Each Saturday at 8 p.m., WHRO-FM invites listeners into the vibrant world of new classical releases with “This Just In,” hosted by Raymond Jones. Whether it’s a freshly released orchestral recording, a long-overlooked gem finally captured on disc, or a bold reinterpretation of a classic, the program offers three hours of musical discovery from across the classical spectrum.
We begin with a truly spectacular arrangement: Rimsky-Korsakov’s “The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship” from "Scheherazade," performed by Peter Richard Conte and Andrew Ennis. This four-hand arrangement for the mighty Wanamaker Grand Court Organ is part of the new Raven Records release “Duo.”
Last week’s program featured Sibelius’s Second Symphony, part of the “Nordic Symphonies” collection from Brilliant Classics. This week, we continue the journey with his Third Symphony, also performed by the Berlin Symphony Orchestra under Kurt Sanderling. While the Second is expansive and emotionally charged, the Third is more compact and refined, showing Sibelius’s shift toward a leaner, more classical style.
In a striking contrast, the mystical and richly orchestrated Symphonic Variations “Istar” by Vincent d’Indy provides another highlight of the program. We’ll hear a dramatic and colorful performance by the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Pascal Rophé.
Continuing our celebration of lesser-heard voices, Raymond Jones features a suite by Elizabeth Poston, the composer of the well-loved carol “Jesus Christ the Apple Tree,” but also so much more. Her suite “An English Daybook” is featured on the Chandos release “Welcome Joy: A Celebration of Women’s Voices,” performed by the Corvus Consort with Freddie Crowley and harpist Louise Thompson. Released earlier this year, the album champions underrepresented female composers with warmth, nuance, and grace.
Finally, the program closes with an emotionally charged performance of Symphony No. 4 by Sir Michael Tippett, taken from Sir Andrew Davis’s final Proms concert. Conducting the BBC Philharmonic, Davis leads a passionate reading of Tippett’s powerful, abstract symphony. The recording, newly released by the BBC, stands as a moving tribute not only to Tippett’s complex musical language but to Davis’s long and distinguished career.
From mythological voyages to modern farewells, “This Just In” this Saturday night offers listeners a richly varied musical journey through some of the most compelling classical releases of the year. Tune in at 8 p.m. on WHRO-FM 90.3, or listen online, for three hours of discovery with Raymond Jones.
