When it came to writing symphonies, Johannes Brahms entered the game relatively late. He was in his forties when he finished his first one, having labored over it for almost 15 years. The second was a much easier birth. He wrote it over the course of one glorious summer in southern Austria. Brahms joked that it was a region where "the melodies were so abundant, one had to be careful not to step on them." Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony take care with Brahms' lovely melodies, in a performance from San Francisco's Davies Hall.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Johannes Brahms: Intermezzo in E, Op. 116, No. 4
Emanuel Ax, piano
Kurt Noack: The Elf Parade
The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Mika Eichenholz, conductor
Berwaldhallen, Stockholm, Sweden
Otto Olsson: A Star is Shining
The Swedish Radio Chorus, Mika Eichenholz, conductor
Berwaldhallen, Stockholm, Sweden
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D, Op. 73
The San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco
Hour 2
Traditional (Arranged by Robert Applebaum): Funky Dreidel
Chicago a Cappella, Patrick Sinozich, director
Nichols Concert Hall, Evanston, Illinois
Traditional (Arranged by Samuel Adler): Spin, Dreidel, Spin
The Spivey Hall Children's Choir, Judy Mason, piano, Martha Shaw, conductor
Spivey Hall, Morrow, Georgia
Alain Trudel: Fanfare for the 30th Sing-In
The CBC Sing-in Brass, Jean-Michel Malouf, conductor
Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, Montreal, Quebec
Niels Gade: Christmas Eve Suite
The Orchestra of the Mill, Andrew Penny, conductor
Frederic Chopin: Waltzes No. 6 in D-flat (Minute), No. 7 in C-sharp Minor, and No. 8 in A-flat, Op. 64
Anton Nel, piano
Benaroya Hall, Seattle
Vojislav Ivanovic: Circus Waltz
The Levante Guitar Duo
Kolarac Hall, Belgrade, Serbia
Johann Strauss, Jr.: The Emperor Waltz, Op. 437
The Cleveland Orchestra, Franz Welser-Most, conductor
Severance Hall, Cleveland
Vladimir Rebikov: Waltz from Yolka, Op. 21 (The Christmas Tree)
Eteri Andjaparidze, piano
Samuel Barber: Sure on This Shining Night
Conspirare, Craig Hella Johnson, conductor
St. Martin's Lutheran Church, Austin, Texas
Carl Nielsen: Dream of Silent Night
Elisabeth Westenholz, piano
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American Public Media’s Performance Today® is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations across the country, including at 1 p.m. central weekdays on Minnesota Public Radio. More information about our stations can be found at APM Distribution.
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