[Publius]

It’s time for the Seattle Chamber Music Festival! We begin our first concert on Saturday, June 29. Thanks to the miracle of the Internet, you can hear the concerts live at the website of KING-FM. I’ll be providing programs and links to the concerts through the summer festival. As we approach each concert, I’ll introduce one piece per evening at the Canteen with commentary about the piece. On concert nights, I’ll introduce the musicians.

First, let’s get the pronunciation of his name correct. Arthur Honegger’s (1892-1955) name is pronounced “own-e-GAIR”. He was French Swiss, trained in Paris, and was part of a group of French composers who called themselves ”Les Six”. Francis Poulenc was the star of the group. For those who saw Abel Gance’s great silent film “Napoleon” when it was revived in the Eighties, Honegger wrote the score. He best known piece is an attempt to recreate a ride on a steam train, one of his favorite ideas. This is Leonard Bernstein’s great recording of that piece.

Honegger: “Pacific 231"

Next Saturday we’ll hear a piece he wrote for piano and trumpet, here played by Wynton Marsalis.

Honegger: Intrada for Trumpet & Piano

[left that other site]

Cool Train Piece!

I also Enjoy “Take The A Train” by Billy Strayhorn. It captures the feel of the New York Subway...a whole different kind of train.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Publius, for the intro for the Seattle Chamber Music Festival.