On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, we consider the planet we call home from several different vantage points. Eriks Esenvalds’ Earth, Teach Me Quiet sets the words of a Ute poem for chorus and wine glasses, and Martin Bresnick’s Ishi’s Song honors the man known as Ishi, the last known surviving member of the Yahi People, who lived in what is present day California, while Reena Esmail’s Earth Speaks depicts the thoughts of the Earth itself. In the second hour, works by Kars Aksel Bisgaard, Sarah Kirkland Snider and Eric Sawyer honor the American Transcendentalists Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

The Demise of the Shepard Glacier
Composer: Philip Maneval
Soloists: Yolanda Kondonassis, harp
Azica 71349

Earth Teach Me Quiet
Composer: Eriks Esenvalds
Conductor: Donald Nally
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Crossing
New Focus 281

Gratitude
Composer: Dawn Avery
Soloists: Wilhelmina Smith, cello
Azica 71377

Ishi’s Song
Composer: Martin Bresnick
Soloists: Lisa Moore, piano
Starkland 221

Earth Speaks: Curiosity
Composer: Reena Esmail
Conductor: Andrew Grams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Interlochen Center for the Arts Chorus
Soloists: Yolanda Kondonassis, harp
Azica 71392

Wepan
Composer: Tina Davidson
Orchestra/Ensemble: Jasper String Quartet
Soloists: Natalie Zhu, piano
New Focus 415

Walking (Hommage a Thoreau)
Composer: Lars Aksel Bisgaard
Soloists: Carl Petersson, piano
Grand Piano 717

Drink the Wild Ayre
Composer: Sarah Kirkland Snider
Conductor: Andrew Cyr
Orchestra/Ensemble: Metropolis Ensemble
Soloists: Noel Wan, harp
Nonesuch 89324

Towards the Forest
Composer: Bryce Dessner
Soloists: Gautier Capucon, cello
Erato 27273

The Unanswered Question
Composer: Charles Ives
Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas
Orchestra/Ensemble: Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Adolph Herseth, trumpet
Sony 42381

Fantasy Concerto: Concord Conversations
Composer: Eric Sawyer
Conductor: Gil Rose
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Modern Orchestra Project
BMOP/sound 1108

Host Steve Seel continues our celebration of Earth Month on Extra Eclectic with a nod to composers who are passionate about the protection of nature’s fragile ecosystems. Steven Stucky’s Silent Spring pays tribute to Rachel Carson’s seminal 1962 treatise on pollution and the environment, and we also hear works including John Luther Adams’ Become River, Scott Lee’s Through the Mangrove Tunnels, and selections by all three of contemporary classical’s composing Gabrielas: Smith, Montero, and Ortiz!

Playlist

Desert Ecology: Cactus-Yucca Scrub
Composer: Gabriella Smith
Conductor: Etienne Gara
Orchestra/Ensemble: Delirium Musicum
Warner 84463

Tamar Metushelah
Composer: Olivia Belli
Soloists: Gautier Capucon, cello
Erato 27273

Silent Spring
Composer: Steven Stucky
Conductor: Manfred Honeck
Orchestra/Ensemble: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Reference 747

Lignum
Composer: Jekabs Jancevskis
Orchestra/Ensemble: Kremerata Baltica
Soloists: Alina Vizine, Zane Kalnina, Rakele Chijenaite, svilpaunieki
ECM 2745

Become River
Composer: John Luther Adams
Conductor: Ludovic Morlot
Orchestra/Ensemble: Seattle Symphony
Cantaloupe 21161

Sur le lac du Bourget
Composer: Gabriela Montero
Soloists: Gautier Capucon, cello
Erato 27273

Dzonot
Composer: Gabriela Ortiz
Conductor: Gustavo Dudamel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: Alisa Weilerstein, cello
Platoon 2026

Through the Mangrove Tunnels: Floating Away
Composer: Scott Lee
Orchestra/Ensemble: JACK Quartet
Soloists: Steven Beck, piano
Panoramic 20

watersheds: threads of the community fabric
Composer: Nicholas Cline
Conductor: Donald Nally
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Crossing
Soloists: Matthew Levy, tenor saxophone
Navona 6614

Ohonte Wensera:kon (Sweetgrass)
Composer: Dawn Avery
Soloists: Wilhelmina Smith, cello

Earth Day might not be until next week, but because many now observe all of April as Earth Month, we’re getting a jump on our celebrations this week on Extra Eclectic. In the first hour, Steve Seel brings us modern works on themes of water — including Anna Clyne’s Restless Oceans, Jake Runestad’s Waves, and cellist Maya Beiser’s own idiosyncratic setting of Olivier Messiaen’s “Water” from his Fete des Belles Eaux. The second hour is taken up primarily with one large work: John Luther Adams’ epochal evocation of our natural world, An Atlas of Deep Time.

Playlist

The Waves
Composer: Ludovico Einaudi
Conductor: Angele Dubeau
Orchestra/Ensemble: La Pieta
Soloists: Angele Dubeau, violin
Analekta 8748

Itaipu: To the Sea
Composer: Philip Glass
Conductor: Robert Shaw
Orchestra/Ensemble: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Sony 46352

Bays of Huatulco
Composer: Michael Torke
Soloists: Charlie Albright, piano
Steinway & Sons 30079

Restless Oceans
Composer: Anna Clyne
Conductor: Marin Alsop
Orchestra/Ensemble: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Waves
Composer: Jake Runestad
Conductor: Craig Hella Johnson
Orchestra/Ensemble: Conspirare
Soloists: Michael Jones, tenor
Delos 3578

Water
Composer: Olivier Messiaen
Soloists: Maya Beiser, cello
Islandia 1

River Song II
Composer: Eple Trio
Orchestra/Ensemble: Eple Trio
NOR-CD 40585

On Behalf of Nature: Memory Zone
Composer: Meredith Monk
Orchestra/Ensemble: Meredith Monk Ensemble
ECM 2473

An Atlas of Deep Time
Composer: John Luther Adams
Conductor: Delta David Gier
Orchestra/Ensemble: South Dakota Symphony Orchestra|
Cantaloupe 21199

Dream
Composer: John Cage
Soloists: Bruce Brubaker, piano
Arabesque 6744

It’s a rhapsodic reflection on the idea of time in the first hour of the latest episode of Extra Eclectic. Host Steve Seel shares Chris Rogerson’s Thirty Thousand Days — roughly the length of time in the average human lifespan — and Paul Fowler’s Breath reminds us how yoga and meditation use breathing as a way to free the mind from the constraints of time. In the second hour, Steve explores music by some rock-adjacent composers, including Bryce Dessner, Jon Lord and Todd Reynolds. Listen now!

Playlist

365: I don’t know beforehand how I will appear to anyone
Composer: Aidan O’Rourke
Soloists: Aidan O'Rourke, fiddle
Reveal 74

Free the Mind: Innocence
Composer: Johann Johannsson
Soloists: Alice Sara Ott, piano
DG 4866742

Breath
Composer: Paul Fowler
Conductor: Donald Nally
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Crossing
Navona 5845

Thirty Thousand Days
Composer: Chris Rogerson
Orchestra/Ensemble: Dover Quartet
Soloists: David Shifrin, clarinet
Delos 3576

String Quartet No. 11 “Reykjavik”: Long Night
Composer: Elena Ruehr
Orchestra/Ensemble: Quartet ES
Avie 2798

End of Day
Composer: Todd Reynolds
Soloists: Todd Reynolds, viola
Innova 741

Nocturne
Composer: Bryce Dessner
Soloists: Katia Labeque, piano
DG 4876947

To Notice Such Things
Composer: Jon Lord
Conductor: Clark Rundell
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: Jon Lord, piano
Avie 2190

Known By Heart
Composer: Christopher Tignor
Soloists: Christopher Tignor, violin
Western Vinyl 200

The Things Left Unsaid
Composer: Caleb Burhans
Conductor: Caleb Burhans
Orchestra/Ensemble: Tarab Cello Ensemble
Cantaloupe 21094

On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, we wrap up our celebration of Women’s History Month with another full program showcasing how women composers are leading classical music into the 21st century. Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz was just announced as Performance Today’s Classical Woman of the Year, and we enjoy her Six Pieces for Violeta, as well as works by flutist/composer Allison Loggins-Hull — one for solo cello and one performed by Loggins-Hull and her partner Nathalie Joachim in their guise as the flute duo Flutronix. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Composer: Billie Eilish
Soloists: Peter Gregson, cello
London/Decca 5730093

Hymn for Everyone
Composer: Jessie Montgomery
Conductor: Riccardo Muti
Orchestra/Ensemble: Chicago Symphony Orchestra
CSO Resound 9012301

Parallel Play
Composer: Sarah Kirkland Snider
Soloists: Lina Andonovska, flute
Navona 6759

Solais
Composer: Clarice Assad
Soloists: Elisabeth Remy Johnson, harp
Navona 6644

Six Pieces for Violeta
Composer: Gabriela Ortiz
Conductor: Gustavo Dudamel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: Joanne Pearce Martin, piano
Platoon 2026

Unity
Composer: Clarice Jensen
Soloists: Clarice Jensen, cello

Light in Darkness
Composer: Kerensa Briggs
Soloists: Anna Lapwood, organ
Signum 688

Spark
Composer: Fuse & Gabriella Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble: Fuse
Fusemusic 2024

Stolen
Composer: Allison Loggins-Hull
Soloists: Amanda Gookin, cello
Bright Shiny Things 135

Black Being: Moonpies and Stardust
Composer: Flutronix
Conductor: Mei-Ann Chen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Flutronix
Cedille 241

Honeyed Words
Composer: Anna Meredith
Orchestra/Ensemble: Ligeti Quartet
Mercury KX 4845720

To the Hands: Ever Ever Ever
Composer: Caroline Shaw
Conductor: Donald Nally
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Crossing
Innova 912

Soli Deo Gloria
Composer: Courtney Bryan
Orchestra/Ensemble: Duo Noire
New Focus 210

Insight
Composer: Dobrinka Tabakova
Orchestra/Ensemble: Black Oak Ensemble
Cedille 237

On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, enjoy music of nocturnal calm and comfort — often in the form of lullabies, but sometimes, dreams and night-time journeys. Eric Whitacre’s The Seal Lullaby sets Rudyard Kipling’s poem “The White Seal,” while Reena Esmail's Jhula-Jhule finds its inspiration in Indian folk songs she recalls from her childhood, and Arvo Part’s Spiegel im Spiegel isn't technically a lullaby, but definitely has the gentle, tender quality of one. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Harp Concerto: Lullaby
Composer: Jennifer Higdon
Conductor: Ward Stare
Orchestra/Ensemble: Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: Yolanda Kondonassis, harp
Azica 71327

Skylark Lullaby
Composer: Jennifer Bellor
Conductor: Chien-Kwan Lin
Orchestra/Ensemble: Eastman Saxophone Project
Innova 45

The Currents
Composer: Sarah Kirkland Snider
Soloists: Orli Shaham, piano
Pacific Symphony 2026

Song for Octave
Composer: Bryce Dessner
Soloists: Mari Samuelsen, violin

Concerto Duo: Mama Dee's Song for Joel
Composer: Joel Puckett
Conductor: Allen Tinkham
Orchestra/Ensemble: Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Anthony McGill, clarinet
Cedille 187

Before Sleep and Dreams: Lullaby
Composer: Aaron Jay Kernis
Soloists: David Tanenbaum, guitar
Naxos 574298

The Seal Lullaby
Composer: Eric Whitacre
Orchestra/Ensemble: Voces8
Soloists: Lavinia Meijer, harp

Lullaby for Lise
Composer: Meredith Monk
Soloists: Katie Geissinger, voice
ECM 2751

Prince of Clouds
Composer: Anna Clyne
Conductor: Vinay Parameswaran
Orchestra/Ensemble: Curtis 20/21 Ensemble
Soloists: Jennifer Koh, violin
Cedille 146

Whispered Lullaby
Composer: Dobrinka Tabakova
Soloists: Maxim Rysanov, viola
Avie 2111

Estonian Lullaby
Composer: Veljo Tormis
Orchestra/Ensemble: Hilliard Ensemble
ECM 1700

Spiegel im Spiegel (Mirror in the Mirror)
Composer: Arvo Part
Soloists: Anne Akiko Meyers, violin
Koch 7762

Midnight Sun Variations
Composer: Outi Tarkiainen
Conductor: Nicholas Collon
Orchestra/Ensemble: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Ondine 1432

Jhula-Jhule
Composer: Reena Esmail
Soloists: Dawn Dongeun Wohn, violin
Delos 3547

Down through the centuries, composers have written music about children, for children, and occasionally, for children to actually perform (and sometimes all three at once). On this week’s episode of Extra Eclectic, contemporary composers explore themes of childhood, from Angelica Negron’s Drawings for Meyoko and Thomas Ades’ Marchentanze — both evoking the sound of childhood innocence and wonder — to Osvaldo Golijov's Um Dia Bom (A Good Day) and Terry Riley’s Simone;s Lullaby, which capture the melancholy of adults observing childhood from the outside.

Playlist

A Paper, A Pen, A Note to a Friend
Composer: Shara Nova
Orchestra/Ensemble: yMusic
New Amsterdam 32

Drawings for Meyoko
Composer: Angelica Negron
Orchestra/Ensemble: Janus
New Amsterdam 24

Four Folk Songs: Children’s Dance
Composer: Gabriela Lena Frank
Orchestra/Ensemble: Claremont Trio
Tria 2022

Marchentanze
Composer: Thomas Ades
Conductor: Nicholas Collon
Orchestra/Ensemble: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Pekka Kuusisto, violin
Ondine 1411

A Whistle, A Tune, A Macaroon
Composer: Shara Nova
Orchestra/Ensemble: yMusic
New Amsterdam 32

Youth
Composer: Edmund Finnis
Soloists: Clare Hammond, piano
Pentatone 7197

Lullaby for Natalie
Composer: John Corigliano
Soloists: Anne Akiko Meyers, violin
Avie 2386

Fairytale Poem (Marchenbild)
Composer: Sofia Gubaidulina
Conductor: Bernhard Klee
Orchestra/Ensemble: Hannover Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
CPO 999164

Dreamcatcher
Composer: Marcos Balter
Soloists: James McVinnie, piano
Pentatone 7404

Harmonielehre: Meister Eckhardt and Quackie
Composer: John Adams
Conductor: Edo de Waart
Orchestra/Ensemble: San Francisco Symphony
Nonesuch 79453

Um Dia Bom (A Good Day): Plim (Feather)
Composer: Osvaldo Golijov
Orchestra/Ensemble: Brooklyn Rider
In a Circle 25

Child: Sweet Air
Composer: David Lang
Conductor: Carlo Baccadoro
Orchestra/Ensemble: Sentieri Selvaggi
Cantaloupe 21013

Simone’s Lullaby
Composer: Terry Riley
Orchestra/Ensemble: ZOFO Duet
Dorian 92189
Julie Amacher

We continue our celebration of Women's History Month this week with female composers musing on the subject of home and family, nostalgia and love — including Andrea Casarrubios' Herencia, Gabriela Lena Frank's Ritmos Anchinos, and Chen Yi's Tunes from My Home. In the second hour, the women hit the road, with works including Gity Razaz's The Strange Highway and Meredith Monk's Migration from Memory Game. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Imaginary World
Composer: Tamar Sagiv
Soloists: Tamar Sagiv, cello
Dorian 70041

Herencia
Composer: Andrea Casarrubios
Orchestra/Ensemble: Sphinx Virtuosi
DG 4867758

Rattle Songs: Grammah Easter's Lullaby
Composer: Pura Fe Crescioni
Orchestra/Ensemble: Dover Quartet
Curtis Studio 28050

Ritmos Anchinos
Composer: Gabriela Lena Frank
Orchestra/Ensemble: Silk Road Ensemble
World Village 468095

Tunes from My Home: Nostalgia
Composer: Chen Yi
Soloists: Yael Weiss, piano
Bridge 9407

Homeland
Composer: Allison Loggins-Hull
Soloists: Jennifer Grim, flute

koʻu inoa
Composer: Anne Leilehua Lanzilotti
Soloists: India Gailey, cello
Redshift 511

Bond of the Beloved
Composer: Layale Chaker
Soloists: Jennifer Koh, violin

Rio de las mariposas
Composer: Gabriela Ortiz
Orchestra/Ensemble: Southwest Chamber Music

The Strange Highway
Composer: Gity Razaz
Orchestra/Ensemble: All-American Cello Band

Memory Game: Migration
Composer: Meredith Monk
Orchestra/Ensemble: Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble
Cantaloupe 21153

A Boy and a Makeshift Toy
Composer: Mary Kouyoumdjian
Soloists: Jessica Oudin, viola
Navona 6644

blue cathedral
Composer: Jennifer Higdon
Conductor: Robert Spano
Orchestra/Ensemble: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

As Women’s History Month begins, Extra Eclectic celebrates how women represent the vanguard of contemporary classical music today — with two hours of stellar women composers, including selections from Caroline Shaw, Jennifer Higdon, Gabriela Ortiz, Anna Clyne, Reena Esmail, Sarah Kirkland Snider, Anna Thorvaldsdottir and more. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Heartbreaker
Missy Mazzoli
Michael Mizrahi, piano
New Amsterdam 75

Blueprint
Caroline Shaw
Aizuri Quartet
New Amsterdam 104

Viola Concerto
Jennifer Higdon
Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Nashville Symphony Orchestra
Roberto Diaz, viola
Naxos 559823

Revolucion diamantina: Todas
Gabriela Ortiz
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
Los Angeles Phiharmonic Orchestra
LA Phil 2

Shorthand
Anna Clyne
The Knights
Avie 2555

Miniatures: A Piacere
Vivian Fung
Maia String Quartet
John Bruce Yeh, clarinet
Cedille 100

Daughter of the Waves
Sarah Kirkland Snider
yMusic
New Amsterdam 32

Cloud Atlas
Elena Ruehr
Gil Rose, conductor
Boston Modern Orchestra Project
Jennifer Kloetzel, cello
BMOP/sound 1039

The Light Is the Same
Reena Esmail
Imani Winds
Bright Shiny Things 1038

lumee’s dream (Nadia Sirota viola study)
Ellen Reid
Nadia Sirota, viola
London/Decca 2020

Reflections
Anna Thorvaldsdottir
International Contemporary Ensemble
Dorian 92227

We continue our celebration of Black History Month on the latest episode of Extra Ecletic, with works from Black composers reflecting the rich tapestry of American music — and the music that has influenced them personally. Derrick Skye’s American Mirror celebrates the coming together of generations and cultures across the centuries, Jessie Montgomery’s Rounds is both a tribute to the poetry of T.S. Eliot and her own fascination with the concept of fractals, and Jlin’s Please Be Still is a percussion groove that riffs on the music of Bach. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Rubix: Play
Flutronix/Third Coast Percussion
Flutronix
Cedille 210

Rounds
Jessie Montgomery
A Far Cry Orchestra
Awadagin Pratt, piano
New Amsterdam 177

If She Could Dance Naked Under Palm Trees
Cassie Kinoshi
Jack Sheen, conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
LSO Live

Horseplay
Errollyn Wallen
Philip Headlam, conductor
Continuum Ensemble
Avie 6

Symphony in One Movement
Julia Perry
James Blachly, conductor
Experiential Orchestra

Between Worlds
Carlos Simon
Seth Parker Woods, cello
London/Decca 4854768

Rhapsody
Stewart Goodyear
Stewart Goodyear, piano
Orchid 100365

Sinfonia No. 5 “Visions”
George Walker
Franz Welser-Most, conductor
Cleveland Orchestra
TCO 5

American Mirror, Part 1
Derrick Skye
Sphinx Virtuosi
DG 4867758

Hora
Adolphus Hailstork
Inbal Segev, cello
Avie 2464

Please Be Still
Jlin
Third Coast Percussion
Cedille 236

The latest episode of Extra Eclectic presents the first of two programs for Black History Month, with a wealth of fantastic modern classical music from Black composers and performers. Clarinetist Anthony McGill takes center stage in James Lee III’s Clarinet Quintet and Rhiannon Giddens’ radiant voice anchors Shawn E. Okpebholo’s An Echo, and Ending, and we also enjoy performances from harpist Ashley Jackson, tenor Lawrence Brownlee, and pianist Lara Downes in music by Brandee Younger, Brandon Spencer, Jessie Montgomery and more. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Unrest
Brandee Younger
Ashley Jackson, harp
London/Decca 7583640

Starburst
Jessie Montgomery
String Orchestra
Azica 71302

Blues Symphony: Born in Hope
Wynton Marsalis
Jader Bignamini, conductor
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
PentaTone 7232

I Know My Soul
Brandon Spencer
Lawrence Brownlee, tenor
Warner 57842

Quintet
James Lee III
Pacifica Quartet
Anthony McGill, clarinet
Cedille 216

Like Moons and Like Suns
Carlos Simon
Lara Downes, piano
Rising Sun 74227

Changes
Andre Myers
Andrew Sewell, conductor
Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra

Eternal Present: Now
Shelley Washington
~nois
Bright Shiny Things 197

Amazing Grace
H. Leslie Adams
Will Liverman, baritone
Cedille 200

Warmth from Other Suns
Carlos Simon
Ivalas Quartet
Rising Sun 5

An Echo, an Ending
Shawn E. Okpebholo
Rhiannon Giddens, banjo
Cedille 234

Horizons
Tania Leon
Karina Canellakis, conductor
London Philharmonic Orchestra
LPO 135

Lalin
Nathalie Joachim
Tasha Warren, clarinet
Bright Shiny Things 163

Pour Toi, Mere
Sydney Guillaume
Jo-Michael Scheibe, conductor
University of Miami Chorale
Albany 707

When we hear “percussion,” we often think of drums — but the world of percussion contains so much more, and we explore that world on the latest episode of Extra Eclectic. Host Steve Seel showcases a panoply of tuned percussion, from xylophones and marimbas to crotales (miniature tuned cymbals), and even the sound of bowed marimba, in works by Shelley Washington, Ayanna Woods, Steve Reich, Andy Akiho, Philip Glass and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Nagoya Marimbas
Steve Reich
Bob Becker, marimba
Nonesuch 79430

A Gradual Dazzle
Anne Carson/Caroline Shaw/So Percussion/Jonathan Low
So Percussion
Caroline Shaw, vocals
Nonesuch 979159

Metamorphosis I
Philip Glass
Uakti
Point 464064

Triple Point
Ayanna Woods
Third Coast Percussion
Cedille 224

in that space, at that time
Andy Akiho
Ankush Kumar Bahl, conductor
Omaha Symphony
Andy Akiho, percussion
Aki Rhythm Productions 4

Breather
Stewart Copeland
Ensemble Bash
Signum 294

Ode to Joy
Christopher Cerrone
Sandbox Percussion
Pentatone 7403

Jahla
Lou Harrison
Karen Gottlieb, harp
Innova 927

Reflections at Dusk
Jennifer Bellor
James Whiting, vibraphone
Innova 45

Perspective: Duality
Jlin
Third Coast Percussion
Cedille 210

BLOOM: Bloom 3
Michael Torke
Sandbox Percussion
Ecstatic 92403

Dawn
Ying-Hsueh Chen
Ying-Hsueh Chen, percussion
Dacapo 224749

Click Song No. 3
Meredith Monk
Meredith Monk, voice and body percussion
ECM 2751

Sunday
Shelley Washington
Les Percussions de Strasbourg
PDS 125

As Extra Eclectic moves to its new Monday evening time slot, host Steve Seel centers the show’s first hour on themes of “a new day,” including The Dharma at Big Sur by John Adams, Dawn by Thomas Ades, and Dobrinka Tabakova’s Sun Triptych — which traces the sun across the sky during the course of a single day. In the second hour of the show, Steve shares emotional works including the Echo Collective’s Inflection Point and David Lang’s if I am silent (after The Book of Esther). Listen now!

Playlist

Celeste
Brian Eno/Roger Eno
Vanessa Wagner, piano

The Dharma at Big Sur: A New Day
John Adams
John Adams, conductor
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Tracy Silverman, violin
Nonesuch 512396

Dawn (Chacony for Orchestra)
Thomas Ades
Nicholas Collon, conductor
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Ondine 1411

New Chaconne
Philip Glass
Anne Akiko Meyers, violin
Platoon 2025

Sun Triptych
Dobrinka Tabakova
Dobrinka Tabakova, conductor
BBC Concert Orchestra
Roman Mints, violin
ECM 2670

Inflection Point
Margaret Hermant/Neil Leiter/Gary De Cart
Echo Collective
7K! 24

Ellis Island
Meredith Monk
Julia Hamos, piano
Naive 8674

Sin Fronteras
Clarice Assad
Mei-Ann Chen, conductor
Chicago Sinfonietta
Cedille 185

Because Together We Resonate
Christopher Tignor
Slow Six
Western Vinyl 71

If I am silent (after The Book of Esther)
David Lang
Daniel Reuss, conductor
Cappella Amsterdam
PentaTone 7001

Hallelujah Junction
John Adams
Nicolas Hodges, piano
Nonesuch 79699

On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, we’re looking skyward, toward both the sun and the stars. Our “night” music includes Meredith Monk’s Nightfall, John Luther Adams’ Sky With Endless Stars, and a selection from Max Richter’s eight-hour opus, Sleep. Daytime is represented by such works as Howard Skempton's Eternity's Sunrise and Terry Riley’s Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Canticles of the Sky: Sky with Endless Stars
John Luther Adams
Hans Jorgen Jensen, conductor
Northwestern University Cello Ensemble
Cold Blue 41

O’Keeffe Images: Sky Above Clouds
Elena Ruehr
Gil Rose, conductor
Boston Modern Orchestra Project
BMOP/sound 1039

the promise of the far horizon
Jeffrey Mumford
Corigliano Quartet
Albany 698

Dreamed Landscapes: Starfield
Daniel Temkin
Qing Jiang, piano
Albany 1894

Invisible Dance: II. In the slow time of stars
Dorothy Chang
Pierre Simard, conductor
Vancouver Island Symphony
Redshift Records

The Milky Way
Urmas Sisask
ZOFO Duet
Dorian 92178

Sleep: Space 21
Max Richter
American Contemporary Music Ensemble
Max Richter, electronics
DG 4795258

Dream
John Cage
Bruce Brubaker, piano
Arabesque 6744

Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector
Terry Riley
Kronos Quartet
Gramavision 187014

Eternity’s Sunrise
Howard Skempton
Ensemble 360
First Hand 90

Midnight Sun Variations
Outi Tarkiainen
Nicholas Collon, conductor
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Ondine 1432

Nightfall
Meredith Monk
Sean Shibe, electric guitar
PentaTone 988

Sometimes a mindless diversion is necessary — and so on the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, our theme is a simple one: “big” and “small” pieces. In the first hour, the works come in large sizes, including Steve Reich’s Music for a Large Ensemble, Oliver Leith’s The Big House and Daniel Dorff’s Big Sky. We get small in the second hour, with Nico Muhly’s Small Variations and his Violin Concerto, Shrink. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

The Big House: Pomegranate
Composer: Oliver Leith
Orchestra/Ensemble: Ruisi Quartet
PentaTone 7040

increase
Composer: David Lang
Conductor: Alan Pierson
Orchestra/Ensemble: Alarm Will Sound
Cantaloupe 21139

Music for a Large Ensemble
Composer: Steve Reich
Conductor: Steve Reich
Orchestra/Ensemble: Steve Reich Ensemble
ECM 2561

Drift Multiply: Sections 1-2
Composer: Tristan Perich
Conductor: Douglas Perkins
Soloists: Josh Modney, violin
Nonesuch 791819

Big Sky: Dancing Under the Stars
Composer: Daniel Dorff
Orchestra/Ensemble: hat trick
Bridge 9595

Little Serenade
Composer: Peter Sculthorpe
Orchestra/Ensemble: Brodsky Quartet
Challenge 72007

Violin Concerto “Shrink”
Composer: Nico Muhly
Orchestra/Ensemble: Norwegian Chamber Orchestra
Soloists: Pekka Kuusisto, violin
Pentatone 745

Tripotage Miniatures
Composer: Anna Meredith
Orchestra/Ensemble: Aurora Orchestra
NMC 239

“Grief isn’t perfectly in tune; it has rough edges,” says the cellist and composer Tamar Sagiv. We hear Sagiv’s Shades of Mourning on the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, honoring sadness, grief, and ultimately, healing. “Longing” from Dobrinka Tabakova’s Concerto for Cello and Strings serves as the emotional centerpiece of the two hours, which also includes Raminta Serksnyte’s De Profundis, Alissa Firsova’s Loss, and more. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

The Pacific Has No Memory
Eric Whitacre
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Anne Akiko Meyers, violin
Avie 2853

Three Passions for Our Tortured Planet: Winds
Brian Field
Kay Kyung Eun Kim, piano
Steinway & Sons 30230

Shades of Mourning
Tamar Sagiv
Tamar Sagiv, cello
Dorian 70041

De Profundis
Raminta Serksnyte
Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla, conductor
Kremerata Baltica

Loss
Alissa Firsova
Tippett Quartet
Mark van de Wiel, clarinet
Vivat 115

Concerto for Cello and Strings: Longing
Dobrinka Tabakova
Maxim Rysanov, conductor
Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra
Kristina Blaumane, cello
ECM 2239

A Pile of Dust
Johann Johannsson
Anthony Weeden, conductor
Air Lyndhurst String Orchestra

the little match girl passion: have mercy, my god
David Lang
Paul Hillier, conductor
Theatre of Voices
Harmonia Mundi 807496

Lament to Phaedra
John Tavener
Maya Beiser, cello
Islandia 16

Dance
Anna Clyne
Marin Alsop, conductor
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Inbal Segev, cello
Avie 2419

Peace
Jessie Montgomery
Elena Urioste, violin
Orchid 100173

With a new year, we bring you two hours of new works on the latest episode of Extra Eclectic — and it’s hard to think of a better way to go than by focusing on the composers who are truly emerging as the voices taking classical music into the future: the women! Steve Seel brings us music by Sarah Kirkland Snider, Shelley Washington, Sophie Hutchings, Anna Clyne and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Stimm
Hildur Gudnadottir
Hildur Gudnadottir, cello
DG 4863110

Eternal Present: Always
Shelley Washington
~nois
Bright Shiny Things 197

Fragments of Light
Sophie Hutchings
Sophie Hutchings, piano
Mercury KX 90583

Forward Into Light
Sarah Kirkland Snider
Andrew Cyr, conductor
Metropolis Ensemble
New Amsterdam

Abstractions
Anna Clyne
Marin Alsop, conductor
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Naxos 574620

There Will Be Hope
Hania Rani/Dobrawa Czocher
Hania Rani, piano and vocals
DG 4860603

Cancion de el alma (Song of the Soul)
Edie Hill
Donald Nally, conductor
The Crossing
Navona 6073

Pasajes
Tania Leon
Edward Gardner, conductor
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Alala das Paisaxes Verticais
Carme Rodriguez
Isabel Dobarro, piano
Grand Piano 944

how do I find you
Caroline Shaw
Sasha Cooke, mezzo-soprano
PentaTone 6961

Still Life with Avalanche
Missy Mazzoli
eighth blackbird
Cedille 133

Whispered Lullaby
Dobrinka Tabakova
Maxim Rysanov, viola
ECM 2670

As has become a tradition on Extra Eclectic this time of year, we enjoy more modern classical sounds to compliment the cold, starry nights of winter on this episode. Olafur Arnalds’ For Now I Am Winter sets the tone, followed by atmospheric gems including Eric Whitacre’s Nox Aurumque, John Luther Adams’ In a Treeless Place, Only Snow, and Mary Lattimore’s The Quiet at Night. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

For Now I Am Winter
Olafur Arnalds
Voces8
London/Decca 25736

Night Song
Wayne Barlow
Howard Hanson, conductor
Eastman Philharmonia
Mercury 434347

Nox Aurumque
Eric Whitacre
Eric Whitacre, conductor
Eric Whitacre Singers
London/Decca 14850

In a Treeless Place, Only Snow
John Luther Adams
American Contemporary Music Ensemble
Dorian 92211

The Quiet at Night
Mary Lattimore
Mary Lattimore, harp

Dream
John Cage
Sophia Subbayya Vastek, piano
Innova 974

Winter
Rebecca Dale
Angele Dubeau, conductor
La Pieta
Angele Dubeau, violin
Analekta 8754

Of a rose sing we
Dobrinka Tabakova
Christopher Gray, conductor
Truro Cathedral Choir
Joseph Wicks, organ
Regent 530

halfspent (lo, how a rose...)
Traditional
Miro Quartet
Pentatone 7495

Etude No. 2
Philip Glass
Vikingur Olafsson, piano
DG 4796918

Mitt hjerte alltid vanker (My heart doth always wander)
Traditional Scandinavian
Christian Badzura, conductor
Classical Sundays
Mari Samuelsen, violin

Cantus Arcticus
Einojuhani Rautavaara
Leif Segerstam, conductor
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Ondine 1041

Nox vitae: The Snow is Falling
Galina Grigorjeva
Mikk Uleoja, conductor
Estonian National Male Choir
Toccata 679

On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, guest host Ward Jacobson shares a soundtrack for cold, dark evenings. Hear seasonal and atmospheric music by Hildur Gudnadottir, Pauline Oliveros and Kaija Saariaho. Listen now!

Playlist

Polar: The Waves
Gabriel Olafs
Viktor Orri Arnason, conductor
Reykjavik Orchestra

Seasonal Music: Winter Music
Christopher Stark
Momenta Quartet
Bridge 9526

Deep Listening: Suiren
Pauline Oliveros/Stuart Dempster/Panaiotis
Pauline Oliveros, voice
New Albion 22

O Magnum Mysterium (O Great Mystery)
Ivo Antognini
Stephen Layton, conductor
Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge
Hyperion 68425

Melody of Not Knowing
Hildur Gudnadottir
Hildur Gudnadottir, cello
DG 4863110

The Unquestioned Answer
Laurie Spiegel
James McVinnie, organ

sleeper’s prayer
David Lang
Benjamin Nicholas, conductor
Choir of Merton College, Oxford
Tom Fetherstonhaugh, organ
Delphian 34232

Hayy: Revealing the Tones
Michael Harrison
Michael Harrison, piano
Cantaloupe 21157

Ciel d’Hiver (Winter Sky)
Kaija Saariaho
Hannu Lintu, conductor
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Ondine 1309

Sleeping Pendulum
Maria Huld Markan Sigfusdottir
Nordic Affect
Dorian 70001

Light is Calling
Michael Gordon
India Gailey, cello
Redshift 511

Drone Mass: The Mountain View, the Majesty of the Snow-Clad Peaks, from a Place of Contemplation and Reflection
Johann Johannsson
Paul Hillier, conductor
Theatre of Voices
DG 4837419

Lines Made By Walking: Down the Mountain
John Luther Adams
JACK Quartet
Cold Blue 58

On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, guest host Jake Armerding shares recent recordings by Marc-Andre Hamelin, Hania Rani and Georgijs Osokins. Selections include compositions by Philip Glass, Arvo Pärt, Radiohead and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Small Variations
Nico Muhly
Mishka Rushdie Momen, piano
Somm 603

Metamorphosis II
Philip Glass
Bruce Levingston, piano
Dorian 92205

Passacaglia
Stefan Wolpe
Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano
Hyperion 68457

Passacaglia
Douwe Eisenga
Piccola Accademia degli Specchi
Zefir 9627

Blind Message: Beauty
Johann Johannsson
Alice Sara Ott, piano
DG 4866742

Fratres (Brothers)
Arvo Pärt
Georgijs Osokins, piano
DG 4867676

Pyramid Song
Radiohead
Matt Haimovitz, cello
Oxingale 2019

Piano Concerto “Non Fiction”
Hania Rani
Hugh Tieppo-Brunt, conductor
Manchester Collective
Hania Rani, piano
London/Decca 845918

Folk faer andlit
Hildur Gudnadottir
Hildur Gudnadottir, cello and vocals
DG 4863110

Unknown Gates
Margaret Hermant/Neil Leiter/Gary De Cart
Echo Collective
7K! 24

For anyone hanging out with family or heading home in the late hours — or those whose hearts long to be there — this episode of Extra Eclectic features gentle sounds that evoke feelings of place, gratitude and stillness. Selections include music by Kevin Puts, David Lang and Robert Honstein. Listen now with guest host Scott Blankenship!

Playlist

There Will Be Rest
Frank Ticheli
Voces8
London/Decca 4870459

Gratitude
Dawn Avery
Wilhelmina Smith, cello
Azica 71377

Concerto for Orchestra: Sicilienne
Kevin Puts
Stephane Deneve, conductor
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
Delos 3620

Amazing Grace
Ben Johnston
Kronos Quartet
Nonesuch 79394

again (after ecclesiastes)
David Lang
Paul Hillier, conductor
Theatre of Voices
Harmonia Mundi 807496

Plain Songs: No. 6
Peter Garland
Carson Cooman, organ
Cold Blue 70

The Big House: Home chapel organ
Oliver Leith
Ruisi Quartet
PentaTone 7040

Home
Kevin Puts
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor
Conspirare
Delos 3601

Soul House
Robert Honstein
Hub New Music
New Amsterdam

O’Keeffe Images: Sky Above Clouds
Elena Ruehr
Gil Rose, conductor
Boston Modern Orchestra Project
BMOP/sound 1039

On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, as the trees lose their leaves and darkness comes earlier every evening, we’ll reflect on the beauty of autumn and nighttime with music by Alex Berko, Joby Talbot and Elena Ruehr. Listen now with guest host Jake Armerding!

Playlist

Poem No. 3
Brian Agro
Tomas Bachli, piano
Percaso 18

Poem No. 7
Brian Agro
Tomas Bachli, piano
Percaso 18

Autumn Landscapes
Veljo Tormis
Tonu Kaljuste, conductor
Tallinn Chamber Orchestra
ECM 2793

Known By Heart
Christopher Tignor
Christopher Tignor, violin
Western Vinyl 200

Sacred Place
Alex Berko
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor
Conspirare
Haitham Haidar, tenor
Delos 3601

I will not be sad in this world
Eve Beglarian
Marya Martin, flute
Naxos 559629

Tied Together by Twilight
Kojiro Umezaki
Hub New Music
Kojiro Umezaki, shakuhachi
In a Circle 32

New Moon
Ola Gjeilo
Ola Gjeilo, piano
London/Decca 4852955

Ink Dark Moon
Joby Talbot
Ben Gernon, conductor
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Milos Karadaglic, guitar
London/Decca 4851525

Lua Descolorida (Colorless Moon)
Osvaldo Golijov
Robert Spano, conductor
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Nadine Sierra, soprano

Colorless sky became fog
Jim Fox
Theresa Dimond, hammered dulcimer
Cold Blue 36

Shadow Light
Elena Ruehr
Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez, conductor
New Orchestra of Washington
Marcus Thompson, viola
Acis 442

In honor of the amazing display of northern lights seen around the world this week, Steve Seel brings us a collection of color-themed works in the first hour of this episode of Extra Eclectic — with a special focus on works inspired by the paintings of Mark Rothko, including Anna Clyne’s Color Field and a selection from Morton Feldman’s classic Rothko Chapel. In the second hour, it’s a tapestry of works referencing Persia and the Far East, including Reza Vali’s Calligraphy No. 16, (Isfahan) and Mark Winges’ Canticles of Rumi. Listen now!

Playlist

Black
Composer: Marc Mellits
Orchestra/Ensemble: Donald Sinta Quartet
Bright Shiny Things 133

Leonardo da Vinci: Optics, Light and Shadow
Composer: Caroline Shaw
Orchestra/Ensemble: Attacca Quartet
Nonesuch 78984

Color Field
Composer: Anna Clyne
Conductor: Marin Alsop
Orchestra/Ensemble: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Naxos 574620

In Color Suite
Composer: Jessie Montgomery
Orchestra/Ensemble: Third Coast Percussion
Cedille 236

Rothko Chapel 5
Composer: Morton Feldman
Conductor: Philip Brett
Orchestra/Ensemble: University of California-Berkeley Chamber Chorus
Soloists: David Abel, viola
New Albion 39

Finding Rothko
Composer: Adam Schoenberg
Conductor: Michael Stern
Orchestra/Ensemble: Kansas City Symphony
Reference 139

Dance: When you’re broken open
Composer: Anna Clyne
Conductor: Marin Alsop
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: Inbal Segev, cello
Avie 2419

Beloved, do not let me be discouraged
Composer: Colin Jacobsen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Brooklyn Rider
Soloists: Kayhan Kalhor, kamancheh
World Village 468078

Calligraphy No. 16 “Isfahan”
Composer: Reza Vali
Conductor: Fawzi Haimor
Orchestra/Ensemble: Wurttemberg Philharmonic Reutlingen
Naxos 579150

Canticles of Rumi
Composer: Mark Winges
Conductor: Robert Geary
Orchestra/Ensemble: Volti
Innova 964

On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, guest host Jake Armerding shares pieces that explore how memory relates to the musical experience. Works include John Tavener’s Eternal Memory and Steve Mackey’s Mnemosyne’s Pool and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Memoryhouse: Fragment/Embers
Max Richter
Angele Dubeau, conductor
La Pieta
Angele Dubeau, violin
Analekta 8745

Hymn
Valentin Silvestrov
Thomas Sanderling, conductor
Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra

Eternal Memory
John Tavener
Vladimir Spivakov, conductor
Moscow Virtuosi
Steven Isserlis, cello
RCA 68761

Night Peace
John Luther Adams
Atlanta Singers
New Albion 61

Memoria
Esa-Pekka Salonen
The City of Tomorrow
New Focus 294

composition as explanation: intertext
David Lang
eighth blackbird
Cedille 250

Mnemosyne’s Pool
Steven Mackey
David Robertson, conductor
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Canary 22

of memory and minutiae
Paula Matthusen
Jody Redhage, cello
New Amsterdam 31

With Halloween approaching in just a couple days, the sounds veer toward the spooky on this episode of Extra Eclectic. Steve Seel plays us Michael Daugherty’s “The Tell Tale Harp” (Edgar Allen Poe reference very much indented) from his Philadelphia Stories, as well as Anna Clyne’s This Midnight Hour, and the eerie sound of the Latvian folk instrument known as the svilpaunieki appears in Jakabs Jancevskis’ Lignum. Listen now!

Playlist

Lysning (Glade)
Per Norgard
John Storgards, conductor
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Bis 2502

This Midnight Hour
Anna Clyne
Sakari Oramo, conductor
BBC Symphony Orchestra

Philadelphia Stories: Tell-Tale Harp
Michael Daugherty
Marin Alsop, conductor
Colorado Symphony Orchestra
Naxos 559165

Closing
Philip Glass
Katia Labeque, piano
DG 4876947

Ghost
India Gailey
India Gailey, cello
Redshift 511

On Behalf of Nature: Memory Zone
Meredith Monk
Meredith Monk Ensemble
ECM 2473

The Strange Highway
Gity Razaz
All-American Cello Band
Bis 2634

Carve the Runes Then Be Content With Silence: walking through heather and peat
Erland Cooper
Studio Collective
Daniel Pioro, violin
Mercury KX 6576069

In This Life
Sophia Subbayya Vastek
Sophia Subbayya Vastek, piano
SELF PROD 2022

Lignum
Jekabs Jancevskis
Kremerata Baltica
Alina Vizine, Zane Kalnina, Rakele Chijenaite, svilpaunieki
ECM 2745

Death Wish
Gemma Peacocke
Third Coast Percussion
Cedille 224

Ruins
Michael Jon Fink
Michael Jon Fink, celesta
Cold Blue 53

Cendres (Cinders)
Kaija Saariaho
Mikael Helasvuo, alto flute
Ondine 1189

North Sea Quartet
Daniel Elms
Daniel Elms, electric guitar
New Amsterdam 114

Many performing musicians are equally at home in the worlds of classical and jazz — and in the 20th and 21st centuries, many composers have been as well. In the first hour of this episode of Extra Eclectic, Steve Seel brings us a classical-jazz dialogue, including jazz harpist Brandee Younger’s Essence of Ruby, Joel Puckett’s Trumpet Concerto and music by Thelonius Monk and Wynton Marsalis. In the second hour, it’s a sampling of modern composers saluting the giants of earlier classical eras, from Max Richter’s Vivaldi to Dobrinka Tabakova’s Fantasy Homage to Schubert.

Playlist

Suite in Jazz: Talk
Dobrinka Tabakova
Maxim Rysanov, viola
ECM 2670

Swing Symphony: Modern Modes and the Midnight Moan
Wynton Marsalis
David Robertson, conductor
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
Blue Engine 17

Essence of Ruby
Brandee Younger
Ashley Jackson, harp
Bright Shiny Things 188

Trumpet Concerto
Joel Puckett
Joseph Young, conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
Sean Jones, trumpet
Avie 2751

Dig the Say
Vijay Iyer
PUBLIQuartet
Bright Shiny Things 171

‘Round Midnight
Thelonious Monk
Andrew Litton, piano
Bis 2034

Refraction: Kyrie for Machaut and Part
David Biedenbender
Akropolis Reed Quintet
Innova 969

Dusklight Movement
Jon Batiste
Jon Batiste, piano

Vivaldi: Autumn
Max Richter
Carlos Izcaray, conductor
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Francisco Fullana, violin
Orchid 100080

Fantasy Homage to Schubert
Dobrinka Tabakova
Dobrinka Tabakova, conductor
BBC Concert Orchestra
ECM 2670

Ora pro nobis
George Rochberg
Daniele Ruggieri, flute
Brilliant 95753

Three Bach Transcriptions: Aria
Richard Danielpour
Simone Dinnerstein, piano
Supertrain 25

No, 2025 isn’t over, but that’s not stopping us from pausing to take stock in some of our favorite releases and recent discoveries of the year on the latest episode of Extra Eclectic. Steve Seel shares the Ember Trio’s new recording of Saans by Reena Esmail, the Black Oak Ensemble’s performance of Shirley Thompson’s Dance of the Night Sky and pianist James McVinne’s reading of Gabriella Smith’s terrific, piece Imaginary Pancake. We also enjoy a number of works by Arvo Pärt as we continue to celebrate the composer’s 90th birthday this year.

Playlist

Credo: 4th movement
Composer: David Sanford
Orchestra/Ensemble: Meridian Arts Ensemble
8bells 20

Silhouette
Composer: Arvo Pärt
Conductor: Paavo Järvi
Orchestra/Ensemble: Estonian Festival Orchestra
Alpha 1158

In My Blue
Composer: Tamar Sagiv
Soloists: Tamar Sagiv, cello
Dorian 70041

Spiegel im Spiegel (Mirror in the Mirror)
Composer: Arvo Pärt
Soloists: Sasha Boldachev, harp
PentaTone 7517

Dance of the Night Sky
Composer: Shirley Thompson
Orchestra/Ensemble: Black Oak Ensemble
Cedille 237

Imaginary Pancake
Composer: Gabriella Smith
Soloists: James McVinnie, piano
Pentatone 7404

Echorus
Composer: Philip Glass
Orchestra/Ensemble: Academy Virtuosi
Soloists: Anne Akiko Meyers, violin
Platoon 2025

Lamento d’Arianna
Composer: Claudio Monteverdi
Soloists: Maya Beiser, cello
Islandia 16

Saans
Composer: Reena Esmail
Orchestra/Ensemble: Ember
Azica 71383

Katarsis
Composer: Andrew Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble: New York Polyphony
Bis 2719

Lost One
Composer: Austin Wulliman
Orchestra/Ensemble: JACK Quartet
Dorian 70037

Organum Light
Composer: Dobrinka Tabakova
Conductor: Julian Azkoul
Orchestra/Ensemble: United Strings of Europe
Bis 2739

Stone/Like Stillness
Composer: Peter Garland
Soloists: Carson Cooman, organ
Cold Blue 70

Swansong
Composer: Arvo Pärt
Conductor: Paavo Järvi
Orchestra/Ensemble: Estonian Festival Orchestra
Alpha 1158

We get mathematical on this episode of Extra Eclectic with one of John Cage’s many number pieces, Four2, and we’ll hear Michael Gandolfi’s concerto for oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn: Imaginary Numbers. Plus, we contemplate the amazing spiral structure of shells with Kate Moore’s Stories for Ocean Shells and Anna Meredith’s Nautilus. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Electric Counterpoint: Fast
Steve Reich, conductor
Bryce Dessner, guitar
DG 4876947

Four2
John Cage
Sigvards Klava
Latvian Radio Choir
Aurora 5083

Imaginary Numbers
Michael Gandolfi
Robert Spano, conductor
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Elizabeth Koch Tiscione, oboe
ASO Media 1012

Stories for Ocean Shells
Kate Moore
Ashley Bathgate, cello
Cantaloupe 21118

Nautilus
Anna Meredith
Dalia Stasevska, conductor
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Platoon DALIA01

Air to Breath
Daniel Bjarnason
Gyda Valtysdottir, cello
Dorian 70012

Poems of Emily Dickinson
Michael Tilson Thomas
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
San Francisco Symphony
Renee Fleming, soprano
Pentatone 7355

Myself when I am real
Charles Mingus
Julia Hamos, piano
Naive 8674

Dissolve, O My Heart
Missy Mazzoli
Jennifer Koh, violin
Cedille 134

Company
Philip Glass
Eric Jacobsen, conductor
The Knights
Ancalagon 137

Although a concerto is usually a piece of music for one or more solo instruments accompanied by a full orchestra, several composers have written works with the apparently contradictory title Concerto for Orchestra. As with Bela Bartok’s most famous example, it’s usually a piece that gives each section of the orchestra a turn in the spotlight — and there’s a new one, from American composer Kevin Puts, that Steve Seel shares with us on the latese episode of Extra Eclectic. On the second hour of the program, it's water-themed works, including John Luther Adams’ Become River and Bryce Dessner’s St. Carolyn by the Sea.

Playlist

October
Eric Whitacre
Joby Burgess, marimba
Signum 625

Repose
Hugi Gudmundsson
Hordur Askelsson, conductor
Schola Cantorum Reykjavik
Bis 2200

Concerto for Orchestra
Kevin Puts
Stephane Deneve, conductor
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
Delos 3620

Kinds of Light: Twilight
Michael Gilbertson
Akropolis Reed Quintet
New Focus 292

Meditations on Rilke: Herbst (Autumn)
Michael Tilson Thomas
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
San Francisco Symphony
Sasha Cooke, mezzo-soprano
Pentatone 7355

Ophelia
Paola Prestini
Caitlin Sullivan, cello
New Amsterdam 113

Become River
John Luther Adams
Ludovic Morlot, conductor
Seattle Symphony
Cantaloupe 21161

Water
Olivier Messiaen
Maya Beiser, cello
Islandia 1

The Haunted Ocean
Max Richter
Kristjan Jarvi, conductor
Baltic Sea Philharmonic
DG 4860449

Incantation for a Stormy Sea
Veljo Tormis
Cantus
Cantus 1206

St. Carolyn by the Sea
Bryce Dessner
Andre de Ridder, conductor
Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra
Bryce Dessner, guitar, Aaron Dessner, guitar
DG 20031

It’s modern classical sounds from down under on the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, as Steve Seel brings us a bevy of Australian composers (and one from New Zealand — since we’re right there). The mythology of Australia’s native Aboriginal culture known as the “Dreamtime” plays a prominent role in the music of Peter Sculthorpe, Margaret Sutherland, Ross Edwards and Elena Kats-Chernin, and the diverse sonic terrain covered in their works culminates with Anna Boyd’s mesmerizing choral work As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams. Listen now!

Playlist

The Harp and the Moon: 1st movement
Ross Edwards
Emily Granger, harp
Avie 2495

Haunted Hills
Margaret Sutherland
Jaime Martin, conductor
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
2025 BBC Proms Prom 54

Maranoa Lullaby
Peter Sculthorpe
Brodsky Quartet
Anne Sofie von Otter, alto
Challenge 72007

Cello Dreaming
Peter Sculthorpe
Richard Tognetti, conductor
Australian Chamber Orchestra
Emma-Jane Murphy, cello
Chandos 10063

Canon
Kate Moore
Saskia Lankhoorn, piano
ECM 2344

Butterflying
Elena Kats-Chernin
Nicola Sweeney, violin
Signum 58

Eyes on the Sun
Sophie Hutchings
Sophie Hutchings, piano
Mercury KX 90583

Arafura Dances
Ross Edwards
Paul Daniel, conductor
English Chamber Orchestra
John Williams, guitar
JCW 3

Torua
Gillian Whitehead
Hilary Hahn, violin
DG 19103

Calliope Dreaming
Elena Kats-Chernin
Trio Arbos
Non Profit 1112

As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams
Anne Boyd
Paul Hillier, conductor
Ars Nova Copenhagen
Dacapo 220597

Day’s End
John Williams
John Williams, guitar
JCW 1