A performance of Wynton Marsalis’ Concerto for Orchestra recorded at the 2026 BBC Proms Festival offers a look at modern classical works inspired by jazz in the first hour of this episode of Extra Eclectic, which also showcases works by Jon Batiste, Earl Louis Stewart and Jeff Scott. In the second hour, we enjoy a sonic peek at autumn (now that Labor Day has come and gone), with such works as Veljo Tormis’ Autumn Landscapes and Robert Jurjendal’s Autumn Prelude. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Startin’ Sumthin’
Composer: Jeff Scott
Orchestra/Ensemble: Imani Winds
Koch 7796

Concerto for Orchestra
Composer: Wynton Marsalis
Conductor: James Gaffigan
Orchestra/Ensemble: BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Proms 2026 Recording

Rhythm Sonata: Majestic
Composer: Earl Louis Stewart
Orchestra/Ensemble: Lyris Quartet
Soloists: Marcus Eley, clarinet
Imaginary Animals 213

Eternity Around The Corner
Composer: Jon Batiste
Soloists: Jon Batiste, piano
Verve 244313

Autumn Prelude
Composer: Robert Jurjendal
Soloists: Volkmar Zimmermann, guitar
Albany 1738

Fragments of Light
Composer: Sophie Hutchings
Soloists: Sophie Hutchings, piano
Mercury KX 90583

Autumn Landscapes
Composer: Veljo Tormis
Conductor: Tonu Kaljuste
Orchestra/Ensemble: Tallinn Chamber Orchestra
ECM 2793

Estonian Lullaby: Kuus Kuus kallike
Composer: Arvo Part
Orchestra/Ensemble: Hesperion XXI
Soloists: Montserrat Figueras, soprano
Alia Vox 9826

In Air Clear and Unseen: An Autumn Evening
Composer: Alexander Knaifel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Keller Quartet
ECM 2324

Lieux retrouves (Rediscovered Places)
Composer: Thomas Ades
Conductor: Nicholas Collon
Orchestra/Ensemble: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Tomas Nunez, cello
Ondine 1411

Always Know
Composer: Jon Batiste
Soloists: Jon Batiste, piano
Verve 244313

Brass instruments are the focus on episode of Extra Eclectic, in solo, duo and ensemble settings. Valerie Coleman’s Fanfare for Uncommon Times offers a riposte to Aaron Copland’s famous work, and Olivier Messiaen’s Apparition du Christ Glorieux depicts of a religious encounter that's almost unsettling in its indescribable mystery. We also hear music by Michael Daugherty, Dani Howard, Carter Pann and more. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

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

Concerto for Brass “SIGNAL”
Composer: Dani Howard
Conductor: Paavo Jarvi
Orchestra/Ensemble: BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Proms 2026 Recording

To the Lighthouse
Composer: Linda Kouvaras
Orchestra/Ensemble: Lyrebird Brass
Toccata 794

Bells for Stokowski
Composer: Michael Daugherty
Conductor: Jerry Junkin
Orchestra/Ensemble: University of Texas Wind Ensemble
Reference 104

Instrumental Round No. 1 in Snaketime
Composer: Moondog (Louis Hardin)
Orchestra/Ensemble: Extension Ensemble
Summit 389

Illuminations of the Beyond (Eclairs sur l’au-dela): Apparition du Christ glorieux (Apparition of the Glorious Christ)
Composer: Olivier Messiaen
Conductor: Myung-Whun Chung
Orchestra/Ensemble: Orchestre de la Bastille
DG 439929

Elements of Nature: Water, Fire
Composer: Paul Osterfield
Soloists: Jozef Zimka, trumpet
Navona 6714

Fanfare for Uncommon Times
Composer: Valerie Coleman
Conductor: Brian Kaufman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Brass for Uncommon Times
Naxos 579190

River of Time
Composer: David Biedenbender
Conductor: Timothy Muffitt
Orchestra/Ensemble: Lansing Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Neil Mueller, trumpet
Blue Griffin 715

A Nearer Sun
Composer: The Westerlies
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Westerlies
Songlines 1617

My Brother’s Brain: The Hymn of Forgiving
Composer: Carter Pann
Conductor: Mallory Thompson
Orchestra/Ensemble: Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble
Summit 717

Lament
Composer: Brandon Ridenour
Orchestra/Ensemble: Canadian Brass
Steinway & Sons 30008

The trees, the soil, the air — the Earth is our one home, and on this episode of Extra Eclectic, contemporary composers pay tribute in their music. Erland Cooper’s Carve the Runes Then Be Content With Silence literally incorporates the Earth itself as a collaborator, and Kristine Tjogersen and Jekabs Jancevskis take us into the woods to be one with the trees. We also hear from Clarice Jensen, Stacy Garrop, Mary Jouyoumdjian, and others. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Blue Curve of the Earth
Composer: Tina Davidson
Soloists: Hilary Hahn, violin
DG 19103

Between Trees
Composer: Kristine Tjogersen
Conductor: Edward Gardner
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra
BBC Proms 2026 Recording

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

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

Burn as Brightly
Composer: Gala Flagello
Orchestra/Ensemble: Talla Rouge
Bright Shiny Things 202

The Green Fuse
Composer: James Wilson
Conductor: Anthony Parnther
Orchestra/Ensemble: Chineke! Orchestra
NMC 250

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

String Quartet No. 3 “Gaia”: Dance of the Earth
Composer: Stacy Garrop
Orchestra/Ensemble: Biava String Quartet
Cedille 122

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

Aghavni (Doves)
Composer: Mary Kouyoumdjian
Soloists: Lara Downes, piano
Sony 92079

Black Earth
Composer: Fazil Say
Orchestra/Ensemble: Between Worlds Ensemble
Soloists: Avi Avital, mandolin
DG 4867526

Salt Air, Salt Earth
Composer: Clarice Jensen
Soloists: Maya Beiser, cello
Islandia 16

It’s a philosophical look at time on this episode of Extra Eclectic, with works considering both fleeting moments and the vastness of eternity. Chris Rogerson’s Thirty Thousand Days honors his father’s way of counting a lifetime in terms of days instead of years, and Steve Reich’s Proverb is based on the Ludwig Wittgenstein quote, “How small a thought it takes to fill a whole life.” We also hear music by Shelley Washington, David Lang, Clarice Jensen and more. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Eternal Present: Now
Composer: Shelley Washington
Orchestra/Ensemble: ~nois
Bright Shiny Things 197

Eternity’s Sunrise
Composer: Howard Skempton
Orchestra/Ensemble: Ensemble 360
First Hand 90

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

Time’s Timeless
Composer: Jason Thomas
Orchestra/Ensemble: Zephyr Quartet
Navona 6275

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

The Fountain: Together We Will Live Forever
Composer: Clint Mansell
Soloists: Feico Deutekom, piano
Zefir 9654

momentary
Composer: Olafur Arnalds
Orchestra/Ensemble: Voces8
Soloists: Olafur Arnalds, electronics
London/Decca 4851870

almost all the time
Composer: David Lang
Orchestra/Ensemble: Jasper String Quartet
Dorian 92212

Unfold
Composer: Skuli Sverrisson
Soloists: Gyda Valtysdottir, cello
Dorian 70012

Proverb
Composer: Steve Reich
Conductor: Paul Hillier
Orchestra/Ensemble: Theater of Voices
Nonesuch 79430

Final
Composer: Clarice Jensen
Soloists: Clarice Jensen, cello
130701 1339

Host Steve Seel poses a lot of musical questions on this episode of Extra Eclectic, and you’ll have to decide if you hear any answers. Anna Clyne’s Dance interprets the mysterious words of the poet Rumi as a work for cello and orchestra, and Estonian composer Toivo Tulev’s A child said, what is the grass sets the words of Walt Whitman from his poem “Song of Myself.” Also, Charles Ives’ The Unanswered Question is “answered” by Laurie Spiegel’s work The Unquestioned Answer.

Playlist

Live the Questions
Composer: Jake Runestad
Conductor: Joel Rinsema
Orchestra/Ensemble: Kantorei Denver
Naxos 559892

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

Dance
Composer: Anna Clyne
Conductor: Marin Alsop
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: Inbal Segev, cello
Avie 2419

Dancing on Glass
Composer: Victoria Bond
Soloists: Anna Cromwell, violin
Albany 1797

Whosay
Composer: yMusic
Orchestra/Ensemble: yMusic
StorySound 161050

Why?
Composer: Mid-Air Thief/Summer Soul
Orchestra/Ensemble: Attacca Quartet
Sony 15433

Fate
Composer: Felipe Tellez
Orchestra/Ensemble: TakeFive Ensemble
Centrediscs 28721

Where Life and Death May Dwell
Composer: Snorri Sigfus Birgisson
Soloists: Vikingur Olafsson, piano
DG 4863390

A child said, what is the grass
Composer: Toivo Tulev
Conductor: Donald Nally
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Crossing
Navona 6303

What Was Said
Composer: Ashley Bathgate/Paul Fowler
Soloists: Ashley Bathgate, cello
Curve Blue 2020

The Unquestioned Answer
Composer: Laurie Spiegel
Soloists: James McVinnie, organ
Pentatone 7404

While classical music — old and new — can sometimes be about frivolous things, this episode of Extra Eclectic is concerned strictly with ideas on a “higher plane,” so to speak. Host Steve Seel brings us Olivia Belli’s Limina Luminis, inspired by the awe that astronauts experience viewing the Earth from space, as well as the reverent sounds of Arvo Pärt’s Tabula Rasa, Gavin Bryars’ Eternity is a Mysterious Absence of Times and Ages from his work The Fifth Century, and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Arcana: Search
Composer: Alex Shapiro
Soloists: Adam Marks, piano
Innova 41

Limina Luminis
Composer: Olivia Belli
Soloists: Anna Lapwood, organ
Sony 80927

Tabula Rasa
Composer: Arvo Part
Conductor: Richard Studt
Orchestra/Ensemble: Bournemouth Sinfonietta
Soloists: Tasmin Little, violin
Virgin 45314

The Fifth Century: Eternity Is a Mysterious Absence of Times and Ages
Composer: Gavin Bryars
Conductor: Donald Nally
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Crossing
ECM 2405

Code
Composer: Paola Prestini
Orchestra/Ensemble: A Far Cry Orchestra
Soloists: Awadagin Pratt, piano
New Amsterdam 177

And Some Will Fall
Composer: Max Richter
Soloists: Max Baillie, violin
London/Decca 6572991

Lonely Angel
Composer: Peteris Vasks
Conductor: Jonathan Stockhammer
Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra
Soloists: Mari Samuelsen, violin
DG 4835869

Drone Mass: Divine Objects
Composer: Johann Johannsson
Conductor: Paul Hillier
Orchestra/Ensemble: Theatre of Voices
DG 4837419

Nightfall
Composer: Meredith Monk
Soloists: Sean Shibe, electric guitar
PentaTone 988

On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, we close out our month-long celebration of 20th- and 21st-century American classical music with a focus on some of the composers who introduced fresh thinking into the genre while also opening up the concert hall to new audiences. Host Steve Seel showcases the music of giants such as Philip Glass, Meredith Monk, and Steve Reich, while also featuring works by Michael Daugherty and Stephen Scott. Listen now!

Playlist

Duet
Composer: Steve Reich
Conductor: Daniel Hope
Orchestra/Ensemble: Basel Chamber Orchestra
Soloists: Daniel Hope, violin
DG 4795305

Ellis Island
Composer: Meredith Monk
Soloists: James McVinnie, organ
Pentatone 7404

Tirol Concerto
Composer: Philip Glass
Orchestra/Ensemble: Baroklyn
Soloists: Simone Dinnerstein, piano
Naive 9238

Apartment House 1776: Harmony No. 19. New York
Composer: John Cage
Orchestra/Ensemble: Arditti String Quartet
Mode 144

New York Drones
Composer: Stephen Scott
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Bowed Piano Ensemble
Navona 5937

This Land Sings: Marfa Lights
Composer: Michael Daugherty
Conductor: David Alan Miller
Orchestra/Ensemble: Dogs of Desire
Soloists: Eric Berlin, flugelhorn
Naxos 559889

Inspired By Joni Mitchell: Big Yellow Taxi
Composer: Curtis Stewart
Soloists: Lin-Chi Chuang, violin
Bright Shiny Things 243

This Land Sings: selections
Composer: Michael Daugherty
Conductor: David Alan Miller
Orchestra/Ensemble: Dogs of Desire
Soloists: Annika Socolofsky, soprano
Naxos 559889

Joan Baez Suite
Composer: John Duarte
Soloists: Sharon Isbin, guitar
Sony 45456

Kedron
Composer: Traditional/Sam Amidon
Conductor: Pekka Kuusisto
Orchestra/Ensemble: Norwegian Chamber Orchestra
Soloists: Sam Amidon, vocals
Platoon 2026

Saro
Composer: Traditional/Sam Amidon
Conductor: Pekka Kuusisto
Orchestra/Ensemble: Norwegian Chamber Orchestra
Soloists: Sam Amidon, vocals
Platoon 2026

Silver Dagger
Composer: Stacy Garrop
Orchestra/Ensemble: Heare Ensemble
Innova 40

We continue our month-long celebration of American music on this episode of Extra Eclectic by looking this time at how contemporary composers mine American folk idioms in their works, including bluegrass, hymns and lullabies. Steve Seel features Robert Sirota’s American Pilgrimage (featuring a quote from Dvořák’s American Quartet — now that’s meta), as well as Jennifer Higdon’s Concerto 4-3, Daron Hagen’s Songbook, and even an arrangement of the Punch Brothers’ tune “Movement and Location” performed by the group Sybarite 5. Listen now!

Playlist

Kellam’s Reel/Rusty Gully
Composer: Nathan Koci/James Moore/Eleonore Oppenheim/Caroline Shaw
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Hands Free
New Amsterdam 100

Concerto 4-3: Roaring Smokies
Composer: Jennifer Higdon
Conductor: Xian Zhang
Orchestra/Ensemble: Philadelphia Orchestra
DG 35748

Stars in My Crown
Composer: John R. Sweney
Soloists: Caroline Shaw, vocals
Platoon 30842

Songbook
Composer: Daron Hagen
Conductor: JoAnn Falletta
Orchestra/Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: Michael Ludwig, violin
Beau Fleuve 9495

The Cuckoo
Composer: Traditional
Soloists: Renee Fleming, vocals
Thirty Tigers 2026

Movement and Location
Composer: Punch Brothers
Orchestra/Ensemble: Sybarite5
Bright Shiny Things 191

Two Variations: ...alabaster cities...
Composer: Robert Sirota
Soloists: Min Kwon, piano
Delos 3629

Two Variations: ...God mend thine every flaw...
Composer: Robert Sirota
Soloists: Min Kwon, piano
Delos 3629

Shenandoah
Composer: Traditional
Soloists: Yo-Yo Ma, cello
Sony 82237

American Pilgrimage
Composer: Robert Sirota
Orchestra/Ensemble: American String Quartet
American String Quartet 2018

Peccadilloes
Composer: Paul Schoenfield
Soloists: James Tocco, piano
Naxos 559380

Steve Seel presents another week of purely American sounds on the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, and this time, it’s works written by musicians associated primarily with jazz. We hear works by Wynton Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, Pat Metheny and more.

Playlist

Vocalise
Composer: Andre Previn
Soloists: Sylvia McNair, soprano
Sony 62004

‘Round Midnight
Composer: Thelonious Monk
Soloists: Andrew Litton, piano
Bis 2034

Meeelaan: Bebop
Composer: Wynton Marsalis
Orchestra/Ensemble: Callisto Quartet
Soloists: Frank Morelli, bassoon
Musica Solis 202602

Trumpet Concerto
Composer: Joel Puckett
Conductor: Joseph Young
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Sean Jones, trumpet
Avie 2751

Inspired By Wayne Shorter: Infant Eyes
Composer: Curtis Stewart
Soloists: Natalie Oh, violin
Bright Shiny Things 243

Terra Incognita
Composer: Wayne Shorter
Orchestra/Ensemble: Imani Winds
Koch 7782

Little Song
Composer: Fred Hersch
Soloists: Fred Hersch, piano
ECM 2799

“Trinity” Fantasy for Solo Violin
Composer: Ornette Coleman
Soloists: Jennifer Koh, violin
Cedille 73

Saxophone Concerto
Composer: John Adams
Conductor: David Robertson
Orchestra/Ensemble: Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Timothy McAllister, saxophone
Nonesuch 541356

Come Sunday
Composer: Duke Ellington
Orchestra/Ensemble: PUBLIQuartet
Soloists: Lara Downes, piano
Rising Sun 74227

Passion for Bach and Coltrane: Psalm
Composer: Jeff Scott
Orchestra/Ensemble: Imani Winds
Soloists: Alex Brown, piano
Imani Winds 2023

Letter from Home
Composer: Pat Metheny
Soloists: Mark Small, guitar
Channel Productions 3301

We're extending the July Fourth weekend just a little bit more on this week's episode of Extra Eclectic, as Steve Seel presents two hours of works by contemporary American composers. Derrick Skye's American Mirror holds up a reflection on "the coming together of cultures (...) which is essential to the wellbeing of American society," while Jennifer Higdon's American Canvas presents musical impressions of the work of American painters. We also enjoy music by Jessie Montgomery, Shelley Washington, Curtis Stewart and much more. Listen now!

Playlist

Aramaic Fuel Tube
Composer: Paul Schoenfield
Soloists: Min Kwon, piano
Delos 3629

Can You See?
Composer: Allison Loggins-Hull
Conductor: Franz Welser-Most
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cleveland Orchestra
TCO Media 17

The Block
Composer: Carlos Simon
Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Symphony Orchestra

Stay On It
Composer: Julius Eastman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Wild Up
New Amsterdam 164

Middleground
Composer: Shelley Washington
Orchestra/Ensemble: PUBLIQuartet

Inspired By James Weldon Johnson: Lift Every Voice and Sing
Composer: Curtis Stewart
Soloists: Curtis Stewart, violin
Bright Shiny Things 243

Let Freedom Ring
Composer: Shara Nova
Conductor: Dianne Berkur Menaker
Orchestra/Ensemble: Brooklyn Youth Chorus
New Amsterdam 105

Ye, Who Seek the Truth
Composer: Julia Perry
Conductor: James Blachly
Orchestra/Ensemble: Experiential Orchestra

Statue of Liberty
Composer: Laurie Anderson
Soloists: Lara St. John, violin
Ancalagon 145

Starburst
Composer: Jessie Montgomery
Orchestra/Ensemble: String Orchestra

American Mirror, Part 1
Composer: Derrick Skye
Orchestra/Ensemble: Sphinx Virtuosi
DG 4867758

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

Air for Violin
Composer: Aaron Jay Kernis
Conductor: Eiji Oue
Orchestra/Ensemble: Minnesota Orchestra
Soloists: Truls Mork, cello
Virgin 45464

American Canvas
Composer: Jennifer Higdon
Orchestra/Ensemble: Dolce Suono Trio
Innova 991

The first hour of this episode of Extra Eclectic highlights international composers and cross-cultural collaborations, including Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz’ Six Pieces for Violeta — honoring Chilean singer and musician Violeta Parra — as well as works by Shane Shanahan, Arooj Aftab and Johann Johannsson. In the second hour, host Steve Seel begins our tribute to contemporary American classical music as we look forward to the Fourth of July holiday next weekend, including works by Caroline Shaw, Sarah Kirkland Snider, Nico Muhly and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Englaborn
Composer: Johann Johannsson
Soloists: Alice Sara Ott, piano
DG 4867514

Audacity
Composer: Shane Shanahan
Soloists: Ariana Kim, violin
Saffron Soul 519061

Our Friend Adam
Composer: Ryan Brown
Orchestra/Ensemble: SOLI Chamber Ensemble
Soloists: D.J. Sparr, electric guitar
SOLI Sound Works 3038

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

Udhero Na
Composer: Arooj Aftab
Soloists: Ashley Jackson, harp
London/Decca 4879986

The Book of Never: Names of things I once believed...
Composer: Aaron Helgeson
Conductor: Donald Nally
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Crossing
Navona 6871

Goiza Larrunen
Composer: Bryce Dessner
Soloists: Marielle Labeque, piano
DG 4848960

Breathturn: Part 1
Composer: John Zorn
Soloists: Mika Stoltzman, marimba
Avie 2807

Forward Into Light
Composer: Sarah Kirkland Snider
Conductor: Andrew Cyr
Orchestra/Ensemble: Metropolis Ensemble
New Amsterdam

The Light After
Composer: Caroline Shaw/Andrew Yee
Soloists: Caroline Shaw, vocals
Platoon 30842

Watermark
Composer: Caroline Shaw
Conductor: Malin Broman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Jonathan Biss, piano
Orchid 100433

Recordare, Domine
Composer: Nico Muhly
Orchestra/Ensemble: Tallis Scholars
Linn 790

However you measure the beginning of summer (Memorial Day weekend? June 1? The solstice?), one thing’s certain: summer is now officially underway. Steve Seel features contemporary classical sounds for summer on this episode of Extra Eclectic, including Jonathan Bailey Holland’s Halcyon Sun, Peteris Vasks’ Music for a Summer Evening, and the late Michael Tilson Thomas’ Sunset Soliloquy. In the second hour, it’s works specifically for a summer night, including pieces by Elena Ruehr, Aaron Jay Kernis and others. Listen now!

Playlist

Midsummer Song
Composer: Arturs Maskats
Conductor: Maris Sirmais
Orchestra/Ensemble: Kamer Choir
Soloists: Rihards Zalupe, percussion
Quartz 2065

Music for a Summer Evening
Composer: Peteris Vasks
Soloists: Ieva Jokubaviciute, piano
Dorian 92251

Upon Further Reflection: Sunset Soliloquy
Composer: Michael Tilson Thomas
Soloists: John Wilson, piano
Pentatone 7355

Halcyon Sun
Composer: Jonathan Bailey Holland
Conductor: Paavo Jarvi
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
CSOM 945

Akhnaten: Hymn to the Sun
Composer: Philip Glass
Conductor: Jonathan Cohen
Orchestra/Ensemble: The King’s Violins
Soloists: Anthony Roth Costanzo, countertenor
London/Decca 28648

String Quartet No. 10 “Long Pond”: Moonrise
Composer: Elena Ruehr
Orchestra/Ensemble: Quartet ES
Avie 2798

Sandhiprakash
Composer: Reena Esmail
Soloists: Yolanda Kondonassis, harp
Azica 71392

Horizon: True Horizon
Composer: John Luther Adams
Conductor: Richard Tognetti
Orchestra/Ensemble: Australian Chamber Orchestra
Cold Blue 71

Moonlight Sonata: Adagio
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Soloists: Maya Beiser, cello
Islandia 1

Musica Celestis
Composer: Aaron Jay Kernis
Conductor: Eiji Oue
Orchestra/Ensemble: Minnesota Orchestra
Virgin 45464

It’s been 50 years since Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase “the Global Village,” and today, we’re seeing it more than ever, even in classical music. On this episode of Extra Eclectic, Steve Seel brings us examples of composers and performers reaching across cultural lines in their works, including Terry Riley’s The Cusp of Magic, Dan Visconti’s Native Tongues and an original piece by oud player Issam Rafea and pipa virtuoso Gao Hong.

Playlist

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

Native Tongues
Composer: Dan Visconti
Orchestra/Ensemble: Fifth House Ensemble
Soloists: Yael Badash, vocals
Cedille 164

Walking the Distance
Composer: Issam Rafea/Gao Hong
Soloists: Issam Rafea, oud
Innova 997

Clarinet Concerto
Composer: Malek Jandali
Conductor: Marin Alsop
Orchestra/Ensemble: Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Anthony McGill, clarinet
Cedille 220

On Anxiety
Composer: Fuse & Kinan Azmeh
Orchestra/Ensemble: Fuse
Fusemusic 2024

Beijing Harmony
Composer: Michael Gordon
Conductor: Pablo Rus Broseta
Orchestra/Ensemble: Seattle Symphony
Cantaloupe 21141

The Cusp of Magic: Royal Wedding
Composer: Terry Riley
Orchestra/Ensemble: Kronos Quartet
Soloists: Wu Man, pipa
Nonesuch 360508

Kaylvi
Composer: Asha Srinivasan
Orchestra/Ensemble: Pan Pacific Ensemble
Albany 1772

Wild Grass on the Riverbank
Composer: Chad Cannon
Conductor: Yuga Cohler
Orchestra/Ensemble: Asia/America New Music Institute Los Angeles Ensemble
Soloists: Davone Tines, bass-baritone
Delos 3555

Beloved (Wa Habibi)
Composer: Traditional
Orchestra/Ensemble: Kronos Quartet
Nonesuch 518349

We hear from composers trying their hand at working outside the traditional classical music approach on this episode of Extra Eclectic, with works featuring unorthodox instruments and compositional approaches. Often, that means adding electronic touches, such as in Echo Collective’s Unknown Gates and Molly Joyce’s It Has Not Taken Long for You to Break, or, in the case of Johann Johannsson’s A Prayer to the Dynamo, inserting field recordings from an Icelandic power station as part of the score. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

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

Can’t Touch This or That or You or My Face
Composer: Kaki King
Soloists: Kaki King, guitar
Cantaloupe 21162

Seeing is Believing
Composer: Nico Muhly
Conductor: Nicholas Collon
Orchestra/Ensemble: Aurora Orchestra
Soloists: Thomas Gould, electric violin
London/Decca 4782731

Spectra
Composer: Anna Thorvaldsdottir
Orchestra/Ensemble: International Contemporary Ensemble
Dorian 92227

Music for Airports: 1/2
Composer: Brian Eno
Orchestra/Ensemble: Bang on a Can All-Stars
Point 536847

Carve the Runes Then Be Content With Silence: sunwards turn
Composer: Erland Cooper
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Collective
Soloists: Daniel Pioro, violin
Mercury KX 6576069

It Has Not Taken Long for You to Break
Composer: Molly Joyce
Soloists: Inbal Segev, cello
Avie 2465

A Prayer to the Dynamo
Composer: Johann Johannsson
Conductor: Daniel Bjarnason
Orchestra/Ensemble: Iceland Symphony Orchestra
DG 4864870

What All This Is
Composer: Harmen Fraanje
Soloists: Arve Henriksen, trumpet
ECM 2794

“Row, row, row your boat,” “Frere Jacques”: rounds are familiar to us all. Make a round a little more complex, and you might get a canon or a fugue. On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, host Steve Seel explores a host of such works, including Jessie Montomery’s Rounds and Arvo Pärt’s Kanon Pokajanen. Listen now!

Playlist

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

Rounds
Composer: Marcelo Zarvos
Orchestra/Ensemble: Ethel
Innova 820

Rounds
Composer: Jessie Montgomery
Orchestra/Ensemble: A Far Cry Orchestra
Soloists: Awadagin Pratt, piano
New Amsterdam 177

Shimmer
Composer: Alex Weiser
Soloists: Ashley Bathgate, cello
New Focus 373

Last Round
Composer: Osvaldo Golijov
Conductor: Eric Jacobsen
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Knights
Sony 59978

Small Variations
Composer: Nico Muhly
Soloists: Mishka Rushdie Momen, piano
Somm 603

Kanon Pokajanen (Canon of Repentance): Prayer
Composer: Arvo Part
Conductor: Tonu Kaljuste
Orchestra/Ensemble: Estonian Chamber Choir
ECM 1654

Canon
Composer: Kate Moore
Soloists: Saskia Lankhoorn, piano
ECM 2344

Plan and Elevation
Composer: Caroline Shaw
Conductor: Pekka Kuusisto
Orchestra/Ensemble: Norwegian Chamber Orchestra
Platoon 2026

Vespers for Violin
Composer: Missy Mazzoli
Soloists: Peter Herresthal, violin
Bis 2572

Get your binoculars out for this episode of Extra Eclectic! Host Steve Seel brings us two hours of new classical works about birds, including Jennifer Higdon’s An Exaltation of Larks, John Luther Adams’ Strange Birds Passing, and Jocelyn Morlock’s Oiseaux Bleus et Sauvages, as well as a performance by the group Eighth Blackbird. Listen now!

Playlist

Birdflight
Composer: Christopher Gunning
Conductor: Christopher Gunning
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Signum 621

Strange Birds Passing
Composer: John Luther Adams
Conductor: John Heiss
Orchestra/Ensemble: New England Conservatory Contemporary Ensemble
Mode 240

Y Deryn Pur (The Gentle Dove)
Composer: Cecilia McDowall
Conductor: Peter Fisher
Orchestra/Ensemble: Chamber Ensemble of London
Soloists: Peter Cigleris, clarinet
Somm 653

composition as explanation: intertext
Composer: David Lang
Orchestra/Ensemble: eighth blackbird
Cedille 250

Birds of Eden
Composer: Algirdas Martinaitis
Conductor: Modestas Barkauskas
Orchestra/Ensemble: St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra
Ondine 1398

Gossamer Albatross
Composer: Cameron Britt
Orchestra/Ensemble: Janus
New Amsterdam 24

The Shadow of the Blackbird
Composer: David Bruce
Soloists: Bruce Levingston, piano
Dorian 92218

Oiseaux Bleus et Sauvages
Composer: Jocelyn Morlock
Conductor: Bramwell Tovey
Orchestra/Ensemble: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Centrediscs 20014

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

With spring in full bloom, Steve Seel brings us a bounty of “green sounds” in the first hour of this episode of Extra Eclectic, from Jeffrey Mumford’s verdant cycles of deepening spring to Clint Needham’s String Quartet No. 1, (Shades of Green). In the second hour, it’s music for meditation and the deep breathing that can accompany it, including Daniel Bjarnason’s Air to Breath and Erland Cooper’s Carve the Runes Then Be Content With Silence.

Playlist

Spring
Composer: Huw Watkins
Soloists: Krysia Osostowicz, violin
Somm 181

Varsog (Breath of Spring)
Composer: Henning Sommerro
Conductor: Christian Kluxen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Arctic Philharmonic
Soloists: Eldbjorg Hemsing, violin
Sony 93608

String Quartet No. 11 “Reykjavik”: Spring Song and Dance
Composer: Elena Ruehr
Orchestra/Ensemble: Quartet ES
Avie 2798

verdant cycles of deepening spring
Composer: Jeffrey Mumford
Conductor: Allen Tinkham
Orchestra/Ensemble: Chicago Composers’ Orchestra
Soloists: Christine Wu, violin
Albany 1948

String Quartet No. 1 “Shades of Green”
Composer: Clint Needham
Orchestra/Ensemble: Poiesis Quartet
Bright Shiny Things 213

Breathturn: Part 1
Composer: John Zorn
Soloists: Mika Stoltzman, marimba
Avie 2807

Tsuki no Waka
Composer: Akemi Naito
Orchestra/Ensemble: New York Polyphony
Bis 2719

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

Air to Breath
Composer: Daniel Bjarnason
Soloists: Gyda Valtysdottir, cello
Dorian 70012

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

A child said, what is the grass
Composer: Toivo Tulev
Conductor: Donald Nally
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Crossing
Navona 6303

Identity theft in classical music? Not quite. Composers have quoted, borrowed from, and paid tribute to earlier composers for centuries, and Steve Seel brings us some contemporary examples on this episode of Extra Eclectic. A new release from Greg Saunier and Curt Sydnor sets movements from Bach’s Goldberg Variations for synthesizer and drums, and Caroline Shaw’s Watermark offers a kind of “remix” of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. In the second hour, Steve returns to a favorite topic — the intersection of classical music and indie rock — with music by Greg Saunier, Bryce Dessner, Devonte Hynes and Anna Meredith.

Playlist

By Beauteous Softness (After H. Purcell)
Composer: Thomas Ades
Soloists: Ruby Hughes, soprano
Bis 2568

Ora pro nobis
Composer: George Rochberg
Soloists: Daniele Ruggieri, flute
Brilliant 95753

Goldberg Variations: Canon a la neuvieme (Variation 27)
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Orchestra/Ensemble: Bach Artillerie
Ernest Jenning 873344

Watermark
Composer: Caroline Shaw
Conductor: Malin Broman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Jonathan Biss, piano
Orchid 100433

Goldberg Variations: Canon a la tierce (Variation 9)
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Orchestra/Ensemble: Bach Artillerie
Ernest Jenning 873344

The Ringing World
Composer: Adrian Knight
Orchestra/Ensemble: Bearthoven
Cantaloupe 21129

A Short Tribute to Teenage Fanclub
Composer: Anna Meredith
Orchestra/Ensemble: Ligeti Quartet
Mercury KX 4845720

Goldberg Variations: Canon a la seconde (Variation 6)
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Orchestra/Ensemble: Bach Artillerie
Ernest Jenning 873344

Deerhoof Chamber Variations
Composer: Greg Saunier
Orchestra/Ensemble: Ensemble Dal Niente
New Amsterdam 76

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

Aheym
Composer: Bryce Dessner
Orchestra/Ensemble: Kronos Quartet
Anti 87296

Perfectly Voiceless
Composer: Devonte Hynes
Orchestra/Ensemble: Third Coast Percussion
Cedille 192

May the 4th be with you! This annual “Star Wars Day” provides the inspiration for the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, with works about space and stars. Steve Seel also pays special tribute to American composer Michael Harrison, who died on April 17, with a performance of his choral work Just Constellations. Listen now!

Playlist

On Seven-Star-Shoes
Composer: Julia Wolfe
Orchestra/Ensemble: Quintet of the Americas
Newport 85512

Interstellar: No Time for Caution
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Soloists: Anna Lapwood, organ
Sony 67609

Voyage
Composer: Michael Giacchino
Conductor: John Morris Russell
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Fanfare Cincinnati 15

Just Constellations: The Acoustic Constellation: Spring
Composer: Michael Harrison
Orchestra/Ensemble: Roomful of Teeth
New Amsterdam 134

Just Constellations: The Opening Constellation: Summer
Composer: Michael Harrison
Orchestra/Ensemble: Roomful of Teeth
New Amsterdam 134

Just Constellations: The Romantic Constellation: Autumn
Composer: Michael Harrison
Orchestra/Ensemble: Roomful of Teeth
New Amsterdam 134

Just Constellations: The Magic Constellation: Winter
Composer: Michael Harrison
Orchestra/Ensemble: Roomful of Teeth
New Amsterdam 134

Constellation No. 2
Composer: Dustin O’Halloran/Gyda Valtysdottir
Soloists: Dustin O’Halloran, piano
DG 4839884

Invisible Dance: II. In the slow time of stars
Composer: Dorothy Chang
Conductor: Pierre Simard
Orchestra/Ensemble: Vancouver Island Symphony
Redshift Records

Ad Astra: The Wanderer
Composer: Max Richter
Conductor: Robert Ziegler
Orchestra/Ensemble: Lyndhurst Orchestra
Soloists: Max Richter, electronics
DG 4837518

Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres)
Composer: Missy Mazzoli
Conductor: Daniel Bjarnason
Orchestra/Ensemble: Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Dorian 92267

Radif IV “Stars of Highest Magnitude”
Composer: Robert Morris
Orchestra/Ensemble: Galax Quartet
Soloists: David Morris, crystal goblets
Music and Arts 1297

Choirbook: The Milky Way
Composer: Jesper Koch
Conductor: Flemming Windekilde
Orchestra/Ensemble: Danish National Vocal Ensemble
Dacapo 220627

The Milky Way
Composer: Urmas Sisask
Orchestra/Ensemble: ZOFO Duet
Dorian 92178

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