Dr. Paul's Classics

Today's show collects pieces from Dr. Paul's favorite musical paradise: Spain. The piquant harmonies, the infectious rhythms and melodies of this land of passionate music are all on display. Some of the greatest composers from diverse lands have been bitten by the Spanish music bug. On tap is the iconic "Bolero" by Ravel (French), "Capriccio Espanole" by Rimsky-Korsakov (Russian), "Fandango" and "Night Music from the Gardens of Spain" by Boccherini (Italy), as well as the celebrated Spanish composers Isaac Albeniz, Enrique Granados, and Pablo de Sarasate.

Though most romantic Spanish composers were primarily pianists, plenty of pieces were composed or transposed for Spain's national instrument, the guitar.

Come and experience the Gypsy-infused sounds that make Spanish music irresistible.

Today's show is a potpourri in two senses of the word. It's both a melange of a choice diversity of musical pieces, and it's a program that fills the air with beauty for your ears in much the same way that a collection of dried rose petals fills the air with fragrant beauty for your nose. Dr. Paul wanted to broadcast for you pieces that are not easily categorized, from composers who are not always familiar, and with pieces that are seldom heard. And yet, every one is a winner.

Though known primarily for smaller works for piano solo, Chopin composed his second piano concerto on a grand scale. Here it is played by the incomparable Chopinist, Artur Rubinstein. There are also included some salon songs by the bel canto composers, Donizetti and Bellini. There is an unusual duet for double bass and violincello by Rossini, as well as a lovely flute concerto by the baroque era composer Pergolesi. You will hear the lively Roumanian rhapsody by Enesco, the mysterious gymnopedies of the eccentric Frenchman Erik Satie, as well as the elegaic Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber.
Allow Dr. Paul to take you on a scented stroll through some of the most beautiful classical pieces you've never heard!

Today's show starts with the love song, "Give me your hand, Zerlina," from Mozart's opera, Don Giovanni. From there, hypnotic slow movements from larger works by Mozart follow. These include pieces for piano and orchestra, violin and orchestra, piano/violin sonatas, and a flute and harp concerto. Schubert is well represented with a beautiful lullaby, "Mille cherubini in coro" (A thousand cherubs in chorus), several slow movements from Schubert's ouevre for violin and piano, and a stunning movement from Schubert's piano trio #1.

You'll also find an enigmatic piece by Scriabin, some light-hearted music by Muzio Clementi, Spanish guitar pieces played by Liona Boyd, and another Mozart aria or two thrown in for good measure.

Dr. Paul thought he'd forgo an overture today to make room for the procession of lovely, heart-on-the-sleeve movements that only the incomparable Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Peter Schubert could have written.

Franz Schubert, the most lovable and accessible of the great Viennese composers, wrote music that speaks directly to the human heart. He thoroughly enjoyed performing his music with a group of friends who would sing his melodies or play his instrumental pieces accompanied by Schubert himself at the piano. These sociable evenings of his songs, chamber music, and solo piano works, came to be known as Schubertiads.

In addition to the gorgeous selections by Schubert, today's program includes Mozart's playful Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola, an overture, and two vocal pieces by Mozart from his opera, Cosi Fan Tutte. A cello concerto by Edward Elgar, a guitar concerto by Vivaldi, and a nocturne by Chopin round things out.

Happy New Year! to all listeners and supporters of Dr. Paul's Classics and KDRT. Dr. Paul got an e-mail from above the clouds this week that reminded him that Mozart and Schubert were born in January. So, this month will feature the music of these two very different, but equally inspired composers of Vienna.

However, Dr. Paul knows that man does not live by Mozart and Schubert alone, and so he will continue to mix in surprise guest composers with an ear for pieces of ravishing beauty and heart-stopping lyricism. Today's program has a Schubert overture in the Italian style, a Mozart piano trio, a Mozart sonata for two pianos, Schubert's "Arpeggione" sonata for the cello, music by Fritz Kreisler and Chabrier....well, you get the picture! Too much richness and perfection to articulate in full. Listen!

When Santa Claus stopped by the KDRT studios today, he kidnapped Dr. Paul and took him on a tour of the many cultures around the world that have contributed to the musical richness of the Christmas season. They went to France, Italy, England, Czech Republic, Ukraine, the land of urban America, and many more, encountering such luminaries as Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Glen Campbell, Jimmy Buffett, Kiri Te Kanawa, Pavarotti, and others. Dr. Paul is sorry that his regular, planned Christmas show was hijacked today, but he thinks that Santa contributed the perfect touch. All's well that ends well. Dr. Paul wishes you all to have a safe, happy holiday season wherever in the world you happen to be.

The two most anticipated holdiays this time of the year, Hanukkah and Christmas, are reflected in and enhanced by the music in today's show. Listening to a thoughtful mix of sacred and secular music helps us to slow down and reflect on the meaning of the holidays. Today's music is designed for just that. Included in the playlist is a beautiful motet by Mozart, African American spirituals sung by Kathleen Battle, a touching lullaby sung by Pavarotti, a lovely violin concerto by Vivaldi, Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, and the rousing finale to Beethoven's gigantic Ninth Symphony in d minor, "Ode to Joy". A couple of Bach organ pieces, some modern chorale works, and Corelli's "Christmas Concerto" round out the program. Come along, slow down, listen, celebrate!

Today's music is calming, contemplative, in keeping with the season of the holidays that approach. Advent, in the Christian tradition, is a time for reflection and preparation for the coming birth of Jesus, the light of the world. In the Jewish tradition, December is the time for The Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, which celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt in the 2nd Century BCE. The world thirsts for light in the approaching solstice, and so the mind goes inward, and reflects on ancient truths that resonate in the music of Vivaldi, Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart that are played in today's program.

The man who changed the course of European classical music is the most popular composer of all time, according to a poll taken by KDFC, long time classical station in the Bay Area (since 1948). His music is, by turns, dynamic, lyrical, gentle, and eternal. Beethoven was born in the month of December, so he will be our featured composer today (all right, November is almost over) and all month long. Today I played a lovely Beethoven sonata for piano and cello, as well as his monumental triple concerto for piano, violin, and cello, featuring superstar Yo-Yo Ma. Next week, I plan more Beethoven: any suggestions? How about the Fifth Symphony? The Ninth? Suggest a piece by submitting a comment.

Contemporaries, Kalkbrenner, on the left, and Hummel, lived in the early part of the 19th century, and were two of the finest pianists of their era. Hummel was a student of Mozart, and Kalkbrenner's technique was a model for the young Chopin. However, Hummel's music is widely recorded, and Kalkbrenner's is all but forgotten. Listen to the two concertos on today's show and see if you agree with history's assessment. Also on today's show is some music from Carmina Burana, a large scale choral work from the 1930's that sets medieval poetry to stirring, intense music. Today's show starts off with a fabulous overture from a French opera from the 1830's.

Today's show features the overture to Bellini's opera, the masterpiece "Norma", as well as a duet and a trio from this same opera. Also heard on today's show are Gershwin's "An American in Paris", Spanish music for the guitar, the music from Aaron Copland's "Rodeo", and a flute sonata by J.S. Bach.

Vincenzo Bellini was born in Catania, Sicily in 1801, and was known as "the swan of Catania" because of his long-breathed, flowing, beautiful melodies. He is generally regarded as the most "bel" (beautiful) of the bel canto opera composers of the first part of the nineteenth century. "Norma", "I Capeletti e i Montechi", and "I Puritani" are still widely performed today. Along with J.S. Bach, he was one of the composers most admired by Chopin, and was inspirational for Chopin's melodic style. He passed away at the age of 34, in the year 1835.

Today's show features the talent of two pianists, Jose Iturbi, on the right, and Daniel Barenboim, each special and successful in their own, very different, ways. Also on the show is an overture to an opera by Donizetti, an aria by Bellini, and some guitar music played by the Australian, nee British guitarist, John Williams, as well as the usual commentary by Dr. Paul about the lives, times, and music of the featured composers and artists, and other selections (see playlist...or listen!).