Episode 213: 18213 24 Preludes for Solo Banjo

Episode 213: 18213 24 Preludes for Solo Banjo

Author: Classical Music Discoveries February 28, 2022 Duration: 32:43
Hailed as “one of a kind, a banjoist who specializes in classical music and regularly knocks socks off left and right doing so,” John Bullard has released a new recording, 24 Preludes for Solo Banjo, Volume One, Books 1 & 2 Nos. I-XII was produced by multiple Juno Award and Grammy-winning David Travers-Smith. Bullard commissioned composer Adam Larrabee to write 24 Preludes which Larrabee says he wrote in a style that is “predominantly early 20th-century, at times almost neo-classical and inspired by works of J.S. Bach, Chopin, and Shostakovich that follow the long-standing tradition of writing pieces in all the major and minor keys to showcase an instrument’s versatility.” He continues, “I have tried to make each prelude feature a different form, performance technique, timbre, or rhythmic style. There is an all-pizzicato or muted piece, one featuring natural harmonics or “chimes,” a Bulgarian ratchenitsa, a Basque zortico, a passacaglia, a jazz “stride piano” style cakewalk, a theme and variations, a Brazilian choro in the style of the great Villa-Lobos, and Russian march ala Prokofiev. It has been a wonderful experience to feature the banjo in these diverse styles and create new repertoire for this beautifully unique and versatile instrument.” Available through iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Amazon, and other major streaming services, the recording can also be purchased at JohnBullard.com.Purchase the music (without talk) at:24 Preludes for Solo Banjo, Volume One, Books 1 & 2 Nos. I-XII (classicalsavings.com)Your purchase helps to support our show! Classical Music Discoveries is sponsored by La Musica International Chamber Music Festival and Uber. @khedgecock#ClassicalMusicDiscoveries #KeepClassicalMusicAlive#LaMusicaFestival #CMDGrandOperaCompanyofVenice #CMDParisPhilharmonicinOrléans#CMDGermanOperaCompanyofBerlin#CMDGrandOperaCompanyofBarcelonaSpain#ClassicalMusicLivesOn#Uber Please consider supporting our show, thank you!http://www.classicalsavings.com/donate.html staff@classicalmusicdiscoveries.com This album is broadcasted with the permission of Crossover Media Music Promotion (Zachary Swanson).

There's a whole world of classical music waiting beyond the handful of famous pieces played on the radio. Classical Music Discoveries is built on the idea that the repertoire is vast, deep, and full of stunning works that rarely get a hearing. Each episode is a curated listening session, focusing on compositions from across the centuries that deserve a wider audience. You might hear a powerful symphony by a forgotten Romantic-era composer, a delicate chamber piece from the Baroque, or a compelling work from a living creator. The host provides just enough context to frame the music-perhaps a note on the historical period, the composer's unique story, or what makes the structure of the piece so engaging-before letting the recordings speak for themselves. It’s a quiet space to actively listen, whether you're a seasoned concert-goer or someone just beginning to explore beyond the classics. This podcast serves as an accessible guide, removing the intimidation factor and replacing it with a sense of genuine exploration. The focus remains firmly on the sound, offering a direct connection to the emotional and intellectual power of the works selected. Tune in to expand your personal playlist with beautiful and intriguing music you simply won't find in the standard rotation.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Classical Music Discoveries
Podcast Episodes
Episode 92: 18192 Meyerbeer: Les Huguenots [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:34:25
Les Huguenots was some five years in creation. Meyerbeer prepared carefully for this opera after the sensational success of Robert le diable, recognizing the need to continue to present lavish staging, a highly dramatic…
Episode 208: 18208 On DSCH [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:55:59
The new album “On DSCH” by Igor Levit is a 3CD discographic tour de force by “one of the essential artists of our time” (The New York Times). That the self-styled “maximalist” enjoys pushing himself to his limits – intel…
Episode 207: 18207 Primavera II - the rabbit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:00
Multi-Grammy-nominated cellist Matt Haimovitz’s latest recording, PRIMAVERA II the rabbits, features the next 13 of 81 new pieces written for Haimovitz. Commissioned by THE PRIMAVERA PROJECT, also featuring Haimovitz’s n…
Episode 206: 18206 aubades [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:36
aubades, the new album from Jean-Michel Blais, marks the Montreal-born artist's transition from pianist to composer as he writes for an ensemble for the first time in his career. Written during the pandemic and following…
Episode 201: 18201 Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert 2022 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:40
This year's concert was broadcast to over 90 countries all over the world and watched by more than 50 million viewers on TV. The TV broadcast gained a market share of 60% in its home country Austria – the highest share s…
Episode 90: 18190 Chaplin - Modern Times [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:44
Modern Times is a 1936 American silent comedy film written and directed by Charlie Chaplin in which his iconic Little Tramp character struggles to survive in the modern, industrialized world. The film is a comment on the…
Episode 204: 18204 America [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:14
Daniel Hope takes a deep dive into the rich repertoire of American music, exploring its roots and distinctive qualities. "We know a piece is from America the moment we hear it", says Hope. "But what makes music sound Ame…
Episode 91: 18191 Meyerbeer: Robert le diable (Robert the Devil) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:19:19
Robert le diable (Robert the Devil) was immediately successful from its first night on 21 November 1831 at the Opéra; the dramatic music, harmony and orchestration, its melodramatic plot, its star singers, and its sensat…
Episode 203: 18203 John Williams The Berlin Concert [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:54
The album includes some works known to millions worldwide, and others, such as the Suite from Far and Away and the moving Elegy for cello and orchestra, that may be less familiar but are no less brilliant. Maestro Willia…
Episode 77: 18077 Uncovered Vol. 2: Florence B. Price [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:05:51
GRAMMY Award-winning Catalyst Quartet releases UNCOVERED Volume 2: Florence B. Price on Azica Records. The album is the second issue of a multi-volume anthology highlighting string quartet works by historically important…