the 6th the Columbus Symphony Orchestra presents a "Cowboy Christmas" with Riders in the Sky. Then this weekend the Messiahs and Nutcrackers swing into full action.

11 AM . . . . . .

• Avison: Concerto in G major, Op. 3/5. Avison Ensemble, Beznosiuk (Naxos 8.557905-06)
• Faure: Violin Sonata No. 1 in A major. Gil Shaham, Akira Eguchi (Canary 03)
• Bessel: Komm, du schoene Freudenkrone. Saxon Vocal Ensemble, Batzdorf Court Ensemble, Jung (CPO 777 332)
• Weber: Oberon, Overture. Vienna Phil, Thielemann (DG 289 474 5022)

12 N . . . . . .

• Bach: Chorale "Jesus bleibet meine Freude" (Jesu, joy of man's deisiring) from Cantata No. 147. Taverner Players and Consort, Parrott (Virgin 391340)
• Korngold: Der Schneemann: Introduction and Scene 1. BBC Phil, Bamert (Chandos 10434)
• Mozart: The Magic Flute, Overture. Lausanne Chamber Orch, Menuhin (Virgin 363284)
• Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major. Yundi Li, Berlin Phil, Ozawa (DG 477 6593)

1 PM

• Handel: Recorder Sonata in C major, HWV 365. Gaillard, Cochard, Gaillard (Naive 9910)
• Elgar: Piano Quintet in A minor, Op. 84. Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS 82505)