WRTI Spotlight

Ignaz Pleyel had three strikes against him during the French Revolution. He was rich, he was a foreigner, and he worked for the Church. He was exactly the type of person for whom the Reign of Terror sharpened its guillotines. Even worse: he was an artist. Different despots use different tactics, but artists are usually among their first targets.

Comprised of four violin concertos written by Vivaldi in 1723, The Four Seasons is probably the Baroque composer's best-known work.

Each of the four concerti is based on a sonnet - supposedly written by Vivaldi himself. Each sonnet is divided into three sections (fast, slow, fast), which correspond with the three movements in each concerto.

Read the "Summer" sonnet and listen to each part of The Four Seasons, Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, "L'estate" (Summer)

SUMMER SONNET

In addition to the grim truth of another 11,000 jobs lost and 400 retail fronts closing, the news of the Borders failure marks the end of another chapter in how classical music is distributed, sold, and enjoyed.--From NPR

Read the article from NPR here

The English choral group delves into the essential question of the Bible's Song of Songs at the Savannah Music Festival.--From NPR's Classics in Concert series

Listen to the Concert and Read the Article from NPR

Tune in on Independence Day at 1 pm for a special hour of Leroy Anderson favorites performed by the US Air Force Band, the Purdue University Symphonic Band, and the US Coast Guard Band.

Conducted by composer Leroy Anderson and Kurt Anderson, the program includes:

"The Captain and the Kings," "The Syncopated Clock," "Blue Tango," "Bugler's Holiday," "The Waltzing Cat," "Horse and Buggy," "The Girl I Left Behind," and more!

Maybe it's not fair, but we're going to play two works by Debussy that he never wanted us to hear. And we'll listen to one piece in a form he never heard.

Patriotic Music and Works by American Composers

Friday, July 1 to Monday, July 4

A Swingin' and Singin' Jazz Weekend

Saturday, July 2 to Tuesday, July 5

Join us during classical music hours for selections dating back from the birth of our nation to the present. And from Saturday night of the holiday weekend through the following Tuesday morning, you'll hear your favorite big bands and classic vocalists during regular jazz hours.

Patriotic Music and Works by American Composers

Here's a taste of A Grand Celebration - the Philadelphia Orchestra performing with Peter Richard Conte on the Wanamaker Organ. There's a story behind this historic recording. Kile Smith fills us in, and helps us hear what it's like to experience the glorious sounds of the Wanamaker Organ.

Listen to the music and read the article

It's sometimes forgotten that most of the greatest composers in classical music were also superb improvisers. Bach amazed audiences with his improvisational keyboard skills, Beethoven was always game for an improvisational showdown with other musicians and, by all accounts, Liszt drove women crazy with his flights of romantic fancy during performances. No wonder, then, that the history of jazz is peppered with "jazzed up" versions of classical compositions. Here are five of them.--from NPR