The New Criterion Podcast
1) Music for a While #104: Vibrations (good)
In recent days, the music world—classical and popular—has lost Alfred Brendel and Brian Wilson. Jay pays due tribute. He has other selections as well—beginning with a summer song, refreshing on a hot ...Show More
2) Music for a While #103: Songs, arias, etc.
Ricky Ian Gordon has written a cycle of songs about flowers. In this episode, we hear one of them. Rachmaninoff wrote a song called “Lilacs.” We hear that, too. Bach opens his Goldberg Variations with...Show More
3) Music for a While #102: A contemplation, a cartoon, etc.
Have you ever heard Contemplazione, a piece for orchestra by Catalani, the composer of La Wally? Have you ever heard “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?”—but arranged for piano? These are two of the of...Show More
4) Music for a While #101: A Frenchman’s birthday, etc.
This year marks the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Maurice Ravel’s birth. So we have been hearing a lot of him. Jay plays two pieces by him—two of his best, and most typical. There are also S...Show More
5) Music for a While #100: Old Hundredth
This is Episode No. 100 of “Music for a While.” To mark the occasion, Jay presents music associated with that number: 100. So, we can consider this a centennial celebration. Bach, “Darum wir billig l...Show More
6) Dominic Green & D. J. Taylor discuss “What would Orwell do?”
On March 19, Friends of The New Criterion gathered in New York to hear a conversation between the New Criterion contributors D. J. Taylor and Dominic Green on the question “What would Orwell do?”
7) Music for a While #99: Charity, malice & more
An appetizing, eclectic program. Charity is represented by a sturdy American song: “If I Can Help Somebody.” Malice is represented by a movement from Walton’s Symphony No. 1, marked “Presto con malizi...Show More
8) Music for a While #98: Paeans, poems, etc.
This episode begins with Pärt’s “Hymn to a Great City.” (That would be New York.) Elsewhere, there are songs, setting Langston Hughes and Mark Van Doren. Oscar Peterson plays a pop song, adding variou...Show More
9) Music for a While #97: Beach music
In this episode, three pieces by the American Amy Beach—two piano pieces and a song (to a poem by Robert Browning). Also, a piece by Bach’s cousin. And other worthy numbers. Walther, “Lobe den Herren...Show More
10) Music for a While #96: Ring out
Tennyson wrote a famous poem for New Year’s Day, or any day. Jonathan Dove, a contemporary English composer, set it to music. This episode begins with that piece. There is also a song from the America...Show More