Classical

This year marks the centennial of the birth of German-born Kurt Weill, considered one of the 20th century’s most influential composers. And Monday, April 3, is the 50th anniversary of his death. He and lyricist Bertolt Brecht revolutionized musical theatre with a blend of cabaret and classical traditions resulting in “The Threepenny Opera” “Seven Deadly Sins” and others. In 1933 Weill, a Jew, fled Berlin and in 1935 came to America where he began working in American theatre. We talk about Weill with Kim Kowlake (Koe-WALL-kee), President of the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews Tatiana Troyanos album "Troyanos in Recital."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews new recordings of some of Stravinsky's early vocal music: Natalie Dessay singing Stravinsky's The Nightingale (EMI), and Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky (box set on Sony).

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews soprano Renee Fleming's new recording of Strauss Heroines with the Vienna Philharmonic, on the Decca label.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews "Leon Kirchner: Historical Recordings" (Music and Arts)featuring the music of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Leon Kirchner who turns 81 this year.

Conductor Benjamin Zander, of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been called "a Pied Piper" of classical music and "one of music's evangelists." His passionate performances have earned him quite a following. Through his teaching and his pre-concert discussions, he has tried to spread his love of classical music to a wider public. He has conducted the Boston Philharmonic for over 20 years. His recording of Mahler's Ninth Symphony was just nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance.

Fresh Air Classical Music Critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of Puccini’s Il Trittico (ill TRIT-I-co). Schwartz says this group of one-act operas contains some of Puccini’s best music.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz tells us what music he most wants to remember from the 20th Century. His selections come from the new box set “Stravinsky REV: Conducting Stravinsky” (Sony), The Dvorak Cello Concerto with Pablo Casals (EMI Reference disc), Joseph Szigeti’s Prokofiev Concerto (Pearl), Artur Schnabel on a currently out-of-print Schubert CD (Arabesque). And Maria Callas’s recordings (EMI)

Composer and conductor John Adams. There's a new 10-CD box retrospective of his work, that spans the last two decades. It includes his orchestral pieces like Harmonium, and his operas "Nixon in China," and "The Death of Klinghoffer." The boxset is titled "The John Adams Earbox" (Nonesuch).

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews "Britten as Performer" a collection of five CDs on the BBC label featuring composer Benjamin Britten as pianist and conductor.

Violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. Born in Russia, she emigrated to Philadelphia with her family when she was eight so that she could attend the Curtis Institute. Later her unorthodox playing, and unconventional attire on stage earned her a reputation as the "bad girl" of classical violin. In 1994 she nearly sliced the tip of her finger off chopping onions, and after surgery and painful practicing, she returned to the stage. Sonnenberg has played with just about every major orchestra and has recorded 15 albums.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new PBS documentary "Uncommon Visionary" about the 20th century Polish-Jewish harpsicord prodigy Wanda Landowska (VAN-da lan-DOV-ska).

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz comments on the news that Seiji Ozawa will leave in three years as Music Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. His tenure which began in 1973 is the longest of any music director currently active with an American orchestra. As for his next job, he says he will take over the Vienna State Opera. Ozawa was born in Shenyang, China.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of Pierre Boulez conducting Arnold Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire. (on Deutsche Grammophon).

Soprano singer Julianne Baird. Her new CD is "Fanny Mendelssohn Lieder" (Newport Classic). She is an expert musicologist of 18th century European baroque music. But she also explores music of other periods, including contemporary works and 19th century popular tunes. She recently toured France, Poland, Austria, Germany and Holland in recital. Her discography includes more than 85 recordings. She is on the faculty of Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Pianist Andrew Rangell has emerged as one of America's best interpreters of the works of Beethoven and Bach. His newest CD is "Andrew Rangell: A Recital of Intimate Works" (Dorian) It includes six Beethoven works, a work of Bach and others.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews two new albums of opera star Renee Fleming. "I Want Magic," on London Records and a new recording of Dvorak's "Rusalka" also on London.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews two new reissues of composer Igor Stravinsky conducting his own music: "Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky: The Mono Years" (Sony) and "Stravinsky conducts Stravinsky: The American Recordings" (Pearl).

First violinist Arnold Steinhardt is one of the founding members of the Guarneri (Gwa-NAIR-ee) String Quartet, which has been playing together for 35 years. He's written a new memoir, "Indivisible by Four: A String Quartet in Pursuit of Harmony" (Farrar Straus & Giroux). The Quartet is considered to be one of the finest string quartets performing today.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews two recent recordings by the German singer Thomas Quasthoff of Mozart and Schubert (both on RCA Red Seal).