Program Guide July 2024

In Central CT and Western MA, WWUH can be heard

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Our programs are also carried on:

WDJW, 89.7, Somers, CT



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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.

WWUH Presents...

The Hartford Circus Fire

An Audio Recollection

WWUH will present a special program commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Hartford Circus Fire tragedy. This 90 minute documentary includes an interview with Don Massey, who co-wrote the book 'A Matter of Degree the Hartford Circus Fire and the Mystery of Little Miss 1565', as well as survivors talking about their memories of that day.

The program Includes nearly a half hour of archival radio broadcasts related to the disaster courtesy WTIC Newstalk 1080.

The program will conclude with a reading of the names of all 168 victims of the fire.



AIR DATE:

Friday July 5, 2024 from 12 noon to 1:30 PM 

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.

 

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.



To finish out the month, the CTBS, in conjunction with the Greater Hartford Arts Council and Black-Eyed Sally's presents the 24th Annual FREE Black-Eyed & Blues Festival in Hartford's Bushnell Park on Saturday July 27 from 2:00-9:00 PM.

Artist line up in the park:

2:00-2:45… Blue Devil Bluez

3:00-3:45… XY Eli Band

4:00-5:15… Bruce Katz Band

5:30-7:00… Knickerbocker All Stars

7:15-8:45… Jeff Pitchell & Texas Flood

(time slots are approximate)

Absolutely Free !!!!!!!!

Bring a blanket and your dancin’ shoes!!!

Food & Beverage from Black-eyed Sally’s

Sweet Thangs from Ben & Jerrys

WWUH Classical Programming

July 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)

Monday 1st

Romance anonymous

Cimarosa, Overture Il Matrimonio Segreto; Souza stairs and Stripes forever across the sea hands; America the Beautiful; Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture ; Kurt Weill Symphony # 2 Sostenuto; ; Wagner; Beethoven Symphony # 5; Orcquesta Simfonica de Colombia Bunde Tolimense

Tchaiskosvki Capriccio Italiano

Tuesday 2d

American Variations – Price: Concert Overture #1; Hanson: Song of Democracy; Copland: Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo; Locklair: Symphony #2 “America”;

Ives: 114 Songs Song Project Volume 7

Drake’s Village Brass Band American Variations – Cincinnati Wind Symphony – Eugene Corporon

Wednesday 3rd

Host's Choice

Thursday 4th

Foster: Songs; Daquin: Le Coucou, Les Enchantements Harmoniques; Olsen: Funeral March, Op. 41, Suite for Strings, Op. 60); Peeters: Sonata for Trumpet and Piano; Piston: Symphony No. 4; Copland: The Red Pony (Suite).

Thursday 6th

Persichetti.: Symphony for Band, Op. 69; Servais: Cello Concerto in b minor, Op. 5; Dvorak: Cello Concerto in b minor, Op. 104; Siegfried Wagner: Glück (symphonic poem); Wagner: Siegfried Idyll; Khachaturian: Masquerade Suite; Gayaneh: Sabre Dance; Stainer: I Saw the Lord.

Friday 5th

Celebrating two birthdays – Janos Starker (1924) and Michael McNabb (1952) – and te first performance of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s “Clarinet Quintet” (1990)

Sunday 7th

Little, Black Lodge, Schuman, The Mighty Casey, A Question of Taste

Monday 8th

Wagner Dei Meistersinger von Nuremberg; Handel Chandos Anthem

Herbert Howells 4 Anthems # 3; Chateau Margaux; Bernstein Send in the Clowns

Tuesday 9th

Silvestrov: Symphony for Violin and Orchestra “Widmung” (Dedication); Maskovsky: Symphony #6; Ives 114 Songs Project Volume 6

Drake’s Village Brass Band Outrageous Fortune – Brett Baker Trombone

Wednesday 10th

  Luigi Cherubini: Ifigenia in Aulide: Overture;  Johann Peter Pixis: Piano Concertino in E-Flat Major, Op. 68;  Rodolphe Kreutzer: Astyanax: Recitative: Ah, ces perfides grecs - Air: Dieux, a qui recourir;  Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21; Felicien David: La perle du Bresil: Overture; Felicien David: La perle du Bresil: Charmant Oiseau, "Couplets du My soli"; John Thomas: Souvenir du bal for Harp and Piano;   Gustav Schreck: Nonett Divertimento, Op. 40;  Gioachino Rossini: Armida, Act I: Overture (arr. C.S. Brauner and P. Brauner); Gioachino Rossini: Armida, Act III (Trio): In quale aspetto imbelle; William Vincent Wallace: Le Chant des Oiseaux, Nocturne; Alfredo Piatti: Swallow, Oh Swallow; Alfredo Piatti: La sera; Franz Liszt: Wagner - O du mein holder Abendstern, Rezitativ und Romanze aus der Oper Tannhauser, S444/R277; Louise Farrenc: Piano Trio in E-Flat Major, Op. 33;   Giovanni Bottesini: Ali Baba: Overture; Salamon Jadassohn: Cavatine, Op. 69 for Violin and Orchestra; Camille Saint-Saëns: Parysatis: Airs de ballet;  Antonin Dvořák: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 10, B. 34.

Thursday 11th

Tchaikovsky: None but the lonely heart Op. 6 No. 6; Poot: Cheerful Overture; Ghedini: Piano Works; Gomes: Opera Overtures; New Additions to the WWUH Library.

Friday 12th

Celebrating first performances of works by Igor Stravinsky (1928), Leonard Bernstein (1952) and Jennifer Higdon (2002)

Sunday 14th

Auber, Le Domino Noir, Adam, Le Toreador

Monday 15th

To Be Determined

Tuesday 16th

Music for a King- Britten: King Arthur; Rodgers and Hammerstein: The King and I; Herrmann: Anna and the King

Drake’s Village Brass Band Gregson: An Age of Kings, The Trumpets of Angels

Wednesday 17th

Host's Choice

Thursday 18th

Host's Choice

Friday 19th

Happy Birthday Gerard (1947) and Evelyn (1965)

Sunday 21st

St. Georges, L'Amante Anonyme, Boismortier, Don Quichotte

Monday 22nd

Beethoven Egmont Overture; Copland Billy the Kid; Rossini Piano Pianissimo; Shuman, Blumenstuck; Brahms Intermezzi

Tuesday 23rd

Copland: Piano Concerto, Music for the Theatre; Marsalis: Symphony #4 “The Jungle”; Meeting at the Summit with Benny Goodman

Drake’s Village Brass Band Brass Band of Battle Creek – Live 1

Wednesday 24th

Host's Choice

Thursday 25th

Host's Choice

Friday 26th

Varèse: Integrales; Adams: Harmonielehre; Bach/Carlos- Switched on Bach II; Jan Bach: Laudes; Korngold: Suite for 2 Violins, Cello an Piano (Left Hand) op. 23

Sunday 28th

Gilbert & Sullivan, Iolanthe

Monday 29th

Ravel, Gaspard de la nuit; Beethoven, Triple concerto; Traditional Londonderry Air, Farawell O.; Strauss, Didi Didi Waltzer; Mignone Congada.

Tuesday 30th

Seascapes – Korngold: The Sea Hawk; Gilson: De Zee (The Sea); Macdowell: Sea Pieces; Herrmann: Beneath the 12 Mile Reef

Drake’s Village Brass Band – Fodens Band - Seascapes

Wednesday 31st

Host's Choice

______________________________________________________________

SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE OPERA

your "lyric theater" program

with Keith Brown



Programming for the month of July 2024

SUNDAY JULY 7TH Little, Black Lodge, Schuman, The Mighty Casey, A Question of Taste Twenty first century Americans are all too well aware that all is not sweetness and light in the U S of A right now as the nation marks its Fourth of July birthday, 2024. Have we all descended into the "black lodge" of despair? The twentieth century American author William S. Burroughs would answer such a question this way: "You have to live in hell to see heaven." So get ready to hear the soundtrack to David T. Little's video opera Black Lodge (2019). Black Lodge is a rock opera with classical touches and searing goth/heavy metal accompaniment for nightmarish images reminiscent of filmmaker David Lynch. The dreamer of the nightmare is vocalist Timur Bekbosunov. His is the only singing voice, so this work is like a solo cantata. There is a kind of biographical story presented here, based vaguely on the life of Burroughs, who accidentally shot his wife to death. Anne Waldman, who knew Burroughs personally, worked up a libretto from his writings. The Isaura String Quartet contributes to the classical quality of the music of David T. Little (b. 1978). Says reviewer Natalie Szabo,"I hope this work finds its way to its true audience base because this has the capacity to get a cult-like following." (Fanfare, May/June, 2024) Black Lodge was released on a single Cantaloupe Music CD in 2023. 

Bumped into second place in today's presentation are a couple of short American operas by William Schuman (1910-92) which I featured up front on the Fourth of July holiday Sunday of 2004. One of America's most distinguished composers of the twentieth century, William Schuman turned eighty years old in August of 1990. In his honor the Juilliard Theater produced The Mighty Casey (1951) and A Question of Taste (1989). The first of the two is based on Ernest Lawrence Thayer's poem Casey at the Bat. Schuman always loved baseball. In his opera Casey is not portrayed as a swaggering boor whose fatal arrogance causes him to strike out and lose the day for Mudville. The Mighty Casey is a nostalgic look back at American small town life. A Question of Taste deals with a wine connoisseur who bets a small fortune on his educated palate. Delos issued the historic live performance recordings of Schuman's two lyric stageworks back-to-back on CD in 1994. This will be the third time I draw upon this Delos CD set, the first time being Sunday, July 6,1997.

SUNDAY JULY 14TH Auber, Le Domino Noir, Adam, Le Toreador We think of operetta as a Viennese creation, but as a genre it really began in Paris with the French comic operas of Offenbach. Laying the groundwork for the genre in the first half of the nineteenth century before Offenbach were the light operas of Auber. Daniel Francoise Esprit Auber (1782-1871) was a contemporary

of Rossini, famous for his "Barber of Seville" and other Italian opere buffe. Rossini attested to how well Auber's works were written. Auber spent his entire life in Paris and his tuneful lightweight lyric theater music captures the soul of Parisian elegance and wit. The perfect specimen of Auber's style is Le Domino Noir (1837), an opere-comique in three acts. The action is set in Spain, so Auber colored his score with a certain Spanish melodic tinge and employed some characteristic dance rhythms. Le Domino Noir contains spoken word dialog between the singing numbers. The dialog provided by librettist Andre Scribe has been shortened for the 1993 Decca recording of Le Domino Noir. Richard Bonynge conducts the English Chamber Orchestra and London Voices chorus. Starring as Angele is soprano Sumi Jo.

Writing music in the same spirit and during the same period as Auber was a younger, short-lived composer Adolphe Adam (1803-56), better known to us today for his ballet music (Giselle,1841), who also wrote some eighty lyric stageworks. Le Toreador (1849), like Auber's Domino, is a French opera bouffon with a Spanish setting dealing with a bullfighter, one Don Belfoire, his wife Coraline and her lover the flute-player Tracolin who develop a menage a trois. Again, it's Richard Bonynge conducting in a 1996 Decca recording of Le Toreador, only this time he leads the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera. Again Sumi Jo puts in a wonderful performance with her stunningly agile and seemingly effortless coloratura singing. 

SUNDAY JULY 21ST St.Georges, L'Amante Anonyme, Boismortier, Don Quichotte From the French comic opera of the nineteenth century we bounce backwards into the eighteenth century to audition two more relatively short comic lyric theater pieces by two different now-forgotten French composers of the Age of Voltaire. First, music by Joseph Boulonge, the Chevalier de St. Georges (1739-99), who has been called "The Black Mozart." Born in Guadaloupe in South America, of humble origin, he was adopted by a French nobleman and, due to his remarkable talents, rose to prominence in Parisian high society, even to the circle of Marie Antoinette. The Chevalier de St. Georges was a violin virtuoso who composed violin concertos and symphonies. He was in addition a conductor and organizer of orchestras, and beyond all that a fencing master, too. And he composed opera. L'Amante Anonyme ("The Anonymous Lover," 1780) was his third comic opera, one of his seven lyric stageworks. The charming music for this amorous French farrago certainly sounds "gallant" like it could be by Mozart. The world premiere recording of L'Amante Anonyme was released through the Cedille record label of Chicago in 2023. Craig Trumpeter (yes, that's his real name) directs the singers and players of Haymarket Opera Company. This recording includes spoken dialog in French.

The tragicomic figure of Don Quixote from Cervantes' famous novel has interested many composers going back into the baroque. One French composer, Joseph Bodin de Boismortier (1689-1755) provided the music for a three-act opera-ballet adaptation of parts of volume one of the Spanish novel, as rendered into a French language libretto by Favart, who also collaborated with Rameau, the greatest French composer at the end of the baroque. Rameau spoke well of his colleague Boismortier's music. His Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse was given with success in Paris at carnival season of 1743. Boismortier's music gets a thoroughly "period" baroque interpretation from the vocalists and instrumentalists of Le Concert Spirituel, directed by Herve Niquet. Strings are divided into five parts according to the French baroque mode and the instrumentation includes a part for the musette, the traditional French bagpipe, typically heard in pastoral sequences. There's plenty of sprightly ballet dances in Boismortier's opera-ballet. Naxos Records issued Boismortier's Don Quichotte on a single CD in 1996. 

SUNDAY JULY 28TH Gilbert & Sullivan, Iolanthe The immortal English comic operettas of William S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan always play their part in my Summertime programming lineup. Iolanthe (1883) is the "fairy opera" in the G & S canon and is in part a satire on the British parliamentary House of Lords. On Sunday, July 25, 2004 I presented the vintage 1951 Decca recording of Iolanthe in monaural sound with the original D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, who carried forward the traditions of the nineteenth century troupe. Isadore Godfrey directed the orchestra and the singing cast included the veteran Savoyard clown Martyn Green, who in retirement came here to Connecticut to coach our own Simsbury Light Opera Company. There's another classic Decca recording of Iolanthe made in early stereo sound. Again, it's Isadore Godfrey directing the D'Oyly Carte singing cast and chorus and the New Symphony Orchestra of London. The old 1960 LP release was reissued in1989 on Decca/London CD's. I'm surprised to note that I have never previously broadcast it. Unlike the 1951 mono recording, this one retains Gilbert's witty dialog.        

keithsbrown1948@gmail.com

Boomer's Paradise

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

Do you feel like life is moving along too fast? One day it's January and now it's July. Well things always slow down to a relaxed pace here on Boomers Paradise with your host, The Turtle Man.

As is the custom on this program the first Monday of the month transports us back 50 years to listen to song on albums released that month (July) in 1974.

Since this is the 4th of July week we'd like to celebrate with a few classic skits from The Firesign Theatre, one of my comedy idols discovered in college in the purple haze. July 1st also happens to be the day in 1867 when Canada was formally created as a nation so we'll play some music from choice Canadian artists.

We moved forward to revisit the past and again it's the very fertile musical period of 1964-1966 as well as songs with song titles that feature air and it's movement in various forms and speeds.

Moving on into innerspace we'll pay tribute to artists featured in the in the Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era. Songs with song titles that feature words about money in various descriptions as well as songs with song titles about numbers big and small.

Next its the elements featured in song titles and a dive into the digital jukebox.

We end the month with "strange" and it's variants in song titles and songs titles with words featuring give and take.

So there's your musical month all laid out for you. Five Mondays of coolness in July. You'll only hear it here from 1-4PM each week on WWUH 91.3 fm and wwuh.org. Rock on."

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/