Program Guide January 2025

From the General Manager

Happy new year from all of us here at WWUH.

Later this spring we will be modernizing the air studio. The studio, which is where all of our programming originates from, was last updated in 2009. It is showing signs of it's age as it is in use practically 24/7 so this upgrade is long overdue.

And plans are in the works to once again broadcast the amazing live Jazz performances put on each summer at Hartford's Bushnell Park by The Hartford Jazz Society, something we have done yearly since the late '70s.

Please stay tuned to 91.3, the best is yet to come.

John Ramsey

ramsey@hartford.edu

In Central CT and Western MA, WWUH can be heard

at 91.3 on the FM dial. 

Our programs are also carried on:

WDJW, 89.7, Somers, CT



You can also Listen Online using your PC, tablet or

smart device.

We also recommend that you download the free app TuneIn to your mobile device for ease of listening. 

You can also access on demand any WWUH program which has aired in the last two weeks using our newly improved Program Archive.

WWUH Classical Programming

January 2025

Sunday Afternoon at the Opera… Sundays 1:00 – 4:30 pm

Evening Classics… Weekdays 4:00 to 7:00/ 8:00 pm

Drake’s Village Brass Band… Tuesdays 7:00-8:00 pm

Wednesday 1st

Host's Choice

Thursday 2d

Brixi: Organ Concerto in D Major; Balakirev: Symphony No. 1 in C Major; Corelli: Concerto grosso in F Major Op. 6 No. 2; Tippett: Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli; Whitacre: Lux Aurumque, Sleep; Strauss: Schlagobers Waltz.

Friday 3d

Celebrating the life and humor of Victor Borge 

Sunday 5th

Verdi, La Traviata (Met, 1935)

Monday 6th

Alexander Scriabin 8 Etudes,Op.42:No.1 in D-Flat Major; Francis Poulenc Intermezzo in A flat; Oleg Marshev Two Concertos Studies :Murmure de Vent /Sighing Breezes (Live)

Rarities of Piano Music 1998 - Live Recordings from the Husum Festival; Emil von Sauer Two concerto Studies; J.S.B, Organ Fantasia in G major; Madeline Fort Mirrors - V. La vallée des cloches

Tuesday 7th

Time Cycles: Bliss Adam Zero Ballet;

Ludwig: Season’s Lost; Mcdonagh: The Irish Four Seasons

Drake’s Village Brass Band – The American Brass Quintet Music in Gabrieli’s Day

Wednesday 8th

Nicola Porpora: Carlo il calvo: Overture; Nicola Porpora: Carlo il calvo (excerpts): Act II: Quando s'oscura il Cielo; Johann Adolf Hasse: Mandolin Concerto in G Major, Op. 3, No. 11; Antonio Vivaldi: Griselda, RV 718, Act III: Dopo un'orrida procella; George Frederic Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV 35; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: La clemenza di Tito, K. 621: Overture; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: La clemenza di Tito, K. 621 (excerpts): Act I: Aria: Del più sublime soglio;  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: La clemenza di Tito, K. 621 (excerpts): Aria: Se all impero, amici dei; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Trio No. 6 in G Major, K. 564; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Così fan tutte, K. 588: Act I: Recitative and Aria: Temerari! Sortite fuori di questo loco! Come scoglio immoto resta; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 31 in in D Major, K. 297, "Paris"; Daniel Francois Esprit Auber: Le domino noir, S. 30: Act I: Overture;  Daniel Francois Esprit Auber: Le domino noir, S. 30: Act III: Je suis sauvée enfin! Ah! quelle nuit!... Flamme vengeresse; Robert Schumann: Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70 (version for horn and piano); Hugo Wolf: Intermezzo; Hugo Wolf: Serenade in G Major, "Italienische Serenade" (Italian Serenade); Amilcare Ponchielli: La Gioconda, Act II: Cielo! E mar!; Amilcare Ponchielli: La Gioconda, Act III: Dance of the Hours; Gaetano Donizetti: Don Pasquale: Overture; Franz Liszt: Grosses Konzertsolo, S176/R18 – Arrangement for Piano and Orchestra (Grand solo de concert); Charles Gounod: Faust: Ballet Music;  Bedrich Smetana: Wallenstein's Camp (Wallensteins Lager, Valdstynuv tabor)

Thursday 9th

Franceschini: Suonata a 7 Con due Trombe; Paine: Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 23; Tcherepnin: Songs and Dances, Op. 84, Symphonic March, Op. 80.

Friday 10th

Music of Frank Bridge

Sunday 12th

Brian, The Cenci

Monday 13th

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor I. La Caprice de Nanette; Leonard Bernstein Divertimento;

Sergei Prokofiev Suite # 2 from Romeo and Juliet

Tuesday 14th

Stravinsky: Suite Italienne; Debussy: Cello Sonata;

Copland: Symphony for Organ and Orchestra; Jenkins: Stravaganza, Concerto for Saxophone

Drake’s Village Brass Band – Jacob: William Byrd Suite, An Original Suite

Wednesday 15th

   Theme: The Cold of Winter: David Lang, the little match girl passion; Caroline Shaw, Winter Carol; Michael Torke, Winter’s Tale; Ralph Vaughan Williams, The Winter’s Willow; Ralph Vaughan Williams, Symphony No 7, “Sinfonia Antarctica”; Henry Purcell, Now Winter Comes Slowly from The Fairy Queen; Joseph Haydn, Winter from The Seasons; Franz Schubert, Winterreise; Felix Mendelssohn, Winterlied from 6 Gesänge; Frédéric Chopin, Piano Etude Op. 25, No. 11 “Winter Wind”; Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, January from Das Jahr; Robert Schumann, Winter Time from Album for the Young; Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 1, Winter Dreams; Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Winter Morning from The Children’s Album; Émile Waldteufel, The Ice Skaters; Edward Elgar, The Snow; Claude Debussy, “Yver vous n’estes qu’un vilain” from Trois Chansons de Charles d’Orleans; Ernest Bloch, Winter-Spring; Béla Bartók, “No. 38: Winter Solstice Song” from For Children; Sergei Prokofiev, Winter Bonfire; John Rutter, “Blow, blow thou winter winds” ; Morten Lauridsen, Mid-Winter Songs; Interview with Connecticut composer (still to be confirmed)

Thursday 16th

Mancini: Concerto for Recorder, 2 Violins and Viola in g minor; Piccinni: Sinfonia in D Major, Aria di saravanda in varie partite; Busser: Appassionato, Op. 34; Debussy: Petite Suite; Halffter: Habanera, Sinfonietta in D; Bryars: The Porazzi Fragment

Friday 17th

 Host's Choice

Sunday 19th

Donizetti, Mary Stuart (in English)

Monday 20th

Jean-Philippe Rameau 6 Concerts transcrits en sextuor / 2e Concert: 1. La Laborde Jean-Philippe Rameau; Adolph von Henselt 12 Études caractéristiques, Op.2, No. 6 Adolph von Henselt; Konstantin Scherbakov Variation III: L'istesso tempo

Tuesday 21st

Music for a Golden Flute, Maurice Sharp Flute, Parker: Organ Concerto; Ives: Piano Sonata #2 “Concord Sonata”

Drake’s Village Brass

Alison Balsom Piccolo Trumpet Baroque Concertos

Wednesday 22d

Host's Choice

Thursday 23d

Clementi: Piano Concerto in C Major Op. 33 No. 3; Boughton: Oboe Quartet No. 1; Serov: Judith: Overture, Yudif: Marche d'Olopherne; John Luther Adams: The Farthest Place; Bates: Sea-Blue Circuitry.

Friday 24th

Today is “National Matthew Day” – Happy Holiday!

Sunday 26th

Rameau, Platee

Monday 27th

Host’s choice

Tuesday 28th

Tuesday Night at the Movies – Shaw: Leonardo da Vinci

Herrmann: The Mysterious Film World of Bernard Herrmann

Drake’s Village Brass Band Jabob: Music for a Festival

Wednesday 29th

Theme: Art Inspires Music :   Paul Hindemith, Symphony “Mathis der Maler”; Ottorino Respighi, Botticelli Triptych; Ottorino Respighi, Church Windows; Sergei Rachmaninov, Isle of the Dead; Modest Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition; Bohuslav Martinu, The Frescoes of Piero della Francesca; Camille Saint-Saens, Danse Macabre; Liszt, Totentanz; Debussy, Images; Interview with Connecticut composer Ellen Gilson Voth

Thursday 30th

Quantz: Flute Concerto in G Major QV5; Loeffler: Rhapsody No. 2 for Oboe, Viola & Piano; Gade: Novellette Op. 58 No. 2; Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 1 in D Major, KV412.

Friday 31st

Celebrating the Year of the Snake

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SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE OPERA

your "lyric theater" program

with Keith Brown



Programming for January 2025

SUNDAY JANUARY 5TH Verdi, La Traviata With the passing of the old year and prospects in view for a new one, people often sigh and take a nostalgic look backwards in time, often hearkening back to a Golden Age now long past. It's been said there was such a golden age of opera singing earlier on in the twentieth century. They don't make singers with such wonderful voices anymore, so they say. On this first Sunday of 2025 we look back (or listen back) to a recorded performance of Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata ("The Fallen Woman," 1853) given exactly ninety years ago, live at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City, as broadcast to the nation on January 5, 1935. Acetate discs preserve this historic recording, done at the request of one of the vocal principals, American baritone Lawrence Tibbett, who sang the role of the elder Germont in this Met production. The conductor in this production, Ettore Panizza, had been the famous Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini's right hand man at the Met, and starring in the role of the courtesan Violetta is the legendary American soprano Rosa Ponselle, originally from Meriden, Connecticut, who would all too soon cut short her brilliant career upon the operatic stage. Ponselle was paired with Brooklyn native tenor Frederick Jagel as the younger Germont, Alfredo. Listen also for the speaking voice of the legendary announcer Milton Cross providing his broadcast commentary. You'll also hear the recorded reminiscences of yet another legendary singer of that bygone era, Geraldine Ferrar, as she related them to the radio listening audience during the intermissions between acts. The old acetates were put through the digital audio -technology miracle of the CEDAR process to minimalize the clicks, pops, swishing background noise and pitch variations. Naxos Records issued this historic La Traviata on two compact discs in its "Immortal Performances" series in1998. 

SUNDAY JANUARY 12TH Brian, The Cenci I always thought of British composer Havergal Brian (1876-1972) as a symphonist. He wrote thirty two such numbered works, but he also wrote opera. Actually, he wrote five operas, of which The Cenci (1951-52) is his most ambitious attempt in the lyric theater genre. Only one of those five, the one act Agamemnon ( 1957) was performed in his lifetime. (He also composed a Faust opera and a Turandot!) The Cenci is an operatic adaptation of a stageplay by Percy Bysshe Shelley. It received one concert performance on December 12, 1997 through the efforts of the Havergal Brian Society, who were then marking the twenty fifth anniversary of the death of the composer. This unique musical event was recorded for posterity at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London under not exactly optimal acoustic circumstances. In 1819 Shelley concocted a bloody theatrical tragedy of outrage and revenge set in the Italy of the Renaissance and dealing with a noble Roman family whose crimes rivaled those of the Borgias. The world premiere recording of Havergal Brian's The Cenci was at long last released to the public on two Toccata Classics compact discs in 2024. James Kelleher conducts the Millenium Sinfonia, with a singing cast that includes distinguished British baritone David Wilson-Johnson as the Count Cenci. 

SUNDAY JANUARY 19TH Donizetti, Mary Stuart These days it seems we're all now accustomed to hearing opera sung only in its original foreign tongue,and in staged performance we expect to see a readout subtitle projection of the libretto in English language translation. Yet previous generations often heard opera sung in English. Circa 1999 the British Chandos label issued an "Opera in English" CD series that included

 Gaetano Donizetti's Maria Stuarda (1834) in a recording of a 1982 English language production of the opera as Mary Stuart by English National Opera. It employed Tom Hammond's translation of Giuseppe Bardoni's Italian language libretto, based on Schiller's German language play. Starring as Queen Mary Stuart is the illustrious English mezzo Dame Janet Baker. Sir Charles Mackerras conducts the English National Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Bel canto never sounded so good! 

SUNDAY JANUARY 26TH Rameau, Platee This has got to be the strangest lyric theater work of the French baroque. It seems the French royal court , who attended the premiere performance at Versailles, didn't understand or appreciate Rameau's weird sense of humor as witnessed in the libretto he himself worked up in 1745 for Platee. One example of Rameau's grotesque travesty of classical myth: the nymph Platea in his hands becomes an outrageous, un-beauteous drag queen- a Divine of the eighteenth century, who is "Nymph of the swamp." Rameau introduces nonsense verse into the vocal numbers. There are extensive dance sequences, as French audiences expected in the operas of the period. (Rameau always provided excellent ballet music.) Styled a Ballet Bouffon, the score of Platee was reduced for production in the public theaters of Paris. Platee is a campy lyric comedy and (I think) a work of musical genius. It remains my personal favorite among all the operas of Jean-Philippe Rameau. Listen today to the complete restored 1749 Paris version of the score, as recorded in 1988 for the French Erato record label, with Marc Minkowski conducting Les Musiciens du Louvre and the Francoise Herr Vocal Ensemble. The role of that nymphomaniac Platee is sung by a male vocalist, countertenor Gilles Ragon. Once Erato issued Platee on CD in 1990 I wasted no time in bringing it before the listening public. I first broadcast it on Sunday, January 27, 1991 and again on Sunday, May 19, 2002. I say P[atee really deserves to be heard a third time this Sunday.         

keithsbrown1948@gmail.com

Boomer's Paradise

Monday's 1-4 PM with your host, The Turtle Man

Welcome one and all to the New Year, 2025. Every new year presents new opportunities and experiences and the world of music, especially here on Boomers Paradise at WWUH is no exception.

The kick things off with a look back to January 1975 and songs from albums released this month. 1975 is a pivotal year in terms of the direction rock and other related musical genre are heading. Add to that we'll visit songs with "give" and "take" song titles.

We next move to the "strange", "stranger" and "strangest" in song titles.

We will also venture back to power ballads and song titles that reference speak, spoke, saying, talking and other means of verbal communication.

We end the month time traveling back to 1964-1966 to hear all the "latest" releases in that musical era and song titles referencing "time".

So here it is for your listening enjoyment. Tune in every Monday from 1-4PM at WWUH 91.3 fm with your host, The Turtle Man

Tune in on the radio (91.3 FM) or streaming online at wwuh.org.

If you have an idea for a radio program and are available to volunteer late at night, please let us know.

We may have some midnight and/or 3am slots available later this year. Email station manager John Ramsey to find out more about this unique and exciting opportunity for the right person.

Qualified candidates will have access to the full WWUH programmer orientation program so no experience is necessary. He/she will also need to attend the monthly WWUH staff meetings (held on Tuesday or Sunday evenings) and do behind the scenes volunteer work from time to time. This is a volunteer position.



After completing this process, we will review the candidate's assets and accomplishments and they will be considered for any open slots in our schedule.

Leaving Your Legacy

Have you ever considered making a planned gift to UHart Radio? Those that do so provide vital support to ensure the future of WWUH while securing benefits for themselves and their loved ones now.

Some of the types of planned giving include:

Bequests - A gift made through your estate, which can provide estate tax and capital gains savings.

Charitable gift annuities - An irrevocable contract where an annual payment is received for life in exchange for a gift to the station. 

Charitable remainder trusts - A gift that allows you to maintain income while providing a tax deduction for the future IRAs or qualified plans. A charitable bequest funded with an IRA or retirement plan can be made with pre-tax dollars. 

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) - A DAF can be used to give now or later, or both, and can include a succession plan for members of your family. 

With a variety of options to choose from, your gift can offer the advantages of an income stream or tax savings. UHart has a team that is here to guide you through your options and can help tailor a plan to your interests and philanthropic goals. You can contact then today at founders@hartford.edu or by calling 860.768.2400.

CT Blues Society

Founded in 1993, the Connecticut Blues Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Blues music in our state. CTBS is an affiliated member of The Blues Foundation, a worldwide network of 185 affiliates with an international membership in 12 countries.

The CT Blues Society January Update

The Fall/Winter series of CTBS Blues Jams continues this month with The CTBS All-Stars as the house band. The series runs through April 2025 on the first Sunday of the month at 1 PM at The Pine Loft, 1468 Berlin Turnpike in Berlin CT. Schedule of featured artists:

January 4 - Carl Ricci & Johnny Marino

February 2 - Paul Gabriel

March 2 - Chris 'Otis' Cross

April 6 - Ricky 'King' Russell

Here is a link to CT Blues Society with events and venues.

The mission of the Connecticut Symphony Orchestra is to provide opportunities for advanced musicians and emerging professionals to perform a high level of repertoire while engaging and collaborating with diverse communities in mutual growth through the joy

of making music.

https://connecticutsymphony.org

The West Hartford Symphony Orchestra

In collaboration with the WWUH Classical Programming we are pleased to partner with the West Hartford Symphony Orchestra to present their announcements and schedule to enhance our commitment to being part of the Greater Hartford Community.

Richard Chiarappa, Music Director 860-521-4362

Visit www.whso.org for tickets and Covid protocols.

whso.org

The Musical Club of Hartford

The Musical Club of Hartford is a non-profit organization founded in 1891. Membership is open to performers or to those who simply enjoy classical music, providing a network for musicians from the Greater Hartford area. Club events take place normally on selected Thursday mornings at 10:00 a.m, Fall through Spring. The usual location is the sanctuary at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2080 Boulevard, West Hartford, CT (between Ridgewood and Mountain Avenues). Information on time and location is given at the bottom of each event description.

For more information about the Musical Club, including a full schedule of concerts and special events, please visit https://musicalclubhartford.org

Connecticut Lyric Opera

Connecticut Lyric Opera is the state’s leading opera company, performing to thousands in Hartford, Middletown, New Britain, and New London. We have earned the reputation as an innovative company that is renowned for our world-class singers, phenomenal concert-quality orchestra and programming choices that go beyond the well-loved standards of the repertoire to include lesser-performed yet equally compelling works.

https://ctlyricopera.org/

Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra

The Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra is the state’s premier professional chamber orchestra dedicated to presenting both traditional and contemporary classical chamber works to the public. The Orchestra, led by Founder and Artistic Director Adrian Sylveen, continues to grow in size and repertoire, presenting approximately 35 times a year in many major performing arts centers throughout Connecticut and New York.

http://thevirtuosi.org/

The Hartford Choral

The Hartford Choralehttp://www.hartfordchorale.org/The Hartford Chorale is a volunteer not-for-profit organization that presents, on a symphonic scale, masterpieces of great choral art throughout southern New England and beyond, serving as the primary symphonic chorus for the Greater Hartford community. Through its concerts and collaborations with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and other organizations, the Hartford Chorale engages the widest possible audiences with exceptional performances of a broad range of choral literature, providing talented singers with the opportunity to study and perform at a professional level.

hartfordchorale.org

Tickets can be purchased at the door. For further information, visit the MSOC Web site at www.msoc.org or the Manchester Symphony Orchestra and Chorale Facebook page.

http://www.msoc.org

Beth El Temple Music & Art

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WHERE ELSE COULD MUSIC BE THIS HEAVENLY? Music at Beth El Temple in West Hartford is under the direction of The Beth El Music & Arts Committee (BEMA). With the leadership of Cantor Joseph Ness, it educates and entertains the community through music. The BEMA committee helps conceive and produce musical performances of all genres, while supporting the commemoration of Jewish celebrations and prayer services.

https://www.bethelwesthartford.org/community/get-involved/bema

Voce

Founded in 2006 by Mark Singleton, Artistic Director, and Tom Cooke, President, Voce has grown to become New England’s premier chamber choral ensemble. With a mission to Serve Harmony, Voce is best known for its unique sound; for bringing new works to a wide range of audiences; and for collaborating with middle school, high school and collegiate ensembles to instill the values of living and singing in harmony, further developing the next generation of choral artists.

https://www.voceinc.org/

Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra

Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra is one of Connecticut’s premier community orchestras dedicated to promoting musical excellence. We believe that classical music provides a magical experience that inspires, delights, and brings our community together.

Founded in 1981, the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra performs 6-7 concerts each season with a variety of classical, romantic and popular holiday favorites. The orchestra serves Farmington, Canton, Avon, Simsbury, Burlington, Bloomfield, West Hartford & Hartford, as well as Greater Hartford and the Connecticut River Valley. We are your local, civic orchestra and look forward to seeing you at one of our concerts!

Further information is available at FVSO.org or by calling 800-975-FVSO.

www.fvso.org

South Windsor Cultural Arts

Coming Up

Cellist Samuel DeCaprio and Pianist Anna Han in Concert Jan 5

The program will include Beethoven’s “12 Variations on 'Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen’ from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Op.66”; Schumann’s “Fantasiestücke, Op. 73”; Fazil Say’s “Four Cities”; Webern’s “Two Pieces”; and Franck’s “Sonata in A major”.

The concert starts at 2:00 pm at Evergreen Crossings Retirement Community, 900 Hemlock Ave, South Windsor, CT. The concert is FREE and donations are welcomed. Seating begins at 1:30 and is on a first-come, first-served basis. A reception with the artists will follow the concert hosted by Evergreen Crossings Retirement Community.

For information, call (860)-416-6920

For information, call (860)-416-6920

https://www.facebook.com/SouthWindsorCulturalArts

The New Britain Symphony Orchestra

The New Britain Symphony Orchestra is a professional orchestra which presents several concerts each season in the Greater New Britain area, performing works from all periods in a wide range of musical styles. In addition to its full orchestra concerts under the direction of Music Director and Conductor, Toshiyuki Shimada, including a free concert for children, members of the orchestra perform in various free chamber music concerts during the concert season.

https://newbritainsymphony.org/