The Apostles

England’s greatest composer since Purcell wrote a magnificent but rarely-heard setting of the New Testament. Elgar’s The Apostles follows the story of the Twelve through the Resurrection. On a par with his previous choral work, The Dream of Gerontius, this oratorio is at once sublime and heartbreakingly human. Leon Botstein shares the stories behind the…

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Prague Central: Great 20th Century Czech Composers

Though right in the center of the group of countries that defined the western musical tradition, Czech composers often felt like outsiders looking in. Perhaps it was this strange perspective that led to these four composers producing what has been thought to be some of the most original and influential works of the early 20th…

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Bernstein and the Bostonians

This concert pays tribute to a group of composers known as the “Boston School” who lived, studied, taught, and composed in and around that city. This group of friends, of whom Leonard Bernstein was the most prominent, were almost all associated with the early years of Brandeis University and had close ties to Aaron Copland.…

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Troubled Days of Peace

Two one-act operas with strikingly different reactions to tyranny. The Dictator (1928) explores the rise of a charismatic fascist leader, based loosely on Mussolini. Day of Peace (1938) remains controversial for its ambiguous sentiments towards the Nazis; it did not meet with favor by the regime. Leon Botstein shares the stories behind the music in…

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