Midday Music Tuesday 10/28/08

Results are in here at GPB Radio, and we just met our overall goal for the fall fund drive. Thank you, members who contributed! Thanks to you, we're back to programming like this. And it's not too late to join or renew online at gpb.org.

11 AM

• Rachmaninoff: Suite No. 2 for Two Pianos. Martha Argerich, Gabriela Montero. EMI 07623.
• Gounod: Symphony No. 2 in E-flat. Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Marriner. Philips 289 462 125.

12 N

• Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 12 in A major, K. 414. Malcolm Bilson, English Baroque Soloists, Gardiner. Archiv 413 463.
• Godowsky: Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Meter: selections related to Vienna (Rendezvous, Alt Wien, Terpsichorean Vindobona, The Salon, Memories). Marc-Andre Hamelin. Hyperion 67626.
• Saint-Saens: Concert Piece for harp and orchestra in G major. Suzanna Klintcharova, Sofia Phil, Manolov. Balkanton 030075.

1 PM

• Clement: Violin Concerto in D major. Rachel Barton Pine, Royal Phil, Serebrier. Cedille 90000 106.
• Power: Missa "Alma Redemptoris Mater": Credo. Trio Mediaeval. ECM 1869.
  

Midday Music 10/17/08-10/27/08

Dear Midday Music listeners,

As I type, I don't know the final results of GPB Radio's fall membership campaign.  Whatever the tally, I thank you for your part in making the fund drive as successful as it was.  There are so many demands on all our dollars right now; we deeply appreciate your willingness to part with some of yours for the sake of the public radio programs you love.  We will keep working to be worth it.  Again, thank you.

By the way, if you didn't manage to phone in before the official cutoff, it's not too late!  GPB's website will accept contributions through the end of the week. Go to gpb.org and click on "Support GPB Today."

Below are the Midday Music playlists for the past week-plus.  You'll notice a lot of Vivaldi, Mendelssohn, Bach and Saint-Saens.  Those are all from current thank-you gifts (violinist Joshua Bell in Vivaldi's Four Seasons; a two-CD set of Mendelssohn Symphonies and Overtures; Bach Brandenburg Concertos No. 2-5 with Boston Baroque as part of the "Coffee Treats" Music Cooks set but also available as a straight CD from Telarc; Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals from a book and CD set for kids).  Again, these are possible thank-you gifts at the $60+ contribution level when you go to gpb.org and click on the "Support" button.

Thanks again for being the public in public radio.  We can't do it without you.  And now, back to our regular, uninterrupted, commercial-free, content-driven programming.

- Sarah

Friday, October 17

11 AM

• Mendelssohn: Ruy Blas Overture. New Philharmonia Orch, Atzmon. EMI 81788.
  
• Vivaldi: Four Seasons: Spring. Joshua Bell, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Sony 88687 11013.
  

12 N

• Saint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals. Scottish National Orch, Gibson. EMI disc/Holt book.
  
• 12 N
  
• Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor. Helene Grimaud, Staatskapelle Dresden, Salonen. DG 389 477 5719.
  
• Chavez: Xochipilli, An Imagined Aztec Music. Southwest Chamber Music. Cambria 8852.
  

1 PM

• Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture. New Philharmonia Orch, Atzmon. EMi 81788.
  
• Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No 13. Gila Goldstein. Patrych/independent CD.
  
• Napravnik: Russian Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra. Evgeny Soifertis, BBC Scottish Sym, Titov. Hyperion 67511.
  
• Chopin: "Black Key" Etude (in G-flat, Op. 10/5). Murray Perahia. Sony 61885.
  

Monday, October 20

11 AM

• Pachelbel: Canon and Gigue in D major. Taverner Players, Parrott. Virgin 0946 391340.
  
• Mendelssohn: "Italian" Symphony (No. 4). New Philharmonia Orch, Muti. EMI 81788.
  
• Saint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals: Aquarium. Scottish National Orch, Gibson. EMI disc/Holt book.
  

12 N

• Vivaldi: Four Seasons: Autumn. Joshua Bell, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Sony 88697 11013.
  
• Mendelssohn: Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage, Overture. New Philharmonia Orch, Atzmon. EMI 81788.
  
• Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 2. Boston Baroque, Martin Pearlman. Music Cooks "Coffee Treats" set.
  

1 PM

• Strauss: Oboe Concerto in D major: Finale. Ray Still, Academy of London, Stamp. Virgin 90813.
  
• Wagner: Parsifal: Good Friday Music. Philadelphia Orch, Thielemann. DG 289 453 485.
  
• Waxman: Carmen Fantasy. Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, London Sym, Litton. Nonesuch 79464.
  

Tuesday, October 21

11 AM

• Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E-flat, K. 364. Julia Fischer, Gordan Nikolic, Netherlands Chamber Orch, Kreizberg. PentaTone 5186 098.
  
• Albeniz: Malaguena. David Russell. Telarc 80672.
  

12 N

• Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3. Boston Baroque, Pearlman. Music Cooks "Coffee Treats" set.
  
• Mendelssohn: Die Heimkehr aus der Fremde, Overture. New Philharmonia Orch, Atzmon. EMI 81788.
  
• Liszt: Totentanz. Krystian Zimerman, Boston Sym, Ozawa. DG 423 571.
  
• Debussy: Arabesque No. 1. Yolanda Kondonassis. Telarc 80622.
  

1 PM

• Saint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals: Aquarium. Scottish National Orch, Gibson. EMI disc/Holt book.
  
• Vivaldi: Four Seasons: Summer. Joshua Bell, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Sony 88697 11013.
  
• Brahms: Horn Trio in E-flat: Scherzo and Finale. Gunter Hoegner, Erich Binder, Andras Schiff. London 410 114.
  

Wednesday, October 22

11 AM

• Beethoven: "Kreutzer" Sonata (Sonata No. 9 for Piano and Violin): Mvt 1. Itzhak Perlman, Martha Argerich. EMI 56815.
  
• Mendelssohn: Ruy Blas, Overture. New Philharmonia Orch, Atzmon. EMi 81788.
  
• Handel: Concerto Grosso in B-flat, Op. 3/2. Handel & Haydn Society, Hogwood. L'Oiseau-Lyre 421 729.
  
• Haydn: Piano Sonata No. 62 in E-flat: Finale. Malcolm Bilson. Bridge 9263.
  

12 N

• Saint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals: Introduction and Royal March of the Lion. Scottish National Orch, Gibson. EMI disc/Holt book.
  
• Breton: Four Spanish Pieces: Scherzo Andaluz and Polo Gitano. LOM Piano Trio. Naxos 8.570713.
  
• Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major
  
• Chopin: Scherzo No. 4 in E major. Simon Trpceski. EMi 75586.

1 PM

• Glazunov: Wedding March. Bavarian Radio Sym, Jarvi. Orfeo 093 201.
  
• Vivaldi: Four Seasons: Winter. Joshua Bell, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Sony 88697 11013.
  
• Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E minor: Mvt 2. Philadelphia Orch, Eschenbach. Ondine 1076.
  

Thursday, October 23

11 AM

• Vivaldi: Four Seasons: Spring. Joshua Bell, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Sony 88697 11013.
  
• Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D major: Mvt 1. Chicago Sym Orch, Boulez. DG 289 459 610.
  
• Mendelssohn: Athalia, Overture. New Philharmonia Orch, Atzmon. EMI 81788.
  
• Kabalevsky: The Comedians: Galop.  Cincinnati Pops, Kunzel. Telarc.
  

12 N

• Sarasate: Romanza Andaluza. Gil Shaham, Orpheus Chamber Orch. DG 449 923.
  
• Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5. Boston Baroque, Pearlman. Music Cooks "Coffee Treats" set.
  
• Ravel: Tzigane. Salvatore Accardo, London Sym, Abbado. DG 427 314.
  
• Offenbach: Orpheus in the Underworld: Can-Can. Cincinnati Pops, Kunzel. Telarc.
  

1 PM 

• Canning: Fantasy on a Hymn by Justin Morgan. Indianapolis Sym, Leppard. Decca 458 157.
  
• Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain. Minnesota Orch, Oue. Reference 82.
  
• Korngold: Violin Concerto in D major: Finale. James Ehnes, Vancouver Sym, Tovey. CBC 5241.
  
• Delibes: Coppelia: Waltz. Cincinnati Pops, Kunzel. Telarc.
  

Friday, October 24 (programmed by co-host Eric Nauert)

11 AM

• Still: Festive Overture. Royal Phil, Lipkin. Cambria 1060.
  
• Gershwin: Preludes, arr. piano trio. Eroica Trio. EMi 56482.
  
• Mulligan: Entente for baritone sax and orchestra. Mulligan, Houston Sym, Kunzel. Pro Arte 703.
  

12 N

• Chadwick: Elegy in Memory of Horatio Parker. Czech State Phil, Serebrier. Reference 74.
  
• Sowash: Fantasia on "Shenandoah." Pell, Shelburne Quartet. Gasparo 236.
  
• Brubeck, C.: Convergence. Czech National Sym, Freeman. Koch 7653.
  

1 PM

• Joplin: Solace, A Mexican Serenade. John Novacek. Ambassador 1008.
  
• Maillard: Prayer to the One. / Anonymous: There Is a Balm in Gilead. Sweet Honey in the Rock. EarthBeat 42580.
  
• Meyer: 1B; O'Connor: Vistas. Mark O'Connor, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer. Sony 66782.
  

Monday, October 27

11 AM

• Dukas: Piano Sonata in E-flat minor: Mvt 4. Marc-Andre Hamelin. Hyperion 67513.
  
• Mendelssohn: "Scottish" Symphony (No. 3). New Philharmonia Orch, Muti. EMI 81788.
  

12 N

• Vivaldi: Four Seasons: Autumn. Joshua Bell, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Sony 88697 11013.
  
• Sibelius: Symphony No. 3 in C major: Mvt 1. Iceland Sym, Sakari. Naxos 8.505179.
  
• Bottesini: Gran Duo Concertante for Violin, Double Bass and Strings. Joshua Bell, Edgar Meyer, Saint Paul Chamber Orch, Hugh Wolff. Sony 60956.
  
• Meyer: By the River. Mike Marshall, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer. Sony 62891.
  

1 PM

• Mendelssohn: "Reformation" Symphony (No. 5): Mvt 2. New Philharmonia Orch, Muti. EMI 81788.
  
• Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 2 in E-flat, K. 417: Eric Ruske, Scottish Chamber Orch, Mackerras. Telarc 80367.
  
• Mendelssohn: "Reformation" Symphony (No. 5): Mvts. 3-4. New Philharmonia Orch, Muti. EMI 81788.
  

Thank you for supporting GPB!

Midday Music Thursday 10/16/08

Hi,

Before today's playlist, I'd like to ask you a favor. Just take a moment and calculate something:

How many hours a week you spend with GPB Radio? Or, to take the long view, how many hours do you spend with GPB each year? Got a number? Please keep it in mind over the coming week as you consider your chance to contribute to GPB. How much is something worth that's worth so much of your time?

Listeners cover the costs of providing you with Midday Music, Performance Today, The ASO on GPB, and all our other news, talk and entertainment programming. Whatever your circumstances this year, please consider the maximum you're able to give, and then do your part during GPB's fall fund drive. Your membership matters.

Housekeeping: No Midday Music Requests the next couple of Fridays. Likely no online playlists during the drive either. As always, I'll endeavor to catch up afterwards, when things calm down. Looking forward to hearing from you in the meantime!

Thanks,

Sarah

P.S. Join me tonight (Thursday) at 9:00 for GPB's exclusive broadcast of the great Cleveland Orchestra playing Ravel, Sierra and Mussorgsky - recorded in concert in March in Columbus, Georgia!

11 AM

• Gershwin/Bunch: Porgy and Bess Fantasy. Eroica Trio. EMI 07351.
  
• Strauss: Festive Prelude for organ and orchestra. Michael Chertock, Cincinnati Sym, Lopez-Cobos. Telarc 80371.
  
• Kuula: South Ostrobothnian Dances. Finnish Radio Sym, Tikka. YLE 9505.
  
• Giuliani: Serenade for flute and guitar, Op. 127. Laurel Zucker, Richard Savino. Cantilena 66012.
  

12 N

• Anonymous (French Renaissance): Bransles de village. Piffaro. Archiv 447107.
  
• Beriot: Violin Concerto No. 2 in B minor. Philippe Quint, Slovak Radio, Trevor. Naxos 8.570360.
  
• Rachmaninoff: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor. Lang Lang. Telarc 80524.
  

1 PM

• Stenhammar: Symphony No. 2 in G minor. Royal Stockholm Phil, Jarvi. Virgin 45244.
  

Midday Music Wednesday 10/15/08

Today I mention concerts in Macon, Augusta, Morrow and Atlanta. Find details through this week's Classical Calendar post.

11 AM

• Matteis: Ayres for the Violin, Book 4: Sonata in C major. Arcadian Academy, McGegan. Harmonia Mundi 907067.
• Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F major. Boston Baroque, Pearlman. Telarc 80594.
• Mendelssohn: My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? Op. 78/3 arr. brass. Oregon Symphony Horns. Centaur 2344.

12 N

• Lauro: Virgilio. Sharon Isbin. Teldec 39845736.
• Guilmant: Symphonic Piece for trombone and orchestra. Christian Lindberg, Bamberg Sym, Segerstam. BIS 378.
• Walton: Crown Imperial coronation march. United States Marine Band, Colburn. Naxos 8.570243.
• Beethoven: Cello Sonata in E-flat, Op. 64 (based on his String Trio, Op. 3): second half. Maria Kliegel, Nina Tichman. Naxos 8.555786.
• Amram: Symphony, Songs of the Soul: Dance of Joy. Berlin Radio Sym Orch, Wilkins. Naxos 8.559420.

1 PM

• Mozart: "Linz" Symphony (No. 36 in C major, K. 425). Prague Philharmonic, Belohlavek. Harmonia Mundi 901891.
• Wieniawski: Legend for violin and orchestra in G minor. Juliette Kang, Vancouver Sym, Comissiona. CBC 5197.
  

Midday Music Tuesday 10/14/08

11 AM

• Lauro: Romanza. Sharon Isbin. Teldec 39845736.
  
• Grieg: Sigurd Jorsalfar: Three Orchestral Pieces. Malmo Sym, Engeset. Naxos 8.557991.
  
• Grechaninov: Piano Trio No. 2 in G major. Simcisko, Alexander, Ruso. Marco Polo 223416.
  
• Vivaldi: Concerto in C major for winds and strings, RV 558. Academy of Ancient Music, Manze. Harmonia Mundi 2907230.
  

12 N

• Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs). Mike Marshall, Edgar Meyer. Sony 62891.
  
• Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 1. Philharmonia Orch, WEller. Chandos 10224(3).
  
• Bernstein: West Side Story Suite. Eroica Trio. EMI 07351.
  

1 PM

• Schubert: String Quintet in C. Guarneri Quartet, Leonard Rose. RCA 82876-62310.
  

Classical Calendar, October 16-19

First, a quick note on a couple of special programs that you might enjoy this week on GPB Radio. Both were recorded in concert in Georgia last spring and are GPB exclusives.

• Tonight (Monday) at 9:00 on Savannah Music Festival Live, hear the husband-and-wife team of cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han, in performance in Savannah last spring.
• Thursday evening at 9:00, GPB is pleased to present a special broadcast of the superlative Cleveland Orchestra recorded at their March 30 concert in Columbus, Georgia. Please join me as Giancarlo Guerrero (the new music director of the Nashville Symphony) leads the orchestra in Roberto Sierra's Fandangos, Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2 and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Please listen in.

And now, on to actual events you might want to attend.

Thursday and Saturday, October 16 and 18

• In Atlanta, Nicholas McGegan leads the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus in Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 1 (Hymn of Praise) and two pieces by Handel.

Friday, October 17

• In Augusta State's Maxwell Theatre, the Harry Jacobs Chamber Music Society presents Jacques Thibaud Trio from Berlin, performing string trios by Beethoven, Klein and Herzogenberg.
• The Sparrow Quartet - banjo stars Abigail Washburn and Bela Fleck, fiddler Casey Driessen, cellist Ben Sollee - cross stylistic boundaries at the Ferst Center, Georgia Tech, Atlanta.
  
• The Macon Symphony Orchestra gives a Young People's Concert at Wesleyan College, Macon.

Saturday, October 18

• Wesleyan College Organ Dedication. Organist Michael McGhee, the Macon Symphony Orchestra and the Wesleyan College Women's Chorus, all led by Adrian Gnam, join together to present Porter Auditorium's newly renovated organ in music of Walton, Guilmant, Strauss and Debussy. Wesleyan College, Macon.
• Young Croatian guitarist Robert Belinic is the first guitarist to win the Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York. Saturday in Morrow he makes his Spivey Hall debut in Morrow with Bach, Sor, Mangore, Cagalj, Brouwer and Lauro.
• String masters Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile present Newgrass on double bass and mandolin at the Rialto Center in Atlanta.
• The Woodruff Arts Center, home of the Atlanta Symphony, hosts a free Community Engagement Day with cultural festivities and performances for all ages, to celebrate its 40th anniversary.
  

Sunday, October 19

• Enjoy the great outdoors. Happy autumn!

Midday Music Monday 10/13/08

Quick note on a couple of live-in-Georgia programs on GPB Radio that you might enjoy.

• Tonight at 9:00 on Savannah Music Festival Live, hear the husband-and-wife team of cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han, in performance in Savannah last spring.
• Thursday evening at 9:00, GPB is pleased to present a special broadcast of the superlative Cleveland Orchestra recorded at their March 30 concert in Columbus, Georgia. Giancarlo Guerrero (the new music director of the Nashville Symphony) leads the Cleveland Orchestra in Roberto Sierra's Fandangos, Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2 and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Please listen in.

And now to today's Midday Music playlist.

11 AM

• Handel: Flute Sonata in G major, HWV 363b. Bruggen, Bylsma, Asperen. Sony 60100.
• Handel: Zadok the Priest. Academy & Chorus of St. Martin in the Fields, Marriner. Philips 412 733.
• Beethoven: Violin Concerto. Isabelle Faust, Prague Philharmonia, Belohlavek. Harmonia Mundi 901944.

12 N

• Bach: Prelude, Fugue and Allegro in E-flat, BWV 998, arr. guitar. David Russell. Telarc 80584.
• Debussy: Nocturnes for Orchestra. Cleveland Orch & Chorus, Boulez. DG 439 896.
• Haydn: Piano Trio in E-flat, Hob. XV:29. Vienna Piano Trio. Nimbus 5535.

1 PM

• Godowsky: Piano Sonata in E minor. Marc-Andre Hamelin. Hyperion 67300.

Midday Music Wednesday 10/08/08

Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, begins this evening. On Midday Music we hear Max Bruch's Kol Nidrei, based on the Aramaic prayer that opens the evening service; Matthew Fields' Call of the Shofar for trombone quartet; a demonstration of a real shofar (ram's horn); Osvaldo Golijov's Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind; the "Confession" section of Ernest Bloch's Baal Shem Suite; and a maybe, possibly, conceivably Kol-Nidre-related bit of a Beethoven string quartet.

Thursday's Midday Music comes from WSVH Savannah; playlists here. Friday is requests with Alan Cooke; playlists here. See you next week. -Sarah

11 AM

• Tchaikovsky: Marche Slave. Russian National Orch, Pletnev. DG 477 053.
  
• Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 1, "Winter Dreams." Bournemouth Sym, Litton. Virgin 91119.
  

12 N

• Bruch: Kol Nidrei. Janos Starker, London Sym, Dorati. Mercury 432 001.
  
• Fields: Call of the Shofar. Glendening, Stupakiewicz, Silvey, Reardon. MMC 2087.
  
• Leoncavallo: Pagliacci: Intermezzo. Berlin Phil, Karajan. DG 419 257.
  
• Gliere: Horn Concerto. Richard Watkins, BBC Phil, Downes. Chandos 9379.
  

1 PM

• Bloch: Baal Shem Suite: Vidui (Confession). Sergiu Schwartz, Tao Lin. Romeo 7246.
  
• Beethoven: String Quartet Op. 131, mvts. 6-7. Cleveland Quartet. Telarc 80425.
  
• Golijov: The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind. Todd Palmer, St. Lawrence String Quartet. EMI 57356.
  

Midday Music Tuesday 10/7/08

Hi, all. For details on concerts mentioned on air, see Midday Music's weekly Classical Calendar. There are orchestral goings-on in LaGrange, Augusta, Atlanta and Roswell, plus opera in Atlanta.

I'll be with you Wednesday too, and then our Savannah crew hosts Thursday's Midday Music and Alan Cooke in Augusta takes requests on Friday.

11 AM

• Lully: The Orchestra of the Sun King. Le Concert des Nations, Savall. Alia Vox 9842.
• Bach: Overture in the French Style, BWV 831. Joyce Yang. Harmonia Mundi 907405.
  
• D'Indy: Symphony on a French Mountain Air. Schapiro, San Francisco Sym, Monteux (recorded in 1941). BMG RCA 9026 61888.
  

12 N

• Pasculli: Grand Concerto on Themes from Verdi's I Vespri Siciliani, for oboe and piano. Ivan Paisov, Natalia Shcherbakova. Naxos 8.570567.
  
• Mendelssohn: "Italian" Symphony (No. 4 in A major). New Philharmonia Orch, Muti. EMI 81788.
  
• Busnois: Motet "Incomprehensibilia/Praeter rerum ordinem." Orlando Consort. Harmonia Mundi 907333.
  

1 PM

• Tchaikovsky: Polonaise from Eugene Onegin; Francesca da Rimini. Baltimore Sym Orch, Zinman. Telarc 80378.
• Rota: Bassoon Concerto. Christopher Millard, CBC Vancouver Sym, Bernardi. CBC 5185.
  

Classical Calendar, October 7-12, 2008

Here are select events of interest around the state. The usual caveats apply: No claims to be comprehensive, and please, while this is the latest information to reach GPB, check details with the folks on the ground before venturing forth on your cultural quest. Enjoy!

Tuesday, October 7

• With the 200th anniversary of Mendelssohn's birth coming up in early 2009, the LaGrange Symphony presents an all-Mendelssohn program, featuring globetrotting violinist Sergiu Schwartz (Columbus State faculty) in Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto. Patricio Cobos conducts. Callaway Auditorium, LaGrange College, 7:30.

October 7, 10 and 12

• The Atlanta Opera's production of Madama Butterfly continues its run. Starring Joanna Kozlowska and Richard Leach. Production design by Jun Kaneko. Cobb Energy Centre, off I-75 north of downtown Atlanta.

Thursday-Saturday, October 9-11

• Robert McDuffie of Macon and Mercer University and general renown soloes in Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, part of the Atlanta Symphony's all-Tchaikovsky concert, which also includes the First Symphony ("Winter Dreams") and Francesca da Rimini. Robert Spano conducts. 8 p.m., Atlanta's Symphony Hall.

Saturday, October 11

• It's a real-life reality show in Augusta this season, as four conducting finalists compete to become the Augusta Symphony's next music director. The first contender, Susan Haig, takes the podium Saturday for Sibelius's Second Symphony and selections by Leoncavallo, Mozart and Verdi with baritone Leonard Rowe. 7:30, First Baptist of Augusta.
• In Roswell, the Georgia Philharmonic performs Tchaikovsky's Second Symphony ("Little Russian") plus D'Indy, Mozart and MacDowell. Philip Rice conducts. Roswell Cultural Arts Center.
  

Midday Music Monday 10/06/08

Launching this week on Midday Music are a pair of renowned violinists who teach at universities here in Georgia. Both of these artists perform worldwide, but this week both happen to be soloing locally in Romantic violin concertos:

• Sergiu Schwartz of Columbus State's Schwob School of Music plays the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto tomorrow, Tuesday the 7th, with the LaGrange Symphony. (On GPB we hear him in a Saint-Saens sonata.)
  
• And Robert McDuffie of Macon and Mercer University soloes in Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto October 9-11 with the Atlanta Symphony. (On Midday Music he plays Bruch.)
  

The Second Symphony by Jean Sibelius highlights the noon hour. That's a piece the Augusta Symphony performs Saturday. Conducting will be the first of four potential music directors the Augustans are trying out this season. She's Susan Haig, associate conductor of the Florida Orchestra.

11 AM

• Saint-Saens: Violin Sonata No. 1 in D minor. Sergiu Schwartz, Alec Chien. Romeo 7263.
• Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor. Robert McDuffie, Scottish Chamber Orch, Swensen. Telarc 80507.

12 N

• Mozart: The Abduction from the Seraglio, Overture. Lausanne Chamber Orch, Menuhin. Virgin 363284.
  
• Debussy: The Girl with Flaxen Hair. Sergiu Schwartz, Alec Chien. Rome 7263.
  
• Sibelius: Symphony No. 2. Iceland Sym Orch, Sakari. Naxos 8.505179.
  

1 PM

• Bach, C.P.E.: Trio Sonata in D major, Wq 151. Les Amis de Philippe. CPO 999 495.
  
• Ries: Symphony No. 7 in A minor. Zurich Chamber Orch, Griffiths. CPO 999 904.

Midday Music Thursday 10/2

Starting at around 12:35, director Bernard Uzan and assistant director Tara Faircloth join me to speak about Puccini's beloved Madama Butterfly - which the Atlanta Opera presents at the Cobb Energy Centre on October 4, 7, 10 and 12. Tara is a Fort Valley native, by way of Shorter College; she now lives in Houston. They'll talk about the music, the emotion, their roles and this production's untraditional sets, and they'll introduce us to highlights from the opera.

Note also that Madama Butterfly is this week's featured show on World of Opera, Saturday at 1:30 on GPB Radio.

Russell Wells hosts Friday's Midday Music; Alan Cooke returns next Friday.

11 AM

• Beethoven: Symphony No. 2. London Sym, Haitink. LSO 0082.
• Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100, plus the first movement from Violin Sonata No. 3. Pamela Frank, Peter Serkin. London 455 643.

12 N

• Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor. Olli Mustonen, San Francisco Sym, Blomstedt. London 444 518.
• Puccini: Madama Butterfly. Interview and musical excerpts. Most selections came from an old CBS CD set (no. 35181) with Renata Scotto, Placido Domingo, Gillian Knight, Ingvar Wixell, the Philharmonia Orchestra and Lorin Maazel. Two were from an RCA Basic Opera Highlights disc (no. 63496) with Leontyne Price and the RCA Italian Opera Orchestra and Chorus led by Erich Leinsdorf.
  

1 PM

• Madama Butterfly excerpts and interview, concluded.
• Chaminade: Piano Sonata in C minor, Op. 21. Louise Cheadle. AW Promotions 2204.
• Vivaldi: Sinfonia in C major, RV 116. Helicon Ensemble, Fuller. Reference 2101.

Midday Music Monday 9/29/08

Much of today's music connects to Jewish religion and culture or to the theme of creation, in honor of Rosh Hashanah, which begins tonight. Happy new year to our Jewish listeners!

We also hear a couple of pieces with concert tie-ins: to Saturday's Rome Symphony performance, including a Vivaldi oboe concerto; the all-Mendelssohn LaGrange Symphony concert next Tuesday with Sergiu Schwartz as violin soloist; and the Eroica Trio's Sara Sant'Ambrogio and Emory University's William Ransom playing Beethoven's complete works for cello and piano in Atlanta over the course of two evenings, October 3-4. Also note the Atlanta Symphony's Bach-Beethoven-Brahms program with pianist Peter Serkin, October 2-4) and the Atlanta Opera's zoomy production of Madama Butterfly (October 4, 7, 10, 12) - more on that Thursday.

A note on hosts: Besides Monday and Thursday, this week's Midday Music will be hosted by Russell Wells from GPB station WSVH in Savannah. Alan Cooke's Friday show returns next week.

11 AM

• Bloch: Suite Hebraique: Affirmation. Trio Lyra. CBC 1161.
• Weinberg, J.: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C major. Jorge Federico Osorio, Barcelona Sym, Rickenbacher. Naxos 8.559457.
• Vandervelde: Genesis V. Minneapolis Guitar Quartet. Albany 207.
• Schoenfield: Klezmer Rondos for flute and orchestra: mvt 2. Scott Goff, Seattle Sym, Schwarz. Naxos 8.559403.
• Steinberg: Songs for Flute, Viola and Harp. Trio Lyra. CBC 1161.

12 N

• Haydn: The Creation: "Awake the Harp." Atlanta Sym Orch & Chorus, Shaw. Telarc 80519.
• Prokofiev: Overture on Hebrew Themes. Evgeny Kissin, members of Moscow Virtuosi. Philips 456 871.
• Vivaldi: Oboe Concerto in C major, Op. 8/12. Paul Goodwin, English Concert, Pinnock. Archiv 445 839.
• Beethoven: Cello Sonata No. 3 in A major, Op. 69. Pieter Wispelwey, Dejan Lazic. Channel 22605.
• Haydn: The Creation: "The Heavens Are Telling." Radio Sym Orch & Chorus Stuttgart, Marriner. EMI 50842.

1 PM

• Milhaud: The Creation of the World. Branford Marsalis, Orpheus Chamber Orch, Sony 89251.
• Dvorak: Romantic Pieces, Op. 75. Sergiu Schwartz, Alec Chien. Romeo 7263.
• Schoenfield: Trio for clarinet, violin and piano. Charles Neidich, Lev Polyakin, Frances Renzi. Innova 544.
• Weissgall: T'kiatot: shofar call. Steven Ovitsky. Naxos 8.559425.

Midday Music Thursday 9/25/08

(Alan Cooke will be in Friday to host Midday Music requests, and his playlists are here. Our list of Georgia classical concerts is here. See you Monday.)

11 AM

• Brahms: Romance, Op. 118/5. Mark Anderson. Nimbus 5521.
• Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor. Emanuel Ax, Chicago Sym, Levine. Sony 03510.

12 N

• Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain. Cincinnati Sym, Jarvi. Telarc 80705.
• Crittenden: A Scottish Fantasy. Minneapolis Guitar Quartet. Albany 339.
• Mozart: "Prague" Symphony (No. 38 in D major). Freiburg Baroque Orch, Jacobs. Harmonia Mundi 901958.

1 PM

• Chopin: Fantasie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor. Evgeny Kissin. RCA 68668.
• Dvorak: "Dumky" Trio (Piano Trio in E minor, Op. 90). Trio con Brio. Azica 71240.
• Traditional: The Shining Shore. Anonymous 4. Harmonia Mundi 907400.
• Mandonico: Calace Rag. Italian Mando-Rag Club of Brescia. Naxos 8.557999.

Midday Music Wednesday 9/24/08

11 AM

• Gabrieli: Canzon Primi Toni a 10. London Sym Orch Brass, Crees. Naxos 8.554129.
• Mozart: Piano Sonata in A major, K. 331. Mikhail Pletnev. DG 5832.
• Reger: Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart [from the first movement of the above sonata]. Staatskapelle Dresden, Blomstedt. Profil 07003.
• Sarasate: Introduction and Tarantella. Itzhak Perlman, Abbey Road Ensemble, Foster. EMI 55475.

12 N

• Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue for two pianos and orch. Katia & Marielle Labeque, Cleveland Orch, Chailly. London 417 326.
• Chavez: Xochipili, An Imagined Aztec Music. Southwest Chamber Music. Cambria 8852.
• Falla: Ritual Fire Dance. Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. Delos 3144.
  
• Villa-Lobos: A Lenda do Caboclo. Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. Telarc 80686.
  
• Bach: Cantata No. 106, "Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit." Munich Bach Choir & Orch, Richter. Archiv 413 646.
• Jongen: Danse Lente for flute and harp. Laurel Zucker, Susan Jolles. Cantilena 66034.
  

1 PM

• Brahms: Rhapsody in E-flat, Op. 119/4. Emanuel Ax, piano. Sony 88697-03510.
• Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor. John O'Conor, London Sym, Delfs. telarc 80704.
• Tennant: Celtic Fare. Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. Sony 89100.
  

Classical Calendar, September 25-28

Ongoing through September 28

• The Westobou Festival is in full swing in Augusta.

Thursday, September 25

• The Augusta Symphony presents a "Music to the People" concert at East Georgia College in Swainsboro. Light classic and popular selections by Tchaikovsky, John Williams, Dvorak and others, and principal trumpeter James Ackley soloes in Haydn's Trumpet Concerto. 7 p.m., free admission.
• The Augusta Choral Society performs a program connecting music and the cosmos, "Something Like a Star." Sacred Heart Cultural Center, Augusta, 7:30.

September 25, 27 and 28

• The Atlanta Symphony opens its fall season with the three B's. Emanuel Ax soloes Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto, and Robert Spano conducts Bach and Brahms. Atlanta Symphony Hall.
  

Friday, September 26

• The Augusta Symphony plays for "Cirque de la Symphonie" in Augusta's Bell Auditorium. Part of the Westobou Festival.
• The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet plays at Emory University in Atlanta. As of midday Tuesday, tickets were still available.
  

Saturday, September 27

• The Ocmulgee Symphony opens its second season with music of Wagner, Dvorak, Gershwin and Rodgers. 7:30 p.m. in Hawkinsville's Opera House.

Sunday, September 28

• Alan Morrison (Curtis Institute of Music) and Jeannine Morrison (Clayton State professor emerita) play a mother-and-son duo recital at Spivey Hall in Morrow.
• The Atlanta Baroque Orchestra offers Telemann's recorder suite with soloist Aldo Abreu, a Bach cantata and more, 3 p.m. Sunday in Atlanta.
  

Midday Music Tuesday 9/23/08

In concert tie-ins on Midday Music we're hearing the Wagner overture the Ocmulgee Symphony Orchestra plays Saturday, plus tape from the OCO's first season finale last spring; the Haydn trumpet concerto the Augusta Symphony takes on the road Thursday to Swainsboro; the Brahms symphony the Atlanta Symphony performs at its season-opening concerts, and the soloist to appear on those concerts, Emanuel Ax. Find details in this blog's weekly Classical Calendar. "Music: It's not just for radio."

11 AM

• Bruch: Romance for violin and orchestra. Maxim Fedotov, Russian Phil, Yablonsky. Naxos 8.557689.
• Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C minor. London Sym, Haitink. LSO 0045.

12 N

• Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat. Bibi Black, Philharmonia Orch, Scimone. EMI 54620.
  
• Brahms: Rhapsodies, Op. 79. Emanuel Ax. Sony 88697-03510.
  
• Ravel: Pavane for a Dead Princess. Ocmulgee Sym, Chuck Quinn. From the orchestra's first season finale concert, April 2008 in Hawkinsville.
  
• Wagner: Prelude to Act 3 of Lohengrin. Berlin Phil, Tennstedt. EMI 86248.
  
• Raff: Duo on Themes from Wagner's Lohengrin. Livia Sohn, Benjamin Loeb. Naxos 8.570202.
  

1 PM

• Giuliani: Sonata Eroica. David Russell. Telarc 80525.
  
• Mozart: Andante from Sonata in D major, K. 448, arr. flutes and piano. Schulz, Schulz, Inui. Naxos 8.570309.
  
• Bach: Keyboard Concerto No. 7 in G minor, BWV 1058. Angela Hewitt, Australian Chamber Orch, Tognetti. Hyperion 67307.
  
• Dello Joio: Variations and Capriccio. Fritz Gearhart, Paul Tardiff. Koch 7268.
  

Midday Music Monday 9/22/08

Autumn. The first official day of fall doesn't always feel so autumnal in Georgia, but with the cool mornings we've been having this time round it's just plausible (today's projected high temperatures in the 80s notwithstanding). So on Midday Music we're harvesting, hunting, comtemplating and generally enjoying the break from the heat.

11 AM

• Gunning: Yorkshire Glory: "Autumn Festival." Royal Liverpool Phil, Handley. Resonance 3074.
  
• Tchaikovsky: The Seasons: "October" (Autumn Song). Helen Callus, Phillip Bush. ASV 1184.
  
• Glazunov: The Seasons: "Autumn." Royal Phil, Ashkenazy. London 433 000.
  
• Mozart: Flute Quartet No. 3 in C, K. 285b. Carol Wincenc, Emerson String Quartet. DG 431 770. (Not autumnal, just nice.)
  
• Delius: "Late Swallows," from String Quartet No. 1. Brodsky Quartet. Resonance 3074.

12 N

• Vivaldi: Four Seasons: "Autumn." Joshua Bell, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Sony 88697 11013.
• Mozart, L.: Sinfonia di Caccia (Hunt). L'Orfeo Baroque Orch, Gaigg. CPO 999 536.
• Raff: Symphony No. 10, "At Autumn Time": "The People's Hunt." Philharmonia Hungarica, Albert. CPO 999 536.
• MacCunn: Highland Memories: "Harvest Dance." Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Wilson. Resonance 3074.
• Spohr: Symphony No. 9, "The Seasons": "Summer," "Fall." Bavarian Radio Sym, Rickenbacher. Orfeo 094-841.

1 PM

• Piazzolla: Otono Porteno (Autumn in Buenos Aires). Eroica Trio. Angel 57906.
  
• Thomson: Autumn, harp concertino. Ann Mason Stockton, Los Angeles Chamber Orch, Marriner. EMI 47715.
  
• Nelson: Pastorale, "Autumn Rune." Keystone Wind Ensemble, Stamp. Klavier 11168.
  
• Stevens: Seasons, symphony for brass quintet: "Autumn." Louisville Brass. Centaur 2821.
  
• Strauss: Four Last Songs. Christine Brewer, Atlanta Sym, Runnicles. Telarc 80661.

Midday Music Friday 9/19/08

Eric Nauert of WSVH is your host for today's Midday Music. (Playlist.) Alan Cooke returns next Friday.

Midday Music Thursday 9/17/08

A new occasional segment of Midday Music launches today: Opera Chat. Hear me and Renee Wilson-Wicker in conversation about opera and operas, in connection with the Metropolitan Opera's high-definition live broadcasts to theaters around the country - big-screen, real-time digital audio and video straight from the Met in New York.

The new season of those starts Monday, September 22 with a gala featuring soprano Renee Fleming in scenes from Verdi's La Traviata and more. In a new partnership, GPB Radio and Education and GMEA (the Georgia Music Educators' Association), we'll be offering tickets to music teacher/music student pairs to see the Met HD simulcasts at several theaters around Georgia.

For details, read about GPB's Metropolitan Opera Project, and listen shortly after noon for the first Opera Chat. My co-chatter, Renee Wilson-Wicker, is GMEA's choral chair and - by day - a public school chorus director in Gwinnett County.

(Week's almost over. Got plans? How about the Silk Road Ensemble tonight in Augusta, or the Macon Symphony on Saturday, or the Daedalus Quartet at Spivey Hall? Classical Calendar.)


11 AM

• Mussorgsky: Khovanshchina, Prelude (Dawn on the Moscow River). Cincinnati Sym, Jarvi. Telarc 80705.
• Franck: Symphony in D minor. Orchestre des Champs Elysees, Herreweghe. Harmonia Mundi 901771.
• Wolf: Intermezzo in E-flat. Leipzig String Quartet.

12 N

• Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro, Overture. Concerto Koln, Jacobs. Harmonia Mundi 901818.20.
• Verdi: La Traviata, Prelude to Act 1. Cincinnati Pops, Kunzel. Telarc 80364.
• Opera Chat with Ren
  
• Massenet: "Adieu, notre petit table" from Manon. Renee Fleming. Decca 289 467 049.
  
• Massenet: Manon. Excerpt. Renee Fleming.
• Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major. John O'Conor, London Sym, Delfs. Telarc 80704.
• Faure: Requiem: Pie Jesu. Branford Marsalis, Orpheus Chamber Orch. Sony 89251.
  

1 PM

• Sibelius: Finlandia. Scottish National Orch, Gibson. Chandos 241-19.
  
• Sibelius: "Intimate Voices" String Quartet. Daedalus Quartet. Bridge 9202.
  
• Sibelius: The Swan of Tuonela. Helsinki Phil, Segerstam. Ondie 862.