Extra Eclectic

As composer Jessie Montgomery spent time thinking about 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' she wondered, 'What does an anthem for the 21st century sound like in today's multicultural environment?' Find out about the resulting work on Extra Eclectic, with Steve Seel.

Composer Jake Runestad says that each movement of his "American Triptych" expresses an "our human connection with the natural world," through the words of Henry David Thoreau, Wendell Berry, and John Muir. It's one of three choral works on this week's show, in addition to pieces by Dobrinka Tabakova and Cary Ratcliff.

From the speed of light to the flickering of a match, Steve Seel features several works touching on the theme of "light" on this week's show, including Philip Glass' "The Light," Einojuhani Rautavaara's "Into the Heart of Light" and a selection from David Lang's "The Little Match Girl Passion." Steve also plays works from Tan Dun, Arvo Part, and more.

The title of Olivier Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time" refers both to the Apocalypse and to the way the composer, through rhythm and harmony, approached the concept of time in a way that was completely original. Messiaen wrote the work while in a prisoner of war camp during World War II, and Steve Seel features it on this week's program as part of our observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Host Steve Seel says Judd Greenstein's "Change" is almost the definition of the perfect piece of modern classical music: unafraid to use modern instruments like electric guitar, but also firmly rooted in tradition. It's a composition that's bristling with activity, and especially, optimism. Steve features "Change" on this week's program, in addition to works by Meredith Monk, Monty Adkins, Derek Charke, and much more.

It's a return to a favorite topic this week: the sky and the stars. Scott Blankenship guest-hosts a program featuring John Luther Adams' "Sky With Endless Stars," Robert Morris' "Stars of Highest Magnitude," Eriks Esendvalds' "Stars," and Veljo Tormis' "Clouds Are Racing." In the second hour, music by the late Harold Budd, and a piece by David Lang inspired by the principle of "musical DNA."

Which composer down through history has provided the most inspiration for the composers of our time and their works? Bach? Arnold Schoenberg? Philip Glass? You just might be surprised how much Beethoven has been a boon to the music of the 20th and 21st century. As we celebrate the groundbreaking innovations of one of history's great artists on this 250th anniversary of his birth, Steve Seel has a look at how contemporary composers have taken up his themes, ideas, and melodies in their own works.

Evan Ziporyn is known both as a composer and bass clarinetist. He's been teaching that instrument for years, and he says the act of teaching and playing along with his students got him thinking of drill sergeants: how they always seem to be working just as hard as their recruits, running along with them, exhorting and cajoling, but never really asking them to do things he himself couldn't or wouldn't do. Thus, "Drill" is the name of the work by Ziporyn that Steve Seel features on this week's show.

Composer Michael Torke says he loves learning about new kinds of music to inform his own composing. But misunderstanding those musical genres can often be just as fruitful. That's where "weird kinds of unintentional results can happen," he says, and a great example is his latest work, "Being," which is inspired by Torke's exploration of electronic dance music. Steve Seel features selections from Torke's new work on this edition of the show.

The fantastically gifted pianist Keith Jarrett recently announced that he suffered not one but two debilitating strokes in 2018, effectively putting an end to his incredible performing career that has crossed boundaries of jazz, classical, and more. But it likely hasn't silenced him as a composer. Steve Seel showcases one of Jarrett's compositions for orchestra on this week's show, with a hopeful eye toward a career that still isn't over yet.