Piano Puzzler

Composer Jessie Montgomery says she has tried to answer the question: "What does an anthem for the 21st century sound like in today's multicultural environment?" On today's show, hear Montgomery's answer, a rhapsody on the Star-Spangled Banner.

Memorial Day. It's the unofficial beginning of summer, but that's not what this holiday is about. On today's show, we mark the day with music by American composers and recognize the people who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

Away from the unrelenting logistics of travel and performance, Belgian cellist Camille Thomas found sanctuary in Montana’s open skies. During a 2024 residency at the Tippet Rise Art Center, she and pianist Julien Brocal were given the rare freedom to create without the pressure of a production schedule—an experience Thomas described as being on "a planet of its own." On today’s show, we’ll take you to Tippet Rise to hear their intimate arrangement of the Larghetto from Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1.

When Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate first heard the 1994 album Mahk Jchi by the Native women’s trio Ulali, he felt he was witnessing a revolution in Native music. Decades later, Tate has transformed one of his favorite tracks from that album—Pura Fé’s "Rattle Songs"—into a work for string quartet. On today's show, the Dover Quartet performs Tate's arrangement of Pura Fé's 'Rattle Song' at a recent concert in Baltimore.

In Slavic folklore, the "witching hour" doesn't wait for darkness. Antonín Dvořák’s symphonic poem, The Noon Witch, brings the terrifying myth of Lady Midday to life. The story follows a mother who jokingly threatens her misbehaving child with a forest witch, only for the creature to appear in broad daylight and claim them both. Tune in today to hear Dvořák’s The Noon Witch. Andrés Orozco-Estrada conducts the Lucerne Festival Orchestra in a performance from Switzerland.

The classical world is reflecting on the legacy of Michael Tilson Thomas, who passed away in April at age 81. A visionary conductor, composer, and educator, Thomas transformed the San Francisco Symphony during his 25-year tenure and helped shape the future of the art form as a co-founder of the New World Symphony. To celebrate his curiosity and bright, playful personality, we’ll hear a 1998 premiere recording of the San Francisco Symphony performing Michael Tilson Thomas’s ‘Agnegram.’

Wynton Marsalis believes the blues is more than a style—it is a way to process life's hardships and reach what he calls "a timeless higher ground." In 2015, Marsalis premiered a work that captures this journey, moving from the depths of sorrow to the vibrant, high-energy rhythms of Afro-Latin dance. In this episode, Cristian Macelaru leads the Minnesota Orchestra in a performance of Marsalis's Blues Symphony.

Away from the unrelenting logistics of travel and performance, Belgian cellist Camille Thomas found sanctuary in Montana’s open skies. During a 2024 residency at the Tippet Rise Art Center, she and pianist Julien Brocal were given the rare freedom to create without the pressure of a production schedule—an experience Thomas described as being on "a planet of its own." On today’s show, we’ll take you to Tippet Rise to hear their intimate arrangement of the Larghetto from Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1.

Although Louise Farrenc was the only woman to hold a permanent position at the Paris Conservatory in the 19th century, her Symphony No. 2 demonstrates that her compositional talent rivaled that of the most renowned male composers of her time. Join us today as Nil Venditti leads the Essen Philharmonic Orchestra in a recent performance of Farrenc’s Symphony No. 2.

After thirty years of performing in the United States, Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto announced a hiatus from all American engagements due to ethical objections to the country's current political leadership. Citing a commitment to peace and equal rights, Kuusisto no longer feels comfortable paying federal taxes that fund government actions he does not support. For now, he remains connected to audiences abroad. In today's episode, we'll take you to a concert in Switzerland to hear Kuusisto and the Basel Sinfonietta perform "The Lark Ascending" by Ralph Vaughan Williams.