Modern Notebook for September 22, 2019
Photo: Composer Julia Wolfe (Photo credit: Peter Serling)
What’s old is new, again, on this week’s Modern Notebook, with an hour of folk-derived contemporary music:
- The Danish String Quartet updates some traditional Danish folk tunes.
- Luciano Berio’s globe-trotting masterwork for voice and orchestra, Folk Songs.
- Pianist Nicholas Phillips performs a work by Reena Esmail based on the Hindustani Raag Basant.
- Music by Julia Wolfe that speculates where the legendary John Henry came from.
Recent Shows

On the final episode of Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: Hideaki Aomori’s Split stretches the bass clarinet to its limits, exploring the full breadth of its sound world. This hour also features Baljinder Sekhon’s Drifting Seeds for cello and harp, along with music by Anna Mieke, Vivian Fung, and more. Then: chamber music by Jessica Ackerley called Spark Surge — one of the highlights of the final hour. You’ll also hear Fumiko Miyachi’s piano duo Up, Down, Top, Bottom, Strange Charm , alongside music by Shirish Korde, Oliver Knussen, and others. Also in this episode: music by Tania León performed by pianist Isabel Dobarro; Claire Victoria Roberts performed by the National Youth Choir of Great Britain; Judd Greenstein performed by NOW Ensemble; Justin H. Bush performed by saxophonist Timothy McAllister and pianist Liz Ames; and flutist Tessa Brinckman performing music by Shirish Korde.







