Past Choir Loft Shows

07/20/2008 Venetian Vespers. Experience a Vespers service as it might have been celebrated in Venice’s St. Mark’s Cathedral in 1643, featuring such composers as Rigatti, Grandi, Monteverdi and Cavalli. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

07/13/2008 Schütz and Lieders. Heinrich Schütz, the greatest German composer before Bach, had a career of many twists and turns. Hosted by Dan Solter.

07/06/2008 Libro Primo e Libro Nono. A fine recording by Venexiana of the first and last of Monteverdi’s madrigal books. Don't miss the great “Zefiro torna”! Hosted by Bob Worth.

06/29/2008 G-L-O-R-I-A, Gloria. An exploration of the many ways composers set the text “Glory be to God on High.” We’ll ponder the full text and hear settings by Machaut, Josquin, Monteverdi, Palestrina, Patterson, and Martin. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

06/22/2008 The Book with Seven Seals. A wonderful oratorio from the 1930s by the Austrian composer Franz Schmidt, in a triumphant new recording conducted by Kristjan Järvi. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

06/15/2008 Vaughan Williams Mass in G Minor and Stravinsky Mass. Two 20th century settings of the mass text. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

06/08/2008 Music of William Byrd. Hosted by Dan Solter.

06/01/2008 Sumer is icumen in. An exploration of pastoral themes in choral music throughout musical history, focusing on the long, hot, lazy, crazy days of summer. Hosted by Bob Worth.

05/25/2008 Brand-New Josquin. The Tallis Scholars have just released a third set of Josquin masses, a much-delayed sequel to their award-winning recordings of the 1980s and 90s. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

05/18/2008 The Eastern European Choral Tradition. Sacred works by Rachmaninoff, Janacek and other Eastern European composers. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

05/11/2008 Inexhaustible Byrd. More treasures from the Mother Lode of English music. Hosted by Dan Solter.

05/04/2008 Shira Kamen. A tribute to medieval vielle player, harpist and singer extraordinaire Shira Kamen. Hosted by Bob Worth.

04/27/2008 Israel in Egypt. This oratorio by Handel was the first music ever recorded, all the way back in 1888. We’ll listen to a more recent version. Hosted by Dan Solter.

04/20/2008 A Grand Night for Singing. Choral music composed for the theatre. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

04/13/2008 Selva Morale e Spirituale. Excerpts from Monteverdi’s late masterpiece, a compendium of sacred music. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

04/06/2008 Zelenka Zowie. The virtuosic music of Jan Dismas Zelenka, a contemporary of Bach who lived and worked at the court in Dresden, will be featured, including the Missa dei Filii and the Litaniae Lauretanae, performed under the direction of Frieder Bernius. Hosted by Bob Worth.

03/30/2008 Happy Birthday, Franz Joseph. Haydn would have been 276 had he lived to see this day. Bake a cake and tune in as we listen to his Creation mass and other works. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

03/23/2008 Bolivian Baroque. Exuberant music from South America, performed by Florilegium and friends. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

03/16/2008 Easter Feaster. Music for Holy Week, featuring the Dvorak Stabat Mater. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

03/09/2008 Gianetto, Prenestino, Palestrina. A man of many names, Palestrina dominated Italian music for much of the 16th century. Hosted by Dan Solter.

03/02/2008 Sanctus Settings Redux. Originally scheduled for February, this show explores musical interpretations of the Sanctus text, using examples from Renaissance masses to 20th-century versions. Hosted by Bob Worth.

02/24/2008 The Hidden Haydn. Joseph Haydn long ago eclipsed his brother Michael, but a few lights still shine from the darkness. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

02/17/2008 This Have I Done for My True Love. Love songs that span the ages. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

02/10/2008 Agni Dei. Wherever there’s a Sanctus, an Agnus Dei is sure to follow. Hosted by Dan Solter.

02/03/2008 Ben Taylor. An interview with Ben Taylor, composer for the San Francisco Choral Artists. Hosted by Bob Worth.

01/27/2008 Alexander Nevsky. From the depths of winter comes this inspiring cantata by Sergei Prokofiev about medieval Russian knights galloping atop frozen lakes. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

01/20/2008 Friede auf Erden. Music that celebrates peace and freedom. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

01/13/2008 French Impressionists. Known for their dreamy piano works and pentatonic scales, the great French impressionists Debussy and Ravel also wrote lovely choral music. Hosted by Dan Solter.

01/06/2008 The B Minor Madrigal. Obscure paths of controversy in performance practice are explored in relation to Bach’s sacred magnum opus, the Mass in B Minor. Featuring recordings by Joshua Rifkin, Philippe Herreweghe and others. Hosted by Bob Worth.

12/30/2007 Great Britten. Shake off the tinsel and mistletoe with one of the greatest 20th-century composers, Benjamin Britten. We will hear his Five Flower Songs, Sacred and Profane, the wonderful AMDG, and other gems. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

12/23/2007 The Christmas Story. An early Baroque masterpiece by Heinrich Schütz. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

12/16/2007 In dulci jubilo. Celebrate the season with traditional and not-so-traditional holiday choral works. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

12/09/2007 Jean Mouton. This 15th-century composer had a long and successful career at the French court. Hosted by Dan Solter.

12/02/2007 The Advent of Bach. Bach cantatas for Advent, including two versions of “Nun komm der Heiden Heiland,” conducted by John Eliot Gardiner. Hosted by Bob Worth.

11/25/2007 Oceana. Osvaldo Golijov, the Argentinean wunderkind, composed this homage to Bach cantatas for the Oregon Bach Festival in 1996. Just issued on CD, the work has earned rave reviews from critics across the world. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

11/18/2007 Trio Chanticleer. Alan Reinhardt, Brian Hinman, and Gabriel Lewis-O’Connor, of the world-renowned vocal ensemble Chanticleer, will share their experiences and favorite choral works. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

11/11/2007 A Mighty Wind. Anton Bruckner’s Mass #2, in E minor, is also known as the Wind Mass, perhaps in recognition of the quantity of air displaced by the assembled forces. Hosted by Dan Solter.

11/04/2007 Alcatraz and PAN. Two fantastic medieval ensembles, Ensemble Alcatraz and PAN (Project Ars Nova), performed and recorded in the 1980s and 90s, producing several CDs that are highlights of recorded medieval music. Hosted by Bob Worth.

10/28/2007 Lili Boulanger. Sister of the famous modern composition teacher Nadia Boulanger, Lili showed great promise as a composer until her untimely death at the age of 24. Her legacy, though scant, is remarkable. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

10/21/2007 Hidden Treasures. Forgotten choral masterpieces, including Orlando di Lasso's Prophetiae Sibyllarum and selections from the Alamirie Manuscripts. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

10/14/2007 Cantata Tacanta. Bach found innumerable ways to work and rework the basic cantata form. We’ll listen to just a few. Hosted by Dan Solter.

10/07/2007 The Voice of the Swan. A magnificent new Philippe Herreweghe recording of Heinrich Schütz’s Schwanengesang will be featured. The final work by the 87-year-old composer, Schütz's swan song features settings of all 176 verses of Psalm 119, plus Psalm 100 and the Magnificat. Hosted by Bob Worth.

09/30/2007 The Chansons of Clement Janequin. Janequin’s career was unusual for the time, in that he never held a position with any church and wrote mainly secular music. Tune in to hear a sampling of his evocative chansons, as recorded by Ensemble Clement Janequin. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

09/23/2007 Magical Mystery Show. A show of such inscrutability that we dare reveal nothing. Hosted by Dan Solter.

09/16/2007 Madrigals and All That Jazz. Gregg Smith’s jazz arrangements of classic beloved madrigals. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

09/09/2007 Missa Caput. Jacob Obrecht may be long dead, but his music is far from kaput, as evidenced by this heady mass. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

09/02/2007 Trecento and Quattrocento. Vocal music from 14th and 15th century Italy, featuring works by Landini, Ciconia, and Tenorista. Hosted by Bob Worth.

08/26/2007 Choral Music of the Two Georgias. Group singing from Georgia’s Sea Islands and from Georgia of the Caucasus. Hosted by Dan Solter.

08/19/2007 Brahms: The Great Divide. How the composer reconciles the sacred and secular in his choral music and his life. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

08/12/2007 Tehillim and Desert Music. Two scintillating choral works by Steve Reich, the first based on Biblical psalms, the second on poetry by William Carlos Williams. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

08/05/2007 Verdi Requiem. A preview of the Santa Rosa Symphony’s performance of this choral masterwork. Hosted by Bob Worth.

07/29/2007 Ken Malucelli, Modern-Day Impresario. Bay Area vocal music giant Ken Malucelli visits the Choir Loft to talk about his compositions and arrangements, being a performer, and the joys of “The Music Business.” Hosted by Anthony Martin.

07/22/2007 Kullervo. This epic cantata by Jean Sibelius recounts the peculiar adventures of a Finnish tax collector. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

07/15/2007 Set Me As a Seal Upon Thine Heart. Daniel Pinkham’s “Wedding Cantata” and other selections celebrating the nuptial ceremony. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

07/08/2007 Mozart Odds and Ends. Canons, opera choruses, and other bits of miscellany from this most versatile of composers. Hosted by Dan Solter.

07/01/2007 O Say Can You Sing?. Celebrate the Fourth of July a few days early by singing along to some American choral classics, including several works by Charles Ives. Hosted by Bob Worth.

06/24/2007 Schumann Song Cycles. Not content with individual songs, Schumann penned several song cycles, of which “Dichterliebe” is the most famous. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

06/17/2007 Haydn's Vocal Symphonies. The stylistic innovations of Haydn's London symphonies turn up in his six late masses. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

06/10/2007 Bach Cantatas 78 and 80. “Jesu der du meine Seele” and “Ein feste Burg.” Hosted by Dan Solter.

06/03/2007 Renaissance Music from Spain. Masses, motets, and a smattering of romances and villancicos from Madrid, Toledo and Seville. Hosted by Bob Worth.

05/27/2007 A Renaissance of Spring. A May bouquet of Renaissance music celebrating the return of spring, the flowering of nature, and the ever-popular theme of love (both joyful and dolorous). Hosted by Bob Worth.

05/20/2007 The Legacy of Robert Shaw. Maestro Shaw raised American choral standards to new heights. We’ll explore the life, examine the technique, and listen to the music of this late, great conductor. Hosted by Jenny Bent.

05/13/2007 Early German Precursors of Bach. Bach’s Teutonic predecessors supplied him with a few wide shoulders on which to stand. Hosted by Dan Solter.

05/06/2007 Mozart Trazom. A pair of Mozart masses, one jubilant, the other dolorous. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

04/29/2007 Bach upon Bach. More resplendent music from the seeming infinitude of Bach cantatas. Hosted by Dan Solter.

04/22/2007 My Spirit Sang All Day. Modern English partsongs by Britten, Finzi, and Williams continue a vibrant tradition that extends all the way back to the Jacobeans. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

04/15/2007 The Best of the Renaissance. The 16th century must have been an exciting time to be a choral musician. We will do our best to transport ourselves back to this most glorious era by listening to works by Josquin, Lasso, Allegri, Gesualdo, and more. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

04/08/2007 O Sole Nostro. Italian Romantics are best known for their opera arias, but their choral music was equally transcendent. Hosted by Dan Solter.

04/01/2007 Bach in Palm. In honor of Palm Sunday, we’ll play selections from Bach’s cantatas for Holy Week. Hosted by Bob Worth.

03/25/2007 Lasso Lassus Lassant. A fully conjugated mix of secular songs and madrigals by this Renaissance master. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

03/18/2007 Jenny Bent. Jenny Bent, choral director at Ursuline High School, is also the interim Sonoma State University choral director during Bob Worth’s sabbatical. Jenny will talk about her experiences as a choral musician, discuss the two programs that she is preparing at Sonoma State, and play some of her favorite selections. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

03/11/2007 Handel Da Capo. Another run at Handel, starting from the top. Hosted by Dan Solter.

03/04/2007 Pictures from an Expedition. We explore Renaissance France, Spain and Italy, discovering startling pictorial music by such composers as Mateo Flecha, Clement Janequin, and Alessandro Striggio. Hosted by Bob Worth.

02/25/2007 Morimur. This unusual CD from the Hilliard Ensemble makes a compelling case for the vocal origins of Bach’s works for solo violin. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

02/18/2007 Love Hurts. As Monteverdi shows us so clearly, love hurts. Listen in as we wade through the tumultuous, heart-rending Fourth Book of Madrigals. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

02/11/2007 Fluid Handel. Notes flowed effortlessly from the pen of Handel, who composed almost as fast as he could talk. Hosted by Dan Solter.

02/04/2007 Exploring the Moral Jungle. From a rapidly expanding library of Monteverdi CDs, we’ll hear some of the fabulous gems found in the Selva Morale, the posthumous publication of 1651, and in several multi-composer anthologies from the first half of the 17th century. Hosted by Bob Worth.

01/28/2007 A Cappella, Ad Lib. The outer limits of a cappella, the rock of ages. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

01/21/2007 Martin and Pizzetti. Two modern masterpieces: Frank Martin’s luscious Mass for Double Choir, and the serene Requiem of Ildebrando Pizzetti. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

01/14/2007 Mahler on Malheur. Gustav tended toward the melancholic, nowhere more so than in his plangent songs. Hosted by Dan Solter.

01/07/2007 Late Middle, Early Beginning. The 15th century marked a long transition from Medieval constrictions to Renaissance effusions. Music of Dunstable, Ockeghem, Dufay, Josquin, and Busnois. Hosted by Bob Worth.

12/31/2006 2006 RIP. Ring out the old year and herald the new with this amalgam of oddities and rarities. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

12/24/2006 The Dream of Gerontius. Sir Edward Elgar’s sumptuous late-Romantic cantata, the perfect antidote to holiday jingles. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

12/17/2006 Sacred Music of Krysztof Penderecki. Penderecki employs many unorthodox methods to paint some of the more common sacred texts, including hushed whispers and jarring tone clusters. Tune in to hear what this Polish composer has up his sleeve. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

12/10/2006 Songs of Mahler. This consummate symphonist was also a disciple of the human voice. Hosted by Dan Solter.

12/03/2006 Weihnachtsgeschichte. The Christmas story, as told by the early German Baroque composer Heinrich Schütz and interpreted by Frieder Bernius, the Kammerchor Stuttgart, Musica Fiata Köln, and the Barockorchester Stuttgart. Hosted by Bob Worth.

11/26/2006 Schumann SATB. Robert Schumann is best known for his chamber and orchestral works, but his choral output was considerable. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

11/19/2006 Greek Orthodox Liturgy. Byzantine chants that break through the aethers. Hosted by Paul Ammerman.

11/12/2006 Dan Goes Into Haydn. The vocal music of Franz Joseph Haydn has long been hidden, but now it’s found. Hosted by Dan Solter.

11/05/2006 Il Terzo Libro de Madrigali. Monteverdi’s third book of madrigals features several of his greatest efforts in the genre. Hosted by Bob Worth.

10/29/2006 Choir Loft Potluck. All four Choir Loft hosts will bring musical offerings to this impromptu choral feast. Hosted by KRCB.

10/22/2006 The Surfing Byrd. English churches still resound with the sacred music of William Byrd, but he also cut a mean figure with the agnostics on Dover Beach. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

10/15/2006 G-L-O-R-I-A, Gloria!. An exploration of the many ways composers set the text “Glory be to God on High.” We’ll ponder the full text and hear settings by Machaut, Josquin, Monteverdi, Palestrina, Patterson, and Martin. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

10/08/2006 Gombert Laid Bare. This mysterious Franco-Flemish composer wrote some of the most ethereal music of the Renaissance. Hosted by Dan Solter.

10/01/2006 Ci-co-ni-a!. The music of Johannes Ciconia, an early 15th-century composer of sacred motets, masses, and secular songs from Padova in northern Italy. Featured will be a fantastic recording of Ciconia’s music by Ensemble PAN. Hosted by Bob Worth.

09/24/2006 Ainadamar. This brand-new opera by Osvaldo Golijov celebrates the short, tragic life of the esteemed Spanish poet Federico García Lorca. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

09/17/2006 The Choir Loft Bottoms Out. Tune in and marvel at the sounds of Basso Profondo from Old Mother Russia. We will hear from The Orthodox Singers and discuss the methods used to reach the depths. How low can you go? Hosted by Anthony Martin.

09/10/2006 Berlioza Obscura. Clear but obscure choral music from this Gallic master. Hosted by Dan Solter.

09/03/2006 Madrigals of Love and War. Monteverdi’s eighth and final book of madrigals is a landmark in the form, and indeed in music history. We’ll explore some of the exciting compositions (for instruments and for voices), and compare recordings. Hosted by Bob Worth.

08/27/2006 Missa de Beata Virgine. One of Josquin's last masses, the Beata Virgine has a unique structure and genesis. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

08/20/2006 The Sonoma County Choral Society on Record. A sampling from recordings of the Sonoma County Choral Society, ranging from professional sessions to live concerts. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

08/13/2006 Nights in Infancy. Samplings from two Berlioz masterworks: Les Nuits d'Été and l'Enfance du Christ. Hosted by Dan Solter.

08/06/2006 The Triumphs of Oriana. A new recording by I Fagiolini of Thomas Morley's great collection of madrigals in honor of Elizabeth I. Hosted by Bob Worth.

07/30/2006 In conversation with Benjamin Taylor. Local composer, musician, and choral enthusiast Benjamin Taylor will offer a glimpse into his world and play some of his favorite compositions. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

07/23/2006 The Three W's. Long before the three B’s (Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms), the three W’s (Weelkes, Wilbye, and Ward) ruled the roost, at least in English madrigals. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

07/16/2006 Exploring Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers. A lecture by Boston Baroque founder and conductor Martin Pearlman on Monteverdi’s epic Vespers, followed immediately by a sampling of your host’s favorite movements. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

07/09/2006 Berlioz Unchained. Songs and choruses by this supremely ambitious French romantic. Hosted by Dan Solter.

07/02/2006 Brahms Requiem. We’ll listen to a recent recording of this masterwork by the group Accentus, which uses Brahms’ own two-piano arrangement. Hosted by Bob Worth.

06/25/2006 Die Winterreise. Escape the oppressive heat and gaiety of summer with Schubert’s devastating song cycle on the barren landscape of winter. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

06/18/2006 Vocal Dvorak. Mostly known for his stirring orchestral and chamber music, this great Czech composer wrote sprightly choral music as well. Hosted by Dan Solter.

06/11/2006 Meet Kitka. Tune in as we survey the recordings of Kitka, an East Bay women’s ensemble that specializes in Eastern European vocal music. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

06/04/2006 Handel in Italy. Before moving to London, Handel spent a few years in Italy, composing “Dixit Dominus” and other psalm settings. Hosted by Bob Worth.

05/28/2006 Ich liebe dich. German lieder composers of the Romantic era made the startling discovery that two singers are often better than one, especially when the subject is love. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

05/21/2006 Lost in the Stars. A sampling from Chanticleer’s dreamy “Lost in the Stars” CD, featuring tunes by Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer, and others. Listen with a friend! Hosted by Anthony Martin.

05/14/2006 Baroquen Hearts. Love flourished in the Baroque era, particularly in the many intricate--and passionate--vocal duets by Monteverdi, Handel, and Bach. Hosted by Dan Solter.

05/07/2006 Spotlight on Occidental Choir. Members of the venerable Occidental Choir and its director, Daniel Canosa, will talk about their Spring concert, entitled “Heroes, Mentors, Wonders and Dreams,” including original compositions on these topics and (of course!) on love. Hosted by Bob Worth.

04/30/2006 Die Schöne Müllerin. Schubert’s incandescent song cycle, one of the hallmarks of vocal artistry. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

04/23/2006 Missa Ave Maris Stella. This gorgeous mass by Josquin des Prez is based on an ancient hymn. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

04/16/2006 Digging Deeper into Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers. A lecture/demonstration on Monteverdi’s epic 1610 Vespers by Martin Perlman, director of Boston Baroque, followed by selections from the work. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

04/09/2006 Cantatas Obscura. Lesser-known cantatas by the cantata-meister Johann Sebastian Bach. Hosted by Dan Solter.

04/02/2006 Lynne Morrow Interview. Morrow directs the musical theater program at Sonoma State and conducts the Oakland Symphony Chorus and the Pacific Mozart Ensemble, which recently participated in a Grammy-nominated recording of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass. Hosted by Bob Worth.

03/26/2006 Vaughan Williams Redux. More sumptuous choral feasts from merry old England. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

03/19/2006 Los Angeles Master Chorale. We will survey a few of the many LAMC recordings. Look forward to works by Duruflé, Glass, Salonen, and Reich. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

03/12/2006 Brahms in Brief. Short choral works by the Romantic master. Hosted by Dan Solter.

03/05/2006 Sleepers Awake. Bach was so impressed with his own Wachet Auf cantata (BWV 140) that he transcribed some of it for organ. We’ll hear both versions. Hosted by Bob Worth.

02/26/2006 Non-Requiem Brahms. “Ein Deutsches Requiem” is Brahms’s most popular choral work, but he wrote plenty more, of which we’ll sample a few. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

02/19/2006 The Bobs Turn 25. Take a right turn in the Loft as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of a cappella grandaddies The Bobs. A whimsical career-spanning retrospective of this enduring contemporary vocal group. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

02/12/2006 Cantatas Du Jour. Two or more of Bach’s inexhaustible cantatas, specially selected for Lincoln’s Birthday. Hosted by Dan Solter.

02/05/2006 Visit with Carol Menke. Local soprano and choir director Carol Menke will preview upcoming concerts by the Santa Rosa Children’s Choir and Cantiamo Sonoma. Hosted by Bob Worth.

01/29/2006 Johannes Lullabies. Brahms is known for his instrumental lullabies, but his choral music will keep you wide awake. Hosted by Dan Solter.

01/22/2006 Ralph Tallis Williams. Ralph Vaughan Williams, the 20th-century English composer, pays choral homage to his 16th-century predecessor, Thomas Tallis. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

01/15/2006 Meet Liber UnUsualis. An hour with Medieval music giants Liber UnUsualis, featuring their CDs “Machaut: Unrequited” and “Flyleaves.” Hosted by Anthony Martin.

01/08/2006 Mozart Vespers. Officially titled “solemn vespers,” these sprightly sacred works are anything but. Hosted by Bob Worth.

01/01/2006 New Year's Special. The Choir Loft will be closed in deference to a New Year’s Special. Hosted by KRCB.

12/25/2005 Special Christmas Programming. The Choir Loft will be closed to make way for special Christmas programming. Hosted by KRCB.

12/18/2005 Xmas Divided by Three Equals. Bach's Christmas Oratorio consists of six separate cantatas. We'll only have time for two. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

12/11/2005 Baroque Before Bach. The Baroque period was nearly a century old before Bach came along and laid claim to it. He had plenty of predecessors. Hosted by Dan Solter.

12/04/2005 Jolly old St Nick, eh? Not so fast.... Grab a cup of egg nog and join host Anthony Martin for a glimpse into the untold story of Saint Nicholas, as set to music by Benjamin Britten. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

11/27/2005 Ayre. Osvaldo Golijov’s resplendent new song cycle, performed by Dawn Upshaw. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

11/20/2005 When Wooden Shoe meets Riser.... Nov. 20. When Wooden Shoes Meet the Risers. Choral music of composers from the Netherlands, as performed by the Dutch ensemble Quink. Hosted by Anthony Martin. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

11/13/2005 The Bottomless Treasure Chest. The Renaissance offers a seeming infinitude of great choral music. Hosted by Dan Solter Hosted by Dan Solter.

11/06/2005 Kids’ Turn Redux.. This special show, postponed from October, features Carol Menke, director of the Santa Rosa Children’s Choir, who will play and discuss music sung by children. Hosted by Bob Worth. Hosted by Bob Worth.

10/30/2005 Halloween Special. Music about death, spirits, goblins, and the occasional pumpkin. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

10/23/2005 High School Roundtable. Local high school choral directors chat about their work and play some music performed by their students. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

10/16/2005 Entre Vous Filles. Women, an eternal mystery to men, have inspired much choral music, both ribald and devotional. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

10/09/2005 Renaissance Jewels. More great choral music from the Golden Age of a cappella. Hosted by Dan Solter.

10/02/2005 Kid's Turn. Special guest Carol Menke, director of the Santa Rosa Children’s Choir, joins host Bob Worth to play music sung by children. Hosted by Bob Worth.

09/25/2005 How Sweet the Sound. Just in time for the KRCB pledge drive, we'll pass the collection plate as Chanticleer belts out some wonderful gospel tunes from their new CD. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

09/18/2005 Britten's War Requiem. Tune in to hear selections from Benjamin Britten’s monumental War Requiem, composed 1962 for the reconsecration of the battle-ravaged Coventry Cathedral. The work weaves the standard Requiem liturgy with poetry by English soldier Wilfred Owen illustrating the horror and futility of war. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

09/11/2005 More Folk from Norfolk. Part 2 of a rambling survey of folk choral traditions from the around the world. Hosted by Dan Solter.

09/04/2005 Choral Season Preview. A look at what's coming up in Sonoma County choral concerts this fall. Hosted by Bob Worth.

08/28/2005 Poems in Song. For centuries, composers have set famous poems to music, perhaps hoping that literary greatness will foster musical inspiration. We'll hear some of the results. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

08/21/2005 The Music of Morten Lauridsen. An exploration of this contemporary composer's French Rose and Italian Fire cycles, as well as his sacred works. Hosted by Anthony Martin. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

08/14/2005 Choral Folk Traditions. Folk songs with “traditional” settings from around the world. Hosted by Dan Solter.

08/07/2005 The Chemistry of Small. Choral music for small ensembles (4 to 12 singers), along with ruminations about what makes it click (or not). Hosted by Bob Worth.

07/31/2005 Loose in the Loft!. Listen in with your own favorite pet as we honor birds, bees, hunting dogs, crickets, and other citizens of Noah's Ark, with music by Banchieri, Josquin, Janequin, and others. Hosted by Anthony Martin.

07/24/2005 Consorting With Orlando. One of the best vocal quartets on the planet, the Orlando Consort keeps outdoing itself with each new CD. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

07/17/2005 Guillaume de Machaut, Part II. More from this master of early polyphony. Hosted by Paul Ammerman.

07/10/2005 Bach¹s Lighter Masses. Selections from Johann Sebastian¹s airy Lutheran versions of the mass. Hosted by Dan Solter.

07/03/2005 Midsummer Night Sings. A preview of some of the repertoire to be sung in the Sonoma County Choral Society's Wednesday evening July series, including works by Mozart, Orff, Brahms and (of course!) Bach. Hosted by Bob Worth.

06/26/2005 Fowre Arms, Two Necks.. In English madrigals, everything leads to sex. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

06/19/2005 Guillaume de Machaut, Part I. A first look at this master of early polyphony. Hosted by Paul Ammerman.

06/12/2005 Lassus Relassoed. Music from the secular side of this massive steer. Hosted by Dan Solter.

06/05/2005 Cecilia Triumphantes. Music in honor of the power of music, including hymns to St. Cecilia by Benjamin Britten and Herbert Howells, and Cecilian odes by Henry Purcell and others. Hosted by Bob Worth.

05/29/2005 Bach Country: A Tale of Four Cities. In honor of the Sonoma County Bach Choir’s concert tour of Bach country, a sampling of music from four cities in which Johann Sebastian Bach lived and worked. Hosted by Bob Worth.

05/22/2005 Belshazzar’s Feast. William Walton’s resplendent oratorio headlines this program of 20th century British choral music. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

05/15/2005 Perotinalia. Music of the medieval French composer Perotin. Hosted by Paul Ammerman.

05/08/2005 Lasso the Maverick. Orlando Lasso was a disciple of sonority, but he never followed the herd. Hosted by Dan Solter.

05/01/2005 Celebrate Spring!. Madrigals, chansons and Renaissance song of all types to celebrate May Day. Hosted by Bob Worth.

04/24/2005 Sergei Rachmaninov: Vespers. Written in 1915, this series of hymns and psalms is based on all-night liturgical services in Russian monasteries. Rachmaninov called them “a conscious counterfeit of the ritual.” Hosted by Steve Osborn.

04/17/2005 The Unposed Question. Art music from the other side of the Atlantic: Charles Ives, the answer to an unposed question. Hosted by Paul Ammerman.

04/10/2005 Israel in Egypt. Selections from George Frederick Handel’s first English oratorio, a work that set him on the path to the Messiah. Hosted by Dan Solter.

04/03/2005 The Easter Oratorio. Johann Sebastian Bach assembled this oratorio in the 1730s from earlier secular works. Other celebratory Easter music will be included in this joyful hour of Bach! Hosted by Bob Worth.

03/27/2005 On the Transmigration of John Adams. A survey of this popular American composer’s choral works, from the early “Harmonium” to his latest offering, “On the Transmigration of Souls,” a winner of many awards during 2004. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

03/20/2005 Schnittke’s Choir Concerto. This four-movement work by the 20th-century Russian composer Alfred Schnittke mixes ancient Slavic liturgy with modern musical styles. Hosted by Paul Ammerman.

03/13/2005 Renaissance Motets. A cappella masterworks from a chorus of Renaissance composers. Hosted by Dan Solter.

03/06/2005 Bach in Mühlhausen. Some of Johann Sebastian Bach’s earliest cantatas, including BWV 131 (Aus der Tiefe) and BWV 150 (Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich). Hosted by Bob Worth.

02/27/2005 O Quam Gloriosum. O how glorious is this polyphonic mass by the Spanish Renaissance composer Tomas Luis de Victoria! Hosted by Steve Osborn.

02/20/2005 Stravinsky Redux. Part 2 of our continuing survey of Stravinsky's vocal oeuvre, this time featuring the vivacious "Les Noces", as well as his "Requiem Canticles." Hosted by Paul Ammerman.

02/13/2005 Mellow Mendelssohn. Soothing and uplifting choral music from this Romantic master. Hosted by Dan Solter.

02/06/2005 Bach's Weimar Cantatas. Cantatas from Bach's Weimar period, including Cantata 147 (featuring the famous Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring) and Cantata 21, which depicts a spiritual journey from the depths of despair to utter elation. Hosted by Bob Worth.

01/30/2005 The Ninth and Beyond. A necessarily abbreviated but nonetheless entertaining survey of Beethoven's choral oeuvre, ranging from the Mass in C and the Choral Fantasy to the Missa Solemnis and the Ninth Symphony. Hosted by Bob Worth.

01/23/2005 Telemann, King of the German Baroque. During his long life, Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) was the omnipotent monarch of German music, lording it over even the regal Bach family. He composed more than 3,000 works, including some magnificent vocal repertory. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

01/16/2005 From the Far Side. Hear why Carlo Gesualdo stands out as one of the more perplexing, or better yet, just plain bizarre figures in the history of Western music. Hosted by Paul Ammerman.

01/09/2005 Choral Music of Handel. A brief survey of this Baroque master's choral music. Hosted by Dan Solter.

01/09/2005 Handel's Chandos Anthems. Hosted by Dan Solter.

01/02/2005 A Visit with Dan Earl. An hour-long visit with Santa Rosa High School’s beloved choral director. We'll hear about some of the highlights of Dan's 28 years at SRHS, and we'll listen to lots of music from his choirs’ four outstanding CDs. Hosted by Bob Worth.

12/26/2004 Glagolitic Gala. In honor of Good King Wenceslas and the Feast of Stephen, an airing of Leos Janacek’s monumental Glagolitic Mass and other Czech choral masterpieces. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

12/19/2004 Beguilingly French. Choral music by Francis Poulenc. Hosted by Paul Ammerman.

12/12/2004 Short, Sweet Schubert. A selection of his part songs and works for chorus. Hosted by Dan Solter.

12/05/2004 An Early-Music Christmas. Medieval and Renaissance music to start off the holiday season, including pieces from the Liber Vermell and the early English polyphonic tradition, along with works by Victoria, Palestrina, Byrd, and others. Hosted by Bob Worth.

11/28/2004 Les Arts Florissants. A charming chamber opera and sacred works by the 17th-century French composer Marc-Antoine Charpentier. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

11/21/2004 Twentieth Century Neo-Isms. The music of Paul Hindemith. Hosted by Paul Ammerman.

11/14/2004 Schubert: Early, Middle and Late. Choral and part music of the Romantic era. Hosted by Dan Solter.

11/07/2004 Fire and Water. The Ensaladas of Mateo Flecha the Elder. A fascinating 16th-century Spanish form, in which pre-existing songs and new materials are joined to tell stories with an upright moral message. Hosted by Bob Worth.

10/31/2004 Halloween Special. Scary and spooky music, including William Schuman's "Carols of Death." Hosted by Bob Worth.

10/24/2004 Josquin and Mary: A Musical Love Story. A sampling of Josquin's heartfelt motets written, to, for, and about the Virgin Mary. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

10/17/2004 Twentieth-Century Cantatas. Guest host Paul Ammerman will present three works by Anton Webern and Igor Stravinsky. Hosted by Paul Ammerman.

10/10/2004 Schütz, the Works, Part II. Selections from the greatest German composer before Bach. Hosted by Dan Solter.

10/03/2004 Psalms: From Chant to Chichester. Psalms are among the texts most often set to music over the centuries so there is plenty of beautiful music to choose from. Bob will present fine choral settings of psalms throughout the ages. Hosted by Bob Worth.

09/26/2004 Pasion Aeterna. Contemporary composers Morton Lauridsen and Osvaldo Golijov offer startlingly different interpretations of sacred texts. Lauridsen's "Lux Aeterna" (1997) is a lush meditation in the tradition of Brahms. Golijov's "La Pasion Segun San Marcos" (2000) is an energetic homage to the composer's South American roots. (We'll just be playing Part 1 of "La Pasion"; we played parts 2 and 3 last month.) Hosted by Steve Osborn.

08/22/2004 La Pasión Según San Marco. "La Pasión Según San Marco" (The St. Mark Passion), by the Argentinian-American composer Osvaldo Golijov, created a sensation at its premiere in Stuttgart in 2000. Its spirited Latin-American rhythms, soaring lyricism, and dramatic intensity make it a masterpiece of modern choral music. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

08/15/2004 The Music of Chanticleer. Special guest Chris Fritzsche talks to Bob Worth about his 11 years as a soprano with Chanticleer. Chris will bring along his Chanticleer CD's and play some of his favorites! Hosted by Bob Worth.

08/01/2004 Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers. The psalms and the Magnificat from Monteverdi's fabulous 1610 Vespers, as performed by The Sixteen (directed by Harry Chistophers). Hosted by Bob Worth.

07/25/2004 Lagrime di San Pietro. Orlande de Lassus was one of the most prolific composers of all time. He wrote 50 masses, 100 magnificats, 100 German lieder, 150 French chansons, 200 Italian madrigals, and 700 Latin motets. He was born in Flanders in 1532, lived in Italy as a teenager, and settled at the Bavarian court in Munich in 1556, where he spent the rest of his life. Six weeks before he died in 1594, Lassus completed the "Lagrime di San Pietro," which means "The Tears of Saint Peter." This cycle of 20 Italian sacred madrigals and one Latin motet is based on a narrative poem of the same name by Luigi Tansillo that retells the Biblical story of Peter’s betrayal of Christ. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

07/11/2004 Romanticism: Beethoven to Bruckner. Hosted by Dan Solter.

07/04/2004 Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. A (slightly) edited playing of Beethoven's Ninth, as performed by John Eliot Gardiner, the Monteverdi Choir, and the English Baroque Soloists. Hosted by Bob Worth.

06/27/2004 Songs That Go Fast. If you've ever sung in a choir or attended choral concerts, you may have noticed that a lot of modern choral music moves pretty slowly. The most famous choral composers of our time--such as Morton Lauridsen, Arvo Part, and John Tavener--tend to favor adagios, lentos, and largos. Their works are often sacred, and they're filled with musings about faith, struggle, and despair. This is all well and good, but whatever happened to allegros, prestos, and vivaces, along with lyrics about love and happiness? Did they just fade into the background with the arrival of modern music? Not exactly, but these zippier songs are hard to find. In preparing this show, I spent many a frustrated hour perusing the racks at record stores in search of uptempo modern classical vocal works. After nearly drowning in a viscous flood of chants, dirges, and lamentations, I was revived by more than a dozen spritely compositions, which I'm happy to share with anybody seeking relief from an excess of meditation. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

05/23/2004 Prince of Music. Johannes Ockeghem (1410-1497) was the most admired composer of his day, earning the title of "Prince of Music." Originally from Flanders (modern-day Belgium), he spent most of his long career at the French court, composing a string of masses, motets, and chansons. He was particularly famous for his intricately complex polyphony and his elaborate musical puzzles. In this show, we will listen to a representative sampling of his work. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

05/16/2004 Monteverdi: Master of the Madrigal. Hosted by Bob Worth.

05/02/2004 Bach Birthday Cantatas. Many of Bach's secular cantatas were written for one-time occasions such as anniversaries, coronations, name days and birthdays. This was a problem: All that beautiful music, doomed to be performed only once. Bach's solution was typical both of his own pragmatism and of the the artistic spirit of the times: Whenever possible, he adapted his own occasional works for use in other situations.

Perhaps the most famous instance of this procedure is Bach's Christmas Oratorio, one of his most transcendent works, which is largely pieced together from prior works for festive occasions. We will feature two of the birthday cantatas which were destined to contribute large sections to the Christmas Oratorio: Tönet, ihr Pauken (BWV 214) and Lasst uns Sorgen (BWV 213). Hosted by Bob Worth.

04/25/2004 The Choral Music of Herbert Howells. The English composer Herbert Howells (1892-1983) became famous in the late 1910s and early 1920s for his orchestral and chamber music. Starting in 1925, however, he suffered a decade-long bout with composer's block and personal tragedy. When he finally emerged from his creative slump in the late 1930s, he devoted himself almost exclusively to choral music, particularly for Anglican Evensong services. We'll listen to a representative sampling of his canticles, anthems, carols, and motets, and to the Sanctus movement from his most famous work, the Hymnus Paradisi. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

04/18/2004 Chamber Chorus music of the 20th-century. Twentieth-century music for chamber chorus, including works by Debussy, Britten and Arvo Pärt. Hosted by Bob Worth.

04/11/2004 The Choirloft. A variety of Easter music, with a wide range of moods and colors. Hosted by Dan Solter.

04/04/2004 Bach Cantata 21. Cantata 21: Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis was originally written in 1714, and was designated for the third Sunday after Trinity. Bach revised this cantata for Leipzig in 1723, designating it for any time of the church year. Cantata 21 is one of Bach’s greatest achievements. Although less known, the work deserves to stand with the great Passions as monuments of Baroque church music.

The piece is based on a transformational theme: Light out of Darkness. The soul stands in pain and gloom, until it learns to recognize that Christ is always there, waiting for acknowledgment. The opening Sinfonia beautifully represents the soul in turmoil. The first choral movement states the plot of the entire work: ‘I was in great distress, but you have healed me’. This theme is then carried throughout the work, reaching the critical point in the duet recitative and aria between Jesus and the suffering soul which open Part Two. From here on, the piece rises in mood and exaltation to one of Bach’s most brilliant, pull-out-all-the-stops finales, including kingly trumpets and one of the most triumphant fugue subjects ever devised.

Recording: JS Bach: Cantates BWV 21 & 42; La Chappelle Royale and Collegium Vocale, conducted by Phillippe Herreweghe; Harmonia Mundi HMA 1951328

Komm, Jesu, Komm: This double-choir motet, composed perhaps for a memorial service in 1730, is unusual among the motets in that it begins on a dark note. The overall form, following the two verses of a chorale by Paul Thymich (1697), reflects a climb out of the darkness of despair into the light of release and redemption. Bach’s use of the two choirs is masterful, particularly at the beginning, where he uses a number of textures and chromatic techniques to vividly paint the suffering of the departing soul. The final verse is set as a four-part chorale, but with a tremendous amount of contrapuntal freedom. It is marked ‘Aria’, a strange designation.

Recording: JS Bach: Motetten; Kammerchor Stuttgart and Barockorchester Stuttgart, conducted by Frieder Bernius; Vivarte SK45859 Hosted by Bob Worth.

03/28/2004 The Masks of the Armed Man. The French chanson "L'homme arme" (the armed man) was the source material for more than 40 masses by Medieval and Renaissance composers. This show will compare movements from three "L'homme arme" masses by Dufay, Ockeghem, and Palestrina and will conclude with a complete airing of Josquin's "L'homme arme sexti toni" mass--one of his greatest works. Hosted by Steve Osborn.

03/21/2004 Bach's Birthday!. Listen in and celebrate the 319th birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach! Dan Solter features a selection of compositions by Bach and his musical forbears. Hosted by Dan Solter.

03/14/2004 Medieval Voices. French vocal ensemble music from the Medieval period, beginning with Gregorian chant, including early polyphony from the School of Notre Dame and the shrine of Montserrat, and culminating in music of Guillaume de Machaut. Hosted by Bob Worth.

Madrigals of Love and War. Monteverdi’s eighth and final book of madrigals is a landmark in the form, and indeed in music history. We’ll explore some of the exciting compositions (for instruments and for voices), and compare recordings. Hosted by Bob Worth.