Classical Music KING-FM Playing My Kind of Music

A string of my loved classical music is now playing on KING-FM: 1) Antonio Vivaldi’s Oboe Concerto in C; coming up; 2) Maurice Ravel’s Miroirs (almost anything by Ravel works for me); 3) Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony # 8; & 4) George Frederick Handel’s Harp Concerto in F.
It’s strange seeing a post on “old” classical music on an website dedicated to the newest engine & motor powered vehicles…..but not necessarily. Antonin Dvorak, as a boy before 1850 & later as his career sparked to life & flourished into Western Europe, loved the new-fangled trains that were helping to change life in his Czech homeland. He produced musical works, that sometimes emulated the rhythms of the locomotives & other train sounds. Again as his career powered up, he loved the ability to train-spot & train travel across Europe. Even when he came to the US, he loved to train spot. He WAS disappointed tho, that in the New York train station, he never saw trains simultaneously passing in both directions.
Talking of compositions inspired by trains, George Gershwin claimed his Rhapsody in Blue had rhythms he heard while riding on a train.

Later at 3PM, PST will be Clara Schumann’s Waltz Caprices. Women, long neglected as composers, are having their compositions played more & more on KING-FM. Clara Schumann was one of the most neglected (altho there are so many). Wife of classical music’s renowned Robert Schumann who died young, she advocated for his symphonies & other works, being one of the best if not THE best pianist of her time. Because of her advocacy, her own works languished, with help by societies that discounted the worthiness of women composers. Now, after 126 years past her death, she is starting to get her just desserts.
PS…..One story was told at the end of her caprices: a violent uprising against a King occurred. To recover 3 of her children who had been temporarily left with a caregiver, Clara Schumann walked miles & through combatant guarded territory. She was able to convince the combatants & was able to bring her children out of harm’s way.
Stories like that occur on KING-FM often.
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3-8-22:
PS…..International Women’s Day, today. KING-FM is playing music by Fanny Mendelssohn right now, she being the sister and very close to Felix Mendelssohn. She died of a stroke at an early 42 years of age, leaving her husband & child. Since she DID publish some of her music under her own name, a year before her death (which wasn’t approved by her family or society), stress may have brought on the stroke. Felix wrote musical pieces in her memory & died 6 months after Fanny died.
Lots of other women composers scheduled for today.
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3-13-22:
PS 1……Re-do of this PS. I had stated that women composers would be highlighted on Movie Scores on this day. However, I had inadvertently been reading the KING-FM schedule for last Sunday, 3-6-22. Sorry about my cross up. Anyhow, the Movie Scores (now playing at 4PM, PDT) is really good.
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3-14-22:
PS II….This coming Saturday, 3-19-22, at 3PM, PDT, King-FM will feature women composers, all hour long. As I have stated, King-FM is on the internet.

 

3-22-22:
Today, 11PM, PDT into tomorrow to after 2AM, PDT, will be numbers of my kind of music: Camille Saint Sean -Carnival of the Animals, Debussy-La Mer, Bach-Brandenberg Concerto #2, Grieg-Symphonic Dance, Heitor Villa-Lobos-The Bachiana Brasileira #5, Gershwin’s American in Paris, Prokofiev-Symphony #2, & Michael Praetorius-Terpsichore. If you can stay awake or wake-up early, there’s some great music.

 

Oh, yeah! Its the last Friday of the month, & KING-FM has their all-request-day. E-Mail in, & if their classical music inventory has the music (& they have LOTS of music), they will play it. Sometimes people have specific composition AND orchestra requests…..AND THEY HAVE THAT! Its a good day to hear popular & rarely heard classical music.

Tomorrow, Saturday (March 25, 2022) at 3PM, PST, they have Unmute the Voices, music specifically from Black(many women), classical composers, often played by Black classical musicians. & of course, Black, classical composers (past & present) become better known AND help to redefine what “classical music” is.

 

Classical King-FM radio station(internet, too) music is presenting Japanese composers today, in the horrible memory of the racist US internment of US Japanese citizens in concentration camps of WWII. The large majority of concentration camps were in the western US. Lots of room for the Japanese to be out of mind & white US citizens didn’t have to be bothered with their own racism. The only time white US citizens had to think about US Japanese citizens, when the whites stole Japanese lands & properties, which was quickly. US Japanese citizens were so productive, that forcing them into concentration camps, eliminated their superior competition.
Right now (9AM, PDT) the music of Kosaku Yamada, Symphony in F(Triumph & Peace) from 1912 is playing. It started with a bit of Japanese asian sound. But now the Symphony is pretty much playing in classical European music idioms. Wouldn’t be able to tell the difference from other classical white European composers.
Now, Japanese conductor Eiji Oue is conducting Paul Dukas & his The Sorcerer’s Appentice. The performance is outstandingly clear, showing all parts of the resonant orchestra.
PS….Just looking at the schedule today, lots of Japanese conductors are highlighted, but many fewer actual Japanese compositions. That will have to change in the years to come.

 

Ummm……Just heard a guitar composition by composer named Marin Marias, which was a relaxing tune. However, at another time Marias had composed a piece of music…….describing his gall bladder operation…..including musical descriptions of his PAIN!

Yes, yes, you’re right. Classical music is often old music……before anesthesia was available for operations! However, his operation must have succeeded, since his life spanned 1656 to 1728.

 

At 7PM, PDT, tonight(4-13-22), there is an hour of music by women composers. Listen on the internet.

 

Earlier, Hugo Alfven’s Swedish Rhapsody # 1 was playing, titled “Midsummer Vigil”, celebrating the beginning of summer. Listen to the musical piece on U-Tube. King-FM will honor the beginning of summer with “summer music”, through the day, by Edward Elgar, Joachim Raff, Antonio Vivaldi, Arnold Bax, Nabokov Ikeda, Frederic Delius, Aaron Copland, Brahms, Anne Boyd, others. King-FM is on the internet. Listen up.

Most of Sweden, further north than even my northern position & some above the Arctic Circle, “Land of the Midnight Sun”, really needs music like the “Midsummer Vigil”. With sunlight pouring through the window, the summer is kicking-off superbly. Our dog is NOT observing the beginning of summer. He is asleep……. In that patch of sunlight.

 

Whoa! One of the most popular Classical Music composers, Sergei Rachmaninoff, most famous for his four spectacular piano concertos, three symphonies & his best symphony, the Symphonic Dances, died in 1944. KING-FM just mentioned that he taught piano students, too. His LAST female student is now 97 years old Ruth Slenczynska & she recently recorded some piano music. KING-FM is now playing a Bach(?) composition from her recording.

I like original harpsichord Bach music. But, I should listen to more piano transcriptions, by many past & present day pianists.

 

Right now, Korine Fujiwara is playing her composition Fiddle Suite Montana on King-FM. It is an eclectic blend of jazz, country, classical, & yes…..even pop. Resident instructor at a Tacoma, WA college, she performs violin & viola. The bows for her instruments are constructed by 3 different builders in Port Townsend, WA, a wonderful small arts city & region on the Straits of Juan de Fuca, between the Pacific Ocean & the Salish Sea(Puget Sound).
Following her Montana Suite, is Rachmaninoff…….very strangely fitting with Ms. Fujiwara’s composition.

 

On KING-FM today, a number of women composers are having their compositions on display. So tune in on the internet. Thru the day, 2 Beethoven piano concertos are being played. Right now, Aaron Copland’s Billy the Kid Suite is playing. Copland, when approached to do a thematic musical composition about Billy the Kid, was reluctant to do such. He had already done Appalachian Spring, which was not planned, but spontaneously caused people to think of the outdoors, mountains & free-spirited ways. But, Copland did compose Billy the Kid, & it extends in extra detail, his vision of the US West, complementing all his other works. Yeah, Copland really put the stamp on classical cowboy & US Western music.

The Copland BK Suite is over. It really is an accessible piece of classical music. Listen to it on the internet sometime. Later, a student of Gerard Schwartz, our long-term conductor of the Seattle Symphony, who initially was a trumpet player, will have a recording playing, displaying his talents.

 

yeah , classical cowboy is an overlooked genre these days.
But it looks like jazz metal is coming on strong. (Sons of Anarchy).

 

KIng-FM continues to play women composers far more often than in the past. Right now, Liona Boyd is playing her own guitar composition. Through the day, other women composers, including Amy Beach, will be offered. KING-FM website has a “Playlist” that tells when compositions will approximately be played.

 

This isn’t “normal” classical music. Its Second Inversion, this edition, Dream Catcher, at 9PM, PST on Saturday night. Its avant Garde or Experimental Music. There is a piece that uses the snoring of his bed partner, & inspired the composer to an “unmusical” composition with incorporated snoring. Oh, well.
Merideth Monk composed another “non-musical” piece, debating what kind of dreams……her turtle dreamed. Betcha can figger the title……..Oh, I’ll help you…..”Turtle Dreams”.

 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! KING-FM, the classical station, on normal FM radio, is also on HD radio AND Internet. You can access it around the World. Right now, they have activated their 3rd HD channel for holiday music (thru New Years?).
As I’ve toted before, KING-FM plays increasing music from women composers. In 10 minutes, Andrea Zani is having her 5th Cello Concerto played. Again, Happy Thanksgiving.

PS….At 10AM, the accessible & delightful Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring will play. KING-FM DJs work hard to research interesting facts about composer’s hardships, & histories behind their compositions. Yes, even Beethoven, Mozart & Bach had their setbacks. Bach was even in jail for a short time. But, he composed, even while in the pokey.

 

Whoa! Just heard a Canadian Christine Donkin composition, Magnificat. On a recording called “Waiting for Angels”, the Magnificat sounds like Angels are waiting for other Angels! It was performed in one of the churches in Seattle. I will listen to more of her compositions.

 

With the snow coming down, KING-FM schedule Liszt’s, Piano Concerto #1 is now playing. More women composers are being aired by KING-FM, Gwyneth Walker composition will be 10:11AM, followed by Lalo’s Cello Concerto. Not a cello fan, but I like to listen to composers I like who constructed cello pieces. Oh, yeah. A popular Maurice Ravel composition & early ragtime composer Scott Joplin will play. Wow! My favorite Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony #9 will happen! Generally, classical audiences don’t applaud at the end of symphonic movements, but wait to the end the entire symphony. In the late 18th century, when the 9th was first performed, the audience applauded strongly at the end of each movement.
In the 1PM hour, favorite composers Claude Debussy & Camille Saint Sean’s will play………
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. About an inch has fallen, but the snow is tapering off. More snow predicted.

 

From 11-24-22:

Bumping this post a bit, to emphasize the playing of Christmas Carols for the season. Neighborhood churches with their choirs & soloists often perform the standard Carols. On TV I used to listen to performances by college & university choirs, who researched historic archives & played little performed Carols. It was fascinating listening to so many Carols I had never heard. The 3rd KING-FM HD channel along with regular Carols, perform Carols little heard. These Carols bring a freshness to the Holidays.

 

On Movie Scores at KING-FM at 4PM, PST today, numerous women composers will have their music played. You can listen to KING-FM on the internet.

 

Tomorrow is Ludwig Van Beethoven’s birthday. Oh no, the KING-FM announcer says, today is Beethoven’s birthday. Lots of Beethoven’s symphonies & other quantities of music are being played on KING-FM. His Symphony #3 is playing now, my vote for the first real Romantic period music ever composed. Many people in the know might vote for the Symphony #6. Others would say some quartet or other is “romantic”. But, I think Beethoven’s #3 really is the forward looking & breaking ground. His Symphonies #1 & #2 still hang on to Mozart & Hayden. If Mozart had lived another 40 years & Beethoven had lived another 20 years, Mozart would have been the “first romantic” composer & he & Beethoven would have been bouncing symphonies off each other.
Mozart’s first movement of his Symphony #40 is “very romantic” in a classical period music setting.

PS…..Stating that Mozart “& Beethoven would have been bouncing symphonies off each other” may have been a far reach. Beethoven’s hearing had been going away even in his early years. He continued learning about music & composing music by reading scores. He & Mozart could have exchanged scores meaningfully. But, there may have been evidence that he was forgetting the “color” of some instruments in his last years. Also, instruments were being “improved”, & Beethoven may not have been able to give full expression in compositions. Still, Mozart & Beethoven would have made spectacular long lasting complements (rivals?) to each other.

 

Oh, I mentioned Hildegard von Bingen before, as being a 12th century mystic Nun. Indeed, her music is different from other medieval composers, the women being suppressed in any artistic endeavorsl, except for playing. But, some of her music does exist. Most certainly, listen to ignis spiritus paracliti performed by A Far Cry. Truly, it is different from any other music found anywhere in the World & for any time period. It will make you a fan of Hildegard von Bingen.