91.1FM WTJU Charlottesville, U.Va.

Oboe, Oh Boy!

What better way to begin the 2010 WTJU Classical Marathon than with the seductive voice of the oboe? The ethereal soprano of the oboe evokes contemplation and mystery. Explore the oboe in its many guises.

Bach à la mode

Transcriptions of the music of J.S. Bach from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Frédéric François Chopin (1810-1849)

In this first of five daily programs exploring the piano works of Chopin, we focus on the poetic Ballades.

The Earliest Recordings

Starting in the last decade of the 19th century, artists such as Taneyev, Hofmann, Arensky, and Caruso inscribed their art on primitive Edison cylinders and later direct-to-disc via mechanical recording. Performance practice has changed radically over 100 years, as you will hear in these remarkable, remastered recordings.

Diaghilev's Music

Serge Diaghilev transformed 20th century art with the creation of the Ballets Russes, and his collaboration with contemporary artists, dancers, choreographers, and composers, many of whom we now recognize as musical geniuses: Prokofiev, Satie, Debussy, Strauss, and Stravinsky.

Early Music Show: The Year 1510

A 500th anniversary celebration of music of the first half of the 16th century: motets by Taverner and Tallis, chansons of Josquin and Janequin, vihuela pieces of Cabezon and Mudarra, and lively dance music from the courts of Italy and Germany.

Ménage à Six

Almost everyone wrote a piece for six. We'll get a good taste of the sextet's textural appeal in works for all strings, all brass, all voice, and mixtures thereof.

We've Crossed the Bridge: Classical Music in the 21st Century

Highlights of the last decade, featuring music written by composers after December 31, 1999: John Adams, Arvo Pärt, Poul Ruders, Jennifer Higdon, Paul Schoenfeld, Augusta Read Thomas, Osvaldo Golijov, or any number of names that aren’t as well known.

Mahler Symphonies / Music Through the Night

Join the Radio Star each evening as he begins a survey of the symphonic output of Gustav Mahler. All nine numbered symphonies will be featured, and perhaps something from the tenth as well. Followed by Music through the Night: The Radio Star programs works for late-night listening. Expect to hear selections from Debussy, Ravel, Schubert, Haydn, Mozart, Bach, and Handel.  But many other composers will be featured as well -- and perhaps a few surprises.

La Belle Musique Française

Liz illuminates the music of Claude Debussy and other composers of the era of Impressionism in France. Maurice Ravel, Paul Dukas, Albert Roussel, and others will be joining Debussy.

The Baltimore Consort

The Baltimore Consort's arrangements of early music from England, Scotland, France, Italy, Spain, Appalachia and Nova Scotia speak to the heart as well as the mind.

Frédéric François Chopin (1810-1849)

Today’s installment of the Chopin survey takes in the passionate Scherzi.

From Folk to Classical in Central Europe

Folk tunes have frequently provided inspiration to classical composers throughout the centuries. We explore classical pieces inspired by folk tunes from Hungary and nearby countries.

Andres Segovia

From Andalusia, Spain, Segovia is widely considered one of the founders of what is called "Classical Guitar." Born in 1893, he died in 1987 at 94. One of the first to use nylon strings, he had a distinct musical personality in tone, phrasing and style, producing a sharper sound than many of his contemporaries.

Stepping Out: Russian Music

Don your red shoes and dance till you drop with the compelling melodies of Mother Russia. Caller Andrew Pratt will cue your moves to the mellifluous music of Tchaikovsky, Glazunov, Rachmaninov, and many others.

Bad Boys and Good Girls of Opera

The world of opera is melodramatic, and it has its share of bad boys and good girls.  From the villain Scarpia to the abandoned Butterfly, you can hiss and weep along with great singers in some of their finest roles.

Thomas Tallis

“Tallis is dead and music dies.”
~William Byrd
Composer of sublime liturgical music during the turbulent times of the Tudor monarchy, from Henry VIII through the middle of Elizabeth I’s reign, as the pendulum swung from Catholic to Protestant and back again.

Mahler Symphonies / Music Through the Night

Join the Radio Star each evening as he begins a survey of the symphonic output of Gustav Mahler. All nine numbered symphonies will be featured, and perhaps something from the tenth as well. Followed by Music through the Night: The Radio Star programs works for late-night listening. Expect to hear selections from Debussy, Ravel, Schubert, Haydn, Mozart, Bach, and Handel.  But many other composers will be featured as well -- and perhaps a few surprises.

Mozart’s Contemporaries

Today we think of Mozart as THE composer of the 1790's, but he certainly wasn't alone. There were many other composers that attracted the attention of Viennese audiences. Some, like Haydn and Clementi, were friends and colleagues. Others, like Krommer, were competitors, and some, like Marsh weren't known to Mozart at all.

Appalachia Waltz

Tune in as the hosts of Left of Cool and Sunset Road explore the Americana side of classical music. From Aaron Copland to Edgar Meyer, Appalachia Waltz will aim to strike a balance between modern music and American folk styles.

Frédéric François Chopin (1810-1849)

Today’s Chopin program features the Nocturnes and Waltzes

“Do these Pants Make Me Look…?”

A mostly light-hearted look at women's pants roles in opera, including Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, Nicklausse in Tales of Hoffman, and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier.  Ms. Krisel, General Director of Ash Lawn Opera Festival, will bring a wealth of knowledge from her extensive work in the opera world, including 20 years on the renowned Metropolitan Opera Quiz.

Jefferson in Paris

In five years in Paris (1784-1789), Thomas Jefferson heard the music of 70 different composers, most of it brand new.  Hear a selection from what he heard at the Concert spirituel: Clementi sonatas, Piccinni arias, chamber works of Devienne and Kozeluch, and Haydn’s Paris symphonies.

Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856)

Symphonies, piano works, song cycles, chamber pieces, even an opera -- Schumann wrote them all. Ann remembers this great Romantic composer with a sampling of some of his best-loved compositions.

Dvořák in America

When Antonin Dvořák came to America in the late 1890's, he wrote music that's become part of the American musical fabric.  John Mitchell shines a spotlight on the “American” Quartet and the New World Symphony.

Classical Time with Uri Caine

Jazz pianist Uri Caine has a complex relationship to classical music.  As a youth, he studied with George Rochberg. Throughout his career, he has created a number of albums that pay tribute--ironic or not--to the music of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, and above all, Gustav Mahler. In this show, we will sample Caine's remarkable take on the classical experience.

Mahler Symphonies / Music Through the Night

Join the Radio Star each evening as he begins a survey of the symphonic output of Gustav Mahler. All nine numbered symphonies will be featured, and perhaps something from the tenth as well. Followed by Music through the Night: The Radio Star programs works for late-night listening. Expect to hear selections from Debussy, Ravel, Schubert, Haydn, Mozart, Bach, and Handel.  But many other composers will be featured as well -- and perhaps a few surprises.

Composers A to Z

Some familiar, some not so familiar works by composers, running through the alphabet – by last name, of course!

Pearls of the Baroque

The Baroque style captivated European art, architecture, and music for approximately 150 years. We’ll visit Italy, France, Germany, and England to discover the beautiful nuances in Baroque music. The heritage of the Baroque masters will be on display.

Frédéric François Chopin (1810-1849)

Impromptus, Etudes and Preludes are on today’s program.

A Copland Sampler

Aaron Copland, best known for his ballets Appalachian Spring and Billy the Kidd, composed many other works: concertos, tone poems and works for piano.  This show features some of Copland’s less well-known works.

Stile Antico

Stile Antico, one of the hottest new English early music groups, work without a conductor. The members of this youthful a cappella choir rehearse and perform as chamber musicians. We sample works from English Tudor composers, the Flemish school, and the early Baroque.

Ivory Dreams

Let the mundanity of modern existence melt away… Lie back, drape yourself with a cozy comforter and sip your favorite warm beverage as Andrew lulls you into a misty reverie with the pianistic reflections of Debussy, Grieg, Liapunov and others.

An Eclectic Woman: Hilary Hahn

Sandy showcases violinist Hilary Hahn on The Eclectic Woman Show. Three reasons: She is a native daughter of Virginia, born in Lexington; her most recent recording is a violin concerto by woman composer, Jennifer Higdon; and the YouTube video of her performance of Paganini’s Caprice No. 24 blew Sandy away!

The Minimalist Era in Music

Discover some of the best moments of musical minimalism in the 20th century, as well as a few neo-romantic favorites. Some of the composers we might hear Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Terry Riley, John Adams, Michael Torke, John Corigliano, or Joseph Schwantner.

Mahler Symphonies / Music Through the Night

Join the Radio Star each evening as he begins a survey of the symphonic output of Gustav Mahler. All nine numbered symphonies will be featured, and perhaps something from the tenth as well. Followed by Music through the Night: The Radio Star programs works for late-night listening. Expect to hear selections from Debussy, Ravel, Schubert, Haydn, Mozart, Bach, and Handel.  But many other composers will be featured as well -- and perhaps a few surprises.

Beethoven and his Contemporaries

Beethoven’s creative years span the Classical and early Romantic eras, from Haydn to Mendelssohn and Schubert.  We explore classical music development by comparing and enjoying the music of Beethoven and his contemporaries, including Hummel, Spohr and Cherubini.  

Songs of the Sea

"Dark-heaving; boundless, endless and sublime"
~Lord Byron
The image of the sea has inspired composers from before Vivaldi’s time. Enjoy Britten’s Sea Interludes and more.

Frédéric François Chopin (1810-1849)

Our Chopin journey concludes with the Mazurkas and a noble Sonata.

A Whirl of Waltzes

"And the dancing has begun now,
And the dancers whirl round gaily
In the waltz's giddy mazes,
And the ground beneath them trembles."
~Heinrich Heine
Join Rob as he makes the ground tremble with waltzes of all types.

Friedrich Gulda

Gulda was an unusually versatile artist.  One of the 20th century's great pianists, he was renowned for his Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart. He was associated with a school of Viennese pianists that included Demus and Badura-Skoda. He also had an affinity for jazz, and performed with such jazz artists as Chick Corea.

Originals and Remakes

This show draws on the vast body of music that has been tailored by either its original composer or another well-known composer for different instruments or voicings.

From the New World

For Danza Latina, John Mitchell presents the vibrant colors and striking rhythms of Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil in works by Chavez, Revueltas, Ginastera, and Villa-Lobos.

Concealed in Celluloid

Many great modern composers have made it into the movies unheralded. You will hear works by Aaron Copland (heard in He Got Game, The Faculty, and Communion), Samuel Barber (Amélie and Lorenzo’s Oil), and Béla Bartók (The Shining and Being John Malkovich), among others.

Mahler Symphonies / Music Through the Night

Join the Radio Star each evening as he begins a survey of the symphonic output of Gustav Mahler. All nine numbered symphonies will be featured, and perhaps something from the tenth as well. Followed by Music through the Night: The Radio Star programs works for late-night listening. Expect to hear selections from Debussy, Ravel, Schubert, Haydn, Mozart, Bach, and Handel.  But many other composers will be featured as well -- and perhaps a few surprises.

All Made of Tunes

As a tribute to the late WTJU personality Emmett Boaz, join Bruce for a program of American folksongs, from Dvořák’s Going Home to Copland's Gift to Be Simple, played and sung by Megan Sharp, choirmaster and minister of music at Westminster Presbyterian, and soprano concert soloist. 

Atlantic Weekly goes Classical: British Isles

A special marathon edition connects British and American folk music with classical composers and musicians.  A heady mix of medieval to modern music: Irish harp tunes and Appalachian folksongs, composers from Anonymous to Percy Grainger to Mark O’Connor, and performers from the Broadside Band to Yo-Yo Ma.  

The English Anthem

Much of the Western choral tradition comes from the British Isles, so join your hosts Rex and Tessa for two tuneful hours of best Britain has to offer!

Happy Birthday, Beethoven!

Celebrate Beethoven’s birthday with us during a 5-hour-long Beethoven party. An enthusiastic group of Beethoven-loving announcers will celebrate the Great One with music from youth to the end of his life.

A WTJU Christmas with live performance by MIRA & Debbie Hunter

Celebrate the spirit of the season with Christmas music through the ages, from medieval to modern, and from the British Isles to the Russian steppes.

Glitter and Be Gay: A Bit of Bernstein

We dip into Bernstein’s musical theater and “serious” music, including selections from Candide.

The True Tango

Here’s a chance to hear Astor Piazzolla’s lean, refurbished tango in contrast to his predecessors--Anibal Troilo, Osvaldo Pugliese, Osvald Fresedo. Ann also samples female vocalists from the 1930-1960's - Ramona Galarzo, Julia Vidal, Dora Davis - and some post-Astor bandoneonists, like Rodolfo Mederos.

Mahler Symphonies / Music Through the Night

Join the Radio Star each evening as he begins a survey of the symphonic output of Gustav Mahler. All nine numbered symphonies will be featured, and perhaps something from the tenth as well. Followed by Music through the Night: The Radio Star programs works for late-night listening. Expect to hear selections from Debussy, Ravel, Schubert, Haydn, Mozart, Bach, and Handel.  But many other composers will be featured as well -- and perhaps a few surprises.

J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, BWV248

The Christmas Oratorio, first performed in 1734-35, is a cycle of cantatas for the season, from Christmas Day through Epiphany.  After Bach’s death, the work was not performed again in its entirety until 1857 (in Berlin).  Today, it is one of Bach’s most popular large-scale works, an integral part of the Christmas festivities.

The Bard Put to Music

"The man that hath no music in himself
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treason, stratagems, and spoils;
The motions of his spirit are dull as night,
and his affections dark as Erebus:
Let no such man be trusted."
-The Merchant of Venice [V,i, 83-85]

Richard Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

Of Richard Wagner's immense output, only one opera qualifies as a comedy.  Die Meistersinger is not a light, frothy work in the style of Rossini.  Instead, it is a substantial work of Wagnerian heft and length.  The Prize Song is among the highlights of all German opera, and Hans Sachs is one of Wagner's most memorable creations. 

Organ Plus on the King of Instruments

Mozart reportedly called the organ "the King of Instruments" because of its size, power and ability to produce myriad sounds.  Tune in to hear the King as it joins forces with a host of other instruments and judge for yourself!

Finale: Handel’s Messiah & Post-Marathon Handeliana

It’s a grand old tradition to end each Classical Marathon with a complete (and completely different) performance of Handel’s Messiah. The Messiah mavens have found a performance this year that will knock your socks off.