Composers with a strong mid-European connection on ‘This Just In’

Join Raymond Jones this Saturday evening at 8:00 on WHRO-FM for “This Just In," your three-hour program offering a fascinating mix of composers, styles, and performers, from the Baroque era to the 20th century and beyond.
This week, be inspired by Swiss-American composer Ernest Bloch’s “Suite Symphonique,” which strongly expresses his European roots. Then, we go east to hear a Czech piece, Bohuslav Martinu’s Symphony No. 2, performed by the Bamberg Symphony under the baton of Czech conductor Jakub Hrůša. Next is Russian-French pianist Arcadi Volodos performing the Piano Sonata No. 17 in D by Franz Schubert, a nice contrast between Austrian musical heritage and a Russian-born interpreter. Also on the lineup is Johann Friedrich Fasch’s “Orchestral Suite in E minor,” offering a taste of the elegant sound world of the German Baroque. We then close the program with Gustav Holst’s “Seven Choruses from the Alcestis of Euripides” performed by the Paulina Voices and the BBC Concert Orchestra, a fascinating musical encounter between early 20th-century Britain and the world of ancient Greek drama.
From Baroque orchestral music to Schubert’s intimate piano writing, and from Bloch and Martinů to Holst, this week’s program is another opportunity to discover what’s new in the world of classical recording. Tune in for “This Just In” on WHRO-FM Saturday at 8:00 p.m. or listen online through our Media Player or your preferred device.