Music for a While #89: Ragtime & other riches

The New Criterion Podcasts

Jay begins this episode with Paul Hindemith, who in 1921 combined his interest in ragtime with his love of Bach. There is also a minuet by Ravel, glancing back at Haydn. There is a song by Zemlinsky, setting Langston Hughes. There are wonders and curiosities in this episode—which, by the way, has a sponsor: Michael Lohafer, who, as Jay says, is “a particular authority on Mozart.” Mr. Lohafer says, “My sponsorship is on behalf of all attentive listeners to Music for a While who enjoy the well-considered selections that always delight the ear.” Bach, Fugue in C minor from “The Well-Tempered Clavier,” Book 1 Hindemith, “Ragtime (Well-Tempered)” Ravel, “Menuet sur le nom d’Haydn” Schumann, “Faschingsschwank aus Wien” Zemlinsky, “Afrikanischer Tanz” from “Symphonische Gesänge” Liszt, “Canzonetta del Salvator Rosa” from “Années de pèlerinage, deuxième année: Italie” Vasks, Dolcissimo from “The Book” Prokofiev, Sonata No. 7, Precipitato Martinů, Fantasia for String Quartet, Oboe, Theremin, and Piano Gounod, “Ah! lève-toi, soleil!” from “Roméo et Juliette” Tchaikovsky-Pletnev, Pas de deux from “The Nutcracker”