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.
Pianist Andras Schiff joins the Budapest Festival Orchestra today for Dvorak's only piano concerto, with Ivan Fischer at the podium. It's a rare treat to hear a relatively unknown work by a famous composer, brought to life by one of the hottest pianists working today, in the composer's native country. You won't want to miss it.
When the Washington National Cathedral approached him to write a new work, Dominick Argento said no. He was grieving the death of his wife, and was done composing. They persisted, suggesting he write a memorial for his wife. The result was "Evensong - Of Love and Angels." Today we'll go to the premiere performance of Argento's loving tribute to his wife.
Pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard's career is on the upswing. He's been busy making a name for himself with some great concerts lately. His recording of Bach's "Art of the Fugue" is a hot seller. Today we'll hear him in a performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
Of all the works Max Bruch wrote, his most popular by far is his first violin concerto. Bruch himself was a little annoyed that the concerto seemed to eclipse his other works. Today we'll bring you a performance of the concerto with violinist Gil Shaham and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Mariss Jansons conducts.
Cellist Alban Gerhardt shares his thoughts on his performances with listeners through his blog - even his self-doubts. That kind of openness is a rarity these days. We'll hear a stunning peformance of Gerhardt performing Robert Schumann's cello concerto, from a concert with the KBS Symphony in Seoul, South Korea.
Today we'll feature two performances of the Budapest Festival Orchestra led by conductor Ivan Fischer. Fischer founded the group, and this year is their 25th anniversary. We'll hear works by Sarasate and Brahms from a concert at the Edinburgh Festival featuring the happy couple - Fischer and his band from Budapest.
Conductor Valery Gergiev is a hot commodity. He's one of the busiest conductors around, always in high demand. With four regular conducting gigs, he's been called the "hardest working man in show biz." Today we'll hear him conduct the London Symphony Orchestra in music from Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony from London's Barbican Hall.
Pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard's career is on the upswing. He's been busy making a name for himself with some great concerts lately. His recording of Bach's "Art of the Fugue" is a hot seller. Today we'll hear him in a performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
Today, we'll hear the king of instruments in the hands of a master. Organist Paul Jacobs joins the Pacific Symphony for a performance of Camille Saint-Saens' Organ Symphony from the Orange County Performing Arts Center in California. The occasion marked the debut of that new instrument -- all 4,322 pipes of it.
