Debussy and the Piano: Part I
In this, the first of five installments on Debussy and the piano, host David Dubal presents a vintage recording of Debussy playing from the Children’s Corner Suite, an explanation of why Debussy wasn’t...
View ArticleDebussy and the Piano: Part II
In this, the second of five installments of a series focused on Debussy and the piano, host David Dubal explores Debussy’s piano music that deals with pictures of the natural world, and also reveals...
View ArticleThe Wonderful Waltz, Part 1
The waltz first took root in Vienna and soon spread across Europe, becoming the dance craze of the 19th century. Waltzing was more energetic and intimate than other social dances and caused its fair...
View ArticleThe Wonderful Waltz, Part 4
This week, David Dubal concludes his exploration of the waltz, tracing its history from country to country across piano keyboards. In this final segment, you’ll hear rare waltzes from Russia, popular...
View ArticlePianist Seong-Jin Cho Is Platinum in Korea, Fulfills Carnegie Dream
Seong-Jin Cho's skillful playing has rightly earned him multi-platinum status back in Korea, and now he's sharing his gift with America. Still riding high from his Carnegie Hall debut, the celebrated...
View ArticleMarie Vermeulin Plays Debussy and Ravel
This week, Young Artists Showcase features French pianist Marie Vermeulin playing music by the great French composers, Debussy and Ravel. A talented performer, Vermeulin has won awards at the Olivier...
View ArticlePushing the Geographic Boundaries of Chamber Music
When you hear the words “chamber music,” do you immediately think of a string quartet? (Or possibly a nap?) You probably don’t think of the harp, although Debussy wrote a beautiful sonata for harp,...
View ArticleThe Art of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Part 3
This week on Reflections from the Keyboard, David Dubal continues his exploration of one of the most enigmatic piano masters, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. Born in Brescia, Italy in 1920, Benedetti...
View ArticleThe Takács Quartet Brings Levity To Its Tour With a Wes Anderson Favorite
The award-winning Takács Quartet — which formed in 1975 and still includes founding members András Fejér (cello) and Károly Schranz (violin) — is well into its 42nd season of intimate chamber music...
View ArticleClassical and Jazz: 12 Pieces That Find a Cool Groove
“Classical” and “jazz” have a lot in common. They both are two small words that, almost to a fault, are used to describe an enormous amount of music. Depending on the company you keep, saying these...
View ArticleThis Saxophone Version of Debussy's 'Syrinx' Caught Our Eye
Debussy’s Syrinx is a staple of the solo flute repertoire. The music is wistful, with the notes interacting with the silence in a way that transports you into a dreamlike state. But it fits just as...
View Article12 'Impressionist' Composers Not Named Debussy or Ravel
Artistic labels are tricky little things because they trap artists in a kind of musical amber with others that we deem just similar enough. The result? It becomes all the more difficult to look at a...
View ArticleA Musical Memorial to World War I
This week on the Young Artists Showcase, we honor Memorial Day with music. Baritone John Brancy and pianist Peter Dugan join host Bob Sherman in the studio to perform songs connected to World War I....
View ArticleAlan Gilbert Conducts Ravel's Piano Concerto
Tune in Thursday at 9 pm as Alan Gilbert leads the New York Philharmonic in Ravel's Piano Concerto in G, with Inon Barnatan as the soloist. The program also includes the Finnish composer Esa-Pekka...
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5 Pieces to Ponder on Your Final Summer Trip
August is here. Sure, it's hot and there are no national holidays but these two factors make it the perfect time to plan your final getaway before autumn's arrival. And because every vacation needs the...
View ArticleNight Music
Occasionally, we here at The Furthermore notice what time it is, and it’s always night. So occasionally, we like to acknowledge that fact in the programming. Tonight, we’ll hear nocturnes and other...
View ArticleHere's What It Would Sound Like If Bach Wrote ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’
How many different ways can you hear “When the Saints Go Marching In?” If you were to ask pianists Eyran Katsenelenbogen and Tal Zilber, the answer would be at least 10. During a performance in...
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The Incredible Story of Elise Hall's Saxophone and Debussy's Trainwreck...
In 1898, Elise Hall, an ambitious amateur saxophonist, was frustrated for a simple reason: there wasn’t enough music written specifically for her instrument. So she decided to go on a commissioning...
View ArticleJavier Perianes in his New York Recital Debut
Spanish pianist Javier Perianes brought postcards from Vienna and Granada to his New York recital debut at the Gilded Age Frick Collection mansion on 5th Avenue. After growing up in Andalusia, Spain,...
View ArticleListen: Archive Recording of Debussy Performing 'La Soirée dans Grenade' in...
In case you didn’t know, we tend to get pretty excited over archival recordings. Especially when the composers themselves are the ones being recorded. This 1913 recording of Debussy performing La...
View ArticleThe Great French Pianists, Part 1
This week on Reflections from the Keyboard, host David Dubal celebrates the elegance, precision, and sophistication of great French piano players. The roots of French piano playing are deep, going back...
View ArticleFirst Look: Seong-Jin Cho Plays a Selection from His New Debussy Record
Award-winning pianist Seong-Jin Cho, who made his Carnegie Hall debut earlier this year, is making another major move in 2017, with the release of an album featuring his interpretations of several of...
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The 20 Essential Debussy Recordings
With so many interpretations of Debussy committed to recordings — including a few by the composer himself — it can be hard to find the good stuff. That’s why we did the legwork for you. Here’s our list...
View ArticlePianist Seong-Jin Cho Plays Debussy, Beethoven and Chopin
This week's edition of Midday Masterpieces featured acclaimed South Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho, who joined us in our studio to perform selections by Debussy, Beethoven and Chopin. The latter is a...
View ArticleReflections from the Keyboard: Debussy and the Piano
The on-demand audio for this series has expired. In this five-part special installment of the show Reflections from the Keyboard — listen above — host David Dubal explores the life and work of one of...
View ArticleA Walk Through the Life of Debussy
To mark the anniversary of Claude Debussy’s death a century ago, we thought we’d share illustrator Andy Potts’ two-minute animated tour through the life and work of the French composer. The short...
View ArticleThis Vibraphone Arrangement of ‘Clair De Lune’ Is As Dreamy as Debussy Gets
Claude Debussy’s masterful use of color and flirtations with enigmatic tonalities means that a lot of his music sounds like a dream — you feel like you’re just floating along in space and sound....
View ArticleClassical Music Hour: Debussy’s ‘La Mer’ Is Bigger and Better Than the Ocean
I live approximately 1,000 feet away from Lake Michigan. In fact, I can see a tiny sliver of it from my apartment window. At this point in our relationship, I know the lake pretty well. It’s often a...
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The Best New Recordings of 2018 (So Far)
Over the last six months, we’ve accumulated (truly) thousands of new classical releases in the WQXR offices (I’m attaching a picture of my CD-strewn desk, but warning: it ain’t pretty).From Monteverdi...
View ArticleThis Acrobat Brings ‘Clair de Lune’ to Life
To mark the centenary year of Debussy’s death, pianist Alexandre Tharaud and acrobat Yoann Bourgeois teamed up for a choreographed performance of “Clair de Lune” from the French composer’s Suite...
View ArticleRagtime For Elise
Beethoven’s “Für Elise” and Fifth Symphony. Debussy’s “Clair de Lune.” All three are cornerstones of the classical repertoire. What else do they have in common? They all sound great in ragtime!That’s...
View ArticleRalph van Raat Live from The Greene Space
Join Morning Host Jeff Spurgeon for a special Facebook Live concert with pianist Ralph van Raat, who will be performing a program featuring Debussy and Dutch composer Louis Andriessen. The...
View ArticleThe Classical Sax Is Amazing. Here Are Seven Pieces to Get You Started
The saxophone is a relative latecomer to the orchestra, which means a lot of us don’t give it much thought as far as classical music goes. That doesn’t mean composers have neglected it — while it’s a...
View ArticleMidday Masterpieces: Marc-André Hamelin
Joining us on Wednesday at 1 pm, we continue our Midday Masterpieces series with Marc-André Hamelin, who will be stopping by the studio to chat with morning host Jeff Spurgeon in advance of his Nov. 15...
View ArticleThe Rolston String Quartet Plays Mozart, Debussy, Schafer
On Wednesday at 1 pm, join us on Facebook Live for an afternoon performance from the Canadian-based Rolston String Quartet. In advance of its Carnegie Hall debut on December 11, the group will be...
View Article19 of Our Favorite Internet Moments in 2018
When we aren’t listening to music, brainstorming blog posts or doing any of those functions necessary to staying alive, we’re spending a lot of time on the Internet. For the classical lovers among us,...
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‘Pelléas et Mélisande’ Returns to the Met Stage
Over the course of his composing career, Claude Debussy only wrote one opera: Pelléas et Mélisande. On Saturday, you can hear it for yourself during its return to the Met Opera stage for the first time...
View ArticleThe Metropolitan Opera Orchestra at Carnegie Hall
The MET Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, Mon., June 3Tickets: $25-$165. Show at 8 pm. Classical music fans know that it’s a big deal when the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra leaves the confines of the Met’s...
View ArticleViolinist William Wei
Tonight, Taiwanese violinist William Wei joins us in the studio, accompanied by pianist Jinhee Park. Wei previously appeared on the Showcase as a 2018 Salon de Virtuosi career grant winner back in...
View ArticleAstral Artists 2018 Laureates, Part 1
The Young Artists Showcase travels to Philadelphia for the next two weeks, for concert performances by the 2018 laureates of Astral Artists. Astral Artists focuses on giving young and up-and-coming...
View Article17. On Elevation
“It actually takes you off the ground. You are floating in the clouds, which doesn't make logical sense, but that's what it feels like.”Comedian and actor Eddie Izzard talks about Claude Debussy’s...
View ArticleFlutist Catherine Gregory and Pianist David Kaplan
We have another special studio visit tonight on the Young Artists Showcase. Ahead of her upcoming Weill Hall recital debut, flutist Catherine Gregory, winner of the Pro Musicis award, and pianist David...
View ArticleActive Listening Challenge: Monday, April 20
Join the WQXR Active Listening Challenge. Every weekday at 11am we’ll be playing a piece of music just for you! Yes, we like it… but we want to know how this piece of music makes you (or your students)...
View ArticleClaude Debussy: 'That's the Way I'm Made'
Claude Debussy is often called an impressionist, but he personally despised the term. As his career developed, he became increasingly determined to transcend all categories. He once wrote, “I feel more...
View ArticleRecent Astral Artists Laureates, Part 2
Tonight we conclude our visit to Philadelphia for performances by recent winners of Astral Artists. With so many great performances by violinist Katie Hyun, flutist Annie Wu, and pianist Natalia...
View ArticleWindSync
WindSync, a quintet comprised of flautist Garrett Hudson, oboist Emily Tsai, clarinetist Julian Hernandez, bassoonist Kara LaMoure, and Anni Hochhalter on the horn, has been a regular feature of the...
View ArticleA Heavenly Blend: Renée Fleming and Susan Graham
Listen live to this episode of Carnegie Hall Live on Thursday, August 19th, at 9 pm. Our penultimate Carnegie Hall Live show for this season includes a replay of the 2013 recital by two great American...
View ArticleDebussy's Pelléas et Mélisande from the Rouen Normandy Opera
Listen Saturday, September 25th, at 1pm.Program notes courtesy of WFMT.Click here for the upcoming Saturday Opera broadcast schedule.An unspoken song, sumptuous orchestration, a love story inspired by...
View ArticleEncore: Violinist William Wei
This program originally aired on June 26, 2019Tonight, Taiwanese violinist William Wei joins us in the studio, accompanied by pianist Jinhee Park. Wei previously appeared on the Showcase as a 2018...
View ArticleEncore: In the Studio with Brandon Ridenour
This broadcast originally aired on March 16, 2016.Trumpeter Brandon Ridenour, who became the youngest-ever member of the quintet Canadian Brass when he joined the ensemble at 20, came to the Showcase...
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