The Joy of Classical Music

Nothing but Rachmaninoff

The 1954 edition of the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians said Rachmaninoff’s popular appeal was based on "uncomfortable" emotionalism and that his works lacked structural innovation. They predicted that he would soon be forgotten.

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa performs Rachmaninoff: Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14

Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff: Siren: Lilacs, Op. 21, No. 5

Jussi Björling and the Stockholm Concert Society Orchestra perform Rachmaninoff - 12 Romances, Op. 21: No. 5, Lilacs

Huberman Piano Trio perform Rachmaninoff - 5 Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3: No. 1, Elégie (Arr. for Piano Trio)

Soprano Elisabeth Söderström and Pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy perform Rachmaninoff - Do Not Sing, My Fair Maiden

The New Philharmonia Orchestra, Baritone John Shaw and The Cathedral Choir of St. Ambrose perform Rachmaninoff - Three Russian Folk Songs

Soprano Heidi Grant Murphy and pianist Kevin Murphy perform Sergei Rachmaninoff - Au! (A-oo (The Quest) , Op. 38, No. 6

Vladimir Ashkenazy with André Previn and the London Symphony Orchestra perform Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor,


Exploring classical music in all its glories and complexities. From the sweetest melodic to the cutting edge of the avant-garde... from the deep past to the freshest contemporary. All of it. The joy of classical music.

This weeks it’s an hour of music by Japanese composers. There’s two choral works by Makiko Kinoshita, some Buddhist cosmology from Toshiro Mayuzumi, two avant-garde pieces by Michiko Toyama, one of Japans most beloved pieces of music, a tribute to the Ainu people of Northern Japan, the first Western style work by a Japanese composer and we close with Tōru Takemitsu’s November Steps.

Hokkaido University Mixed Chorus perform Makiko Kinoshita - The Things I Dreamed Of

Fumiaki Miyamoto performs Michiru Ōshima - Wind Plays the Flute (Theme from Asuka)

The NHK Symphony Orchestra perform Toshirō Mayuzumi - Mandala Symphony

New Symphony Orchestra perform Kiyoshige Koyama - Song of Ainu for Strings

Yoko Greeney and Emily Cole perform Nobu Kōda - Violin Sonata in D Minor

Michiko Toyama - Waka (Parts 1&2)

The Heinrich Schutz Choir of Osaka perform Makiko Kinoshita - Seagull

Saito Kinen Orchestra perform Takemitsu - November Steps

We open with guitarist Sara Reichert and close with Forward into Light, the title track from composer Sarah Kirkland Snider’s new album, Forward into Light. In between, we traverse a universe of new music by women.

Sara d'Ippolito Reichert performs Ida Presti - Danse Rythmique

Anne Vanschothorst - A Harp Note to Emily Dickinson

Barbara Hannigan performs Hildegard von Bingen - O virga mediatrix (Arr. for Soprano, Pianos and Electronic by David Chalmin)

The Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and Esther Abrami perform Ina Boyle - Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (To the memory of my mother)

Anne Vanschothorst - I Haven't Told My Garden Yet

Metropolis Ensemble perform Sarah Kirkland Snider - Forward Into Light

This week, it’s more from the strange realms of unreality and the featured work is electronic pioneer Delia Derbyshire’s Invention for Radio No. 1: The Dreams, a work that sets recorded interviews of people describing their dreams against an electronic soundscape.

Stephen Drury performs John Cage - Dream

The Eric Whitacre Singers perform Eric Whitacre - Sleep

Delia Derbyshire - Invention for Radio No.1: The Dreams

Strange Dreams Part 1

Dreams have long provided fertile inspiration for composers and over the next two episode I’ll be playing music inspired by those strange dimensions of unreality where the fortunate might find a truer sense of themselves.

Ann Crumb performs George Crumb - The Sleeper.

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales performs Toru Takemitsu - Dreamtime.

Chen Yao - The Moon over the West River: The World Is But a Great Dream.

New England Conservatory Philharmonia performs Gunther Schuller - Dreamscape.

Lahti Symphony Orchestra performs Einojuhani Rautavaara - Piano Concerto No. 3: Gift of Dreams.