Jay Nordlinger, The New Criterion’s music critic, talks music—but, more important, plays music.
January 18, 2021
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In 1913, Vachel Lindsay wrote “General William Booth Enters into Heaven.” It speaks of the founder of the Salvation Army. Peggy Noonan cited this poem in a recent column. In 1914, Charles Ives set the poem to music. You will hear it in this episode. Also a Beatles concerto (yes), a rag by an early Metropolitan Opera soprano (yes), some American standards, and, at the end, transcendent Mahler. Jay plays off a good amount of reader mail. An amazingly eclectic, interesting episode.
Shchedrin, Piano Concerto No. 1
Robison, “Think Well of Me”
Rutter, “Beatles Concerto,” first movement
Pinkard-Alexander-Mitchell, “Sugar”
Ives, “General William Booth Enters into Heaven”
Pinkard-Bernie-Casey, “Sweet Georgia Brown”
Case, “Metropolitan Rag”
Handel, “Rejoice greatly,” from “Messiah”
Mahler, Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection”
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