Host Raymond Jones rolls out the red carpet for royalty this Saturday evening at 8:00 on “This Just In,” WHRO-FM’s weekly showcase of the newest classical recordings. From the grandeur of Tudor courts to the solemn majesty of Sibelius’ Nordic landscapes, this week’s selections offer a musical journey that’s nothing short of noble.
We begin with “Henry VIII on Tour: Music from Tudor Royal Progresses,” a fascinating new release from Delphian Records. This immersive project brings to life the soundscape of the English monarch’s travels across his realm. Featuring works by Cornysh, Taverner, and Verdelot—alongside music attributed to the King himself—the album paints a vivid portrait of a turbulent yet culturally rich era.
The royal theme continues with a rare discovery: the “Henry IV Suite” by Ralph Vaughan Williams, featured in a new Albion Records release. Originally composed in 1913 as incidental music for Shakespeare’s “Henry IV,” the score was long thought lost. Thanks to surviving fragments found in Stratford-upon-Avon, musicologist Malcolm Riley was able to reconstruct the suite, now recorded for the first time.
Next, we return to Elizabethan England with “Lo, Country Sports – Elizabethan Life in Music, Song and Poetry,” a beautifully curated anthology performed by the Purcell Consort of Voices under Grayston Burgess. This album evokes rural life in the 16th century through a rich blend of songs, instrumental pieces, and verse—a gentle, pastoral counterpoint to the courtly pageantry of the earlier selections.
Then it’s off to Finland, with a commanding performance of Jean Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1 in E minor by the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester under the baton of Kurt Sanderling. This early symphony already reveals Sibelius’ unmistakable voice—brooding, lyrical, and majestic. Sanderling’s reading is both powerful and deeply authentic.
We close the evening with a chamber jewel by Franz Schubert: his Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat major, D. 898. Although unpublished during his lifetime and sometimes labeled as “unfinished” due to minor gaps in the manuscript, the work stands as a fully realized masterpiece. Pianist Robert Levin, violinist Noah Bendix-Balgley, and cellist Peter Wiley deliver a refined and expressive interpretation that highlights Schubert’s melodic gifts and structural elegance.
Crown your Saturday night with regal sounds and newly uncovered treasures on “This Just In,” airing at 8:00 p.m. on WHRO-FM 90.3, and also available online through WHRO’s Media Player.
