wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Etude, concerto, suite, and symphony—these are just a few of the various titles that read more like a laundry list rather than works of art. Of course, as historical tradition goes, those words refer to the form, origin and purpose of the piece; not necessarily the content. Eventually composers (or sometimes publishers) started adding descriptive nicknames to their symphonies and concertos, etc, but the old “names” live on—even if they have little to do with their origins.

We begin the evening with a prime set of examples, all originally written for voice without words: Rachmaninoff’s “Vocalise” contains one of the most recognizable and simplistically beautiful melodies ever written. It conjures up entire worlds of nostalgia and heartfelt longing simply through the power of the human voice. We’ll be treated to an especially lovely performance from soprano Anna Moffo and the American Symphony under Leopold Stokowski in a still vibrant recording from 1964, when Moffo was in her vocal prime. Another composer who wrote a “Vocalise” was Ravel, and we’ll hear this one (which takes the form of a habanera) in a lively instrumental version from clarinetist Emma Johnson and pianist Gordon Black.

In 1942, Reinhold Gliere wrote his one-of-a-kind Concerto for Coloratura Soprano and Orchestra, which again leaves the singer without words while still highlighting the idiosyncrasies and lyricism of the female voice. Acclaimed soprano Beverly Hoch gives an accomplished reading with the Hong Kong Philharmonic from her debut album. And of course, there will be the requisite concertos, suites and symphonies from Strauss, Schubert and Alkan, with a few interesting works by Lou Harrison (yet again, a suite) and English/Indian/Spanish composer Kaikhosru Sorabji (this one’s a Toccatinetta—you figure that one out). Sometimes you just have to use your ears alone to truly appreciate a work of music—and that’s exactly the way it should be!