American composer Pierre Jalbert is from a French-Canadian family. He hadn’t thought about addressing his heritage in music until he found inspiration in French-Canadian folk songs. On today's show, we'll hear the world premiere performance of Jalbert’s L'esprit du Nord (Spirit of the North), performed and commissioned by the Apollo Chamber Players.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Claude Debussy: Reverie
Frederique Cambreling, harp
Album: French Music for Solo Harp
Adda 581146

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
Nikolai Lugansky, piano | Aspen Festival Orchestra | James Gaffigan, conductor
Aspen Music Festival and School, Benedict Music Tent, Aspen, CO

Piano Puzzler
Contestant: Brandon Baxter calling from Hastings, NE

Set of Brazilian Choros
Ernesto Nazareth: Apanhei-te Cavaquinho
Jacob do Bandolim: Doce de Coco
Waldir Azevedo: Brasileirinho
Mimi Stillman, flute | Gabriel Globus-Hoenich, pandeiro | Charles Abramovic, piano
Dolce Suono Ensemble, Trinity Center for Urban Life, Philadelphia, PA

Hour 2

Eduardo di Capua: O sole mio
Apollo Chamber Players
Album: European Folkscapes
Navona Records 5941

Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Vesa-Matti Leppanen, violin
Andrew Thomson, violin
Tom Higman, viola
Alexandra Partridge, cello
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra | Gemma New, conductor
Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington, New Zealand

Pierre Jalbert: L'esprit du Nord (Spirit of the North)
Apollo Chamber Players
Apollo Chamber Players, Midtown Arts and Theater Center (MATCH),  Houston, TX

Arturo Marquez: Danzon No. 2
Aspen Chamber Symphony | Johannes Zahn, conductor
Aspen Music Festival and School, Benedict Music Tent, Aspen, CO