The New Criterion

A program of American, or American-ish, music, in honor of Independence Day. Trad., “My Country, ’Tis of Thee” Dvorak, String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96, “American,” final movement Puccini, “ Dovunque al mondo ,” from “Madama Butterfly” Joplin, “Gladiolus Rag” Gershwin, “Summertime,” from “Porgy and Bess” Gershwin-Wild, Virtuoso Étude on “Liza” Copland, “Going to Heaven!” Wheeler, “Isolation Rag” Bernstein, “Mambo,” from “West Side Story” Harbison, “Standards” Lowry-Copland, “At the River”

Yes, June is bustin’ out, and so is a new episode. Jay plays that song and several others, known and less known. There’s also piano music, a violin piece—a tasty musical meal. Rodgers & Hammerstein, “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over,” from “Carousel” Kern & Harbach, “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” from “Roberta” Albéniz, “Evocación,” from “Iberia,” Book 1 Strauss, Adolf, “Ich weiß bestimmt, ich werd' dich wiedersehen” Bloch, “Nigun,” from “Baal Shem” Romberg & Hammerstein, “Stout-hearted Men,” from “The New Moon” Lehrer, “Alma” Respighi, “Notturno”

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights of the June 2023 issue and reads from its opening pages.

“Zadok the Priest” is the musical hit of British coronations, and has been since the 1720s. “The Swan” is a hit too, and is never more magical than in Godowsky’s piano arrangement. These are two of the selections in this episode. Others are by Mozart, Leroy Anderson, and other worthies. An appetizing, eclectic menu. Handel, “Zadok the Priest” Mozart, Serenade from “Don Giovanni” Anderson, Piano Concerto in C Handel, “Ah, mio cor, schernito sei,” from “Alcina” Saint-Saëns-Godowsky, “The Swan” Bacewicz, String Quartet No. 4 Cilea, “Poveri fiori” from “Adriana Lecouvreur” Bach-Godowsky, Andante from the Violin Sonata No. 2 in A minor

On May 11, 2023, The New Criterion welcomed Lincoln Jones, the director of the American Contemporary Ballet, Los Angeles, alongside the dancer Hannah Barr for a discussion and demonstration of ballet at a Friends and Young Friends spring soirée in the editorial offices, with an introduction by Executive Editor James Panero. To become a Friend or Young Friend of The New Criterion, follow this link: https://newcriterion.com/friends.

Isaac Sligh & James Panero discuss the Republic of Georgia, Crusaders, travel writing, audiophiles & more. To read Isaac's article on Crusaders and the Caucasus in The Critic, visit https://thecritic.co.uk/issues/march-2023/land-of-ghosts-and-legends/. To learn more about the Ralston Listening Library, which Isaac used to curate, visit https://new.sewanee.edu/ralstonlisteninglibrary/.

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights of the May 2023 issue and reads from its opening pages.

Jay concludes this episode with “Speak Low,” the Kurt Weill song (lyrics by Ogden Nash). Before that, you have any number of other interesting things. Well, a specific number: six. A very tasty menu of music. Handel, “The Harmonious Blacksmith” Strauss, “Malven” Boccherini-Berio, “Ritirata notturna di Madrid” García Lorca, “Sevillanas” Wagner, “Lohengrin,” Prelude to Act III Wolf, “Die Spröde” Weill & Nash, “Speak Low”

A program of music, by a slew of composers. Bach, “Preis und Dank,” from the Easter Oratorio Bach, “Mache dich, mein Herze, rein,” from the St. Matthew Passion Mascagni, Easter Hymn, from “Cavalleria rusticana” Trad., arr. Bonds, “You Can Tell the World” Handel, “I know that my Redeemer liveth,” from “Messiah” Rimsky-Korsakov, “Russian Easter Festival Overture” Fauré, Pie Jesu, from Requiem East, James H., “He’s So Wonderful” Mahler, Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection”

Adam Kirsch & James Panero discuss the April poetry issue, the New Criterion Poetry Prize, and more. Brian Brodeur reads selections from his winning book, Some Problems with Autobiography (Criterion Books).

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights of the April 2023 issue and reads from its opening pages.

A smorgasbord of music, from the light and Viennesey to the angular and modern. Bacewicz, Overture for Orchestra Vustin, “Lamento” Sæverud, “Ballad of Revolt” Johnston/Burke, “Pennies from Heaven” Escaich, “Nun komm” Helmesberger, “Entr’acte Valse” Mussorgsky, Serenade, from “Songs and Dances of Death” Strauss, Eduard, “Mit Extrapost — Polka schnell” Giordano, “Amor ti vieta,” from “Fedora”

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights of the March 2023 issue and reads from its opening pages.

Robert Erickson and James Panero discuss Plutarch, plays, pastrami, and more. The second of our podcasts on the Hilton Kramer Fellowship. The texts used in the New Criterion classics reading group are as follows: —Histories, Herodotus, Landmark Edition, tr. Andrea L. Purvis, ed. Robert B. Strassler —Persians, Aeschylus, tr. Janet Lembke & C. J. Herrington —Theogony and Works & Days, Hesiod, tr. M. L. West —Parallel Lives, Plutarch, tr. John Dryden, ed. Arthur Hugh Clough —Metamorphoses, Ovid, tr. Charles Martin —Aeneid, Vergil, tr. Sarah Ruden

Paul Johnson, the great English historian and journalist, passed away last month. Music was important in the life of Paul Johnson. Jay has arranged a little program, in tribute. Mozart, Clarinet Concerto, first movement Bruckner, Scherzo from Symphony No. 9 Brahms, Intermezzo in B-flat minor, Op. 117, No. 2 Mozart, Ave verum corpus Nelson, “Crazy” Mozart, Clarinet Quintet Schumann, Finale from “Faschingsschwank aus Wien” Kern & DeSylva, “Look for the Silver Lining”

Benjamin Riley and James Panero discuss the Hilton Kramer Fellowship, the bridges of Robert Adam, and what it takes to write for The New Criterion. This is the first podcast in a series celebrating the tenth anniversary of the magazine’s Hilton Kramer Fellowship.

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights of the February 2023 issue and reads from its opening pages.

Remarks from Harry Mount on the publication of his new book Et Tu, Brute? The Best Latin Lines Ever.

This episode features the “Nokia tune”—which actually comes from a Spanish guitar piece. We also have tributes to two late-greats: the clarinetist Stanley Drucker and the organist Frederick Swann. And music by Handel, Berkeley, Guillaume Connesson (b. 1970), et al. A wonderful assortment. Poulenc, Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, last movement Debussy, “La plus que lente” Handel, “No, no, I’ll take no less,” from “Semele” Tárrega, Gran Vals Connesson, “Céléphaïs” from “Les Cités de Lovecraft” Bach, Gigue from the French Suite No. 1 in D minor Berkeley, Sonatina for Guitar, first movement Elvey, arr., Swann, “Crown Him with Many Crowns”

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights of the January 2023 issue and reads from its opening pages.