wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Two Vivaldi concertos dominate our first hour. "The Cuckoo," formally known as Violin Concerto in A, RV 335, is presented in traditional fashion by Andrew Manze on violin, with Christopher Hogwood conducting the Academy of Ancient Music. Concerto for Two Mandolins in G, RV 532, gets “Bach on the Banjo” treatment by John Bullard and friends. Bullard is well known for his transcriptions of the classical repertoire of the five-string banjo, and we’re sure you’ll enjoy this not-so traditional version of Vivaldi. Mark O’Connor is violinist and conductor of his own "Strings and Threads Suite," a work for violin and orchestra in which O’Connor explores how folk music on violin evolved over time in America. The Metomorphosen Chamber Orchestra is conducted by Scott Yoo.

Hour two is dominated by the Brahms Double Concerto for Violin and Cello in A Minor. What a treat to hear violinist Gidon Kremer and cellist Mischa Maisky bounce themes back and forth, as Leonard Bernstein whips the Vienna Philharmonic into enthusiastic shape.

The Juilliard String Quartet opens hour three with a perfectly glorious performance of the Smetana String Quartet No. 1, "From My Life." You can hear them live at the Metropolitan Museum’s Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium on January 20th. At last, we come to Baker’s "Through This Vale of Tears." The seven-section work was commissioned by and written for tenor William Brown; texts come from such sources as the 22nd Psalm, "Motherless Child," and poems written by friends of the composer. It is a powerful and fitting memorial to Martin Luther King, Jr.

John Cage’s "Four3" is the music for Merce Cunningham’s dance, "Beach Birds." The "Four" refers to four activities that interpenetrate between given time brackets . . . well, who can explicate Cage? The superscript may or may not mean this is the third of Cage’s number pieces with the name "Four." We can tell you that there are four performers, all of whom play rainsticks, and two who play piano, and one who plays violin. Beyond that, it’s up to your ears! The evening ends with the more easily understood notes of Mozart’s Fourth Piano Concerto, Daniel Barenboim as soloist and conductor of the English Chamber Orchestra.

Additional Resources:
» Juilliard Quartet at the Metropolitian Museum