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The Musical World of Alan Dershowitz

Lawyer, author and Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz knows a thing or two about courtroom drama. He's defended OJ Simpson and Mike Tyson. Today, he explains how a love of drama has inspired him to compose an opera. He also talks about the role of music in his legal work.

Alan Dershowitz's book Finding Jefferson

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Soundcheck's CD Picks of the Week

The Soundcheck staff shares five new recordings that are catching our attention.

Zulal, "Notes to a Crane"

Zulal is a New York based a capella trio who sing traditional songs from Armenia. Notes to a Crane is their second release, and features songs that look back to a simpler time. There’s a bittersweet, melancholy mood throughout much of the record, and even the cheerier songs have a wistful quality to them. --picked by John Schaefer.

Notes to a Crane is available for purchase at Zulal's website.

Jonny Greenwood, "There Will Be Blood: Original Soundtrack" (Nonesuch)

While Paul Thomas Anderson's new film is ostensibly a Western, its brooding, powerful score by composer and Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood hardly sounds like the Wild West. Instead, it seems that Greenwood has been listening to European modernist composers like Lutoslawski, Messiaen or Arvo Part. --picked by Brian Wise

The "There Will Be Blood" soundtrack is available for purchase on Amazon.com

Ramiro Musotto, "Civilizacao & Barbarye" (Circular Moves)

This Argentinean-born percussionist moved to Brazil in his 20s to study the berimbau, a single-string percussion instrument. He's backed some of Bazil's biggest stars, including Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, but on his own, he fuses traditional South American rhythms with psychedelic electronica. It's hypnotic, even disorienting.--picked by Joel Meyer

"Civilizacao & Barbarye" is available for purchase on Amazon.com

Quartet San Francisco, "Whirled Chamber Music" (Violinjazz Recordings)

Quartet San Francisco says their mission is to incorporate everything from tango to jazz, classical to Latin, contemporary to world music, in a manner authentic to the roots of each. On their latest disc, this modern string ensemble covers artists from Raymond Scott and Duke Ellington to Chick Corea and The Average White Band, while throwing a few originals into the stew.--picked by Irene Trudel

"Whirled Chamber Music" is available for purchase on Amazon.com

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Demystifying Schoenberg

Composer and music commentator Rob Kapilow has helped audiences understand many works over the years, from Mozart to Mahler. Now he's trying to turn listeners on to the 12-tone composer Arnold Schoenberg. He shows us why Schoenberg's "Verklarte Nacht" is actually very listener-friendly.

Rob Kapilow's Web site
The text of the Poem "Verklarte Nacht"

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