Whatever your plans this Thanksgiving, WRTI will be right there with the perfect soundtrack. Tune in during our Classical broadcast, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, for a mix of beloved American classics and songs of hearth and home. On the jazz side, it’s all about our first annual Holiday Platters Weekend, featuring an assortment of classic albums selected by you, our listeners.
We’ll be shouting out the Temple University Diamond Marching Band on this year’s Thanksgiving broadcast. If you’re curious as to why, think big: as part of their centennial, the band will be featured in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, one of the holiday’s most iconic traditions. Listen during our Sousalarm segment at 7:15 a.m. to hear a pair of themes in tribute: “Fight, Temple, Fight!” and “T for Temple U.”
Among the other pieces that John T.K. Scherch will play from 6 to 10 a.m. are Leonard Bernstein’s “Turkey Trot” bagatelle, from his Divertimento; the Autumn movement from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons; Aaron Copland’s Quiet City; a rendition of Haydn’s “Sunrise” string quartet by the Arod Quartet and more. These selections will transform the feeling of morning meal preparation from a chore to a joyous embodiment of Thanksgiving and the fall season, opening the day up to ensuing festivities.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Melinda Whiting will continue our musical festivities with pieces like Amazing Grace, in a version performed by soprano Jessye Norman with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto, performed by pianist Xiayin Wang and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Marta Keen’s “Homeward Bound,” performed by baritone Bryn Terfel and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir; and Antonín Dvořák’s “From the New World” Symphony. Some will already be eating by the time this segment ends, which means that there’s room for musical dessert in the broadcast’s remaining hours.
From 2 to 6 p.m., these syndicated Thanksgiving specials will fill your home with festive spirit:
Every Good Thing — 2 to 3 p.m.
Andrea Blain’s “Every Good Thing” will play from 2 to 3 p.m., featuring a fresh feast of classical works like Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 15, Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, Copland’s Simple Gifts, and more. This hour of stories and reminiscence suits the spirit of Thanksgiving, when memories are shared over a holiday table.
The American Sound: Seed and Soil — 3 to 4 p.m.
Thanksgiving has always been closely tied to the land, as a celebration of gratitude for abundant harvest. Join host Jennifer Hambrick at 3 p.m. for an hour of music that celebrates America's beautiful and bountiful land — like “The Pasture,” from Randall Thompson’s choral work Frostiana, and Jennifer Higdon’s uplifting “Amazing Grace” for string quartet.
Shadowglow: Thanksgiving with the American Sound — 4 to 5 p.m.
An important part of Thanksgiving is taking some time to reflect on this special time of year. That seasonal feeling takes center stage on “Shadowglow: Thanksgiving with the American Sound,” starting at 4 p.m. Experience an hour of autumnal radiance with pieces like Michael Torke’s Spoonbread, Kenji Bunch’s Luminaria, and Craig Hella Johnson’s The Song That I Came to Sing.
Songs of Thanks — 5 to 6 p.m.
Ending our Thanksgiving broadcast is “Songs of Thanks,” a production by vocal ensemble Cantus. The octet will bring listeners through musical passages celebrating gratitude and community, serving as a final holiday reflection.
Happy Thanksgiving, from all of us at WRTI!