Stay ConnectedA podcast about the most fascinating time in classical music history: right now.
Relevant Tones features interviews with and music by some of the most creative figures in contemporary classical music, themed shows exploring new trends in classical music and frequent live streamed shows featuring conversations and music performances.
Hosted and produced by Seth Boustead, Austin Williams, Stephen Anthony Rawson and Matt Dotson.
Copyright: © Seth Boustead
Fresh off their 2012 Grammy win, the Chicago ensemble eighth blackbird stops by to discuss their latest album, recent premieres and performances across the globe.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Jesse McQuarters
Jennifer Higdon: Zaka
Thomas Albert: Thirteen Ways (excerpt)
Frederic Rzewski: Les Moutons De Panurge
Steve Reich: Double Sextet (excerpt)
Jennifer Higdon: Concerto for Sextet and Orchestra, On a Wire
Steven Mackey: Lonely Motel (excerpt)
One of Poland’s most significant 20th century composers, Henryk Górecki led a quiet revolution against the Soviet authorities through his inimitable style of mystical minimalism. We’ll dedicate an hour to his music and life.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Jesse McQuarters
Symphony No. 3 (excerpts)— London Sinfonietta, David Zinman, Conductor, Dawn Upshaw,
Piano Preludes (excerpts) — Stephen de Pledge, p.
Scontri — Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra
Beatus Vir (excerpts) — Czech Phil Prague Philharmonic Choir/John Nelson, Nikita Storojev,
Miserere (excerpt) — Krakow Choral Society, Krakow State Philharmonic/Roland Bader
Our series on the Mystic Minimalists continues with John Tavener, whose encounters with Eastern thought changed him into one of the most spiritually-connected composers to ever write music.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Jesse McQuarters
The Protecting Veil (excerpt), LSO/Rozhdestvensky; Isserlis, vc.
The Whale, I, London Sinfonietta/Tavener
Little Requiem for Father Malachy Lynch (excerpt)
English Chamber Orchestra & Westminster Abbey Choir/Martin Neary
Akethist of Thanksgiving (excerpt)
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Westminster Abbey Choir & BBC Singers/Martin Neary
The Dormition fr. The Protecting Veil, LSO/Rozhdestvensky; Isserlis, vc.
Pushkin & Lermontov & Smert fr. Akhmatova Songs
Patricia Rozario & the Vanbrugh Quartet
Song for Athene, English Chamber Orchestra & Westminster Abbey Choir/Neary
Prayer of the Heart, Björk & the Brodsky String Quartet
The first in a three-part series looking at composers whose simple but remarkable music transports many listeners to a deeply spiritual place.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Jesse McQuarters
Pärt: Miserere (excerpts), Hilliard Ensemble/Hillier
Schoenberg: Five Pieces for Piano, Op. 23, V Gould, p.
Pärt: Sonatina, Op. 1 No. 2 (excerpt), Stephen de Pledge, p.
Pärt: Perpetuum Mobile, Bamberg Symphony Orch/N. Järvi
Pärt: Collage on the Theme B-A-C-H, Estonian Nat’l Symphony Orchestra/P. Järvi
J.S. Bach: Prelude No. 1 from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Jarrett, p
Pärt: Credo, Swedish Radio Symphony/Salonen
Pärt: Für Alina, Arden, p.
Pärt: Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten, Stuttgart State Orchestra/Davies
New York-based composer Sebastian Currier visits to talk about his music and work, including recent collaborations with Anne-Sophie Mutter.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Jesse McQuarters
Quiet Time, Cassatt String Quartet
Time Machines, Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin), Alan Gilbert, New York Philharmonic
Crossover between classical and rock musicians was common in the 1970’s but has taken a bit of a break until recently. Now instead of composers influencing rock musicians like Brian Eno, a rock band is having a huge influence on a diverse array of composers around the globe. The music of Radiohead has been arranged by countless composers and has yielded fascinating results.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Jesse McQuarters
Andrew Walker and the Entropy Ensemble: There There
Radiohead: Videotape
Jonny Greenwood: Eat Him By His Own Light fr. There Will Be Blood
Gentlemen of NUCO: Let Down & 15 Step
Radiohead: Nice Dream
Christopher O’Riley, piano: Nice Dream
Vitamin String Quartet: Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Andrew Walker and the Entropy Ensemble: Ideoteque
Something of a lost art, improvisation in classical music is making a comeback in a big way thanks to composers like Steven Snowden, Don Malone, and Aaron Johnson. Teaming up with fantastic performers, they prove that improvisation very much has a place in the modern concert hall.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Jesse McQuarters
Playlist
◦ Bach/Montero: Toccata in d minor, Gabriela Montero, p.EMI 64647
◦ Song of Cerberus, Ens./Thompson Dane recordings 0062
◦ Repercussions, Agrell, hn.; Masunik, p.Wildwind Records 1001
◦ Anon: Sumer is Icumen In, DuendeMSR 1158
◦ Aaron Krister Johnson: Diabolical Suite, I & II, Johnson, p.
◦ Don Malone: Prelude & Toccata (excerpt), David Schrader, p.(live performance)
◦ Steven Snowden: Ground Round, Steve Parker, trombone
◦ Noam Sivan: Improvised introduction to Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 3, Sivan, p.
◦ David Darling: Chorale, Darling, vc.
◦ Gunnelpumpers: Symphonie Improvisé
Most pianos have 88 keys, but the notes that they produce are just the beginning of the sonic possibilities available to the keyboardist. This week we’ll listen to how boundary-shattering composers from John Cage to Conlon Nancarrow unlocked and exploited keyboard instruments’ aural potential.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Jesse McQuarters
Playlist
◦ Cage: The Perilous Night; Marcus Hinterhauser, p.
◦ Satie: La Piège de Medusa (excerpt); Alexandre Tharaud, p.
◦ Cowell: Aeolian Harp & The Banshee; Henry Cowell, p.
◦ Nancarrow: Study No. 40a for Player Piano
◦ Zappa: Jazz From Hell; Zappa, syncalvier
◦ Zappa: Ruth is Sleeping; Ensemble Modern
◦ Reich: It’s Gonna Rain (excerpt); Brother Walter, nar.
◦ Reich: Piano Phase (excerpt); Josef Christof, Steffen Schleiermacher, pnos.
◦ Glass: Metamorphosis 1; Bruce Brubaker, p.
◦ Crumb: Night Spell & Dream Images fr. Makrokosmos; Margaret Leng Tan, p.
◦ Choi: To Unformed; Choi, piano
Seth talks with Chicago composer and pianist George Flynn.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Jesse McQuarters
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a symphony! In the first Relevant Tones episode, Seth talks with Michael Daugherty about his Grammy Award-winning Metropolis Symphony, based on the myth of Superman.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Jesse McQuarters
Michael Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony
Nashville Symphony Orchestra; Giancarlo Guerrero, Conductor
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