The New Criterion

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.

James Panero reads “Like a Rock,” his Letter from Plymouth in the November 2020 issue of The New Criterion.

That’s what Dido sings in Purcell’s opera, about her and Aeneas: “Remember me!” Jay is reminded of this when filling out forms on the Internet. In this episode, he plays Dido, plus Charlie Parker, Franz Schmidt, Leonard Bernstein, Lyle Lovett, and others. An unusually eclectic show—which also brings the Op. 1 by a young woman from Las Vegas: a “quarantine rag.” Trad., “The Parting Glass” Parker or Davis, “Donna Lee” Verdi, “Parmi veder le lagrime,” from Verdi’s “Rigoletto” “Glow-Worm” Schmidt, Adagio from Quintet in A major Mosca, Kristen, “Quarantine Rag” Bernstein, “I Am Easily Assimilated,” from “Candide” Lovett, “If I Had a Boat” Purcell, “Dido’s Lament,” from “Dido and Aeneas”

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

That’s a lot to promise in one humble music podcast, isn’t it? Greatness, consolation, and transcendence? But it is truth in advertising. Handel, “Dopo notte atra e funesta,” from Handel’s “Ariodante” Pärt, “Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten” Mozart, Clarinet Concerto Trad., “Shenandoah” Brahms, Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8 Bach, “Mache dich, mein Herze, rein,” from St. Matthew Passion

Mozart wrote his “Orphanage Mass” when he was twelve. Pretty good. Mendelssohn wrote his Octet in E flat when he was sixteen. Really good. Jay provides excerpts from these works, and also presents Chopin and Argerich, Strauss and Davidsen, and more. As the episode begins with Mozart, it ends with Mozart: a heavenly soprano aria from some vespers. You could well nigh ascend. Mozart, Mass in C minor (“Waisenhausmesse”), K. 139 Mendelssohn, Octet in E flat Chopin, Largo, Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58 Strauss, “Cäcilie” Strauss, “Ruhe, meine Seele!” Mozart, “Laudate Dominum omnes gentes,” from “Vesperae solennes de confessore”

That is a line from a hymn. Jay says it must apply to Bach’s Cello Suites, which players of that instrument get to live with all life long — through good times and (maybe most important) bad. Of course, all of the pieces on this program may be called “great companions”: from the pens of composers famous and obscure. An appetizing, companionable episode. Bach, Allegro assai, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 Bach-Rachmaninoff, Preludio, Violin Partita in E major Tchaikovsky-Wild, Pas de quatre, “Swan Lake” Bach, Sarabande, Cello Suite in C minor Mancini, “Quanto dolce è quell’ardore” Dalza, “Calata ala spagnola” Monteverdi, “Quel sguardo sdegnosetto” Price, F., “Down a Southern Lane” Trad., arr. F. Price, “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord”