Cake or Pie? Apple or Cherry?

For many years, various of my friends and acquaintances have suggested that the quality of my speaking voice supports their opinion that I should be engaged in voice work, for radio or television. To date, my efforts to break into voice work have been unsuccessful, but I continue to aspire toward that goal. At present, being unable to find employment with the radio stations themselves, I have determined to pursue a project by myself.

Several major FM classical music radio stations produce pre-recorded programming to be marketed through syndication. Typically these programs feature large musical organizations or world-famous artists. There are, however, at least two sources for individuals to market programs which they themselves have created. I intend to avail myself of these avenues to produce and market my own personal product.

One such means for individuals to present their own creations is through PRX (Public Radio Exchange). This organization allows individuals to post their programming on the PRX web site. From that list specific radio stations, if interested, can purchase programming for broadcast over their own facilities.

A second opportunity for an individual to offer works for syndication is through the activities of a specific major FM classical music station. This station has its own production department devoted to syndication of material for broadcast. Most of its work product, as with other stations, presents content featuring large groups and well-known artists, but some of its offerings do allow for the works of persons who are not of such categories.

In recent weeks I have had discussions with the person in charge of this station’s syndication department. He has expressed interest in the concepts of the programming I wish to produce. However, because his department is undergoing a reorganization at present, he stated that it would be the first quarter of 2017 before his department could pursue consideration of my proposals. Because of the preliminary and tentative nature of these conversations, I cannot not identify this station at this time.

In anticipation of and in preparation for my future submission of material to this station I need to produce actual recordings of musical selections which I seek to provide for their consideration: an “audition” as it were. (No, mine will not approach the selections J. S. Bach sent to the Duke of Brandenburg, but you get the idea!) To this end, I have chosen what I consider to be an innovative, imaginative, unique selection of music I wish to combine into programming I shall offer for broadcast through the means of syndication. The list of these compositions is presented below.

Proposed programming for a series of two (2) pre-recorded presentations

During the last year an advertisement appeared on television. Some of you will have seen it. In this ad, a customer sits at the lunch counter in a cafe. The server stands behind the counter. The conversation goes:

Server: Would you like a desert?

Customer: Yes.

Server: Cake or Pie?

Customer: Pie.

Server: Apple or cherry?

Customer: Cherry.

Cake or Pie?

1. A. Schubert. Die Forelle, Op. 32, D. 550 [Lied].

1. B. Schubert. Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 114, D. 667, “The Trout,” Fourth Movement.

1. C. Liszt. Die Forelle (II), S. 564 [transcription],

2. A. Offenbach. Les Fees du Rhin, Barcarolle [from the Overture].

2. B. Offenbach. Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Act II, Barcarolle.

3. A. Dvořák. Symphony Number 9, Op. 95, “From the New World,” Fourth Movement.

3. B. William Arms Fisher. Going Home [song].

4. A. Martin Luther. Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott [hymn].

4. B. J. S. Bach. Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 80 [church chorale].

4. C. Mendelssohn. Symphony Number 5, in D major/D minor, Op. 107, “Reformation,” Fourth Movement.

5. A. Copeland. Appalachian Spring, Section 7 [ballet] – Calm and flowing/Doppo Movimento.

5. B. Sydney Carter. Lord of the Dance [hymn].

6. A. F. J. Haydn. Divertimento Number 1, Hob.l 1:46, Second Movement.

6. B. Brahms. Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56a [entire piece, to end program.]

Quite a feast! Which of the offerings do you choose? For me, there is no question: I don’t want to choose one or the other…I want all of them!

* * *

In my previous program (the first of two in this series), you were asked to choose between offerings of cake or pie. Now (as the cafe customer before you) you will be asked to choose between apple or cherry pie.

Apple or Cherry?

1. Brahms. “Hungarian Dances,” WoOl. Piano four-hands [at least one reference said two pianos]. Numbers 1 and 3. Then the same pieces in Brahms’ own orchestration.

2. Dvořák. “Slavonic Dances,” Op. 46, Number 1. Piano four-hands. Then the same piece in Dvorak’s own orchestration.

3. Mussorgsky. “Pictures at an Exhibition.” Solo piano. “Promenade and Gnomes.” Then the same segments from the Ravel orchestration.

4. J. S. Bach. “Toccata and Fugue in D minor,” BWV 565. Five minutes from the start for solo organ. Then the same five minutes from an orchestrated version (choose from Ormandy or Stokowski, there being no readily-available commercial recording of the orchestration by Skrowaczewski).

5. Chopin. “Waltz in C-sharp minor,” Op. 64, Number 2. Solo piano. Then the comparable section from “Les Sylphides” as orchestrated by Glazinov.

6. Debussy. “Petite Suite (4)’’ L.65. Piano four-hands. Then the same piece in the orchestrated version by Frank Dawes.

7. Bizet. “Jeux d’enfants,” Op. 22, Number 6, “Trompette et tambour” and number 12, “Le bal.” Solo piano. Then the version for piano four-hands. Then the same pieces from the orchestrated version by Bizet, “Petite Suite.’’

8. von Weber. “Invitation to the Dance.” Five minutes of the solo piano version. Then the same segment from the orchestration by Berlioz.

9. Prokofiev. “Romeo and Juliet,” Op. 64, [ballet] – Scene 13, “Dance of the knights, a.k.a. Montagues and Capulets.” Then Prokofiev’s “Ten Pieces for Piano,” Op.75, Number 6, “Montagues and Capulets.”

10. A. Beethoven. “Marcia alla turca,” from “6 Variations on an Original Theme,” Op. 76. Solo piano. Then item number 4 from Beethoven’s incidental music to “The Ruins of Athens,” Op. 113.

10. B. Liszt. “Ruins of Athens Fantasy,” S. 122 (LW H9). Version for solo piano; then version for two pianos; then version for piano and orchestra.

11. Schubert. “Wanderer Fantasie,” Op. 15, D. 760. Solo piano. Then Liszt, a “Wanderer Fantasie,” S. 366.

12. Liszt. “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2,” S. 244/2. Solo Piano. Then Liszt’s version for piano duet. Then Liszt’s orchestration.

Why even ask? Surely you, as I, do not want to choose. Why can’t we just have all of them?!