Whether you’re gearing up for fireworks, relaxing down the shore, or firing up the grill, WRTI has the soundtrack for your Fourth of July. Our classical programming throughout the day will celebrate the American story and the spirit of independence, with a few surprises along the way. Tune in at 90.1 FM in the Philadelphia area, or listen via the stream at wrti.org or the WRTI app. Here’s some of what we have in store.
We’ll start at 6 a.m. with Randall Thompson’s Alleluia, as recorded by Voices of Ascension chorus. In this early morning stretch, we’ll also feature the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s recording of Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, and Hermit Thrush at Morn, a 1922 piano piece by Amy Beach, in a version by Kirsten Johnson.
Naturally, the Sousalarm selection for the day will be John Philip Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever; we chose a version by the Dallas Wind Symphony. And we’ll be playing the final movement of Antonín Dvořák’s so-called “American Quartet,” his String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96, in a version by Ragazze Quartet.
Breakfast with Bach, at 8 a.m., gives us the perfect opportunity to feature members of the Goat Rodeo — cellist Yo-Yo Ma, mandolinist Chris Thile, and double bassist Edgar Meyer — performing the opening Vivace movement of the Sonata for Viola da Gamba No. 3 in G minor, from their album Bach Trios. And our Classical at Your Request segment, just after the stroke of noon, will be a stunning piece of 20th-century Americana. (Tune in to find out which one!)
Even our Midday Mozart selection, just after 1 p.m., speaks to the American project: his Serenade No. 7 in D major, K. 250, known as the “Haffner” Serenade, had its concert premiere in July of 1776. (We’ll hear a version recorded, in more modern circumstances, by the Cologne Academy.)
Later in the afternoon, you can look forward to Florence Price’s Piano Quintet in A Minor, recorded by Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective; Ferde Grofé’s Grand Canyon Suite, performed by Leonard Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic; George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, courtesy of the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic; and Philip Glass’ Symphony No. 4: "Heroes," via the American Composers Orchestra, led by Dennis Russel Davies.
Also, more Dvořák: his iconic Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, "From the New World," which he composed while he was the director of the National Conservatory of Music of America. And as for Flix @ Five: it’ll be none other than David Arnold’s orchestral score for the blockbuster movie Independence Day. We did promise fireworks!
We hope that you enjoy this Fourth of July, and that you’ll spend some of it with us. Don’t forget to stick around for our jazz programming, too — there’s a lot more great American music in store.