CONTEMPORARY MUSIC, PIANO AND ME

Since my sophomore year at Trenton State College (now College of New Jersey) I have had a fatal attraction to contemporary music against my parents’ wishes.  I often wonder if that was my way to escape to a place, where I could be myself without their interference, since they totally disapproved contemporary music.

During that year I heard for the first time a live performance of Olivier Messiaen’s “La Nativité du Seigneur” with organist Albert Ludecke, who had a profound influence on developing my musical taste during college days.

No, I never played the organ, but thanks to him I became very interested in 20^th Century French organ repertoire and composers such as Marcel Dupré, Charles Tournemire, Jehan Alain, Maurice Duruflé and many others.  That led to my research into the repertoire by those composers and into the discovery of a variety of their piano works.

I will never forget my excitement when I found and purchased a copy of the “Préludes” of Olivier Messiaen, four of which I included on my college senior recital. As I recall, these pieces received the biggest applause at my recital.

Olivier Messiaen is almost a regular fixture on many recitals now, but years ago his music was not.

This led later to more discoveries of piano repertoire like the wonderful set of 12 “Préludes-poèmes” by Charles Tournemire – something between the music of Debussy and Messiaen.  The interesting thing about this music was that some of it was written on 4 or more staves!

Through the years, I performed a number of these as well as the original piano version of Marcel Dupré popular organ work “Cortège and Litanie, Op. 19, No. 2” and of course, much Messiaen.

My master’s thesis at the Manhattan School of Music was of course, devoted to the music of one of the 20^th century French organists and titled “A Seventy-Fifth Birthday Tribute to Maurice Durufle.” I still have 2 letters I treasure, written to me by the composer.

My fascination with obscure contemporary music continued when I discovered the music of Alan Hovhaness. This eventually led to the meeting and my friendship with the composer as well as to doctoral dissertation on a number of piano sonatas, and later 2 recordings of his piano music. I am planning in the near future to go more deeply into the subject of Hovhaness and my feeling about the very disappointing centennial year tributes.

From the time I turned my world upside down by researching piano music by French composers, I have that strange feeling, similar to hunger, that forces me to look for obscure music, almost to the point of obsession (at least my wife thinks so). When I see an exciting première recording coming out I almost get the shakes from all the excitement.

I do not know if I would be who I am without good music education and inspiring teachers. My interest in music has expanded in many different directions, and I do know that some of my interests have changed over the years. I might not care much now about music I loved before and vice versa.  Sometimes I must listen to a new work a few times before I like it, and I almost never reject anything permanently.  I am also evolving and a few years later I might change my opinion.

We should always try to remember that some of the musical warhorses of today were given poor reviews when they were first presented.

Regardless of what I am teaching, I always remember my teachers, what they did for me, and what I liked about them.  I might be the first to open the door of knowledge and encourage young students to discover the world of new music, the world I am so passionate about.

My students must learn repertoire from all periods, but I rarely see excitement when I hand them a new piece of Mozart or Schubert.  I know that eventually they may possibility learn to love this music, but for now I let them love the music of today such as that by Jennifer Castellano, René Eespere, Ludovico Einaudi, Philip Glass, Jaan Rääts, Yoichi Togawa, and the works of other living composers.

One of my young students confessed to me that after learning a piano work by Einaudi, he downloaded 20 different tracks of his music to his IPod. Not Lady Gaga but Einaudi? I was very excited to see this.

I enjoy seeing young faces when they shake the hand of a young composer (someone they can relate to) who wrote a work they just played.  I do remember how my student reacted after finding out the year a composer wrote a work she was playing. “Wow, I was 8 years old when this work was written.”

This is why new repertoire must be introduced to young students if we want them to step into 21st Century.

Whether I present, my Classical Discoveries program, a lecture or a piano recital, people are always asking me why we do not hear more music of our time. I know that only through exposure  you can change a person’s general opinion, but I also know that this is a rather complicated issue. Sometimes I do not know what to say to people without hurting their feelings.

The hardest thing for me is to understand why some people are so inflexible and closed-minded and are not willing to open their mind and ears, and accept the fact that there is much more to music than Mozart and Schubert. The answer may simply be is that people are comfortable only with the familiar.

These are typical comments I hear when strangers find out what I am doing:

•      A.   I hate new music!
•      Q.    When was the last time you heard music you hated?
•      A.  O! In the seventies or eighties and now I never go to any new music concerts.
•      Q.  That was many years ago. If you never heard any recently how do you know if you will still hate it?
•      A.   No one can be better than Beethoven, Mozart or Tchaikovsky.
  
•      Q.   Do you ever listen to recordings of new music?
•      A.   No, I would not give this crap a chance, and all new music is crap!!!
•      Q.    If you try just a little, you may change your opinion and like it.
•      A .  No way.

It sounds like talking to the wall, but what is interesting, is that some of those non-believers have actually changed their mind. There was a commercial many years ago which included the phrase “Try it, you’ll like it.”  Maybe this should be the phrase to try to encourage listeners to give new music a chance?

A few weeks ago I presented a workshop “21^st Century Piano Literature’ for the “Piano Teachers Forum” in Central New Jersey.  I performed and discussed new works from all over the world for all levels of piano students.

This is briefly what I wrote in my introduction to the list of recommended works for piano students:

I have been disturbed by the general lack of interest in the music of our time, for not only the piano, but for other instruments and ensembles as well.  Over the years, after speaking to some of my colleagues, I realized that it was not a lack of interest, but rather a lack of exposure. I have acquired many interesting recordings from all over the world for my radio program and have also received from composers some of their piano works for my personal use, due to my interest in contemporary piano literature. I am very happy to share some of that music with you.  In earlier centuries new music was greatly supported and I hope that this trend will eventually return.  I know that my students are very excited about playing music composed during their lifetime.

Based on the reaction during and after the presentation, as well as e-mails I received, the participating teachers were very excited about this workshop. Hopefully, some of the attending teachers will share this excitement about new music with their students. It is important for musicians and teachers to support the music of living composers.

I will be presenting 2 more workshops featuring 21^st Century Piano Repertoire in the beginning of February. This time they will be with this year’s commissioned composer for “New Jersey Music Teachers Association (NJMTA), Jennifer Castellano. Jennifer will perform her own compositions and discuss her challenges as a visually and hearing-impaired musician. Jennifer (the second half of the Rosen – Castellano Duo) and I will be recording a CD of contemporary works for piano four-hands during the summer and will be presenting a few of these works during the upcoming workshops. The workshops will also include my performances of new piano repertoire as well, that I also intend to record soon.

 

 

If you are in the neighborhood of Princeton or Willow Grove and wish to attend as a guest either of those workshops please contact me at: marvinarosen@gmail.com

Music and copyright by Jennifer Castellano

René Eespere:

Ludus Tactus (2008)

Yuko Yoshioka, Piano

Music: Yoichi Togawa
“Kaze no ha”for Piano
Piano: Yoshiko Takase

Two Theremins and a Laptop

I only have occasional guests on my programs since I am only on the air once a week, however the beginning of this year already looks very exciting.

In March, during the 9^th annual series “In Praise of Woman”, Tania León and Roxana Panufnik will join me live in the WPRB studio.

Also, next Wednesday, January 11, at 10:00am till 12:30pm I will host the young Polish composer, living now in USA, Jakub Ciupiński, aka Żak, whom I discovered some months ago on Google while searching materials on the first electronic instrument, the Theremin.

It just happens that Jakub actually built a modern version – a system out of two Theremins and a laptop with his own software to perform live electronic music.

I hope you can check this really cool video:

I know that I do not need any excuse to present any specials on my program. I do love to prepare these, especially when I have occasional foreign guests.

John Psathas was my guest on “IN THE LAND OF KIWI” – A MUSICAL VOYAGE TO NEW ZEALAND, Ross Edwards joined me on “CLASSICAL DISCOVERIES GOES OUTBACK “ 
Musical Voyage to Australia and Ēriks Ešenvalds was a guest of  FROM RIGA WITH LOVE – Musical Voyage to LATVIA

 

I have regrets that I could not do a whole Serbian program with Aleksandra Vrebalov this past summer, unfortunately, my Serbian music collection on CD is a bit on the small side.

Since Jakub Ciupiński is Polish, my program for next week will be titled “POLISH MUSIC BEYOND CHOPIN AND GORECKI”.

Anyone who listens to Classical Discoveries knows that I have a weakness for music from Eastern Europe and the Baltic region.  The music of Poland however has a special place for me since my wife was born there and introduced me to this wonderful country and it’s arts, music and of course, it’s food.

I am not going dwell much on the subject of Polish music since I devoted time to it last summer.

So, get ready for more Polish music on Classical Discoveries from 5:30am till 10:00am and some Avant-Garde at 12:30pm till 1:00pm.

From 10:00am till 12:30pm there will be talk and much music by my guest. Since Ciupiński is a very diversified composer who writes in all styles from traditional classical to pop/world, and electronic, his music will be perfect for both programs, “Classical Discoveries” and “Classical Discoveries Goes Avant-Garde.”

 

As I mentioned before, Polish music is very common on my weekly programs and below are some links to various playlists that focused partially or were totally devoted  to works of Polish composers.

Some other programs devoted to Polish music: 01-11-2012 – Polish Music Beyond Chopin and Górecki – 2012 Edition 10-26-2011 – Spotlight on Andrzej Panufnik 06-15-2011- From The Baltic Sea To The Tatra Mountain – Part 2 06-13-2011 - From The Baltic Sea To The Tatra Mountain- Part 1 05-08-2011 - Marta Ptaszyńska – Opera, Pan Marimba 10-27-2010 and 08-15-2007 – A MUSICAL PORTRAIT OF POLISH COMPOSER WOJCIECH KILAR  05-26-2010 – Musical Portrait Of Stanisław Sylwester Szarzyński 11-08-2009 – Polish Moods – Classical Discoveries Goes Jazz 06-05-2009 - Paweł Łukaszewski – A Musical Portrait 08-06-2008 - From The Baltic Sea To The Tatra Mountain – Millennium of Polish Music 09-07-2007  and 08-31-2007 – Warsaw Autum – The 50th Anniversary 05-24-2006 - The Glorous Sounds Of Polish Baroque 09-01-2004 – Polish Music Beyond Chopin and Górecki – 3 08-22-2004 – Krzysztof Penderecki – Opera, Ubu Rex 03-26-2003 – Polish Music Beyond Chopin and Górecki – 2 12-16-2001 – Moniuszko, Stanisław – Opera, Haunted Manor 09-02-2001 – Moniuszko, Stanisław – Opera, Halka 05-01-2001 - Polish Music Beyond Chopin and Górecki – 1

 

VIVA 21ST CENTURY MUSIC

In late November of 2003, when I piled up CD’s for my WPRB winter break specials, the idea of a new program with music from the 21st century started to take shape. I did not have many new music recordings for my first program, but managed to mix the ones I had with some of my favorite earlier selections.

Flute - Courtesy: Azerbaijani Artist Namig Mammadov at: AZgallery.org

The end of the 20th century was very disappointing to me for various reasons. At that time I stopped listening to classical radio and going to live concerts with a few exceptions. Heavily advertised musical tributes to 20th century music presented mainly 80-90 year old warhorses. There is so much more to music of that period.

How I dreamed to hear  performances of symphonies by Henry Cowell, Harrison, Hovhaness and other American composers, live in the Academy of Music with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Not even one of them was represented in those tributes, nor as I recall any woman composer. It was like the clock stopped  after the 1^st half of the 20^th century.

My second program was 100 percent devoted to new music, but I had never imagined that 9 years later I would be able to present a continuous 24-hour program of 21^st century music. I actually could do at least 4-5 more marathons, judging from the piles I am looking at right now.  I will take a rain check on those however!

Marathons?  It is all Jon’s fault. I am referring to Jon Solomon – WPRB legend, and veteran of the Christmas Marathons, of which this year will be his 24^th.

When in 2007 I realized that my 5 plus hours would not let me present all of what I wanted, I looked  to Jon for inspiration and decided to give it a try. Here I am 4 years later getting ready for my 5th Winter Marathon joining the ranks of radio broadcaster junkies.

I must admit, that all suggestions on how to survive 24 hours on the air I received from Jon.  One more thing I do is that I treat myself to acupuncture a few hours before the Marathon. The hardest thing for me is to keep off bread for 24 hours!!  I love a good loaf of sour dough!!!

If you are curious, I never nap during the time I am on the air so, if anyone wants to call me when the music is playing please do so at 609-258-1033. I will need the support of my audience and friends, especially during late at night and the early morning hours when I will be totally alone. Also, if you are in the neighborhood, please visit me. The more action in the studio I have, the easier it will be for me to survive the 24 hours of madness.

This 9th Annual program is the 5th, 24-Hour Marathon totally devoted to new music composed in the 21st century. It will start on:

Monday, December 26, 2011 at 1:00pm and will end: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 1:00pm

 

In a few days you will find some featured composers listed on the home page of the Classical Discoveries website at: http://www.classicaldiscoveries.org/  and on the Facebook Event Page at: https://www.facebook.com/events/124098904372882/

VIVA 21ST CENTURY – INTERNATIONAL EDITION  - 24-HOUR LIVE WPRB RADIO BROADCAST

The program will air on WPRB 103.3 FM Princeton and on the Internet around the world at:
http://www.wprb.com/listen.php
http://listen.wprb.com/pls
http://listen.wprb.com/ram
http://listen.wprb.com/asx

For Internet listeners link to excellent Time Zone Converter: http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc

Other 24-hour new music Marathons

12-27/28-2009 – 24-hour Marathon – WOMEN COMPOSERS EDITION
09-08/09-2009 – 24-hour Marathon – AMERICAN EDITION
12-26/27-2008 – 24-hour Marathon – INTERNATIONAL EDITION
12-27/28-2007 – 24-hour Marathon – INTERNATIONAL EDITION

I hope that you can catch at least part of the WPRB Marathon madness.

Viva 21^st Century, Viva New Music, and Viva Living Composers!!!

CHRISTMAS TRILOGY AND OTHER JINGLES

I promised my friends last year that any time I have special events on Classical Discoveries I would post them in my blog. So far, I have generally not kept my promise. Maybe this would be a good New Year’s resolution?

I am a nice Jewish boy who gets excited about all my Christmas specials. Yes, I do!!

Well, not only Christmas specials.  After all, I present Jewish inspired music for Hanukkah, black composers for Kwanzaa and one of my favorites, Shall We Dance – a really fun show just before the New Year. If there were any Muslim holidays, at this time, I would have a special for that occasion also. For me there are no religious, cultural or social barriers. I just love all kinds of music.

I am not mentioning now my VIVA 21^ST Century marathon since I am hoping to write a separate blog about it.

So this is how it goes.

I added some links from earlier specials. If you never heard any of these, you will get a good idea and to what I do and figure out why I am so excited about these programs. Also, please check my website before each show for more details at: http://www.classicaldiscoveries.org

Wednesday, December 14, 2011 - from 5:30 till 11:00am and from 11:00am till 1:00pm – the 15th Annual program: 

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD

http://www.classicaldiscoveries.org/playlist20101215c_s.html

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - from 5:30 till 8:30am – the 7th Annual program

CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA

Devoted to music for the holiday season by American composers

http://www.classicaldiscoveries.org/playlist20101220s.html

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - from 8:30 till 11:00am –

DURME, DURME

Title of this program inspired by the beautiful Sephardic lullaby. Music of Jewish inspiration to celebrate Hanukkah

Wednesday, December 21, 2011 – from 5:30 till 1:00pm – the 15th Annual program 

A MEDIEVAL, RENAISSANCE AND BAROQUE CHRISTMAS – part 1

Lesser-known works of early music works celebrating the holiday, as well as some of my favorites.

http://www.classicaldiscoveries.org/playlist20101222s.html

I hope that listeners of my avant-garde show will forgive me for skipping this week’s show.  However, who can resist beautiful early music at the time when the world is lit with millions of Christmas lights.

Saturday, December 24, 2011 - from 5:30 till 9:00am

A MEDIEVAL, RENAISSANCE AND BAROQUE CHRISTMAS – part 2

Monday, December 26, 2011 – 1:00pm till Tuesday, December 27, 2011 – 1:00pm

VIVA 21ST CENTURY – 24 HOUR LIVE RADIO MARATHON

More about this in my next blog

Al Compas de un Tango (To the beat of a tango)- Courtesy: Artist Lesley Mitchell

Wednesday, December 28, 2011 - from 5:30 till 11:00am and from 11:00am till 1:00pm – the 15th Annual program -

SHALL WE DANCE   and SHALL WE DANCE – AVANT-GARDE EDITION

Please put on your dancing shoes and costumes, because this show will be fun.

http://www.classicaldiscoveries.org/playlist20101229c_s.html

Saturday, December 31, 2010 - from 5:30 till 9:00am – the 8th Annual -

MUSIC FOR KWANZAA

 Kwanzaa Celebration with music by black composers.

http://www.classicaldiscoveries.org/playlist20101219s.html

That is all for now. I hope that you will be able to tune at least to some of those specials and please remember that WPRB 103.3FM is heard all over the world at http://www.wprb.com/listen.php

I wish you all a Healthy and Happy Holiday Season and New Year.

My radio hero “Diamond Jim”

Jim and Marvin, Dec. 05, 2006

I cannot believe how fast time goes. I will always remember however, December 5^th, 2006 when I met for the first time my radio hero, Jim Nettleton, so-called “Diamond Jim”.

He had a 50-year career in radio working for WFIL and WOGL (Philadelphia), WABC (New York) and many other stations and just started a 50’s/60’s Oldies Internet station.

My interest in possible  involvement with something similar for new music, like my program at WPRB, prompted me to search the Internet.

In 2006, on the Sunday morning after Thanksgiving, I found his email address on the Internet and wrote to him with questions about Internet radio, not expecting much.

Within hours I received a response and an invitation for lunch.

Since he lived not far away we met for lunch at a local restaurant. I was very nervous and remember standing near the restaurant’s entrance wondering if I would recognize him. When he walked in, I knew immediately and said to myself “Oh my God, that’s him!! That’s Jim Nettleton.”

From the first moments of our meeting I felt that I knew him in person for years. We talked about Internet radio and his career as well as music. We talked about not only popular music, but also jazz, bluegrass and to my surprise – classical. Like me, he hated to categorize music.

The lack of creativity on many homogeneous  radio stations disturbed him. He said something to me I will always remember,  “Unpredictability is entertainment.”

How true it is, regardless of what radio format one listens to.  His vision for rock and roll stations was the same as mine for classical.

After that meeting we kept in touch by e-mails and occasional lunches.  The last time I communicated with him was in 2009, only a little over a month before his death.  At that time he was going through a number of tests while being optimistic, we were planning meet again soon. I was hoping that he would be the DJ for my recent high school reunion.

His death hit me very hard. I do miss  his voice on the radio and am very sorry that I didn’t contact him sooner. I guess I was just afraid that he would ignore me.

When I presented Jim’s memorial tribute on Classical Discoveries, I had a hard time controlling my voice.

Since Jim also did Voiceovers, I still occasionally hear his voice on television.

You can read more about Jim and his incredible career and listen to his glorious  reading  of “Yes, Virginia”.  Just perfect nostalgia for the upcoming holidays.

“Yesterday” – In Memory of Jim Nettleton on Classical Discoveries

Music of the Americas for Thanksgiving

I have not been keeping up with my blog at all. I really do not know where and how fast my time goes. I get too involved with each blog subject and have no time to finish and post it.

I envy people that constantly write about different issues, have time to attend wonderful new music evening concerts and do a variety of other things. I am thinking about getting Dragon Dictate to speed up my writing. Unfortunately I always miss concerts and events because of my teaching schedule.

I am bit sentimental about Thanksgiving, not because of the boring family dinners in an overpriced, snobbish restaurant outside of Atlantic City with the air conditioner running full steam and my wife turning to icicles, but because of my Thanksgiving specials that in my early years at WPRB actually aired on Thursdays.

My first Thanksgiving at WPRB, 15 years ago had all characteristics of my current program as well as the same title “Music of the Americas”. I never imagined that 15 years later I would prepare for the same show.

Driving to Atlantic City each holiday (before CD players were in the car) was very uninspiring, since I relied only on the radio at that time.

Yes, we had at least 3-4 stations within the listening range, but changing the dial did not help the situation. Each station played the same popular warhorses with an occasional token of Americana. In fact each Thanksgiving morning between 4-5 am while driving to Princeton from Pennsylvania I hard exactly the same works.

After 4 years of listening to same stuff, I switched to WOGL in Philadelphia with the hope to hear the golden voice of Jim Nettleton, my major inspiration in radio. It is hard for me to believe that he is gone for over 2 years!

A big diversion after my show on the way to dinner was a stop at the old good Tower Records in Cherry Hill, despite the fact that each year the classical section was constantly shrinking. Over the years, I purchased quite few wonderful CD’s. Yes, great memories!  I think that the only thing that inspired me to go to the boring family dinner was the fact that there would be a stop at Tower on the way.

When I got my first 6 hour Thanksgiving special actually on Thursday, (because all students went home for holidays), I decided to devote my whole program to music of the American Continent and yes, classical music aired on WPRB until noon.

Why the Music of the Americas on such a nationalistic holiday? I always played much American music but I thought that Thanksgiving should be a celebration of the continent where the first pilgrims made their home at the beginning of a new nation.

I guess my decision made many people very happy since the phone was often ringing until the end of the program with inquiries about repertoire.

I still remember a phone call from a Boston listener visiting her family. Yes, that was a 2 years before I got an e-mail address, 4 years before my website was born, and 7 years before the WPRB playlist was added.

I miss those phone calls, telling me about cooking preparations, visiting family members and other exciting things.

Most listeners now just check WPRB or my playlist and do not care to talk to me anymore. Oh, well, I guess I am dull!! The technology somehow prevents people from close and more personal contacts.

So here I am again for my 15^th annual Thanksgiving program with one difference, 2 hours of Avant-Garde and electronic music for those of you with a taste for it.

It might not be on Thursday, but it shares the same holiday spirit celebrating music by all the wonderful composers of the American Continent.

My Thanksgiving holiday is different now. All my family is gone and we will be spending the holiday with good friends. Unexpectedly I got an invitation to spend Thanksgiving in the Pennsylvania Dutch County. I know it will be not boring like those old family dinners.  Time for a few pieces of shoofly pie!! Actually, since I love it so much I will probably bring a couple of them home!! Yum, Yum!!!!

A safe and Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

• If you tune this Wednesday at 5:30am  to WPRB 103.3Fm Princeton NJ or on  your computer at:  http://www.wprb.com/listen.php  you will hear the Classical Discoveries annual tradition before Thanksgiving – Music Of The Americas.

WE REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11

NY Firemen

It is incredible how certain events in life can put an imprint on the brain so that you can remember them for years to come.

I do remember the moment in WPRB at 10 am, September 11, 2001 when I received a phone call  from my wife telling me what was happening.

Since no emergency broadcast system was working and no phone calls went through until her phone call, I had been totally unaware what was happening.

I faced the most difficult moment in my life trying to finish the last hour of my show. It was so ironical that my program was that day titled East Meets West, and intended to promote peace and the mutual understanding of music from different cultures.

It was even more difficult for me since my cousin’s husband worked for Cantor Fitzgerald. Later that day, to my relief, I found out that he was away on a business trip and was not in New York.

Back at home I was not able to do anything. Glued to the the television with tears in my eyes and chills going through my bones, I was overwhelmed with grief and hoping to hear about survivors.

Two days later, during my 5-hour musical tribute to the fallen, I shut the music off in the studio when it was playing because I would have cried on the air.

I selected the saddest and most tragic music I could find to match my feelings, like Giya Kancheli’s “Mourned By the Wind”, Jón Leifs  Requiem, Wojciech Kilar’s  Requiem Father Kolbe, which I coincidently presented 4 years earlier on my first Classical Discoveries program.  I received many phone calls at that time asking about that incredible work.

After that, four special tributes followed with a special 5th anniversary program, totally devoted to works written from 2001 till 2006 in memory of the victims of 9/11.

Kilar - September Symphony

Since the fifth anniversary of 9/11, I have aired many new works written in memory of the victims.

Robert Moran’s Trinity Requiem received its world première broadcast just a couple of weeks ago and written for the famous Trinity Church which survived despite all the collapsed buildings around it.

The idea of a 24-hour 9/11 Marathon came to my head when I started a series of New Music marathons of 21st century music a few years ago.

Elodie Lauten - S.O.S.W.T.C

Originally I intended to invite different people for talk between the music. I later decided that the best way to speak is through the musical language of composers, since each has a personal story behind their music.

This tragedy inspired more composers than any other historical event in our history. Most people on Earth could see the events of that day unfolding in front of their eyes, making it more difficult to forget.

Joseph Schwantner

During the 24 hours of the Marathon you will hear many works submitted by composers specifically for this event.  I want to thank Sequenza 21 and International Alliance for Women Composers as well as other websites who supported this call for recordings.

During the marathon there will be some works being broadcast for the first time as well many works presented on my program before such as the September Symphony by Wojciech Kilar that I presented for the first time in June, 2004, Elodie Lauten’s complete electronic work S.O.S.W.T.C., and Stephen Hartke’s Symphony No. 3 just to mention a few as well as an encore presentation of Robert Moran’s Trinity Requiem.

Moran - Trinity Requiem

I know that this event will be a very difficult for me and every one else, but I do not know any other way I could commemorate this tragic happening, but with music.

If you are on Facebook, you can sign on the special Marathon Event Page – WE REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11

Closer to the Marathon you will find more information on the home page of the Classical Discoveries website.

CLASSICAL DISCOVERIES 24 – HOUR  MARATHON

WE REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11

starts: 
SATURDAY, September 10, 2011 – 7:00 PM

ends: 
 SUNDAY, September 11, 2011 – 7:00 PM

on WPRB 103.3FM Princeton and on Internet at:

http://listen.wprb.com/pls

http://listen.wprb.com/ram

http://listen.wprb.com/asx

http://www.wprb.com/listen.php

For those who are curious what I did before here is a playlist from the 5th Anniversary broadcast

• ”IN MEMORIUM OF THE VICTIMS OF 9/11”

Margaret Brouwer (USA) –  - Lament
Craig Armstrong (USA) – World Trade Center Cello Theme from the Oliver Stone Film “World Trade Center
Robert Sirota (USA) – Triptych
Alla Pavlova (Russia/USA) – “Lullaby for the Twins” from “Old New York Nostalgia”
Charles Camilleri (Malta) – Dirge 11.09.01
Lee McQuillan (USA) – Romanza for Violin and Orchestra, “Into Troubled Times” (A 9/11 Reflection)
Robert Allworth (Australia) – “Saint John Fisher” from “Organ Preludes for Saints and Martyrs”
Stefania De Kenessey (USA) Autumn Elegy
Joseph Schwantner (USA) – September Canticle
Eric Ewazen (USA) – A Hymn for the Lost and the Living
Carl Schroeder (USA) – Christine’s Lullaby
Nancy Bloomer Deussen (USA) – “Et in Terra Pax”
Craig Armstrong – “Elegy” from the Oliver Stone Film, “World Trade Center”
Stephen Chatman (Canada) – Over Thorns to Stars
Carson P. Cooman (USA) – Canticle: Mosaic in Remembrance and Hope
Tyler Goodrich White (USA) – Elegy for the Orphans of Terror
Adolphus Hailstork (USA) – As Falling Leaves
Piotr Grella-Mozejko (Poland/Canada) – Lachrymae (In Memory of September 11, 2001)

Robert Ian Winstin (USA) – September 11, 2001 – 9:05 am
Wojciech Kilar (Poland) – September Symphony

Elodie Lauten (France/USA) – Selections from S.O.S.W.T.C.
Lera Auerbach (Russia) – Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano (Sept. 11)
Stephen Hartke (USA) – Symphony No. 3
Craig Armstrong – “Ethereal” from the Oliver Stone Film, “World Trade Center”

• Playlist from the first memorial on 09/13/2001 -  “MUSIC OF MOURNING”

J.S. Bach – “Preludium” from Cello suite in D minor
Heinrich Ignaz Franz Von Biber – Requiem
Charles Camilleri – Requiem
Arnold Rosner – Five Meditations
John Dowland – Flow My Tears
Alan Hovhaness – Psalm and Fugue
Arvo Part – De Profundis
Wojciech Kilar – “Dona nobis pacem” from “Missa pro pace”
A. Scarlatti – Concerto #2 in C minor

D. Scarlatti – Sonata in B minor, L. 33.
Serge Kaufmann – Yiddish Suite
Peteris Vasks – Cantabile
Anon. 15th Century – Prayer
Maurice Durufle – Requiem
Wojciech Kilar – Requiem Father Kolbe
Claudio Monteverdi – Lamento D’Arianna
Vangelis Petsalis – Adagio for Strings
Zbigniew Preisner – “Lacrimosa” from “Requiem for my Friend”
Frantisek Tuma – Stabat Mater
Robert Starer – Elegy for a Woman Who Died Too Young
Giya Kancheli – “Mourned By the Wind”, Liturgy for viola and orchestra
Jon  Leifs – Requiem

• Links to other tributes on “Classical Discoveries”
  

IN MEMORIUM OF THE VICTIMS OF 9/11 – 09-06-2006

WE REMEMBER – 09/11 MEMORIAL – 09-10-2004

MADE IN THE USA – 09/11 MEMORIAL – 09-10-2003

REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS OF TERRORISM AND WAR – 09-11-2002

MUSIC OF MOURNING – 09-13-2001

Fourteen years already, where did the time go?

The  Classical Discoveries  home page motto is:

“Host and producer Marvin Rosen celebrates new music and living composers all year-long, on the air since May 1997”

The months of May and June are always memorable for me at the time when WPRB shifts into the summer schedule.  This is when, in 1997, I presented my first Classical Discoveries broadcasts.  The Avant-Garde Edition became a regular weekly program in the summer of 2008.

The best way to celebrate this is with music of course – especially with new music  composed from the time Classical Discoveries went on the air.  I am going celebrate my 14^th radio anniversary with a trio of programs with music I love – New Music, Music by American Composers as well as music from the Baltic Region.

• Monday, June 27, 2011 – 5:30 – 11:00 AM – LATVIA – FROM RIGA WITH LOVE – 2^nd  show from Classical  Discoveries Around the World  Summer Travels Series, with special Latvian guest at 8:30.

Riga. View from St Peters Church

View of Riga

Ēriks Ešenvalds - photo by Aivars Krastiņš

I am very excited about this special that will be crowned by the visit of the very talented, young (born in 1977) Latvian composer Eriks Esenvalds, who is known mainly for his choral works but  has written other works including the opera “Joseph Is a Fruitful Bough” (2007).  He is in the USA for a world première of his music by the Philadelphia Chamber Choir “The Crossing.”  Despite his young age, he has received many awards and has had his music performed in many countries around the world.

I am proud to say that his works were broadcast for the first time in the USA on Classical Discoveries.

The other composers that you can expect to hear on the first part of Monday’s program are: Rihards Dubra, Maija Einfelde, Janis Ivanovs, Imants Kalniņš, Juris Karlsons, Arturs Maskats, Georgs Pelecis, Pēteris Vasks, Jāzeps Vītols and Imants Zemzaris plus others.

• Wednesday, June 29, 2011 from 5:30am till 1:00pm

7½ Hours Around the World.

Last year, on June 02, 2010 on a combined edition of both programs, I celebrated the 13th Anniversary of “Classical Discoveries” with a special: 11½ Hours Around the World. 

This year again,  7½ Hours Around the World.

I will present only music written in the last 14 years – the length of time “Classical Discoveries” has been on the air.

And here again, I am trying to prove that we do not have to be scared of new music and that there is so much exciting and wonderful music being written today. There will be some known names for listeners of my show and some totally unknown ones as well.  Included will be music by Robert Aldridge, Eric Biddington, Sylvia Bodorova, Ross Edwards, Gareth Farr, Giya Kancheli, Victoria Poleva, Somei Satoh, Valentin Silvestrov and many more.

 

 

• Monday, July 04, 2011 – 5:30  – 11:00 AM – USA – AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL – 15^th July Fourth Special.

For the last 14 years I have presented one of 2 programs: Viva America – devoted to all American Composers or America the Beautiful – devoted to music describing USA landmarks.

Many composers have been inspired by the wonders and beauty of our country and that will be our theme this year when we travel this time just around the USA.

What can you expect from this special? You will definitely not hear Antonin Dvorak’s America inspired works and  will leave these for other stations.

You will instead hear works by, for example, Nancy Bloomer Deussen, Carson Cooman, Michael Daugherty, Don Gillis, Alan Hovhaness, Michael Mauldin, just to name some.

I hope that you can listen to at least some of these specials. Please check my website for more information closer to the broadcasts as well as Facebook.  It should be a very exciting trilogy. This is definitely a great way to celebrate the beginning of my fifteenth year on the air.

Musical Travel to Poland with Classical Discoveries

 FROM THE BALTIC SEA TO THE TATRA MOUNTAINS

On WPRB 103.3FM and Internet at: http://www.wprb.com/listen.php

Part 1 – Monday,          June 13, 2011   -  5:30 – 11:00am

Part 2 – Wednesday,   June 15, 2011  – 5:30 – 11:00am

and Avant-Garde Edition -  11:00am – 1:00pm

 

 

I always had a weakness for music from Eastern Europe especially Poland, long before I met my Polish born wife. A few trips to Poland help me to beef up my already substantial CD and LP collection and my radio program became a good forum to share these findings with listeners.

I will never forget the first time I heard Penderecki’s Threnody on the radio and how overwhelmed and scared I was. That was my first exposure to Avant-Garde music and opened my eyes (and ears of course!) to a totally different world. Next was Stockhausen’s Momente and Pithoprakta of Xenakis.  Bring on the avant-garde!!

During my 14 years on WPRB I suspect that I have played more Polish composers than possibly any one else in this country and have devoted at least 7 full programs to Polish music.  In addition I have presented Moniuszko’s operas Halka and Straszny Dwor, Ptaszynska’s Pan Miramba and Penderecki’s Ubu Rex.

I keep playlists going back to 2001 and you are welcome to check them out. Some links are below.

08-06-2008 – FROM THE BALTIC SEA TO THE TATRA MOUNTAINS - Millennium of Polish Music
09-01-2004 – POLISH MUSIC BEYOND CHOPIN AND GORECKI – 3
03-26-2003 – POLISH MUSIC BEYOND CHOPIN AND GORECKI – 2
05-01-2001 – POLISH MUSIC BEYOND CHOPIN AND GORECKI – 1

I do not play Chopin (except unusual arrangements) even though I love and perform his music.  He along with others few are well-known here in USA and do not need my support.

Poland is sometimes a misunderstood country, with the preconceived notion that it is just an agricultural country with little culture. Poland actually has one of the oldest Universities in Europe, and the Polish Court was always closer to the West than the East.

Wawel - Royal Castle in Krakow

Some months ago my wife got angry after reading a CD review with music from the Court of Polish Kings. The reviewer was disappointed not to hear any folk and nationalistic tunes in the music. I do understand my wife’s reaction to this comment, after hearing many times snappy remarks that only ham grows in Poland.

This reviewer would not expect to hear traditional tunes in the music from the court of Louis the XIV, and the title of the recording was not “Music from Polish villages and country sides.” It takes only a few minutes on Google to find that Polish Kings employed the best architects, painters, musicians and composers from all over the Europe and some Polish composers were educated abroad. This leads to the following question. Why should the music for Polish Kings sound much different from music in Italy or Germany?

The tradition of Polish music goes back to the Medieval and Renaissance. Unfortunately though, much Polish music has been lost forever during multiple wars and political uprisings.

The political changes after the World War II caused some composers to leave the country. After a few political uprisings, composers were allowed some freedom and this is how the Polish Avant-Garde was born. I call it Music of Defiance.

Electing a Pole to the position as head of the Catholic Church led to more tonal and spiritual music often inspired by religion. His election eventually led to the fall of communism in Eastern Europe.

With the fall of the communist government, Polish composers and artists lost support and subsidy, and began facing same financial problems that plague Americans. The Poles are learning how to survive in the capitalistic world where the arts tend go first under the butcher’s knife.

Despite the problems, much great music is  created in Poland, and I am very happy to always share the treasures of Polish music with others.

Whose music will you expect to hear?

Here are a few names, some of which might be more known to regular Classical Discoveries listeners.

Grażyna Bacewicz, Tadeusz Baird, Miłosz Bembinow, Wojciech Kilar, Piotr Klimek. Zygmunt Krauze, Paweł Łukaszewski, Krzysztof Meyer, Stanisław Moryto, Andrzej Panufnik, Weronika Ratusińska, Marian Sawa and Romuald Twardowski.

There will also be some sampling of early music as well.

These programs will barely scratch the surface, but better these than nothing.

The summer on Classical Discoveries

It has been quite awhile since I wrote my last blog. I had big plans to write a few more, but the end of the school year has been quite crazy. I also had a piano recital last Sunday, which kept me busy.

The summer schedule was announced a bit late. I hope you did not miss last Monday’s early music special.

So this is how the schedule goes.

Classical Discoveries will air each Wednesday from 5:30 till 11:00am, followed by the Avant-Garde Edition until 1:00pm.

On five Mondays during June and July I will present 5 special musical travelogues.

These programs, as presented in earlier years, will focus on different countries and regions of the globe.

Each show will start at 5:30am and end at 11:00am

Schedule for:

CLASSICAL DISCOVERIES AROUND THE WORLD SUMMER TRAVELS

• Monday, June 13, 2011 – 5:30 – 11:00 AM – POLAND  – FROM THE BALTIC SEA TO THE TATRA MOUNTAINS

• Monday, June 27, 2011 – 5:30 – 11:00 AM – LATVIA – FROM RIGA WITH LOVE - with special guest, young Latvian composer Eriks Esenvalds, who is visiting the USA for the première of his music with Philadelphia Crossing. His works were broadcast for the first time in USA on Classical Discoveries

• Monday, July 04, 2011 – 5:30  – 11:00 AM – USA – AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL – July 4th Special  - annual American music show

• Monday, July 11, 2011 – 5:30 – 11:00 AM -  CANADA – “UP NORTH” – CANADA REVISITED

• Monday, July 25, 2011 – 5:30 – 11:00 AM - UKRAINE – FRESCOES OF KIEV

Details about each program will be announced closer to the broadcast date and I might blog some extra information if time allows me.

For Early Music Lovers

TREASURES OF EARLY MUSIC  -  Program devoted to little known repertoire before 1750 is back for 3 summer specials.

Unfortunately the first was already aired last Monday, but you can check the playlist to find out what you missed

• Monday, June 06, 2011 – 8:30 – 11:00 AM  – Playlist for 06-06-2011

• Monday, June 20, 2011 – 8:30 – 11:00 AM

• Monday, July  18, 2011 – 8:30 – 11:00 AM

Highlights will be posted on the Classical Discoveries website as well as on Facebook a couple of days before each program.

The last special at the end of the summer at WPRB will be:

24-HOUR LIVE WPRB RADIO BROADCAST – MARATHON  – WE REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11

Starting SATURDAY, September 10, 2011 – 7:00 PM through SUNDAY, September 11, 2011 – 7:00 PM

At the 10th anniversary of September 11, Classical Discoveries will present a 24-hour live radio marathon, totally devoted to music written by composers from many countries as a reaction to the unforgettable events of that day.

I will write more about the Marathon shortly. You can check Sequenza 21 - May 21, 2011 – Call for recorded music written to commemorate 9/11 tragedy
Posted by Steve Layton

I am planning to have some composer guests as I do each summer. Since I do not have confirmation with the exception of  Ēriks Ešenvalds, these will be announced later.