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Features from WGBH 89.7

Produced by WGBH 89.7's Brian Bell

Classical Music on WGBH 89.7

Listen online to All-Classical WGBH, our 24-hour classical music service; download WGBH's Classical Performance Podcast and find upcoming BSO broadcasts at WGBH Classical.

Brian Bell with Mary Lou Speaker Churchill - Part 1
Mary Lou Speaker Churchill, went to Tanglewood, attended the New England Conservatory and studied with Joseph Silverstein, who was concertmaster of the Boston Symphony from 1962 to 1984. In this first segment with Brian Bell when she retired in April of 2000, Mary Lou Speaker Churchill began their conversation with a description of her teacher, mentor and colleague, Joseph Silverstein.

Brian Bell with Mary Lou Speaker Churchill - Part 2
In this segment, also taped in April 2000, Marylou Speaker Churchill talks with Brian Bell about adopting her daughters Emily and Julia, who were 4 years old at the time. She began this portion of the conversation discussing former BSO Managing Director Kenneth Haas, who had had a massive stroke in October 1996, and was in an unresponsive coma when she played Bach in the intensive care unit.

Brian Bell on Brahms Symphony No. 1
Much has been said and written about the long and complicated gestation of the Brahms 1st. Overlooked to a certain degree is how Brahms uses one musical device that is tremendously effective, yet is not considered an important aspect of the 19th century composer. But to get to the bottom of the Brahms 1st, producer Brian Bell digs into one of the oldest musical tools in a composer's workshop.

Brian Bell with Vasily Petrenko
On October 6th, 2009, immediately after his first rehearsal with the Boston Symphony at Symphony Hall, Brian Bell spoke to Vasily Petrenko about Symphony Hall, the BSO, and and in-depth chat on his debut program, which had changed from the originally scheduled concert-the "Scherzo Fantastique" Opus 3 of Stravinsky, the "Isle of the Dead" by Rachmaninoff, and the Symphony No. 10 by Shostakovich.

Michael Steinberg
The world renowned writer Michael Steinberg passed away on July 26th, 2009. Brian Bell prepared the following tribute, "Michael Steinberg, in his Own Words."

Brian Bell with Hans Graf
Hans Graf spoke to Brian Bell after his first rehearsal on March 17th about Anton Bruckner and his 7th Symphony. Back at the WGBH studios, musical examples were added in to give you a real tour of the piece. If your not familiar with the music, its a great introduction, and if you know the Symphony well, you hear many insights behind Maestro Graf's interpretation.

Brian Bell with Alan Gilbert
Tuesday March 3rd, Alan Gilbert spoke about his program with the Boston Symphony, concentrating on the first BSO performances since 1992 of the Symphony No. 4 of Charles Ives. He explained to Brian Bell why he is using 2 conductors and the use of the etherorgan. Warning! Listening to this interview may compel you to attend this concert!

Brian Bell with Bernard Labadie
In between his first two rehearsals leading the Boston Symphony for his debut, Bernard Labadie spoke to Brian Bell about his concert program of January 15-17, 2009. Is Labadie an early music specialist changing the ways of the Boston Symphony? His thoughts might surprise you.

Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony with Brian Bell and Robert Spano
One summer at Tanglewood, Brian Bell spoke to Robert Spano about Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony. With Charles Munch's classic BSO recording illustrating the points, this feature serves as a conversation piece that unveils the musical and technical questions that face musicians and listeners.

Brian Bell with James Levine, Elliott Carter and Daniel Barenboim
After the final rehearsal on December 4th 2008 for the world premiere of the Elliott Carter Interventions, the composer, who turns 100 on December 11th, BSO Music Director James Levine and piano soloist Daniel Barenboim gathered in the soloists dressing room for a roundtable discussion of Elliott Carter's piece.

Brian Bell with Roger Voisin in 1994
Friday afternoon, November 28th's performance is dedicated to the memory of Roger Voisin. In February of 1994, Roger Voisin sat down with Brian Bell to talk about his days with the Boston Symphony, and the feature that resulted became one of the most popular and requested of all.

Brian Bell on Symphonie fantastique
Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique is discussed by WGBH'S Brian Bell. Seiji Ozawa returns to Symphony Hall to conduct this landmark piece.

Brian Bell on Carmina burana
The Carmina burana of Carl Orff caused a sensation when it was introduced in this country in 1954. Here was a piece that seemed to have no historical precedent. But it does, as this week's BSO concert with Sequentia makes evident. This feature by Brian Bell shows the influences that were in force when Carl Orff wrote Carmina burana beginning in 1934.

Brian Bell with Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Do you have some doubts about Strauss' Symphonia Domestica? Let conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos take you on a personal guided tour. He spoke with Brian Bell of WGBH Radio.

Brian Bell on Beethoven's Symphony No. 6
While it's not regarded as "thunderous" a Symphony as the Fifth, (except for the 4th movement of course), but there's much in the Beethoven Sixth Symphony to enjoy. WGBH's Brian Bell provides a stroll through the Pastoral Symphony.

Brian Bell on Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony
The Manfred Symphony is the largest work of Tchaikovsky that could be construed as "unknown". Does it deserve to be overlooked? Judge for yourself after hearing this short introduction by Brian Bell of WGBH Radio.

Brian Bell with Leon Kirchner
Brian Bell speaks to Leon Kirchner about the musical language behind The Forbidden.

Brian Bell on Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6

Every music director with the exception of William Steinberg conducted the Tchaikovsky Sixth frequently, even Erich Leinsdorf had difficulty staying away from the piece. Here is Brian Bell's analysis.

Brian Bell with Sir André Previn
Sir André Previn's subscription concerts open with a world premiere: a BSO commission written by himself titled Owls. Though he had just a few minutes to look at the score before speaking with the composer last August, Brian Bell couldn't pass up the opportunity to speak to André Previn about it.

Brian Bell on "Das Lied Von Der Erde"
In November 1994, guest conductor James Levine and mezzo-soprano Anne Sophie von Otter took the BSO stage for a performance of Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde. They'll do it again on April 17, 2008. In preview of this performance, WGBH 89.7's Brian Bell offers this feature on the 1994 program.

Brian Bell with Michael Steinberg
In 1996, the BSO performed the Brahms Third Symphony. At the very same time, author Michael Steinberg was in town promoting his new book, The Symphony: A Listener's Guide. WGBH 89.7's Brian Bell took this as a sign. The result? This 18-minute conversation between Bell and Steinberg about Brahms's Third.

Haitink on Schubert
Schumann famously hailed Schubert's Symphony in C major, D. 944 for its "heavenly length." In this feature, Chicago Symphony Orchestra conductor Bernard Haitink deconstructs the score of what was to be Schubert's final symphony.

Bernard Haitink on András Schiff
Chicago Symphony Orchestra conductor Bernard Haitink often performs with pianist András Schiff. In this interview, Haitink recalls their first meeting - and the joint concert that followed less than 24 hours later.

Daniel Katzen with Brian Bell

Since joining the Boston Symphony horn section in 1979, Daniel Katzen has been an active teacher and recitalist, as well as one of the great musicians of the Boston Symphony. Brian Bell provided this salute for him as he says farewell to the Boston Symphony in August 2008.

Brian Bell on Dvořák

The Dvořák Seventh Symphony is a landmark in the composer's career. Its appearance after his preceding Symphony No. 6 marked the transition from a very good composer to an absolute master. Brian Bell shows why, and presents some quirky aspects of Dvořák's personality.

William Bolcom with Brian Bell

Just before the first rehearsal on Tuesday February 26th for his Symphony No. 8, William Bolcom spoke with Brian Bell about his latest work written for James Levine.

Charles Dutoit on composer Frank Martin

On Wednesday February 6th, Charles Dutoit spoke to Brian Bell about his Swiss compatriot Frank Martin, as well as the first work on this program Martin's "Petite symphonie concertante" for piano, harpsichord and harp.

Brian Bell on the Symphony Hall Organ

In October 2004, James Levine began his very successful term as Music Director of the Boston Symphony. That month also marked the first restoration in over a half a century of the Symphony Hall Organ. On that occasion Brian Bell of WGBH Radio produced the following feature detailing the event. It also includes the first-ever recording of the organ intended for the public.

Brian Bell with James Levine and Elliott Carter

The day after the world premiere of Elliott Carter's Horn Concerto (which was November 16th, 2007), Elliott Carter and James Levine spoke about the new work by the soon-to-be 99 year old composer with WGBH Radio's Brian Bell. Brian opened the dialogue by asking how this Horn Concerto came about, and James Levine quickly replied.

Brian Bell with James Sommerville

BSO Principal Horn James Sommerville introduces us to the Horn Concerto of Elliott Carter from the soloists perspective. He spoke with Brian Bell.

Brian Bell on Strauss's Alpine Symphony

The narrative thread of Strauss's An Alpine Symphony (1915) - the ascent and descent of a mountain-fired the composer's imagination for a huge range of wonderful orchestral and compositional effects. Listen in with WGBH's Brian Bell

Brian Bell on Pictures at an Exhibition

To open the first Boston Symphony program for 2008, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos turns to a great showpiece, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Scored for piano by the composer, BSO Music Director Serge Koussevitzky commissioned Maurice Ravel to orchestrate Pictures, leaving us with one of the great symphonic showpieces of all time. WGBH's Brian Bell provides you with a guided tour through the Exhibition

Brian Bell on Mahler's 1st Symphony

Here is an introduction by Brian Bell to Mahler's Symphony No. 1, originally prepared for the live Boston Symphony broadcasts on WGBH Radio. Come hear Mahler's Symphony No. 1 with James Levine conducting November 15-20 in Symphony Hall.

Brian Bell with Christian Tetzlaff

Due to the length of the broadcast of November 11th, the interview with violinist Christian Tetzlaff was not broadcast. However, one can hear the interview online. The violinist spoke with WGBH's Brian Bell.