Best Prokofiev Podcasts (2024)

1
S6E8: Romeo & Juliet Part 1: Romeo, Prokofiev, & Not a Happy Ending 18:00

18d ago18:00

18:00

In this first part of our discussion on the ballet, Romeo & Juliet, Jim sits down with Karen Gibbons-Brown to review Prokofiev's near-perfect score and the history of his adaptation of the Shakespearean tale of woeful romance. The composer dreamed of a happy ending for his version of the luckless lovers' tale, but Fate could not be deterred. Fort W…

1
S6E10: Romeo and Juliet Part 3, A Chat with the Star-Crossed Lovers 22:59

5d ago22:59

22:59

In our final Romeo & Juliet podcast, Jim Sparrow sits down with our own Romeo and Juliet, as Thomas Caleb Roberts and Brittany Focht tell us of their individual journeys in developing their characters for the stage. Along the way, we discuss a dancer’s quest to maintain good physical and mental health and the joys of performing with a live orchestr…

1
S6E9: Romeo & Juliet Part 2: Pillow Dances and a Clash of Swords 21:10

11d ago21:10

21:10

In part two of our discussion of Fort Wayne Ballet’s upcoming production of Romeo & Juliet, Jim Sparrow sits down with two former Romeos to discuss what is often thought of as a “man’s ballet.” Choreographers Robert La Fosse and David Ingram break down strenuous male roles that include multiple pas de deux and sword fighting. Meanwhile, Jim continu…

1
La plus que lent by Debussy 15:53

2M ago15:53

15:53

🎁 The FREE online course: “The Secrets of How to Memorize Music” Subscribe to my newsletter and be my friend! I write a bi-weekly newsletter called Behind The Keys about my insights behind the scenes of the life of a classical pianist, my favorite music, and wisdom from books I read during those weeks. As an ardent student of life, I am humbled yet…

1
154. Wedded Bliss! A 30th anniversary gift: Stravinsky, Dumbarton Oaks 8:08

3M ago8:08

8:08

A cool and funky wedding anniversary present - a 15 minute classic from the most famous composer alive, Stravinsky's Dumbarton Oaks is stylish, sophisticated and hugely enjoyable! Listening time 23 mins (podcast 8', music 15') Music here, played by the Ensemble InterContemporain conducted by Pierre Boulez, on Youtube, Spotify, and (links to the 1st…

1
153. Ecstasy, beauty, and ripping the universe open: Messiaen, Vingt regards sur l’enfant Jésus - with Rolf Hind 37:29

3M ago37:29

37:29

Pianist Rolf Hind introduces one of the epics of piano music. A heady mix of virtuoso composing and devout faith, Olivier Messiaen's 20 reflections on the infant Jesus, Vingt regards sur l'infant Jésus, brings us a two-hour deep dive of awesome power and beautiful stillness. Listening time 38 mins (plus music 2hrs 8') Music here on Youtube, played …

1
"Vocalise", Op. 34, No. 14, Sergei Rachmaninoff 20:28

4M ago20:28

20:28

🎁 The FREE online course: “The Secrets of How to Memorize Music” Subscribe to my newsletter and be my friend! I write a bi-weekly newsletter called Behind The Keys about my insights behind the scenes of the life of a classical pianist, my favorite music, and wisdom from books I read during those weeks. As an ardent student of life, I am humbled yet…

1
S6E7: Conversations of Nutcrackers Past 28:44

5M ago28:44

28:44

For this episode, we take a look back at some of the previous conversations we have had about The Nutcracker in the years we have been doing this podcast. Join us as we revisit discussions on the ballet's history and legacy with Karen Gibbons-Brown and an insightful discussion on the Tchaikovsky's music with the help of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic'…

1
'Je te veux' by Erik Satie 14:30

5M ago14:30

14:30

🎁 The FREE online course: “The Secrets of How to Memorize Music” Subscribe to my newsletter and be my friend! I write a bi-weekly newsletter called Behind The Keys about my insights behind the scenes of the life of a classical pianist, my favorite music, and wisdom from books I read during those weeks. As an ardent student of life, I am humbled yet…

1
S6E6: Beyond the Nutcracker 20:10

5M ago20:10

20:10

In this episode, we've turned the tables on show host Jim Sparrow, as he takes a turn in the interview chair. In his roll as Fort Wayne Ballet's Executive Director, he gives us a glimpse into the structure and the day-to-day mechanics of operating a ballet company. Find out what goes into a production from a fiscal standpoint, with the behind-the-s…

1
152. An injection of flavour and joy: Nohl, Spices 15:15

6M ago15:15

15:15

Hot off the press! The wonders of modern tech allow us to enjoy Katharina Nohl's rhapsody for piano and orchestra, Spices, before it's even been performed by live musicians! And Katharina joins us to talk us through the recipe. Listening time 33 mins (podcast 15', music 18') The complete music here on Youtube. What do you think? Tell me with a comm…

1
Opening Night Miniseries Part 3: Three Virgins and a Devilish Season 13:01

6M ago13:01

13:01

Fort Wayne Ballet is getting ready to stage its first big show of the 2023-24 season, entitled Opening Night! In this three part series, Kinetic Conversations looks at each of the three ballets the company will be perform in the show - each with a nod to New York City. In our third installment of this miniseries, Jim Sparrow and Karen Gibbons-Brown…

1
Opening Night Miniseries Part 2: Fancy Free 20:23

6M ago20:23

20:23

Fort Wayne Ballet is getting ready to stage it's first big show of the 2023-24 season, entitled Opening Night!. In this three part series, Kinetic Conversations looks at each of the three ballets the company will be perform in the show - each with a nod to New York City. In part two of our series, Jim interviews Robert LaFosse, repetiteur for Jerom…

1
Opening Night Miniseries Part 1: Italian Suite 12:55

7M ago12:55

12:55

Fort Wayne Ballet is getting ready to stage it's first big show of the 2023-24 season, entitled Opening Night!. In this three part series, Kinetic Conversations looks at each of the three ballets the company will be perform in the show - each with a nod to New York City. In part one, Jim Sparrow sits down with Arpino Foundation repetiteur Cameron B…

1
151. An unbeaten 50 of flair and panache! Haydn, Symphony No.50 8:30

7M ago8:30

8:30

Always entertaining the crowds, Haydn brings up his 50 with typical style (before settling down for 50 more symphonies). Not a famous piece but well worth a listen! Listening time 27 mins (podcast 9', music 18') Music here on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon and Apple Musics played by the Swedish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Béla Drahos. You can buy the …

1
Women’s World Cup FINAL of Classical Music: USA v Ireland 2:28

8M ago2:28

2:28

It's the Women’s World Cup of Classical Music! And it's THE FINAL! USA vs Republic of Ireland Complete music here: hthttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCXUbmBaA9OoRjafAn_k1zTnHR8cH9qyj Please listen to the music and then: vote here: https://forms.gle/XJoU1Vr3MfWraQL48 Voting open NOW Please share the podcast widely, by telling people you know and …

1
If plankton made music what would it sound like? Norway: Maja S K Ratkje 17:33

8M ago17:33

17:33

Maja S K Ratkje joins Cacophony at the Women's World Cup to explore the fun and joy of writing music and choose pieces by her Norwegian colleagues. But there must be something in the Norwegian water, as there's the same tiny inspiration for several of the composers! The complete pieces on Maja's list can be heard here: https://youtube.com/playlist?…

1
S6E2: An Education in Dance Pt 2: Training the Future 19:28

8M ago19:28

19:28

As we look ahead to the start of our fall semester at the Fort Wayne Ballet academy, we want to take a look at dance education in America in general and what it means to us at Fort Wayne Ballet to carry on this legacy in the fine arts. In the second half of our discussion, Jim and Karen discuss the different paths a student might take in the academ…

1
Kapustin: Eight Concert Etudes Op. 40, No. 6,'Pastoral' 20:23

8M ago20:23

20:23

🎁 The FREE online course: “The Secrets of How to Memorize Music” Subscribe to my newsletter and be my friend! I write a bi-weekly newsletter called Behind The Keys about my insights behind the scenes of the life of a classical pianist, my favorite music, and wisdom from books I read during those weeks. As an ardent student of life, I am humbled yet…

1
Music from a global melting pot: Brazil / Gabriella di Laccio 26:51

8M ago26:51

26:51

It's Cacophony… at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. Singer, Gabriella di Laccio is our guide to music by women from Brazil - a melting pot of traditions and cultures that ends up with music that sounds... Brazi…

1
S6E1: An Education in Dance Pt 1: Then and Now 25:41

9M ago25:41

25:41

As we look ahead to the start of our fall semester at the Fort Wayne Ballet academy, we want to take a look at dance education in America in general and what it means to us at Fort Wayne Ballet to carry on this legacy in the fine arts. In this first episode in a two-part discussion, Jim and Karen look at the deep past of dance education and how it …

1
Music with intention...for those with an open mind: Canada / Melissa Hui 25:58

9M ago25:58

25:58

It's Cacophony… at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. In this episode we turn to Canada, where Melissa Hui's selection is typically diverse with living composers who are first nations, Canadian born and immigrant…

1
”Music is integral, it’s like breathing”: Roxanna Panufnik/ England 19:16

9M ago19:16

19:16

It's Cacophony… at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. We shift the focus to England, with Roxanna Panufnik's choice of rich and satisfying pieces from a line up of stellar composers. Listening time: podcast 20min…

1
Living through the ups and downs of creation: Elena Kats-Chernin/ Australia 22:56

9M ago22:56

22:56

It's Cacophony… at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. Elena Kats-Chernin presents her choices of music from Australia - composers who all work hard and write music of vitality, invention, intensity and often fun!…

1
Mountains, olives and the vastness of existence: Spain/ Inés Medina-Fernández 23:51

9M ago23:51

23:51

It's Cacophony… at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. In this epsiode, Inés Medina Fernández presents her choices of music from Spain, carefully chosen from accross the country and including including famous musi…

1
Music as a thing for shared connection: Netherlands/ Marion von Tilzer 20:59

9M ago20:59

20:59

It's Cacophony… at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. This episode features music from the Netherlands and Marion von Tilzer's choices of music that gets us more connected. We'll hear how, when a performer is rel…

1
Super excited and hyped up! Sage Shurman/ USA 18:41

9M ago18:41

18:41

It's Cacophony …at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. This epsiode we hear top young composer, Sage Shurman, getting super excited - in a pretty chilled Californian kind of way - for both the World Cup football a…

1
”Planting women’s music in the collective memory of society” Katharina Nohl/ Switzerland 25:55

9M ago25:55

25:55

It's Cacophony …at the Women’s Football World Cup! A glorious celebration of music from around the world, all written by women, and chosen specially for Cacophony by leading female musicians. In this episode we hear from Katharina Nohl, founder of the Swiss Female Composers Festival, with her choices of music from Switzerland and how giving female …

1
150. Nine is the magic number! Farrenc, Nonet 6:37

10M ago6:37

6:37

By turns grand and genial with moments of great inventiveness and wit, Louise Farrenc's Nonet for wind and strings is a bit of magic! Listening time 37 mins (podcast 7', music 30') Music here on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon and Apple Musics (tracks 7-10) played by the Intercontinental Ensemble with tons of style and (unlike some of the other recordings…

1
149. Keeping us fresh since 1784: Haydn, Piano trio No.19 6:36

10M ago6:36

6:36

Meeting his boss's insatiable desire for new content 'forced' [his word] Joseph Haydn to write original, inventive music that sounds as fresh and full of life today as when it was written. And he wrote so much great music that I only heard this piano trio for the first time this week - and it's wonderful stuff. Listening time 19 mins (podcast 6', m…

1
148. Rituals, a riot and a revolution: Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring 12:34

11M ago12:34

12:34

110 years ago in Paris, Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring caused a furore and changed music forever. Did the police have to be called? It's still a piece that shocks and stuns and is filled with something amazing every second. Listening time c45 mins (podcast, 12', Music 33') Music here on Spotify, Amazon and Apple Music played by the Junge Deutsche …

1
147. Music in the blood and poetry in the soul: Williams, Penillion 6:48

11M ago6:48

6:48

A rarity from Wales (a Welsh rare-bit?), Grace Williams's orchestral piece Penillion surprises, delights and has an epic grandeur. It's terrific stuff and I think you'll love it! Listening time 25 mins (podcast, 7', Music 18') Music here on Youtube played by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes What do you think? Tell…

1
Life of Stierle Miniseries: Episode 3, "The Gift of a Legacy" 22:02

11M ago22:02

22:02

In our three-part miniseries, Kinetic Conversations looks at the life, career, and legacy of Eddie Stierle. In our third and final installment, we meet again with Eddie’s sister, Rose, to talk about the lasting impact, the international recognition, and the touching tribute from the dance world that all stand as part of the deserving legacy of Eddi…

1
146. Risk and adventure: Tower, Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman 5:32

11M ago5:32

5:32

Another great, short piece, here's the first of Joan Tower's Fanfares celebrating risk-taking and adventurous women. This is both celebratory and substantial, plus a workout for brass and percussion. Listening time 8 mins (podcast 5.5', music 2.5') Listen to the music, Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman No.1, here on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Music or Am…

1
Life of Stierle Miniseries: Episode 2, "Like No Other" 21:24

12M ago21:24

21:24

Join us for Part 2 of our podcast miniseries on Stierle! In our three-part miniseries, Kinetic Conversations looks at the life, career, and legacy of Eddie Stierle. In this heartfelt second episode, we talk to Kim Sagami, the repetiteur working with Fort Wayne Ballet to restage Eddie’s works. Kim shares with us what it meant to her to not only danc…

1
145. Representation and taxation: Copland, Fanfare for the Common Man 5:49

12M ago5:49

5:49

A short podcast about the shortest of pieces, yet Aaron Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man still packs a punch and seems to point to big issues. 'No taxation without representation'? Perhaps today's call should be 'No representatives (from the Head of State down) who don't pay their taxes!' Listening time c10 minutes (podcast 6', music 3') Listen…

1
Life of Stierle Miniseries: Episode 1, "Who Was Eddie?" 29:14

12M ago29:14

29:14

Fort Wayne Ballet is set to make history in May, as we perform three ballets by Edward Stierle together for the first time. A gifted young dancer and choreographer for the Joffrey Ballet, Eddie passed away in 1991 just after the premier of his last ballet. He was 23 years old. In our three-part miniseries, Kinetic Conversations looks at the life, c…

1
S5E5: SPECIAL EPISODE, "I Have Been Dancing" 39:54

12M ago39:54

39:54

“I have been dancing since I was three..." In this special episode of Kinetic Conversations, we hear from trainers, educators, and the dancers themselves what it means to them to be a dancer. Join with us as we celebrate these wonderful people who are the heart and soul of our company. We take a look back at some past sound bites from Raymond Luken…

1
144. On the edge of possibility: Beethoven, ”Appassionata” Sonata 9:41

1y ago9:41

9:41

Often on the edge, in life and music, Beethoven goes to extremes on the piano to show us the extreme depth of his feelings. His Appassionata Sonata is every bit as intense as its name suggests! Listening time 33 mins (podcast 10', music 23') Listen to the whole piece here, played by Maurizio Pollini on piano on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Music (this l…

1
143. Genesis and Resurrection: Fanny Mendelssohn, Easter Sonata 10:59

1y ago10:59

10:59

Lost for 150 years and then, because it was so good, presumed to have been written by her brother, Fanny Mendelssohn's Easter Sonata for piano is passionate, intense, lyrical and dramatic... and the story of its rediscovery is no less compelling. Listening time c36 mins [11' podcast, 21 or 25' music] The complete music is here in the original 1970s…

1
142. In search of happy music: Arnold, English Dances 6:04

1y ago6:04

6:04

English folk music is often typically nostalgic and melancholy. Cacophony goes in search of happiness with Malcolm Arnold's English Dances - pretty, witty and bright! Listening time 24 mins (podcast 6', music 18') Music here, played by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andrew Penny on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Music (tracks 1-8 English D…

1
141. Songs from a disappearing world: Vaughan Williams, Norfolk Rhapsody 7:39

1y ago7:39

7:39

Haunting and melancholy music from my hometown, Vaughan Williams's Norfolk Rhapsody No.1 features the old songs of fisherman and the last days of a way of life. Like the local landscape it's bleak but beautiful! Total listening time 18 mins (podcast 7', music 11') Here's Joe Anderson, James ‘Duggie’ Carter and the Reverend Alfred Huddle: The music …

1
Ballet 101 Miniseries: A Fairytale in Dance, Episode 3: Story Through Movement 11:53

1y ago11:53

11:53

In the final part of this miniseries, we Look at Fort Wayne Ballet’s upcoming production of Swan Lake and take a look at the plot and characters in Tchaikovsky’s famed tragic tale. Do you know who defied convention to dance in shorter skirts, paving the way to the tutu? When did ballets transition from tragedies to happy-ever-afters? When did we st…

1
140. Hidden pigeons & dancing farmers: Kaprálová, Rustic Suite 5:04

1y ago5:04

5:04

Packed with memorable Czech songs about pigeons, nightingales, love, life and unploughed fields, Vítěslava Kaprálová's Rustic Suite mixes countryside charm with the confident orchestral swagger of a 23 year old receiving acclaim in Paris and London. Music full of life and good tunes! Listening time 21 mins (music 16', podcast 5') The music is here,…

1
Ballet 101 Miniseries: A Fairytale in Dance, Episode 2: Heroes & Villains 13:05

1y ago13:05

13:05

Every good story needs a villain. Some are evil, some are misunderstood, and some are merely careless in their intentions, but they drive the plot. What makes up a ballet villain, and how are they overcome? Let’s take a look. This three-episode miniseries discusses the components of romantic and classical era story ballets, examining their history …

1
Ballet 101 Miniseries: A Fairytale in Dance, Episode 1: Story Ballets 11:42

1y ago11:42

11:42

This three-episode miniseries discusses the components of romantic and classical era story ballets, examining their history and the evolution their choreography, their structure, and audiences’ expectations, with a special look at our upcoming production of Swan Lake. The series will drop on consecutive Fridays in March. Series is hosted by Jim Spa…

1
139. Escaping to a happier place: Tailleferre, Little Suite 7:27

1y ago7:27

7:27

Small but perfectly formed, Germaine Tailleferre's Little Suite is seven minutes of innocent delight from a composer looking to escape from the trials of a difficult life. It may be short, but it's packed with memorable tunes and a joyous spirit. Irresistible! Listening time c14 minutes (podcast 7', music 7') It's not available commercially, but th…

1
THE LIEUTENANT KIJE, and excerpts 27:39

1y ago27:39

27:39

We conclude our series with the music of SERGEI PROKOFIEV presenting a suite from the score of the movie THE LIEUTENANT KIJE, and excerpts from his opera THE LOVE OF THREE ORANGESBy MOZART P252

1
138. Ballet music that packs a punch: Stravinsky, Petrushka 13:35

1y ago13:35

13:35

It's a riot of colour at the carnival in Stravinsky's wonderful ballet, Petrushka, with dancing (of course), puppets, romance (kind of), fighting, and a wild bear. It's got everything - even a French song about a woman's prosthetic limb, but you have to listen for an explanation...! Total listening time 48 mins (podcast 13', music 35') The music is…