'Wondrous Strange' explores unusual sounds in music

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Wondrous Strange

59:00


October 06, 2021

Meghann Oglesby hosts the new special Wondrous Strange. Whether it's the theremin, octobass or contrabass flute, listeners will explore instruments that are off the beaten track and the musicians who play them. See the playlist below.

Playlist

Wu Man and Kojiro Umezaki: Summer – Wu Man, pipa

Traditional Shona: Chemutengure – Dumisani Maraire and Ephat Mujuru, mbira

Giuseppe Verdi: Dies Irae (excerpt) - Strasbourg Philharmonic/Alain Lombard; Eric Chappell, octobass

John Adams: Harmonielehre (excerpt) – Montreal Symphony Orchestra/Kent Nagano

François Devienne: Theme and Variations, Op. 83 (excerpt) – Austin Howle, tuba; Eric Chappell, octobass

Antonín Dvořák, arr. Long: Symphony No. 9, Mvt IV (excerpt) – Metropolitan Flute Orchestra

Joseph Haydn, arr. Long: London Trio No. 1, Andante – Mariana Gariazzo, Deborah Rebeck Ash, Paige Long, flutes

Paige Long: Metrically Speaking – Flutastique

Berlakovich/Gartmayer/Kaiser/Meinharter/Piringer/Repey/Schloegl/Troyer/Wilhelm/Winkler: In V – The Vegetable Orchestra

Sergei Rachmaninov: Vocalise – Orchestral Ensemble of Brussels/Laurent Beeckmans; Grégoire Blanc, theremin

Erik Satie: Gymnopedie No. 3 (excerpt) – Grégoire Blanc, theremin, musical saw, synthesizers

Aleks Schurmer: Let’s Dance Anyway – Aleks Schurmer, piano; Grégoire Blanc, theremin

Harry Partch: Study on Olympus’ Pentatonic (excerpt) – Harry Partch Ensemble

Harry Partch: Cloud Chamber Music – Harry Partch, Ben Johnston, Betty Johnston, Donald Pippin, Bill Snead

Boston Typewriter Orchestra: The Revolution Will Not Be Typewritten (excerpt) – Boston Typewriter Orchestra

Leroy Anderson: The Typewriter Song – St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin

Francis Poulenc: Les Chemins de l’amour – Grégoire Blanc, theremin; Laurent Beeckmans, piano; Nicolas Deletaille, cello