The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music: Here is the music that Wisconsin Public Radio hosts find calming and inspiring during the pandemic. What music would you list? | April 27, 2020

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By Jacob Stockinger

One of the major sources of music during the COVID-19 public health crisis and the coronavirus pandemic is Wisconsin Public Radio.

The Ear finds WPR a reliable source of beauty and companionship during this difficult time of self-isolation and self-quarantining required by the state’s stay-at-home and self-distancing orders.

Each host plans and broadcasts hours of classical music each day. So they hear a lot of classical music.

They also contribute to a blog that offers insights to: new and old recordings; background information about the composers, music and performers; and personal observations about classical music.

Recently, the radio hosts – including Stephanie Elkins (below), Norman Gilliland, Lori Skelton, Ruthanne Bessman, Anders Yocom (at bottom, in a  photo by James Gill) and Peter Bryant — listed the music that they find particularly calming and inspiring during a difficult and anxiety-ridden time.

The names of composers include Bach, Scarlatti, Mendelssohn, Mahler, Ysaye, Vaughan-Williams and film score master John Williams.

The list includes audio-visual performances of the pieces.

Take a look and listen.

Then tell us what you think of the various suggestions and which ones you prefer?

Also leave the composers, pieces and performers that you would add to such a list, with a YouTube link if possible.

Here is a link:

https://www.wpr.org/wpr-music-hosts-share-music-calms-and-inspires


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1 Comment »

  1. I’ve been straightening the house and attacking the unending number of stacks of paper (insurance statements, receipts, Christmas cards from 2016) and I’ve been loving this recording of Purcell’s Fantasias for gamba consort, so much so that I ordered it:

    The amazing polyphony and fascinating harmonies and chord changes give it the gravitas that, as Anders notes, is needed at this time, but the rhythmic verve, and the deeply satisfying cadences, provide the energy, and the reassurance, that we crave now. Here’s another, equally beautiful set by English composer John Jenkins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObfFbHtT6Us&t=1337s

    Like

    Comment by Marika Fischer Hoyt — April 27, 2020 @ 2:30 pm


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