Performance Today®

American composer John Cage cut a deep swath through the musical landscape in the last century. To modernists, he was a pioneer, a revolutionary thinker. To traditionalists, he was a madman who wrote baffling music. John Cage was born 100 years ago today. We'll celebrate his centennial with a sample of some of his music, and hear how this philosopher of sound influenced those who came after him.

Innovative American composer John Cage would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year. One of his most influential pieces is called 4'33." PT host Fred Child spoke with author Kyle Gann about how this relatively short piece of music changed everything that came after it.

Johannes Brahms wasn't exactly known for writing great xylophone parts. Or any xylophone parts, for that matter. But Arnold Schoenberg apparently thought that was just what Brahms needed. He orchestrated a Brahms piano quartet, and included a juicy part for the xylophone in the last movement. And he threw out the piano part entirely. Just a couple of the "improvements" in a wild, sometimes wacky, and ultimately very satisfying makeover by Arnold Schoenberg. We'll hear it, from a concert in New York.

Technically, it doesn't happen for another couple of weeks. But for most of us, this day marks the unofficial end of summer. After today, the picnic baskets, sunscreen, and beach towels can go back in the closet. Time to start hunting for socks and scarves and anything made of flannel. We'll celebrate Labor Day today with a couple of portraits of autumn by Antonio Vivaldi and Astor Piazzolla. And an ode to the American worker, Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man."

Historically, the residents of Great Britain haven't always gotten along. Scotland and England, in particular, have a long and bloody history together. But never mind all that. There was a very friendly Scottish invasion in London recently. Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, Scottish conductor Donald Runnicles, and the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland gave a concert at the Proms. We'll hear highlights, including Benedetti playing Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy.

Like a seasoned antique hunter with a nose for overlooked gems, conductor JoAnn Falletta has a real knack for bringing hidden treasures to light. In today's show, Falletta leads the Buffalo Philharmonic in Franz Schreker's "Prelude to a Drama." Schreker is largely forgotten today, but was an important opera composer in the early 20th century. Schreker's "Prelude to a Drama" comes from his opera "The Marked Ones."

Is it a stupendous work of art, a shameless piece of self-promotion, or a mockery of the music business? Maybe it's all three. "Ein Heldenleben,""A Hero's Life," by (and about) Richard Strauss. Strauss told a friend "I don't see why I shouldn't write a symphony about myself. I find myself as interesting as Napoleon." Whether you take the grandiose plot seriously or see it as Strauss poking fun at his critics, it's an astonishing and entertaining piece. Bernard Haitink conducts the Chicago Symphony, in concert at Orchestra Hall in Chicago.

Historically, the residents of Great Britain haven't always gotten along. Scotland and England, in particular, have a long and bloody history together. But never mind all that. There was a very friendly Scottish invasion in London recently. Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, Scottish conductor Donald Runnicles, and the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland gave a concert at the Proms. We'll hear highlights, including Benedetti playing Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy.

Where does genius come from? Sometimes, it seems to be a combination of nature and nurture. And yet, there are great musicians who seem to spring from out of nowhere. Pianist Rudolf Buchbinder was a child prodigy who was raised in a non-musical household, a place where the family piano was nothing more than a piece of furniture. In today's show, Buchbinder plays a Beethoven sonata, from a concert in Germany.