The New Criterion

This episode ends with “Embraceable You,” the Gershwin song—but in a piano arrangement by Earl Wild. An extraordinary thing. The episode begins with some Bach—the same piece, more or less, two different ways. Jay also has some music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, known by some as “the African Mahler.” There is a story, too, about French horn playing. Does your pulse race when you have a big solo? You bet it does. Much to savor here. Bach, Prelude in E minor from Book I of “The Well-Tempered Clavier” Bach-Siloti, Prelude in B minor Coleridge-Taylor, Clarinet Quintet in F-sharp minor, Op. 10, first movement Dove, “Departure,” from “Airport Scenes” Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5, slow movement Gershwin-Wild, “Embraceable You”

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights of the April 2021 issue and reads from its opening pages.

“Like many adult pleasures, poetry is an acquired taste. We don’t grow up surrounded by it, the way we do pop music and movies, whose conventions become second nature. Rather, poetry is to our usual ways of reading and writing as classical music is to pop, or as ballet is to dancing at parties.” That’s from “On ‘getting’ poetry,” a feature essay in the April 2021 issue by our poetry editor, Adam Kirsch. Adam joins James Panero to discuss the state of poetry and the special April poetry section, for which he served as lead editor.

James Panero, the Executive Editor of The New Criterion, reads his essay from the April issue of The New Criterion on the rehanging of The Frick Collection in the former home of the Whitney Museum.

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights of the March 2021 issue and reads from its opening pages.

Jay begins with a toast from “La rondine,” Puccini’s opera; he ends with “The Lord’s Prayer,” sung by Leontyne Price on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” Lots in between, of course: including tributes to the jazz pianist and composer Claude Bolling; the jazz guitarist Pat Metheny; and the organist John Weaver. A delicious program. Puccini, “Bevo al tuo fresco sorriso,” from “La rondine” Fauré, “Reflets dans l’eau” Bolling, “Baroque and Blue,” from Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Prokofiev, Piano Sonata No. 7 Metheny, “Have You Heard” Weaver, Variation on “Sine Nomine” Malotte, “The Lord’s Prayer”

What a strange title. What could it mean? That Jay addresses “The Well-Tempered Clavier” (both books), that masterpiece by Bach. And that he addresses music by Catalan composers. A successful mixture, we think you will find. Bach, Prelude and Fugue in C major, “The Well-Tempered Clavier,” Book II Montsalvatge, two songs from “Cinco canciones negras” Mompou, “Secreto,” from “Impresiones íntimas” Mompou, “Damunt de tu només les flors,” from “Combat del somni” Fábregas, Elisenda, “Pluja brodada,” from “Imitació del foc” Bach, Prelude and Fugue in F-sharp minor, “The Well-Tempered Clavier,” Book I Bach, “Gigue” Fugue in G major

James Panero, the Executive Editor of The New Criterion, sits down with Isaac Sligh, the 2020–21 Hilton Kramer Fellow, to discuss Isaac’s travels in the Russian Arctic and in the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia.

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights of the February 2021 issue and reads from its opening pages.

James Panero, the Executive Editor of The New Criterion, discusses the history of Pennsylvania Station and the new Moynihan Train Hall in Manhattan.

In 1913, Vachel Lindsay wrote “General William Booth Enters into Heaven.” It speaks of the founder of the Salvation Army. Peggy Noonan cited this poem in a recent column. In 1914, Charles Ives set the poem to music. You will hear it in this episode. Also a Beatles concerto (yes), a rag by an early Metropolitan Opera soprano (yes), some American standards, and, at the end, transcendent Mahler. Jay plays off a good amount of reader mail. An amazingly eclectic, interesting episode. Shchedrin, Piano Concerto No. 1 Robison, “Think Well of Me” Rutter, “Beatles Concerto,” first movement Pinkard-Alexander-Mitchell, “Sugar” Ives, “General William Booth Enters into Heaven” Pinkard-Bernie-Casey, “Sweet Georgia Brown” Case, “Metropolitan Rag” Handel, “Rejoice greatly,” from “Messiah” Mahler, Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection”

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights of the January 2021 issue and reads from its opening pages.

Jay has an assortment for you—some Bach, some jazz, some Russian, some French, a spiritual . . . It all ends with a thrilling “First Nowell.” Bach, “Jauchzet, frohlocket,” Christmas Oratorio Berlin, “White Christmas” Bach, “Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen,” Christmas Oratorio Gauntlett, “Once in Royal David’s City” Trad., “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” Chesnokov, “Gabriel Appeared” Trad., “Il est né, le divin Enfant” Trad., “Somebody Talkin’ ’bout Jesus” Trad., “The First Nowell”

James Panero, Benjamin Riley & Andrew L. Shea discuss the 2020 art issue and look ahead to 2021. Read “Albert Pinkham Ryder: isolato of the brush,” by Andrew L. Shea: https://newcriterion.com/issues/2020/12/albert-pinkham-ryder-isolato-of-the-brush Read Benjamin Riley’s interview with Clive Aslet & Dylan Thomas: https://newcriterion.com/issues/2020/12/an-interview-with-clive-aslet-dylan-thomas Read “Unmaking the met,” by James Panero: https://newcriterion.com/issues/2020/12/unmaking-the-met

This episode is a real smorgasbord—works, mainly short, by Domenico Scarlatti, Rachmaninoff, Duparc, Stravinsky, Jonathan Dove, and Jerome Kern, among others. A tasty, diverse spread. You may well want it all. Scarlatti, D., Sonata in G, K. 14 Rachmaninoff, Andante, Cello Sonata Duparc, Lento, Cello Sonata Lachenmann, “Five Variations on a Theme by Franz Schubert” Stravinsky, Piece for Solo Clarinet Shostakovich, Impromptu (for viola and piano) Dove, “Fair Ship,” from “Under Alter’d Skies” Kern-Tatum, “The Way You Look Tonight”

James Panero, the Executive Editor of The New Criterion, discusses the past, present, and future of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://newcriterion.com/issues/2020/12/unmaking-the-met

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights of the December 2020 issue and reads from its opening pages.

In honor of the recent “blue moon,” Jay plays four songs about the moon—two classical, two popular. He also has some Quincy Jones, some Cannibal Corpse (yup), some Villa-Lobos, and some Bruckner. Complain if you will, but not about a lack of variety. Rodgers & Hart, “Blue Moon” Bellini, “Vaga luna, che inargenti” Dvořák, “Song to the Moon,” from “Rusalka” Howard, “Fly Me to the Moon” Jones, “The Streetbeater” Cannibal Corpse, “Frantic Disembowelment” Villa-Lobos, “Punch,” from “The Baby’s Family” Villa-Lobos, “Lullaby” from “The Baby’s Family” Bruckner, Symphony No. 4

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights of the November 2020 issue and reads from its opening pages.

The New Criterion’s Visiting Critic Myron Magnet delivers the second annual Circle Lecture, followed by an interview with Myron by Executive Editor James Panero.