The New Criterion Podcasts The New Criterion
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A monthly review of the arts and intellectual life. Interviews, poetry readings, musical criticism, and more.
newcriterion.com
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Music for a While #89: Ragtime & other riches
Jay begins this episode with Paul Hindemith, who in 1921 combined his interest in ragtime with his love of Bach. There is also a minuet by Ravel, glancing back at Haydn. There is a song by Zemlinsky, setting Langston Hughes. There are wonders and curiosities in this episode—which, by the way, has a sponsor: Michael Lohafer, who, as Jay says, is “a particular authority on Mozart.” Mr. Lohafer says, “My sponsorship is on behalf of all attentive listeners to Music for a While who enjoy the well-considered selections that always delight the ear.”
Bach, Fugue in C minor from “The Well-Tempered Clavier,” Book 1
Hindemith, “Ragtime (Well-Tempered)”
Ravel, “Menuet sur le nom d’Haydn”
Schumann, “Faschingsschwank aus Wien”
Zemlinsky, “Afrikanischer Tanz” from “Symphonische Gesänge”
Liszt, “Canzonetta del Salvator Rosa” from “Années de pèlerinage, deuxième année: Italie”
Vasks, Dolcissimo from “The Book”
Prokofiev, Sonata No. 7, Precipitato
Martinů, Fantasia for String Quartet, Oboe, Theremin, and Piano
Gounod, “Ah! lève-toi, soleil!” from “Roméo et Juliette”
Tchaikovsky-Pletnev, Pas de deux from “The Nutcracker” -
Music for a While #88: Shout it out
In this episode, Jay begins with a shout—“Carolina Shout,” the classic jazz number by James P. Johnson. There are songs by Schumann, Puccini, and Porter (Cole). There are piano preludes—starter pieces by their composers. At the end, there is a sunburst of calypso. Enjoy this smorgasbord.
Johnson, James P., “Carolina Shout”
Schumann, “Röseleine, Röseleine!”
Bonds, Margaret, “Young Love in Spring”
Szymanowski, Prelude in E-flat minor, Op. 1, No. 8
Gorecki, Prelude, Op. 1, No. 4
Puccini, “Bevo al tuo fresco sorriso,” from “La rondine”
Puccini, “Chi il bel sogno,” from “La rondine”
Young, Victor, arr., Evans, Bill, “When I Fall in Love”
Porter, Cole, “Don’t Fence Me In”
Tanker, André, arr., Shaw, Theron, “Morena Osha” -
Peter Vertacnik reads from “The Nature of Things Fragile”
The Friends of The New Criterion recently gathered for an evening in celebration of Peter Vertacnik, whose “The Nature of Things Fragile” won the magazine’s twenty-third poetry prize. Listen to hear Peter read a number of poems from this new collection.
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Music for a While #87: Spring forward
Jay has assembled a little celebration of spring: songs, arias, a symphony, a sonata. Who doesn’t want to sing spring?
Argento, “Spring,” from “Six Elizabethan Songs”
Sinding, “Rustle of Spring”
Wagner, “Du bist der Lenz,” from “Die Walküre”
Beethoven, “Spring” Sonata, Rondo
Strauss, “Herr Lenz”
Saint-Saëns, “Printemps qui commence,” from “Samson et Dalila”
Schumann, “Er ist’s”
Hoiby, “Always It’s Spring”
Wolf, “Er ist’s”
Schumann, “Spring” Symphony, first movement
Warlock, “Pretty Ring Time” -
Goodbye, Dr. Banda
On March 14, the Friends and Young Friends of The New Criterion gathered at the magazine’s headquarters to hear remarks from Dr. Alexander Chula on his new book, “Goodbye, Dr. Banda: Lessons for the West From a Small African Country.”
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Music for a While #86: A Williams gala
Recently, Carnegie Hall hosted a John Williams gala. The program was all-Williams and the composer himself conducted most of the concert. In this episode, Jay hosts his own little Williams gala.
All by John Williams:
“The Mission”
Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”
Olympic Fanfare and Theme
Main Title from “Catch Me If You Can”
Raiders March from “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark”
Flying Theme from “E.T.”
The Imperial March, a.k.a. Darth Vader’s Theme, from “Star Wars”