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Composer Katherine Hoover's Winter Spirits is a musical tribute to the American Desert Southwest. This 5 minute piece was inspired by Marie Buchfink's artwork picturing a cross-legged native American flute player: A colorful cloud of tiny beneficent spirits rises from the flute into a cloud. Elements of dance, chant, and drumming combine to create a mystical, magical soundscape.  Katherine Hoover, Kokopeli Katherine Hoover, Winter Spirits performed by Karen Kevra, flute Support the show

In this encore episode from Christmas eve 2020, we celebrate the life and legacy of Tony Barrand who died on January 29, 2022. Tony Barrand was born in England in 1945 but has lived most of his life in southern Vermont in the vibrant town of Brattleboro—a place that shines all the more brightly because of him. This Cornell PHD and Professor Emeritus of Boston University is not just an academic, but also a singer, dancer, and story-teller. What first grabs you is his way with words—he can give them weight, or make them sparkle depending on the point he is trying to make, but he uses words to greatest effect when he sings. His handsome  tenor voice really shines when joined by his singing comrades (John Roberts, Fred Breunig and Andy Davis) from the band Nowell Sing We Clear. This is top-notch exuberant music-making in a traditional style that will have you singing along, dancing, and entranced by the magic of the story-telling.  Guaranteed to brighten your days during this darkest time of year. Special thanks to: Andy Davis, Keith Murphy and Becky Tracy, Amanda Witman, Peter Amidon, Sue Dupre, Kari Smith, Carole Crompton, and Rachel Bell Music, courtesy Golden Hind Music Click here to order  Nowell Sing We Clear: Songs & Carols for Midwinter & Christmastide Photo: BU Photography Support the show

Pianist Jeffrey Chappell reflects on his life and his formative mentorships first with pianist Jane Allen, and later with the legendary Leon Fleisher.  In this encore episode, Jeffrey reveals his early childhood genesis story with the piano; his studies at the Curtis Institute and Peabody Conservatory, and path that led him to an astounding last minute substitution for Claudio Arrau with the Baltimore Symphony. He addresses overcoming challenges and adversity and speaks about his lifelong meditation practice and his book Answers from Silence.  Support the show

Edgard Varèse is one of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century and was called  "The stratospheric Colossus of Sound."  He lived life with intensity and composed the same way.  Varèse lived most of his composing life in New York City and  made music out of the  compelling cacophony of NYC street noises: sirens,  firetrucks, river sounds, foghorns, and even skyscraper construction. Density 21.5 was composed in 1936 (and revised in 194) at the request of Georges Barrère to inaugurate his new platinum flute.  (21.5 is the density of platinum.) Density 21.5 breaks the stereotype of typical French music. This 4 minute-long  ground-breaking piece offers free tonality, an immense dynamic range,  surgically precise rhythms, steely and wispy colors, and it showcases Varèse's love for percussion. Varèse was more interested in the nature of sound rather than the aspect of melody.  Listen with curiosity to the sounds and enjoy the emotional ride. Music: Georg Philip Telemann, Fantaisie No. 12 for solo flute by Karen Kevra Edgard Varèse -Poème électronique Kees Tazelaar, Edgard Varèse & Institute for Computer Music Jacques Offenbach - Barcarolle from Tale of Hoffman, Sir Neville Mariner Frédéric Chopin - Ballade #4, Opus 52, Alfred Cortot Erik Satie - Gymnopédie No. 1,  Philippe Entremont Edgard Varèse - Amériques, The Philadelphia Orchestra Edgard Varèse, Ionisation, The New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Pierre Boulez Edgard Varèse - Déserts, Choeurs de Radio France, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Pierre Boulez Claude Debussy - Syrinx, Karen Kevra Cécile Chaminade - Concertino, Karen Kevra Edgard Varèse - Density 21.5, Karen Kevra Support the show

Flight of the Bumblebee from Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's opera  "The Tale of Tsar Saltan"--is at the heart of a fantastical tale which includes a large cast of characters including a king and a queen, a magical swan, and a prince turned bumblebee. It's a dazzling colorful encore piece, instantly recognizable and adopted by all kinds of instrumentalists, from string players, to pianists and of course flutists. The buzzier and the faster, the better! Georg Philip Telemann, Fantaisie No. 12  for solo flute by Karen Kevra  Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Flight of the Bumblebee by the Russian National Orchestra Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade, Op. 35 - I. The Sea and Sinbad's Ship,  André Previn · Rainer Küchl · Wiener Philharmoniker  Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Flight of the Bumblebee by Karen Kevra  photo credit: Karen Kevra Support the show

Pierre-Octave Ferroud wrote "Jade"- a tropical work for solo flute in July of 1921. There are two musical features in this Asian-styled French piece that give it its distinctly far eastern flavor. The first is the pentatonic scale-- the five pitches are tied to five elements:  wood, fire, earth, metal and water. The second feature is a rhythmic one --the ever present dotted rhythms give the piece a bubbling dance quality. This is imaginative music so close your eyes and travel to a tropical  beach with waterfalls, ancient canopied banyan trees, fluttering butterflies and the glittering jade colored sea... Georg Philip Telemann, Fantaisie No. 12 Pierre-Octave Ferroud,  Bergère Captive Pierre-Octave Ferroud, Jade All flute pieces performed by  Karen Kevra  photo credit: Karen Kevra Support the show

One of the things that really sets Gabriel Fauré apart is the singing style of his music. He was an exceptional and prolific composer of song so it's no wonder that we hear that singing quality even in his instrumental works. Fauré's "Morceau de Concours" is an incredibly special tiny gem. Don't be fooled by the title. Though he wrote it as a sight-reading examination piece for students at the Paris Conservatory, it is a poetic lullaby. -A musical balm for this most dark time of year. MUSIC: Georg Philip Telemann, Fantaisie No. 12, performed by Karen Kevra Gabriel Fauré, Sicilienne, Op. 78, performed by Karen Kevra Frédéric Chopin, Waltz in E flat major, performed by Jeffrey Chappell George Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue, performed by George Gershwin, piano with Paul Whiteman and the  Paul Whiteman Orchestra (Recorded June 10, 1924) Gabriel Fauré, Violin Sonata no.1, op. 13, Allegro molto, performed by Arthur Grumiaux, violin, and Paul Crossley, piano Gabriel Fauré, Piano Trio No. 1, Allegro molto moderato, performed by Marguerite Long, piano,  Jean Pasquier, violin, Pierre Pasquier, viola, Etienne Pasquier, cello Gabriel Fauré, Piano Trio No. 1, Scherzo: allegro vivo, performed by Marguerite Long, piano,  Jean Pasquier, violin, Pierre Pasquier, viola, Etienne Pasquier, cello Adjutant's Call/French Foreign Legion March, US Marine Band Gabriel Fauré, Cantique de Jean Racine, Op. 11, performed bythe Cambridge Singers, Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia Gabriel Fauré, Morceau de Concours, performed by Karen Kevra Support the show

 Muse Mentors host Karen Kevra  discusses Beethoven's transcendent Hymn of Thanksgiving from the Op. 132 A minor string quartet with Nicholas Kitchen, the first violinist of the Borromeo Quartet. Credits: Beethoven, Hymn Of Thanksgiving (String Quartet Op. 132, Movement III)  Borromeo Quartet  - Nicholas Kitchen, Violin; Kristopher Tong, Violin; Mai Motobuchi, Viola; Yeesun Kim, Cello) Use this link to hear and see the entire performance by the Borromeo String Quartet  Support the show

CPE Bach was the second son of Johann Sebastian and Maria Barbara Bach and to say he was a prolific composer is putting it mildly. CPE Bach wrote loads of flute music--sonatas, chamber music, and dazzling concerti. The tremendous output of flute music had to do with the fact that he had a flutist for a boss--Frederick the Great of Prussia. His touching Sonata in A minor for solo flute was composed in Berlin in 1747 and the opening movement is a palate of fall colors --golden yellows, reds, mahogany, and conifer green. This piece is a kind of meditation on the fall--it has an intimate quality unlike any other and it expresses the sadness of the passing of summer, the gratitude for the harvest, and the quality of turning inward as we light our fires and face the winter.   MUSIC: Georg Philip Telemann, Fantaisie No. 12, performed by Karen Kevra C.P.E. Bach, Cello Concerto in A minor, Allegro assai, performed by Alison McGillivray, and The English Concert C.P.E. Bach Harpsichord Concerto in D Minor, Allegro, performed by Jean Rondeau, with Sophie Gent, Louis Creac'h, Fanny Paccoud, Antoine Touche, Thomas de Pierrefeu, Evolène Kiener  C.P.E. Bach Flute Concerto In D Minor,  Allegro Di Molto, performed by Jean-Pierre Rampal-flute, Pierre Boulez-conductor  C.P.E. Bach Sonata in A minor for unaccompanied flute, performed by Karen Kevra Robert Frost recites "Reluctance" -included for educational purposes Photograph: Cornwall, Vermont backyard by Karen Kevra   Support the show

Fredrich Kuhlau was admired by Beethoven and is known as "the Beethoven of the flute." He wrote his gorgeous Fantasy in D major for solo flute in 1820 during a four-month stay in Vienna. Perhaps the Danube river provided inspiration for this silky, rippling Romantic music... Georg Philip Telemann, Fantaisie No. 12, performed by Karen Kevra Fredrich Kuhlau, Fantasy, Op. 38 in D major, Adagio, performed by Karen Kevra  J.S. Bach, Fantasia in G minor, BWV 542, performed by Hans-André Stamm-organ  Beethoven, Choral Fantasy, Op. 80, performed by Singapore Symphony Chorus and Youth Choir, Eudenice Palaruan, Choral Director, Tengku Irfan, piano https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AXnA7-TD4Q Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 "Moonlight" - I. Adagio sostenuto performed by Maurizio Pollini-piano  Beethoven, Symphony #6 "Pastorale" - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras, conductor Please support the show. Artwork: Danube landscape near Regensburg, by Albrecht Altdorfer Support the show

Frenchman Johannès Donjon's Etudes de Salon are whimsical and summery music. His miniature "Song of the Wind", "Élégie", and "Will-O'-the Wisp" require sure-footed technique. Even so, this fun music oozes with color, expression and imagination. Georg Philip Telemann, Fantaisie No. 12 Johannès Donjon, Song of the Wind, Élégie, Will-O'-the Wisp Performed by  Karen Kevra.  Support the show

It's been a period of intense news and worldwide stress. At times like these you've got to turn it off and turn to music. Czech composer Jindřich Feld's 1957 Meditation is a sublime 2.5 minute work that offers a respite from the news.  Try the simple meditative approach for a deep listening experience. Ray Chen-violin, and Julio Elizalde-piano perform Jules Massenet Meditation from Thais  Karen Kevra-flute, performs Jindřich Feld's Meditation. Support the show