Best Saint Saens Podcasts (2024)

1
The French Wars of Religion - Faith in Destruction 55:32

15d ago55:32

55:32

On one side, the Catholic majority, unwavering in their devotion to Rome. On the other, the Huguenots, French Protestants inspired by the teachings of Jean Calvin. Caught in the crossfire of this religious divide was the monarchy, struggling to maintain order amidst growing tension. But their efforts often only fuelled the flames of conflict. And s…

1
Program Notes: Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony 6:38

1M ago6:38

6:38

Mahler knew how to think big. For his Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” he stuffed the stage with 270 musicians, including 10 trumpets and 10 horns in the original score. It took Mahler five years to complete the symphony, which stretches more than 80 minutes and holds a special place among musicians and audiences. Today, millions of people have hear…

1
Program Notes: Elgar’s Enigma Variations 8:16

1M ago8:16

8:16

The power of friendship. Edward Elgar’s most popular work, Enigma Variations, was dedicated to 14 friends portrayed in the pieces – from his wife to an Oxford professor, a bulldog and even Elgar himself. Like the Elgar, each section of Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin (The Grave of Couperin) is dedicated to someone the composer knew, but this time th…

1
Secret Lives: Listening to Sunsets 23:32

1M ago23:32

23:32

All in the family. From a tiny apartment around the world to a chance audition at The Florida Orchestra, family has been a driving force for Principal Cellist Yoni Draiblate. Is he bringing up the next Yo-Yo Ma? Time will tell. Even Brahms’ Double Concerto, which Yoni performs this weekend, cannot escape family drama.…

1
Napoléon : the Man and his Books, with Louis Sarkozy 1:10:28

2M ago1:10:28

1:10:28

When we talk about Napoléon, we often talk about battles or politics, but we don't talk nearly enough about the man. Some dismiss him as a proto-Hitler, others adore him as they would a god. But few actually try to crack open the mysteries of the Napoleonic mind. Author Louis Sarkozy did just that, by studying Napoléon Bonaparte and his most import…

1
Program Notes: Saint-Saens’ Organ Symphony 7:31

2M ago7:31

7:31

We’re taking a tour of France in the spring. Magnifique! Saint-Saens’ Organ Symphony – used so effectively in the 1995 movie Babe – is a lush masterpiece that builds and builds until … wait for it … the organ is let loose in the finale. Fauré’s Requiem creates a place of peace and serenity with rich, soulful melodies, featuring The Master Chorale o…

1
Camille Saint-Saëns and France's Music 36:46

3M ago36:46

36:46

We often see history as a succession of dates, events, wars and political machinations. But we should not forget that history is also forged by culture and by art. Art reflects society's values and aspirations, but also helps create them and move people forward. It also elevates us and makes us better in many ways. Among the many art forms availabl…

1
Program Notes: Dvorak’s New World Symphony 8:54

3M ago8:54

8:54

Antonin Dvorak’s Ninth Symphony is as big a deal today as it was in 1893, when it premiered with huge fanfare at Carnegie Hall in New York. The Ninth was special. Major composer. Written in America. Inspired by African-American spirituals. No wonder it prompted one of the most elaborate music reviews in the history of newspapers, a 3,000-word essay…

1
Program Notes: Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony 9:01

3M ago9:01

9:01

This is the symphony that changed all symphonies, Beethoven’s monumental Third. No one had heard anything like it before. The work was originally called “Bonaparte” after Napoleon, but a disgruntled Beethoven hastily changed the title to “Eroica,” meaning heroic. Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 breaks free from oppression after the death of Sta…

1
Secret Lives: Robin Hood of Fried Chicken 33:06

4M ago33:06

33:06

Cellist, conductor, Robin Hood of Fried Chicken For TFO Associate Principal Cello Victor Minke Huls, his life in music started way before he was born. And it keeps getting better. From homework in the concert hall to conducting, salsa dancing, an Irish family band and his secret career as a counter tenor, the Florida native keeps adding to an amazi…

1
Program Notes: Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto 6:42

4M ago6:42

6:42

A heroic concert indeed. Beethoven’s famed Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor,” composed when he was deaf, is a stunning example of Beethoven’s stubborn nature. He overcame his liability to create a work of unprecedented depth and expression. The adagio is simply sublime. “The concerto encapsulates the heroic struggle of the individual,’’ says TFO Musi…

1
Program Notes: Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue 11:18

4M ago11:18

11:18

This program is packed with American greats in honor of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, a smash hit since its debut 100 years ago. “I wanted to put it on a pedestal because it deserves to be there,” says TFO Music Director Michael Francis. The concert starts with jazzy fanfare Herald, Holler & Hallelujah composed by Wynton Marsalis before launching in…

1
The First World War. The French Experience 52:33

5M ago52:33

52:33

For France, the Great War is a serious and deep wound that she partially inflicted on herself. It is painful and has never fully healed. It is something personal, felt by all strata of the nation. From the humblest peasant to the richest industrialist, no layer of French society was spared in the great slaughter that the trenches were. The country …

1
Program Notes: Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 8:09

5M ago8:09

8:09

Tchaikovsky packs a lot of emotion into his Sixth: “Without exaggeration, I have put my entire soul into this symphony.” Less than 10 days after its premiere, Tchaikovsky died. This symphony would become his requiem, a last will and testament of a composer whose music comes so directly from the heart. Barber’s Violin Concerto starts out lush and ly…

1
Nathanael Greene and La Fayette, Partners in Freedom. With Salina B. Baker. 42:25

6M ago42:25

42:25

In this unique episode, we engage in a conversation with Salina B. Baker, an accomplished author of historical fiction, who has received multiple awards for her work. Additionally, she is a historian specializing in the American Revolution and Victorian America. She has just released an outstanding novel titled "The Line of Splendor: A Novel of Nat…

1
Program Notes: Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4 10:48

6M ago10:48

10:48

The word of the day is hurdy-gurdy. Which, in case you don’t know, is a medieval stringed instrument with an attached keyboard. And an inspiration for two pieces on this program written 200 years apart – Missy Mazzoli’s contemporary Sinfonia (For Orbiting Spheres) and Mozart’s charming Violin Concerto No. 4 – though in very different styles. The co…

1
The Dreyfus Affair. France's Shame 48:16

7M ago48:16

48:16

Liberté, égalité, fraternité. This is the French Republic’s motto. Liberty and equality are also in the first article of the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" of 1789. The French are very proud of that heritage, of France’s struggle during and after the Revolution. They think of their homeland as the cradle of liberty in Europe,…

1
The Seven Years' War. The Great French Disaster 44:14

8M ago44:14

44:14

This particular conflict goes by multiple names and definitions. While it is globally recognized as the Seven Years' War, it is more commonly referred to in America as the French and Indian War, and in Canada as the War of Conquest. These wars are all interconnected and are part of a vast global struggle between the two superpowers of the mid-eight…

1
Program Notes: Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 9:36

8M ago9:36

9:36

Brahms was incredibly hard on himself. Plus, he couldn’t seem to shake the shadow of Beethoven and his incredible success. That’s why Brahms struggled for more than 14 years to complete his first symphony, which premiered when he was 43 years old. It was worth the wait –widely considered to be one of the most significant symphonies ever written. In…

1
Program Notes: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini 11:00

9M ago11:00

11:00

The concert that takes off “faster than a speeding bullet” with Michael Daugherty’s Metropolis Symphony, inspired by the adventures of Superman. Music Director Michael Francis calls it “Dvorak with a dash of Marvel comics thrown in.” Then you’ll instantly recognize Rachmaninoff’s painfully beautiful Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, often featured i…

1
Program Notes: Copland’s Appalachian Spring 11:51

9M ago11:51

11:51

Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring was a breakthrough for its time. The music resonated across America like few works of its day, and not surprisingly, won Copland the Pulitzer Prize a year after its premiere. Also on the program are Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances, Op. 72, a continuation of his wildly popular earlier dances, which made him a household na…

1
Richelieu and Louis XIII, France’s Dynamic Duo? 41:41

9M ago41:41

41:41

King Louis XIII and the Cardinal de Richelieu. These two men are quite important and deserve to be better known. The Cardinal is probably the most known of the two, because of his policies, wars and his long lasting impact on French institutions and Europe's destiny. Louis XIII is often perceived as the weaker of the two, the king who merely signed…

1
Secret Lives: No Angels Allowed 30:20

9M ago30:20

30:20

No angels allowed... Not for TFO Principal Harp Anna Kate Mackle. She commissions new music for harp and percussion with her husband, TFO Principal Percussionist John Shaw. Tune in as Anna Kate chats with Resident Conductor Chelsea Gallo about what makes the harp so captivating that people just can’t keep their hands off it. Plus, you’ll never beli…

1
Program Notes: Holst's The Planets 9:56

10M ago9:56

9:56

If you think you hear hints of Star Wars in Holst’s The Planets, you are not wrong. This cosmic experience has inspired composers and patrons for more than 100 years. The Planets is a suite of miniature, often turbulent tone poems of varying moods. The Percussion Collective starts off the program with Christopher Theofanidis’ Drum Circles, a sonic …

1
Nouvelle-France, the French in North America 1:01:23

10M ago1:01:23

1:01:23

The Nouvelle France (New France) is the French colonization of North America. And by this I mean North America, not just Canada. Over a couple of centuries, the French established settlements all over North America, especially along the St-Lawrence and Mississippi River but also in Nova Scotia, Florida, Louisiana and more. New France basically exis…

1
François I, King of the Renaissance 40:50

12M ago40:50

40:50

We delve into the life and reign of King François I (Francis the First), who ruled France from 1515 to 1547. Despite facing significant challenges and experiencing notable failures during his rule, François I remains one of the most renowned French monarchs. He is particularly associated with the Renaissance in France and has left a lasting legacy,…

1
De Gaulle, JFK and the New World Order with Sean J. McLaughlin 1:05:29

1y ago1:05:29

1:05:29

In this special episode, I am joined by Sean J. McLaughlin, historian specialized on the relationship between Charles de Gaulle and John Fitzgerald Kennedy. He is the author of JFK and de Gaulle: How America and France Failed in Vietnam, 1961-1963 (University Press of Kentucky, 2019). Together, we discuss the complex but utterly fascinating relatio…

1
French Indochina, from Imperial Jewel to Hell on Earth 46:49

1y ago46:49

46:49

"The pearl of the Empire", that's how the French described their colony of Indochina, comprised of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. They took over control in the nineteenth century, exploited the place for decades, and finally got kicked out in 1954-55. It is a story of violence and exploitation. Of colonization and war. Of exchanges and legacies. And s…

1
Napoleonic Discussion with Very Special Guests 2:15:06

1y ago2:15:06

2:15:06

In this very special episode, I am joined by a coalition of Napoleonic experts to discuss this fascinating period of history and its legacy. We cover Napoléon's personality, some campaigns, the roles of his marshals, the era's lasting impact, as well as a variety of other topics. A truly interesting and enjoyable discussion. My guests are: Dr. Zack…

1
Program Notes: Wagner’s The Ring Without Words 7:26

1y ago7:26

7:26

When was the last time you met someone who sat through Richard Wagner’s entire 15-hour Ring cycle? The full spectacle rarely appears outside the most consecrated of opera houses. Now there’s a version that lets you cheat. Wagner’s The Ring Without Words takes all the best parts of music – yes, Ride of the Valkyries – and condenses them into a diges…

1
Charles de Gaulle, Tales of Grandeur 52:41

1y ago52:41

52:41

Charles de Gaulle, the famous general who led the French Resistance during the Second World war before becoming President and the father of the current French political system: the Fifth Republic. De Gaulle is a very, very complicated man. You will often read in the same paragraph that he was ultra-conservative, but that he was a troublemaker and f…

1
Secret Lives: Offensive Tackle Goes Orchestral 26:50

1y ago26:50

26:50

At 6-foot-6, heavily recruited Harold Van Schaik had a choice to make in college. Football or music? Now the secret life of TFO’s bass trombone player is filled with Wagner, sports and his three cats – who may not be the biggest fans of the trombone. And perhaps the best secret of all? What it takes to get into TFO’s secret society, the Order of th…

1
Program Notes: Mendelssohn's Elijah 5:44

1y ago5:44

5:44

It might be called an event of Biblical proportions. Rainstorms, floods, droughts, fire from heaven. A child brought back to life. A cloak of angels. The coming of a Messiah and the promise of eternal life. That’s a tall order, but Felix Mendelssohn pulls it off in his monumental oratorio, Elijah. The visceral power of Mendelssohn’s music propels t…

1
The Fall of France of 1940, German Victory or French Defeat? 41:27

1y ago41:27

41:27

The Fall of France of 1940, the famous military campaign that saw France being conquered by the German army in a few weeks. This subject is one of the most misinterpreted military events in history. Reading online, you’d believe that the French went to war with sticks to fight German Panzers, or that they fled at the first sign of enemy artillery. …

1
Program Notes: Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 10:28

1y ago10:28

10:28

Beethoven’s even-numbered symphonies often get a bad rap. But they shouldn’t! His Fourth Symphony is joyous and rhythmically charged and could easily be embraced as a best effort by countless other composers. As one of the few early composers of color, Joseph Bologne is often overlooked. One of the finest examples of Bologne’s style is the Symphony…

1
Napoléon Part II - From Paris to Saint Helena 1:07:50

1+ y ago1:07:50

1:07:50

December 2nd 1804, Napoléon Bonaparte is crowned Emperor of the French. Over the next decade, he will keep reforming and modernizing France, but he will also fight the rest of Europe. He will become master of the continent, defeating all his enemies on land, only to go too far and to see Europe strike back at him and at France. This is the second p…

1
Program Notes: Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 10:03

1+ y ago10:03

10:03

Rachmaninoff wrote music that sticks to the ribs of listeners. His Piano Concerto No. 2 is extravagant and voluptuous from start to finish, and he would take pride in knowing it remains the single-most played work in the repertoire. Sibelius struggled to complete his Symphony No. 5. But the ending is worth all the angst – a triumphal, powerful fina…

1
Program Notes: Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 5:56

1+ y ago5:56

5:56

Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto is breathtakingly beautiful – but fiendishly difficult. Partly because not every pianist has hands the size of Rachmaninoff’s – his thumb and pinkie could span 12 inches, more than most NBA players – and could canvas nearly two octaves. Audiences feel like anything could happen, makes it one of the most thrilling…

1
Napoléon Part I - From Corsica to Paris 56:55

1+ y ago56:55

56:55

Napoléon Bonaparte doesn't really need an introduction. He's the most famous Frenchman ever. He's had more books written about him than any other person, except for Jesus Christ. This French general and emperor shook France, Europe and the world at the turn of the nineteenth century. He is also a polarizing figure. Enlightened ruler, or tyrannic di…

1
Secret Lives: The Need for Speed 22:42

1+ y ago22:42

22:42

In this episode, we talk to Principal Bass Dee Moses, who is “retiring” after 47 seasons with TFO. Well, more like “refocusing” his life to make more time for what’s important to him and his family. Even after more than four decades on stage, there’s a lot we don’t know about the man behind the double bass. Think motorcycle fanatic. Lead guitar roc…

1
Program Notes: Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 6:26

1+ y ago6:26

6:26

Here’s the moment you fall in love with Mahler. His lyrical Symphony No. 4 has started many a love affair with Mahler’s work, which can feel daunting. This very accessible masterpiece looks at the world through the lens of a child, who in the finale, “tells us what it all means.’’ If ever art imitates life, Elgar’s very personal Cello Concerto is i…

1
Program Notes: Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony 10:28

1+ y ago10:28

10:28

A concert that’s a little bit city and a little bit country. In his Symphony No. 6, Beethoven is in awe of the power of nature, from flowing streams and peasant dances (fueled by alcohol) to thundering storms that ease into a prayerlike sense of gratitude. Jessie Montgomery’s tone poem Records from a Vanishing Citysoaks up the music that surrounded…

1
Pre-Concert Talk: Drunk with Fire 29:17

1+ y ago29:17

29:17

In this episode, hear directly from tuba soloist TJ Graf on how he ended up in a rare spot – center stage for Wynton Marsalis’ jazzy Tuba Concerto. Plus: Composer Joshua Cerdenia talks about infusing fire into Feuertrunken, and guest conductor Fawzi Haimor and TFO trombonist Ross Holcombe dig into Duke Ellington’s groundbreaking Black, Brown and Be…

1
The French Revolution, a Worldwide Tremor 1:02:11

1+ y ago1:02:11

1:02:11

The French Revolution shook the world from 1789 to 1799 and completely transformed modern European societies. By ricochet, it transformed the whole world. It was a real political tsunami, with immediate and long term consequences. With the following Napoleonic wars, it shaped the Nineteenth century in a way that nobody could foresee only a generati…

1
Program Notes: Gershwin's An American in Paris 12:15

1+ y ago12:15

12:15

A jazzy program of music by groundbreaking composers. Gershwin captures beautiful sights and intense sounds in his postcard from An American in Paris. A rare Tuba Concerto, by jazz legend Wynton Marsalis, features our own TJ Graf in a playful work with a great sense of humor. Duke Ellington’s grand masterpiece Black, Brown and Beige -- a broad tale…

1
Program Notes: Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 9:30

1+ y ago9:30

9:30

Hang on for an explosive tribute to fate. In his Symphony No. 4, Tchaikovsky takes us on a powerful journey that ends in a virtuosic volley of fireworks at breakneck speed. Breathtaking. This program’s real star is the world premiere of the Violin Concerto composed by Michael Ippolito, a Tampa native and award-winning composer. Music Director Micha…

1
Aliénor d’Aquitaine, Queen of France and of England 36:15

1+ y ago36:15

36:15

Of the millions of people who are born every year during the Middle Ages, an extremely small number are what we call “blue bloods”, members of the nobility. Out of that already small number, a little percentage can be called “royalty”. Someone who manages to be a monarch not only for one country but for two countries, two adversaries, that is more …

1
Program Notes: Scheherazade 9:40

1+ y ago9:40

9:40

A program of 1001 stories and more that celebrates women as heroes. In Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, the clever sultana spins exotic, cliff-hanger Arabian stories from A Thousand and One Nights to delay her demise. Then there’s Clara Schumann, who finished composing her Piano Concerto by age 16 at a time when women simply did not compose. Roundin…

1
Program Notes: Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring 8:31

1+ y ago8:31

8:31

Have you ever had a really intense reaction to live music? We explore Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring – a ballet with music so “shocking” that it started a riot during its premiere in Paris in 1913. That leads us to the opposite end of the ballet spectrum: Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, with a sumptuous, soaring score and tear-jerker story. The other pie…

1
Program Notes: Brahms’ Violin Concerto 8:35

1+ y ago8:35

8:35

Is it a concerto or a symphony with a fiddle in the middle? That’s the debate surrounding Brahms’ demanding Violin Concerto, in part because the orchestral writing doesn’t bow to the violin; instead, it’s in full throttle throughout. Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8, too often overshadowed by his great New World Symphony, offers an idyllic refuge of joy and…

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