Program Guide August 2024

In Central CT and Western MA, WWUH can be heard

at 91.3 on the FM dial. 

Our programs are also carried on:

WDJW, 89.7, Somers, CT



You can also Listen Online using your PC, tablet or

smart device.

We also recommend that you download the free app TuneIn to your mobile device for ease of listening. 

You can also access on demand any WWUH program which has aired in the last two weeks using our newly improved Program Archive.

57^th Annual Hartford Jazz Series Remains a Celebration of Unity in The Community

WWUH Will Broadcast Paul Brown Monday Night Series Live from Bushnell Park July 8^th – August 12^th  

By Chuck Obuchowski, WWUH Jazz Director & Host of Tues A.M. Jazz, Out Here & Beyond



Although Paul Brown, founder of America’s longest-running free outdoor jazz series, left us eight years ago, the maestro’s spirit is alive and well thanks to the ongoing efforts of The Hartford Jazz Society. Beginning on July 8^th at 6 p.m., the HJS will oversee six exciting nights of high-quality music created by a dozen varied ensembles.

The jazz staff at CT’s Public Alternative Radio station is proud to continue its decades-long tradition of bringing the syncopated sounds to our audience in the moment, along with entertaining artist interviews and information about other jazz events and festivals throughout the region. Tune in to WWUH at 91.3 FM, or stream us via http://wwuh.org, between 6:00 and 9:15 p.m. every Monday during July, plus the first two weeks of August for the 57^th Annual Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz Series. Of course, the music will also remain available on our program archive for two weeks after each live performance at our website. For those of you who love to attend the concerts in person (as we do), please let your out-of-town friends and families know that they can hear every minute of each event by streaming our signal or checking out the program archive. Help spread the magical sonic vibrations!

As an example of the breadth and diversity of the Monday Night Series, note that July 8^th’s headliner Billy Harper is a jazz elder, still capable of bringing forth fiery improvisations on his tenor saxophone. The Houston, Texas native brings over a half-century of experience to the stage, having worked with many jazz greats, from Art Blakey’s Messengers to the Thad Jones Mel Lewis Big Band. His own soul-searching bands reflected the boldness and pride of strong Black consciousness during the 1960s - as well as a deep reflective quality that helped usher in what has come to be known as spiritual jazz in some quarters.

Trumpeter Sarah Uyar, whose quintet will open the final Monday Night concert on August 12^th, is a young white woman who just graduated from The University of Hartford’s Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the Hartt School in 2023. While she sites Kenny Dorham and Roy Hargrove among her influences, Sarah’s listening and performing experiences in the 21^st century are decidedly different from those of previous generations, and audiences are just becoming aware of the fresh perspectives she brings to the music.

As during past years, the opening act on Mondays is usually one based in CT or Western Massachusetts, and the headliners often hail from New York or Boston. But regardless of their place of origin, the artists are always worthy of attention, and whether seasoned veterans or up-and-comers, the performers rarely disappoint. As the headline of this article suggests, PB’s Monday Jazz series has been, and proudly continues to be, a celebration of “Unity in the Community.” Thanks to The Afro-Semitic Experience for that title, from their latest release Our Feet Began to Pray. This inspiring, eclectic Connecticut-based ensemble will present the Series’ grand finale on August 12^th.

For those who may be new to the Monday Night Series, know that the best way to experience these concerts is to be there in person. I’ve spent many a splendid, moonlit night in Bushnell Park with my friends and loved ones, with the illuminated gold dome of Connecticut State Capitol as a backdrop, and The Thomas D. Harris III Pavilion awash with sound and color in the foreground. It’s most definitely a family-friendly scene, and there are food trucks nearby if you prefer not to bring your own picnic supplies. There is usually enough free parking near the park, but it’s first-come, first served, but naturally earlier attendees will get the choice spots.

Rain location is The Asylum Hill Congregational Church, 814 Asylum Ave., less than a mile from Bushnell Park. Listen to Monday Morning Jazz with Harvey each week to hear an interview with one of the members of that evening’s opening group, and to learn whether or not the music that evening will be held outdoors or at AHCC. Maurice D. Robertson will often interview one of the headlining artists at 10:30 p.m. the Wednesday preceding their appearance.

Full Monday Night Jazz details, including information about the performers, are at Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz 2024 – Hartford Jazz Society.

 

First Thursday Blues Jam

From May until September, the CTBS sponsors a First Thursday Blues Jam at The Chicken Shack at The Farm at Carter Hill in Marlborough CT. The CTBS All-Stars (River City Slim, Phil Caron and Joey Primo) are back as the house band with a different 'guitar star' joining the band each month. The featured artist for the July 4 jam is the great Chris 'Stovall' Brown. Chris has played and toured with a wide variety of nationally known Blues artists, leads his own groups and often shows up backing top Boston-area singers. The Chicken Shack is a rustic barn setting, with tables indoors and huge side doors that open to a field for outdoor seating. Musicians bring your instruments - amps, drums, keyboards and PA are provided. Come out to play with some of the best Blues musicians in CT.

WWUH Classical Programming

August 2024

Sunday Afternoon at the Opera… Sundays 1:00 – 4:30 pm

Evening Classics… Weekdays 4:00 to 7:00/ 8:00 pm

Drake’s Village Brass Band… Tuesdays 7:00-8:00 pm

(Opera Highlights Below)

Thursday 1st

A. Marcello: Concerto Grosso, Op. 1 No. 6; Rott: Symphony in E Major; Moross: A Tall Story; Copland: Our Town.

Friday 2d

Music of Sir Arthur Bliss

Sunday 4th

Rossini, L'Italiana in Algeri

Monday 5th

Host's choice

Tuesday 6th

Schmidt: Symphony #4; Jenkins: The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace; Ives: 114 Songs Song Project #8 Drake’s Village Brass Band… Williams Fairey Band - Spanish Impression

Wednesday 7th

Host's Choice

Thursday 8th

Chaminade: Concertstück for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 40, Romances sans paroles Op 76 Nos. 1, 2; Jolivet: Flute Concerto; Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43; New Additions to the WWUH Library.

Friday 9th

In Memorium: Dmitri Shostakovich

Sunday 11th

Millocker, Gasparone, Der Bettelstudent

Monday 12th

  Host's choice

Tuesday 13th

Rodgers and Hart: On Your Toes; Deuces Wild - Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, Serge Koussevitzky Conducts Foote and Harris Drake’s Village Brass Band - Maurice André and Claude Bolling - Toot Suite

Wednesday 14th

Ferdinand Ries: Die Rauberbraut, Op. 156: Overture; Cipriani Potter: Bravura Variations, on a theme by Rossini for Piano and Orchestra; Franz Schubert: Rosamunde, Fursten von Cypern, D. 797: Ballet Music I & II;  Louis Ferdinand Hérold: Symphony No. 1 in C Major; Daniel Francois Esprit Auber: Manon Lescaut, S. 45: Overture; Daniel Francois Esprit Auber: Manon Lescaut, S. 45, Act I: C'est l'histoire amoureuse “Manon’s Laughing Song”;  Charles Koechlin: Bassoon Sonata, Op. 71; Arthur Foote: Suite in E Major for Strings, Op. 63; Gioachino Rossini: Bianca e Falliero, Act II: Quartet: Cielo, il mio labbro inspira;  Anton Rubinstein: 6 Preludes, Op. 24: No. 1 in A-Flat Major; Carl Czerny: Andante e polacca for Horn and Piano, Op. posth.;  Reynaldo Hahn: 5 Little Songs;  Samuel Barber: Summer Music, Op. 31;  Franz Liszt: Fantasie uber zwei Motive aus W.A. Mozarts Die Hochzeit des Figaro, S697/R660 (completed by F. Busoni); Camille Saint-Saëns: Ouverture d'un Opéra-Comique inachevé; Malmö Symphony Orchestra; Märkl, Jun; Naxos | 8.574033 (Evening Concert - Early Start); Henri Vieuxtemps: Violin Concerto No. 2 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 19;   Leo Delibes / Ludwig Minkus: La source, ou Naila: Pas des fleurs; Georges Bizet: Roma

Thursday 15th

Alyabyev: The Magic Drum Suite; Coleridge-Taylor: Violin Concerto in g minor Op. 80; Ibert: Escales; Foss: Three American Pieces; Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in d minor, Op. 15; New Additions to the WWUH Library.

Friday 16th

Music for the movies

Sunday 18th

Lehar, Ziguenerliebe

Monday 19th

Host's Choice

Tuesday 20th

Music for Queen - Arnold: Homage to the Queen, North: Cleopatra Symphony; Korngold: Elizabeth and Essex; Respighi: Belkis Queen of Sheba Drake’s Village Brass Band - John Philip Sousa, Music for Wind Band Volume 23 - The Fancy of the Town

Wenesday 21st

Host's choice

Thursday 22nd

Philidor: Suite No. 5 in E minor for flute and b.c.; Mackenzie: The Cricket on The Hearth Overture, Coriolanus Incidental Music; Beethoven: Coriolan Overture, Op. 62; Debussy: 2 Arabesques, Images for Orchestra; Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 13 in B Flat Major, K. 333;

Friday 23rd

R. Vaughan-Williams: Norfolk Rhapsody and more

Sunday 25th

Delius, Irmelin 

Monday 26th

Host's Choice

Tuesday 27th

Tuesday Night at the Movies - Easdale: The Red Shoes; Copland: Music for Movies; Mauceri and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra - Hollywood Nightmares Drake’s Village Brass Band - Band of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Movies and Musicals

Wednesday 28th

Host's choice

Thursday 29th

Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 1 in g minor, Op. 25; Jaëll: Piano Pieces; Respighi: Fountains of Rome; Bach: Concerto for Flute, Violin & Harpsichord in a minor, BWV 1044.

Friday 30th

Music of Miichael Nyman

______________________________________________________________

SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE OPERA

your "lyric theater" program

with Keith Brown



Programming for the month of August 2024

SUNDAY AUGUST 4TH Rossini, L'Italiana in Algeri "The Italian Girl in Algiers" (1813) is one of a series of hastily composed but superbly crafted comic operas. It's also a glorious example of the genre of "Turkish" operas popular during the eighteenth century and into Rossini's time exploiting the exotic and barbaric aspects of life among the Moors. A beautiful young Italian woman is shipwrecked on Moorish shores in North Africa and is drafted into the harem of a Muslim potentate. The recording of Rossini's dramma giocoso you will hear features the voice of Greek mezzo Agnes Baltsa in the central romantic role of Isabella, the"Italian woman." Tenor Frank Lopardo is heard as Lindoro, an Italian fellow held captive as a slave to the Bey of Algiers. The potentate Mustafa is baritone Ruggero Raimondi. Claudio Abbado conducts the Vienna Philharmonic and Chorus of the Vienna State Opera. This Deutsche Grammophon recording was made in studio following the 1987 staged production at the Wiener Staatsoper. Rossini's original score for L'Italiana in Algeri had been recently restored by musicologist Alberto Zedda for the then upcoming new critical edition of Rossini's works. The orchestration preserves the two piccolo parts but gets rid of the extraneous percussion and trombones. The DGG recording got a very favorable review from Robert Levine in the pages of Fanfare magazine (Jan/Feb,1990 issue). He calls it "a happy addition to the catalog" among four recorded versions. "Baltsa at times," he says of the leading lady,"can do almost anything...the entire cast's diction is impeccable...Orchestra and men's chorus are first rate." I have broadcast two other recordings of Rossini's L'Italiana, on Sunday, October 21, 1984 with Lucia Valentini-Terrani as Isabella (CBS Masterworks) and Sunday, August 15, 1999 with Marilyn Horne (Erato).

SUNDAY AUGUST 11TH Millocker, Gasparone, Der Bettelstudent The moment has come in the Summertime listening lineup for nineteenth century Viennese operetta, with a focus on one particular composer of the period. Carl Millocker (1842-99) was a native of Vienna and contemporary of Franz von Suppe and "The Waltz King" Johann Strauss, Jr. This trio of composers took part in the Golden Age of operetta. A Silver Age succeeded it in the early twentieth century with the works of Central European composers like Franz Lehar and Leo Fall. Millocker wrote a slew of tuneful lightweight lyric theaterworks. His Gasparone (1884) was enormously popular. The notorious brigand by that name never actually makes an appearance onstage. He is,however, conveniently blamed for stealing Countess Carolina's fortune. The setting of the operetta is Sicily, which allowed Millocker to introduce some Italianate folk elements into his music. Millocker's original score was reconstructed in 1931 by Paul Knepler and Ernst Steffan. It is that modernized version of Gasparone that was recorded for German EMI Electrola in 1981 in the studios of Radio Bavaria Munich. Starring as Charlotta is soprano Anneliese Rothenberger. Heard as the Stranger who poses as the brigand is baritone Hermann Prey. Gasparone made a reappearance in 2013 on two compact discs in the "Electrola Collection" series issued through EMI Classics. Gasparone last made an appearance on this radio show on Sunday, May 21,2017.

  The "Waltz King" turned down the libretto for an operetta to be called "The Beggar Student" or Der Bettelstudent, taking up instead the wordbook for "A Night in Venice," Eine Nacht in Venedig (1883). Strauss' rejection created the perfect opportunity for Millocker. He set Der Bettelstudent to music and it became an international hit from its first Vienna production in 1882 onwards. The Viennese public regarded it almost as highly as Strauss' world famous Fledermaus. From the time of Mozart beggar students (ie. poor university scholars) had been frequently depicted upon the lyric stage in Bavaria and Austria. Millocker gave the world the classic formulation of this subgenre. The Vienna Volksoper revived Der Bettelstudent to great acclaim in 1943 under Anton Paulik's baton. Paulik recorded the operetta after the war in 1955 with the chorus and orchestra of the Wiener Volksoper. Omega Records digitally upgraded the monaural sound of this historic recording for a 1998 reissue on two CD's. The Omega reissue I featured on Sunday, August 17, 2003.

SUNDAY AUGUST 18TH Lehar, Zigeunerliebe Now for a particularly beautiful example of operetta from its later Silver Age. Franz Lehar (1870-1948) was Hungarian by birth but he worked within the Viennese tradition of operetta. Zigeunerliebe or "Gypsy Love" (1910) is his tribute to Hungarian Gypsy musicmaking. Viennese operetta in Lehar's hands became more serious, with a bittersweet quality. There are. of course, waltz tunes in his score, with the Hungarian czardas dance receiving special treatment. The story of Zorikas' "Gypsy marriage" to Joszi is full of passion and its sad outcome gives the wandering fiddle player good reason to make his violin cry. And yet, the story was all but a dream! Zigeunerliebe has received several recorded treatments through the course of the twentieth century. There's an old Urania recording on LP's in early stereo sound with Otto Dobrindt conducting the soloists, chorus and orchestra of Radio Berlin. I broadcast it on Sunday, August 11,1991. There's an even older recording from Radio Berlin, an airtape in monaural sound from 1951. It's noteworthy because it stars tenor Rudolf Schock, a specialist in the operetta field, whose wonderful voice made him the true successor to the illustrious Richard Tauber, Lehar's own tenor of choice. The 2008 Relief CD release of "Gypsy Love" went over the air on Sunday, August 22, 2021. Now in the twenty first century we get the operetta in state-of-the-art sound made in the studios of North German Radio Hannover in 2003. It presents the original 1910 version of Lehar's score. There's spoken word dialog in German between the sung numbers. Frank Beermann conducts the North German Radio Philharmonia and Radio Chorus. The German cpo record label co-produced this recording and issued it in 2005 on two compact discs.

SUNDAY AUGUST 25TH Delius, Irmelin I always reserve the last Sunday in August for one of the seven operas of Frederick Delius (1856-1934). I do so because his music is so evocative of the lazy, hazy end of Summertime. Longtime readers of the WWUH Program Guide may remember my four-part series on the operas of Delius and the attributes of his impressionistic style Homage to Delius, which appeared in the Guide in 1988-89. This Sunday we commence what must now be my sixth cycle of broadcasts of all his operas with his first one, Irmelin (1892). It's his single longest musical composition: a gorgeous fairy tale of an opera with a libretto by the composer himself, based partly on Hans Christian Anderson's version of the medieval romance of the Princess and the Swineherd. Irmelin never saw the stage in Delius' lifetime. A pity, too, since fellow composers Edvard Grieg and Andre Messager praised the score. In 1953 Delius' friend and promoter Sir Thomas Beecham conducted an amateur performance of Irmelin which went unrecorded. In December, 1984 it was given in concert performance from the studios of the BBC Third Programme. The recording of that broadcast was issued under the BBC's own Artium label, first on LP, then in CD format. I aired the three-LP set way back in August of 1986, and then the two-CD reissue five times cyclically in 1990, 1998, 2005 and 2010, and most recently on Sunday, August25, 2017. Norman Del Mar directs the BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Singers. This is the world premiere digital recording of this work.      

keithsbrown1948@gmail.com

Boomer's Paradise

Monday's 1-4 PM with your host, The Turtle Man

How quickly the days flow by and here it is, August already. But the music is the constant here at Boomers Paradise and August provides welcome relief from the heat and humidity.

We kick off the month with a look back to August 1974 to hear what new albums were released that month.

Since summer is traditionally a time of travel we move onto songs with titles that reference terrestrial means of travel such as streets, roads and highways.

From there we return to the world of the rock power ballad and revisit the diverse music that was prevalent during 1964-1966 as well as songs with titles referencing types of air movements from a gentle breeze to hurricanes.

So there it is, music for your enjoyment in the third month of summer. Tune in each Monday from 1-4 PM with your host, The Turtle Man. Happy Trails.

Tune in on the radio (91.3 FM) or streaming online at wwuh.org.

The mission of the Connecticut Symphony Orchestra is to provide opportunities for advanced musicians and emerging professionals to perform a high level of repertoire while engaging and collaborating with diverse communities in mutual growth through the joy

of making music.

Connecticut Symphony Orchestra

The West Hartford Symphony Orchestra

In collaboration with the WWUH Classical Programming we are pleased to partner with the West Hartford Symphony Orchestra to present their announcements and schedule to enhance our commitment to being part of the Greater Hartford Community.

Richard Chiarappa, Music Director 860-521-4362

Visit www.whso.org for tickets and Covid protocols.

whso.org

The Musical Club of Hartford

The Musical Club of Hartford is a non-profit organization founded in 1891. Membership is open to performers or to those who simply enjoy classical music, providing a network for musicians from the Greater Hartford area. Club events take place normally on selected Thursday mornings at 10:00 a.m, Fall through Spring. The usual location is the sanctuary at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2080 Boulevard, West Hartford, CT (between Ridgewood and Mountain Avenues). Information on time and location is given at the bottom of each event description.

musicalclubhartford.org

Connecticut Lyric Opera

Connecticut Lyric Opera is the state’s leading opera company, performing to thousands in Hartford, Middletown, New Britain, and New London. We have earned the reputation as an innovative company that is renowned for our world-class singers, phenomenal concert-quality orchestra and programming choices that go beyond the well-loved standards of the repertoire to include lesser-performed yet equally compelling works.

https://ctlyricopera.org/

Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra

The Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra is the state’s premier professional chamber orchestra dedicated to presenting both traditional and contemporary classical chamber works to the public. The Orchestra, led by Founder and Artistic Director Adrian Sylveen, continues to grow in size and repertoire, presenting approximately 35 times a year in many major performing arts centers throughout Connecticut and New York.



http://thevirtuosi.org/

Beth El Temple Music & Art

/

WHERE ELSE COULD MUSIC BE THIS HEAVENLY? Music at Beth El Temple in West Hartford is under the direction of The Beth El Music & Arts Committee (BEMA). With the leadership of Cantor Joseph Ness, it educates and entertains the community through music. The BEMA committee helps conceive and produce musical performances of all genres, while supporting the commemoration of Jewish celebrations and prayer services.

https://www.bethelwesthartford.org/community/get-involved/bema

Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra

Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra is one of Connecticut’s premier community orchestras dedicated to promoting musical excellence. We believe that classical music provides a magical experience that inspires, delights, and brings our community together.

Founded in 1981, the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra performs 6-7 concerts each season with a variety of classical, romantic and popular holiday favorites. The orchestra serves Farmington, Canton, Avon, Simsbury, Burlington, Bloomfield, West Hartford & Hartford, as well as Greater Hartford and the Connecticut River Valley. We are your local, civic orchestra and look forward to seeing you at one of our concerts!

Further information is available at FVSO.org or by calling 800-975-FVSO.

www.fvso.org

South Windsor Cultural Arts

For information, call (860)-416-6920

https://www.facebook.com/SouthWindsorCulturalArts

The New Britain Symphony Orchestra

The New Britain Symphony Orchestra is a professional orchestra which presents several concerts each season in the Greater New Britain area, performing works from all periods in a wide range of musical styles. In addition to its full orchestra concerts under the direction of Music Director and Conductor, Toshiyuki Shimada, including a free concert for children, members of the orchestra perform in various free chamber music concerts during the concert season.

https://newbritainsymphony.org/