"It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." Those opening lines from Dickens'"A Tale of Two Cities" are burned into almost everyone's consciousness. But what about the rest of the book? Who can quote that? In today's show, we'll have another great opening line, the sunrise from "Also Sprach Zarathustra." Everyone knows it from the film "2001: A Space Odyssey." Plus, we'll hear the part no one remembers. Gustavo Dudamel leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the complete half-hour tone poem by Richard Strauss.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Edvard Grieg: From Early Years, from Six Lyric Pieces, Op. 65
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra
The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles
Giovanni Gabrieli: Sacro Tempio d'honor
The American Brass Quintet
Aspen Music Festival, Aspen, Colorado
Edvard Grieg: Norwegian Peasant March, from Lyric Pieces, Op. 54, No. 2
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Fraser Performance Studio, Boston
Hour 2
Francois Couperin: Mysterious Barricades and La commere, from Sixieme Ordre (2nd Book, Pieces de Clavecin)
Angela Hewitt, piano
Maurice Ravel: Second movement from Piano Trio in A Minor
The Morgenstern Trio
Kunstraum Klosterkirche, Traunstein, Germany
Jean Francaix: Petit Quatuor pour Saxophones
The Accademia Saxophone Quartet
Sergei Luchevici National Philharmonic, Chisinau, Moldova
Olivier Messiaen: La Colombe (the Dove), from Preludes
Jan Lisiecki, piano
Wellspring Theater, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Francois Couperin: La Piemontoise, from Les Nations
Les Ombres
Capucine Church, Fribourg, Switzerland
Jean Mouton: Nesciens Mater
Chanticleer
Stanford Memorial Church, Stanford, California
Claude Debussy: Sarabande from Pour le Piano
The Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, Myung-Whun Chung, conductor
Cite de la Musique, Paris, France
Love the music?
Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.
Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.
YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.
Your Donation
About Performance Today®
To find a station near you on our Stations Listings page, click here.
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.
Hosted by Valerie Kahler, 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.
How do I leave a comment?
Send us a comment here.