It was a memorable collision between technology and art. A new instrument had just been invented in France: the celeste, a keyboard instrument with a sound like a tinkly set of magic bells. Peter Tchaikovsky heard it on a trip to Paris, and knew instantly that he had the perfect tune for it. Nowadays, people automatically associate the sound of the celeste with the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from his ballet, "The Nutcracker." At the premiere, the audience was astounded at the new invention. We'll hear Act II from the Nutcracker today, including that big celeste solo. Simon Rattle leads the Berlin Philharmonic.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Felix Mendelssohn: Second movement from Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56 (Scottish)
The Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, conductor
William Beckstrand: So Gracious is the Time
The Singers, Min Kim, harp, Matthew Culloton, director
Wayzata Community Church, Wayzata, Minnesota
Peter Tchaikovsky: Act II from the Nutcracker
The Berlin Philharmonic, Simon Rattle, conductor
Philharmonie, Berlin, Germany
Hour 2
Johann Sebastian Bach: Fourth movement from Violin Sonata No. 3 in C, BWV 1005
Hilary Hahn, violin
Moritz Moszkowski: Sparkles, from Eight Characteristic Pieces, Op. 36
Cameron Carpenter, organ
Saint Matthias Church, Berlin, Germany
Frederic Chopin: Etude No. 23 in A Minor, Op. 25, No. 11 (Winter Wind)
Mihaela Ursuleasa, piano
Chopin and his Europe International Music Festival, Warsaw, Poland
Camille Saint-Saens: Excerpts from Christmas Oratorio, Op. 12
The Bavarian Radio Chorus, the Bavarian Radio Orchestra, soloists, Tonu Kaljuste, conductor
Herkulessaal, Munich, Germany
Johann Sebastian Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1, BWV 1046
The English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
Cite de la Musique, Paris, France
Jonas Knutsson and Nils Landgren: Bach-Polska
Jonas Knutsson, saxophone, Nils Landgren, trombone
Berwaldhallen, Stockholm, Sweden
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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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