1pm

Rossini's overture to his opera "Semiramide" raises the curtain on today's show. "Semiramide" is the story of betrayal and murder that takes place in ancient Babylon. One of the main characters is the high priest of the temple of their god, Baal.
Today's show features more conjurer's tricks with Dukas' The "Sorcerer's Apprentice."
Mirella Freni, the Italian soprano born in the same year (1935) and city (Modena, Italy) as Pavarotti, sings a magical duet in concert with this famous and popular tenor. Further, Freni works her magic with one of Bellini's most heart-wrenching arias from "I Puritani."
Also included today are some musical offerings from Africa as played by The Kronos Quartet.
To complete the program, Dr. Paul has included a concerto for fortepiano by Boccherini, a darkly beautiful concerto for viola by the Bohemian composer Vanhal, and some pieces for two pianos by Darius Milhaud that necessitates much sleight of hand.

The music for today's show explores sounds and songs that the classical masters used to express love, that most tender feeling of all. The music includes a lovely 'cello concerto by Boccherini, two Romances for violin by Beethoven, some arias by Rossini and Donizetti, a movement from Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov, a duet for guitar and violin by Paganini, and a concerto by Vivaldi written for the viola d'amore (viol of love).

In addition to romantic love, today's program includes a selection by Chopin (Berceuse, a lullaby) for those little ones among us who are most vulnerable, and a piece by Smetana (The Moldau) that reflects love of country.

No matter the source or object of love we choose, love is to be cherished and celebrated not only on Valentine's Day, but every day of the year.

Two eminent Italians, separated in time by 50 years, share February as the month of their birth: the cellist and composer Luigi Boccherini (pictured here) and the composer of Italian bel canto opera, Gioachino Rossini.

Born in Lucca, Italy, Boccherini was a contemporary of Mozart and Haydn. However, he had to travel to Spain before he found a patron in the younger brother of the king of Spain. He spent most of his productive life in Spain, out of the mainstream of the musical establishment of Europe. However, his music is gracious, melodic, and often reflects the influences of the sounds of his adopted country.

Rossini is best known for his overtures and the opera, "The Barber of Seville". Though he composed many other operas that were incredibly successful in his day, others are only ocassionally performed today. Still, his music is catchy, always tuneful, and has a compelling, irresistible rhythmic drive. Today's show includes the famous aria by Figaro and the overture to William Tell (think Lone Ranger!).

Also on the programme are pieces by Borodin (Strangers in Paradise), Johann Strauss, a.k.a., the Waltz King, Respighi, and Chopin.

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.