Many of the greatest guitar concertos of the 20th Century owe their creation to Andres Segovia and his powers of persuasion. Tonight we'll enjoy the concerto by Villa Lobos, written for Segovia in 1951.
Robert Schumann wrote his Cello Concerto in just two weeks when he was feeling especially optimistic about his future with a new job posting. We'll enjoy Yo Yo Ma's performance today.
Stravinsky wasn't enthusiastic about Diaghilev's idea of a ballet inspired by the Commedia del'arte, until he saw the charming 18th Century music that was the inspiration. We'll enjoy a suite from Stravinsky's ballet Pulcinella today.
Prokofiev wrote his Symphony No. 5 during the darkest time of World War 2, yet he never lost his sense of optimism, which infuses the symphony. We'll enjoy it tonight.
