wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Soundcheck

Thursday, July 01, 2004
  • Fireworks
    July 4th Fireworks (Shausha Cameron)

    Cue the Cannons

    Frequently derided as a patchwork of bombastic clichés, Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” is nonetheless a well-crafted, brilliantly orchestrated work—and staple of July Fourth fireworks celebrations everywhere. But while it may seem as American as apple pie, it was composed to commemorate the victory of Russia in the Napoleonic Wars of 1812. Today on Soundcheck, Pittsburgh-based music critic Andrew Druckenbrod talks with John Schaefer about how the work caught on during the height of the Cold War.

The Swell Season in The Greene Space

Soundcheck

Joshua Bell in The Greene Space

Soundcheck