The Making of a Steinway

October 5, 2007

Professor Carol interviews New York Times veteran reporter James Barron, author of Piano: The Making of a Steinway Concert Grand (New York: Times Books, 2006), which tells the story of a single piano (K0862) and its eleven-month journey from its beginnings as raw lumber to the concert stage at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
 
The 9-part [...]

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The Music of Magic

September 27, 2007

What’s this program about?
Can musical works actually paint magic into sound? Or are the sounds magical only because we know the stories behind them? Professor Carol looks at magic in music, from E.T.A. Hoffmann to John Williams’ Harry Potter score.

Works discussed: Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique; Manuel de Falla’s El Amor Brujo; Dukas’ Sorcerer’s Apprentice; Saints Seans’ [...]

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Respighi’s Roman Festivals

September 14, 2007

What’s this program about?
Ottorino Respighi was not at war with tonality or tradition, and his works have consequently been denigrated at times as “crowd pleasers.”  Although he wrote successful concertos, operas, and ballets that were widely performed in his day, he is known primarily for his Roman trilogy: Fountains of Rome, Pines of Rome, and [...]

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The Musicians’ Perspective on Mahler

August 16, 2007

Mahler expanded the orchestra to huge proportions, going beyond the already inflated forces of Wagner.  But Mahler simultaneously achieved an striking delicacy and transparency by using solo instruments to create “chamber music” in the midst of a his massive musical canvases.  He drew his inspiration from the simple tunes of his childhood, military marches, folk [...]

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An American Evening

August 9, 2007

An American Evening features three aspects of American music: a symphonic tribute to American culture by Czech composer Antonin Dvorak, a ballet for Martha Graham by Aaron Copland, and two colorful pieces by the dynamic, contemporary composer John Corigliano.
Works discussed:  Aaron Copland, Appalachian Spring; John Corigliano, Promenade Overture and To Music; Antonin Dvorak, Symphony No. [...]

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Tulsa Symphony Season Preview Pt 2

July 18, 2007

The Tulsa Symphony Orchestra Season Preview continues with Part 2.
Go to Part 1 now.

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Tulsa Symphony 2007-2008

June 26, 2007

A look at the upcoming 2007-2008 season of the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra.  Professor Carol reviews the orchestra’s concert programs in this netcast and takes you on a virtual tour from America to Imperial Russia to Vienna and back.  This netcast is divided into two parts so be sure to listen to Part 2.
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Rossini’s Petit Messe Solonnelle

May 18, 2007

What’s this program about?
Rossini, the master of bel canto opera, retired young, rich, and famous. Decades later, in old age and ill health, Rossini returned to composition and crafted a liturgical mass as his final work, a work both spiritual and theatrical, Petit Messe Solonnelle.
Works Discussed: Rossini’s Petit Messe Solonnelle
Where you can find:
Petit [...]

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The Essential Tchaikovsky

May 7, 2007

What’s this program about?
Tchaikovsky’s music holds a sacred place in Russian culture. Dmitri Shostakovich said, “Without Tchaikovsky we could not endure our sorrows.” Professor Carol examines his Fifth Symphony and considers his life, his personal struggles, and his professional successes.
Works Discussed: Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, Symphony No. 4, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, The Queen [...]

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Music of the American Spirit 2

April 28, 2007

What’s this program about?
Professor Carol discusses the history, customs, and geography of America that inspire our diverse choral music, from Colonial times to the present, emphasizing texts of John Stirling Walker and Eric Johns, tunebooks and hymnals, liturgy, folk song, and spirituals.
Works Discussed: Leonard Bernstein: Mass; Aaron Copland: The Tender Land; Randall Thompson: “Alleluia”; Choral [...]

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