While Jean Sibelius was working on his fifth symphony, the Russians were occupying his native country of Finland. Food was scarce, his health was poor. Sibelius wrote in his diary: "In a deep valley again. But...God opens His door for a moment, and His orchestra plays the Fifth Symphony." Music direct from heaven (at least according to Sibelius) is on the way on today's PT, performed by Garry Walker and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Jean Sibelius: "Pan and Echo," Op. 53
The Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra with conductor Neeme Jarvi
Maurice Ravel: "Piece in the Form of a Habanera"
Violinist Brittany Sklar and pianist Hugh Sung
The National Arts Club, New York City
Arthur Honegger: "Homage to Maurice Ravel"
Pianist Gilles Vonsattel
Spivey Hall, Morrow, Georgia
Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E-flat, Op. 82
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Garry Walker
The BBC Proms, London England
Igor Stravinsky: Concertino for String Quartet
Violinists Leila Josefowicz and Steven Copes, violist Hsin-Yun Huang, and cellist Ralph Kirshbaum
La Jolla Summerfest, La Jolla, California
Hour 2
Zhao Jiping: "Summer in the High Grassland"
The Silk Road Ensemble
Shane Shanahan: "Saidi Swing"
The Silk Road Ensemble
The BBC Proms, London, England
Rabih Abou-Khalil: "Arabian Waltz"
The Silk Road Ensemble
The BBC Proms, London, England
Joseph Haydn: Trio in G for Mandolin, Viola, and Cello
Chris Thile, mandolin, Paul Neubauer, viola, and Fred Sherry, cello
Chamber Music Northwest, Portland, Oregon
Maurice Ravel: "Daphnis and Chloe" Suite No. 2
The Academy Festival Orchestra with conductor Larry Rachleff
Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara, California
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American Public Media’s Performance Today® is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations across the country, including at 1 p.m. central weekdays on Minnesota Public Radio. More information about our stations can be found at APM Distribution.
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