New York City's Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is militant about one thing. They have never, will never use a conductor. That philosophy undoubtedly makes for more sensitive, attentive playing, as musicians are forced to listen to and watch each other more closely. It also presents the players with unique challenges. Case in point: Aaron Copland's ballet "Appalachian Spring," with its delicate, transparent textures and lightning-fast tempo changes. The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra rises to the challenge, delivering a terrific performance of this American masterpiece.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Sergei Prokofiev: The Dance of the Knights, from Romeo and Juliet
The San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Traditional Brazilian: Nao me Toques (Don't Touch me)
Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg, mandolins
Herbst Theatre, San Francisco
Regino and Eduardo Sainz de la Maza: Canco del Lladre
Robert Belinic, guitar
Ramsey Concert Hall, Athens, Georgia
Federico Mompou: Jeunes Filles au Jardin (Girls in the Garden), from Childhood Scenes
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
Victoria Hall, Geneva, Switzerland
William Lawes: Dances from Royall Consort No. 2 in D Minor
The Phantasm Viol Consort, Laurence Dreyfus, director and viol
Wigmore Hall, London, England
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67
The San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco
Hour 2
Arvo Part: Fur Alina
Bruce Levingston, piano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Queen of the Night Aria, from the Magic Flute, K. 620
Francois Leleux, oboe and conductor, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Berwaldhallen, Stockholm, Sweden
William Bolcom: New York Lights
Bruce Levingston, piano
Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring Suite
The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Carnegie Hall, New York City
Jessie Montgomery: Strum
The Catalyst Quartet
Sphinx Competition, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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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.
Performance Today® features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, highlights from new album releases, and in-studio performances and interviews. Performance Today® is based at the APM studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country. Also, each Wednesday, composer Bruce Adolphe joins host Fred Child for a classical musical game and listener favorite: the Piano Puzzler.
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