HPR Music

Exploring new music this evening on Bridging the Gap.

 Pictured is Alma Mahler Gropius Werfel, born Alma Schindler, who inspired Gustav Mahler, married him and broke his heart. She was one of several muses to Classical composers that I'll feature today. Composers will include Mahler, Berlioz, Britten, Chopin, Wagner, Janáček, Robert Schumann and Clara Schumann. The rest of the week will include other inspirations that have led to great music by Classical composers.

To get more information on each CD that is played, you can follow the program in one of two ways:

Weaving around classical creations, tango, and a little gypsy swing this evening on Bridging the Gap.

  Sharene Taba, Honolulu Symphony harpist and new HPR radio host, will be hosting Classical Pacific today. She'll continue to bring another fresh voice to the Classical music shared with you by all of us who host programs on HPR2. I'll be back in the studio tomorrow and for the rest of the week.

To get more information on each CD that I play, you can follow the program in one of two ways:

Turning towards a more electronic sound for this evenings session of Bridging the Gap. Wrapping it all around a new release from the Chemical Brothers... so it's a good night to strap on the headphones and turn the bass up.

  Classical composers today often include the element of chance in their composition process. In a nod to that process, I decided to base yesterday's and today's programs on a somewhat random choice of CDs from the HPR Music Library, no more than one CD randomly chosen from any shelf without looking at it first. As a result, today you'll hear music of Torroba, Tarrega, Mozart, Myaskovsky, Borodin, Debussy, Yohmei, Berwald, LIgety, and Cole Porter (again!).

Once in a while a picture can inspire an entire show. In this case it's this shot of Johnny Cash by Jim Marshall shaking hands with an inmate at his performance at Folsom Prison. So I'm starting there, and finding my way with you.

  Inspired by contemporary composers who use chance as an integral part of their composition process, I'm doing another program based on chance in my own way. I went to various shelves in the music library and pulled the seventh CD from the left of each shelf, and - voila - a concert of works by Falla, Schubert, Williams, Takemitsu, Mendelssohn, Bach, Shearmur ( a new composer for me), Beach and Porter. I may use the rest of the CDs I pulled for another chance-based program tomorrow!

Exploring Jazz with a global element this evening on Bridging the Gap.

  As often happens for me, a theme that I've researched leads to more great music than I can share in a day. I could probably do a week of programs on classical music inspired by the earth and nature. So - a second day of music celebrating Ka Honua Ola. I'm choosing from work by Vivaldi, Beethoven, Bantock, Debussy, Mussorgsky, Copland, Butterworth, and possibly more. 

To get more information on each CD that is played, you can follow the program in one of two ways:

There's a lot going on in tonight's session of Bridging the Gap. We're celebrating the birthday of David Bowie, looking back on the impact of Alan R. Pearlman founder of ARP Instruments who passed away on January 6th, and reflecting on the struggles over the border.

  Today, music inspired by Ka Honua Ola, the living earth. I'm drawing from some of the usual sources, and from some less known ones as well. You'll hear music celebrating nature by A Ke-jian, Beethoven, Verdi, Vaughan Williams, D'Indy, Delius, Bax, Borodin, He Zhan-hao, Puccini, Rossini and Humperdinck.

To get more information on each CD that is played, you can follow the program in one of two ways:

Keeping the vibes chilled and mellow for this session of Bridging the Gap.

  Today I'm celebrating the lives of classial musicians who died in 2018. Although I can't possibly play music featuring all of them, you'll hear a program of great performances celebrating Jesús López-Cobos, José Antonio Abreu, Michael Tree, Harold Farberman, Aldo Parisot, Claudio Scimone, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, and Robert Mann.

To get more information on each CD that I play, you can follow the program in one of two ways:

Paying tribute through song to Christa Wittmier, better known as Super CW who lost her fight with cancer yesterday. She was a wonderful co-dj and always brightened the room.

  A final day of early works by composers, with a few early performances by artists to end the first week of 2019. Join me for works by Britten, Saint-Saëns, Berlioz, Delius, Biber, Mendelssohn and Paganini. 

To get more information on each CD that is played, you can follow the program in one of two ways:

1. Go to hawaiipublicradio.org. Click on Programs, then HPR-2 Schedule, then find today's Classical Pacific link at 3pm. Information on each album will be displayed as the music plays, often with the cover of the album showing, too.

Exploring new music this evening on Bridging the Gap...nuff said.

More early works by composers from every era of Classical music to begin the new year. I'll be playing works chosen from these composers - Chopin, Bernstein, Walton, Wollschleger, Handel, Rameau, Norman, Haydn, and Beethoven. 

To get more information on each CD that is played, you can follow the program in one of two ways:

1. Go to hawaiipublicradio.org. Click on Programs, then HPR-2 Schedule, then find today's Classical Pacific link at 3pm. Information on each album will be displayed as the music plays, often with the cover of the album showing, too.

Since this show is a AAA format...and it's all about keeping the air eclectic, that's just what I'm going to do for tonight's show, trying to skip all over the place, in all sorts of different genres.

Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou. Today, as we begin the new year, a look at beginnings - early compositions, early performances, and other beginnings in classical music. 

To get more information on each CD that is played, you can follow the program in one of two ways:

1. Go to hawaiipublicradio.org. Click on Programs, then HPR-2 Schedule, then find today's Classical Pacific link at 3pm. Information on each album will be displayed as the music plays, often with the cover of the album showing, too.

Happy New Years to you and yours! For this 1st show of the year, I'm just running through a few favorites that carry a sprit of hope and reflection to start us all out on the right foot.

  On the last day of 2018, Sharene Taba will be your host for Classical Pacific. On Tuesday, Classical 24 will be playing during the 3-6pm slot. I'll be back on Wednesday, January 2nd, to begin another year of sharing music with you on Classical Pacific. Hauoli Lā Hanau.

To get more information on each CD that is played, you can follow the program in one of two ways:

Here we go! The last show for Bridging the Gap for 2018. 
...and it's day 3 of the best of 2018. Some new releases, and a few songs that I just couldn't live without.

  Today - a final day of performances by Classical Music (and one Broadway music) reciepients of the Kennedy Center Honors over the past 41 years. Enjoy!

To get more information on each CD that is played, you can follow the program in one of two ways:

1. Go to hawaiipublicradio.org. Click on Programs, then HPR-2 Schedule, then find today's Classical Pacific link at 3pm. Information on each album will be displayed as the music plays, often with the cover of the album showing, too.

Day 2 of our listen back to favorites from 2018. Some new releases, and a few songs that I just couldn't live without.

  Yesterday, I celebrated a few of the Kennedy Center Honorees in classical music from the past 41 years, on the day of this year's Kennedy Center Honors. I decided to continue, as there are many deserving honorees to celebrate. Today, I'll feature opera singers, pianists, conductors, string players and composers who've been honored throughout the years. 

To get more information on each CD that I play, you can follow the program in one of two ways:

For the next 3 days (my last 3 shows of the year), I'm counting down favorites from 2018.  Some new releases, and a few songs that I just couldn't live without.

The yearly Kennedy Center Honors airs tonight at 7pm on CBS. Now in its 40th season, the program features people from various areas of the arts, almost always including at least one classical musician. I'll be featuring performances by a few of these artists, from the first, Arthur Rubinstein, to the latest, Philip Glass. 

To get more information on each CD that I play, you can follow the program in one of two ways:

It's Christmas Day... and wishing you all a happy holiday. Tonight's show is is going to be a collection of a few Christmas songs as well as a few other songs that remind me of winter and a reflective holiday season.

Full confession. I hate Christmas music. It's just too programed, and rammed down our throats. With that said... there are a few standouts here and there, and that's what will make up tonight's session of Bridging the Gap.