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On this week's episode of Music in the Making, we're celebrating December composer birthdays, featuring Sibelius’s Second Symphony, with a short prelude by Manuel Ponce!
Manuel Ponce – Estrellita (1912)
Brinton Averil Smith, cello; Evelyn Chen, piano
Duncan Recital Hall
2/10/2013
To begin tonight’s program, we’ll listen to a selection from Manuel Ponce, born December 8th, 1882. Estrellita, which means “little star” in Spanish, is a short love song (translated in English below). This particular performance features a duet for cello and piano.
Little star of the distant sky,
you see my pain,
you know my anguish.
Come down and tell me
if he loves me a little,
because I cannot live without his love.
You are my star, my beacon of love!
You know that soon I shall die.
Come down and tell me
if he loves me a little,
because I cannot live without his love.
Jean Sibelius – Symphony No. 2 in D major (1901)
Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra; Larry Rachleff, conductor
Stude Concert Hall
3/24/2006
The main event of tonight’s program is our next and final work, Sibelius’s Second Symphony. While Sibelius is one of the most famous figures in classical music, he is also perhaps the most famous figure in Finland, where he was born. In fact, before the Euro was established, Sibelius’s image was on Finnish 100-mark bills. He gained worldwide fame for his large orchestral works, including symphonies and tone poems, and tonight we’ll feature his most well-known and beloved work in this genre.
This episode originally aired Sunday, December 13th, 2015. Catch Music in the Making every Sunday at 7:06 PM on Classical 91.7.