Fairy Tales, Folk Songs, and Symphonic Splendor on ‘This Just In’

Tune in every Saturday evening at 8:00 pm on WHRO-FM for “This Just In,” your guide through the newest gems in the classical music world. This week, join Raymond Jones for exciting new recordings, including several inspired by legendary tales from distant lands.
We begin the program with JoAnn Falletta, leading the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in Igor Stravinsky's enchanting “The Song of the Nightingale”, a colorful orchestral work inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairy tale. Also featured is a newly reissued Warner Classics recording of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's beloved “Scheherazade”, with Sir Thomas Beecham conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This performance is an internationally acclaimed interpretation of the composer's musical retelling of “One Thousand and One Nights.” The spotlight then turns to the Middle East with Israeli composer Paul Ben-Haim’s powerful Symphony No. 2, performed by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. This piece is a rich blend of European symphonic traditions with Middle Eastern influences. Also new to the playlist is Franz Schmidt's brilliant “Variations on a Hussar's Song,” an orchestral showcase rooted in a spirited Hungarian melody. The Tippett String Quartet then offers a fresh performance of Alexander Glazunov's lyrical String Quartet No. 1 in D major, highlighting the composer's gift for melody and intimate chamber writing. To close the program with serenity and grace, cellist Tommy Mesa brings elegance and warmth to Camille Saint-Saëns' timeless “The Swan” from “Carnival of the Animals.”
This week's “This Just In" is filled with discoveries that deserve a place on every classical music lover's playlist, so tune in Saturday at 8:00 pm on WHRO-FM 90.3, or online through our Media Player.