The New Criterion Podcasts

The New Criterion
  • 4.8 (100)
  • ARTS

A monthly review of the arts and intellectual life. Interviews, poetry readings, musical criticism, and more. newcriterion.com

  1. Brooke Allen on “Good Bones”

    JAN 27

    Brooke Allen on “Good Bones”

    On January 22, Friends of The New Criterion gathered at the offices of the magazine to celebrate the publication of Brooke Allen’s “Good Bones: Glorious Relics from the Age of Reading.”

    14 min
  2. Music for a While #108: Singing, playing, and shouting Christmas

    12/18/2025

    Music for a While #108: Singing, playing, and shouting Christmas

    “Chronological order is not the only order,” says Jay in this episode, but “it’s not a bad” one. The episode starts in the sixteenth century—“Gaudete, Christus est natus.” It stays there for a while and then goes to Bach, spirituals, Reger, Berlin (Irving), jazz, and more. A beautiful and diverse seasonal outpouring. A gift from composers, poets, and musical performers. Trad., “Gaudete, Christus est natus” Trad., “Ding Dong Merrily on High” Walton, “What cheer?” Bach, “Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen,” from the Christmas Oratorio Trad., “I Saw Three Ships” Reger, “Mariae Wiegenlied” Martin/Blane, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” Brahe/Taylor, “Bless This House” Berlin, “White Christmas” Pierpont, “Jingle Bells” Trad., “What Month Was Jesus Born In?” Coots/Gillespie, “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” Trad., “Jerusalem in the Morning”

    42 min
  3. Andrew Jones on “The London Club”

    10/22/2025

    Andrew Jones on “The London Club”

    On October 22, Friends of The New Criterion gathered at a private New York club to hear Andrew Jones discuss his latest book, “The London Club: Architecture, Interiors, Art.”

    33 min
  4. Music for a While #107: Songs of the heart, etc.

    10/22/2025

    Music for a While #107: Songs of the heart, etc.

    This episode is about songs of the heart. There is one from Russia, performed two different ways. (That song is by a man named Tolstoy, although not the author of those great novels.) There is one from Samoa. This episode contains assorted treasures—not the least of them by J. S. Bach. Bellini, Excerpt from “La sonnambula” Bellini, Excerpt from “La sonnambula” Bach, Fugue in G major, BWV 577 Bach, “Liebster Jesu,” BWV 731 Tolstoy-Lim, “On This Quiet Summer Night” Tolstoy, “On This Quiet Summer Night” Trad., “La’u Lupe”

    28 min
  5. Music for a While #106: Souvenirs

    10/01/2025

    Music for a While #106: Souvenirs

    This episode begins with a Tchaikovsky work, Souvenir de Florence, heard at the Salzburg Festival this summer. There are other “souvenirs” from the festival too—by Mozart, Scriabin, et al. And the variety of performers is gratifying. Tchaikovsky, Sextet in D minor (“Souvenir de Florence”) Handel, “Vivi, tiranno! Io t’ho scampato,” from “Rodelinda” Scriabin, Poème in F-sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 1 Mozart, “Dalla sua pace,” from “Don Giovanni” Mompou, “Secret Bird” from “Intimate Impressions” Huang Tzu, “Flower in the Mist” Mozart, “Chi in Dio solo spera,” from “David penitente”

    37 min
  6. Music for a While #105: A composer, in words and music

    09/19/2025

    Music for a While #105: A composer, in words and music

    Jay offers a personal appreciation of Rodion Shchedrin (1932–2025). Bizet-Shchedrin, “Changing of the Guard,” from “Carmen Suite” Bizet-Shchedrin, “Bolero,” from “Carmen Suite” Rachmaninoff, Prelude in G-sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12 Shchedrin, “Humoresque” Shchedrin, Piano Concerto No. 1, Scherzo-toccata Tchaikovsky, “Miniature overture,” from “The Nutcracker” Shchedrin, Chamber Suite, Finale

    30 min
  7. Music for a While #104: Vibrations (good)

    06/25/2025

    Music for a While #104: Vibrations (good)

    In recent days, the music world—classical and popular—has lost Alfred Brendel and Brian Wilson. Jay pays due tribute. He has other selections as well—beginning with a summer song, refreshing on a hot day, or any. Berlioz, “Villanelle,” from “Les nuits d’été” Mozart, Piano Sonata in E flat, K. 282, third movement Schubert, “Moments musicaux” No. 3 Liszt, “Eclogue,” from “Years of Pilgrimage: Year One: Switzerland” Trad., “Do, Lawd, Oh, Do, Lawd” Trad., “Walk Together, Children” Wilson-Love, arr., Chilcott, “Good Vibrations”

    26 min
  8. Music for a While #103: Songs, arias, etc.

    06/11/2025

    Music for a While #103: Songs, arias, etc.

    Ricky Ian Gordon has written a cycle of songs about flowers. In this episode, we hear one of them. Rachmaninoff wrote a song called “Lilacs.” We hear that, too. Bach opens his Goldberg Variations with an aria (and closes the work with that same aria). Tchaikovsky’s wrote a couple of blockbuster arias in The Queen of Spades. And on we go. Gordon, “We should not mind so small a flower” Rachmaninoff, “Lilacs” Bach, Goldberg Variations Tchaikovsky, Lisa’s Aria from Act III of “The Queen of Spades” Tchaikovsky, Prince Yeletsky’s Aria, Act II, “The Queen of Spades” Tchaikovsky, “It was in early spring” Shostakovich, Prelude in D-flat major Bach-Kempff, Siciliano

    44 min
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4.8
out of 5
100 Ratings

About

A monthly review of the arts and intellectual life. Interviews, poetry readings, musical criticism, and more. newcriterion.com

Information

  • Creator
    The New Criterion
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    346
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The New Criterion Podcasts

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