Giacomo Puccini 1: About Giacomo Puccini

Giacomo Puccini 1: About Giacomo Puccini

Update: 2018-05-05

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By the time Italian composer Giacomo Puccini was born in 1858, there had already been four generations of musicians in his hometown of Lucca. Most were church musicians, but Giacomo had other ideas. When he was a teenager, he went to hear a performance of Verdi's Aida. From that moment on he knew that what he wanted to do was write operas. He did, and became one of Italy's most beloved operatic composers.

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Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 3: The Nutcracker

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Edvard Grieg 3: Other Scandinavian Composers

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Edvard Grieg 3: Other Scandinavian Composers

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Felix Mendelssohn 2: A Midsummer Night's Dream

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Leonard Bernstein 4: American Composers with a Boston Connection

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Leonard Bernstein 4: American Composers with a Boston Connection

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Giacomo Puccini 1: About Giacomo Puccini

By the time Italian composer Giacomo Puccini was born in 1858, there had already been four generations of musicians in his hometown of Lucca. Most were church musicians, but Giacomo had other ideas. When he was a teenager, he went to hear a performance of Verdi's Aida. From that moment on he knew that what he wanted to do was write operas. He did, and became one of Italy's most beloved operatic composers.

Giacomo Puccini 1: About Giacomo Puccini

2018-05-0500:06:001

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Johannes Brahms 3: Hungarian Dancing

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Johannes Brahms 1: About Johannes Brahms

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Women's History Month 5: Great Women Performers

Through the centuries, there have been exceptional female performers - on the largest stages of the world, and in smaller, more intimate settings. They include Clara Wieck Schumann, Maria Theresia von Paradies, Nadia Boulanger, Dame Myra Hess, Rebecca Clarke, Jacqueline Du Pre, Evelyn Glennie, Maria Callas, Marian Anderson, and Leontyne Price.

Women's History Month 5: Great Women Performers

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Women's History Month 4: What's It Like to Be a Conductor?

A program featuring acclaimed conductor JoAnn Falletta, who talks about her early love of music, how seeing her first symphony concert inspired her to become a conductor, and all the listening and preparation that goes into being successful at her job.

Women's History Month 4: What's It Like to Be a Conductor?

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Women's History Month 3: Contemporary Women Composers

There are many women composers these days, and this program introduces some of them: Caroline Shaw, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Lera Auerbach, Kaija Saariaho, Chen Yi, Jennifer Higdon, Libby Larsen, Missy Mazzoli, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Tania Leon.

Women's History Month 3: Contemporary Women Composers

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Women's History Month 2: Women Composers of the Past

Though many societies either forbade or looked down on women who wanted to be composers, many persevered. This show highlights Francesca Caccini, Elizabeth Claude Jacquet de la Guerre, Louise Farrenc, Cecile Chaminade, Germaine Tailleferre, Hildegard von Bingen, Marianna Martines, Fanny Mendelssohn, Amy Beach, Florence Price, and Queen Lili'oukalani.

Women's History Month 2: Women Composers of the Past

2018-03-1000:06:00

Women's History Month 1: Women in History and Classical Music

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Women's History Month 1: Women in History and Classical Music

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William Grant Still 4: Black Composers of Classical Music

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William Grant Still 4: Black Composers of Classical Music

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William Grant Still 3: Paul Laurence Dunbar's Poetry

After William Grant Still wrote his Afro-American Symphony, he found bits of poetry that he thought went with each movement. The poetry was written by Paul Laurence Dunbar, the first African-American to become a famous writer.

William Grant Still 3: Paul Laurence Dunbar's Poetry

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William Grant Still 2: The Afro-American Symphony

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William Grant Still 2: The Afro-American Symphony

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William Grant Still 1: About William Grant Still

William Grant Still has been called the Dean of Afro-American composers. Judith Anne Still, the composer's daughter, talks with Naomi Lewin about her father's life, and the difficulty he faced in the first half of 20th century America as a black man writing classical music.

William Grant Still 1: About William Grant Still

2018-02-0300:06:00

Franz Schubert 4: Marches Not Written for Bands and Parades

Even though Schubert's Marche Militaire has the word "march" in the title, it was never actually meant for anyone to march to. Several other composers wrote march music without bands or parades in mind.

Franz Schubert 4: Marches Not Written for Bands and Parades

2018-01-2700:06:00

Franz Schubert 3: Music for Piano Four Hands

Franz Schubert wrote his Marche Militaire for piano four hands -- two people playing the same instrument. Here are some more pieces for piano four hands.

Franz Schubert 3: Music for Piano Four Hands

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Franz Schubert 2: Take Me to Your Lieder

Songs in classical music are usually called "art songs." In German, art songs are called Lieder. Franz Schubert was a master of writing Lieder. Each of his songs combines poetry and music, voice and accompaniment, to make a complete musical short story.

Franz Schubert 2: Take Me to Your Lieder

2018-01-1300:06:00

Franz Schubert 1: About Franz Schubert

Franz Schubert's father expected his son to be a teacher in the school that he ran. But Schubert didn't last long at that job -- he was much more interested in writing music than paying attention to a classroom full of kids.

Franz Schubert 1: About Franz Schubert

2018-01-0600:06:00

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Giacomo Puccini 1: About Giacomo Puccini

Giacomo Puccini 1: About Giacomo Puccini