Extra Eclectic

When John Adams decided to write a saxophone concerto, he first listened to some that previous composers had written, but he found that they didn't speak to him. Instead, he decided he'd get out his favorite jazz records for inspiration - from Charlie Parker and Eric Dophy to Wayne Shorter. The result was a concerto that was influenced more by jazz than classical music. Steve plays Adams' work and some others that have prominent rhythmic elements or "dance" themes in this week's episode (beginning the program with a piece by Andre Previn, who died this week at the age of 89).

Steve Seel showcases the play between light and shadow, with contemporary classical works on those themes. Nocturnes and night travels contrast with works like "The Light" by Philip Glass, and he's even got a piece called "Shadow Light" by Elena Rhuer that touches on both ideas. Plus, does the phrase "desert island" conjure up images of sunlight and palm trees in your imagination? Well, what does it feel like to be stranded on a desert island ... at night? Erkki-Sven Tuur's "Insula Deserta" suggests what it might be like to be shipwrecked after the sun goes down.

Oftentimes, when the air is chilly, the sky is clear. And so it can be possible to enjoy some good star-gazing ... as long as your skin can take the cold. On this episode, Steve Seel features modern classical works on themes of stars and heavenly observation ... from "Polaris" by Thomas Ades to Joel Pucket's "The Shadow of Sirius" to the gorgeous "Musica Celestis" by Aaron Jay Kernis and more. In the second hour, Steve explores new classical works on the subject of love, in honor of Valentine's Day.