Composer Gustav Holst loved astrology. He called it his "pet vice" and read a book called "What is a Horoscope and How Is It Cast?" So when he was writing his orchestral suite, "The Planets," he wasn't writing about astronomical bodies in orbit around the sun. He was thinking of the astrological character of the planets like Jupiter, "The Bringer of Jollity." It's amazing what a difference a few letters can make. On today's Performance Today, we'll hear Holst's musical and astrological exploration of space.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Giovanni Gabrieli (arr. Eric Robertson): Sonata pian e forte
Canadian Brass
Felix Godefroid: Carnaval de Venise
Catrin Finch, harp
Symphony Space, New York City, New York
Del Staigers (arr. Art Frackenpohl): Carnival of Venice
Canadian Brass; Brandon Ridenour, trumpet solo
Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Antonio Vivaldi: Sinfonia in C Major, from Il Giustino, RV 717
Venice Baroque Orchestra
Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic, Cracow, Poland
Igor Stravinsky: Italian Suite
Martha Argerich, piano; Mischa Maisky, cello
RSI Auditorium, Lugano, Switzerland
Hour 2
Gustav Holst: Mercury, the Winged Messenger from the Planets
Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart; Roger Norringtion, cond.
Kyle Gann: The Planets - Book II: Jupiter
Relache Ensemble
Fritz Kreisler: Liebesleid
Xiang Yu, violin; Evan Wong, piano
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul, MN.
Jules Massenet: Meditation from Thais
Xiang Yu, violin; Evan Wong, piano
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul, MN.
Edward Elgar: Salut d'amour
Xiang Yu, violin; Evan Wong, piano
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul, MN.
Gustav Holst: The Planets - Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity
Nashville Symphony; Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Laura Turner Concert Hall, Schermerhorn Symphony Center; Nashville, TN
Claude Debussy(orch. Andre Caplet): Clair de lune
Aspen Chamber Symphony; Matthias Pintscher, conductor
Benedict Music Tent, Aspen, Colorado
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About Performance Today®
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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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