Explore The Symphony

English
71 Episodes

About the podcast

Join the National Arts Centre Orchestra's Marjolaine Fournier and one of Canada's foremost music journalists, Jean-Jacques van Vlasselaer, as they explore the symphonic form from Haydn to Shostakovich.

About the host

  • host, music journalist Jean-Jacques Van Vlasselaer
  • Double Bass Marjolaine Fournier
  • Episode 30: Richard Strauss

    English Oct 23, 2013 44:40

    Marjolaine Fournier and Dr. Jean-Jacques Van Vlasselaer dive into the 2013-2014 season with Richard Strauss. They discuss his life, and focus on "Also Sprach Zarathustra", and the suites from "Der...

  • Episode 29: Sibelius

    English Mar 04, 2013 24:12

    Marjolaine Fournier and Jean-Jacques van Vlasselaer discuss Jean Sibelius, his life, his struggle with depression, alcoholism, and his 3rd Symphony.

  • Episode 28: Shostakovich

    English Jan 15, 2013 39:06

    Marjolaine and Jeans-Jacques discuss Shostakovich, his life in the Soviet Union, and his 9th Symphony.

  • Episode 22: Sibelius Symphony No. 4

    English Jan 07, 2013 47:56

    Jean-Jacques and Marjolaine give Sibelius's Symphony no. 4 the, "Explore the Symphony" treatment.

  • Episode 23: Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky

    English Jan 07, 2013 35:28

    Marjolaine Fournier and Jean-Jacques van Vlasselaer discuss Prokofiev's stirring score, Alexander Nevsky. It was composed for Sergey Eisenstein's 1938 cinematic thriller and stands as a spectacular masterpiece for chorus and orchestra.

  • Episode 24: Dmitri Shostakovich

    English Jan 07, 2013 39:48

    Marjolaine Fournier and Jean-Jacques Van Vlasselaer discuss Dmitri Shostakovich's life, from growing up in Saint Petersburg to political manoeuvrings in Stalin's Russia. Marjolaine and Jean-Jacques focus on his first symphony,...

  • Episode 25: Carmina Burana

    English Jan 07, 2013 37:30

    Marjolaine and Jeans-Jacques explore Carl Orff; his life in early 20th century Germany and his seminal work, Carmina Burana.

  • Episode 27: Schumann

    English Oct 16, 2012 31:28

    In this episode, Marjolaine and Jean-Jacques talk about Robert Schumann's life leading up to the creation of his second symphony.

  • Episode 26: Elgar

    English Sep 10, 2012 45:00

    In this Explore the Symphony, Marjolaine Fournier and Jean-Jacques van Vlasselaer talk about a truly singular Symphonic composer -- Edward Elgar -- THE shining star of British music, who's...

  • Episode 21: Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

    English Nov 03, 2011 1:07:44

    The first of the 2011-12 season's "Explore the Symphony" podcasts examines the 4th Symphony of Tchaikovsky. From the quiet plucking of the strings to the bombastic brass in the finale,...

  • Episode 20: The NAC Orchestra and Brahms’s final symphonies

    English Dec 14, 2010 36:40

    The third of the 2010-11 season's "Explore the Symphony" podcasts examines the 3rd and 4th Symphonies of Johannes Brahms. In this podcast, the NAC Orchestra's assistant principal double bass Marjolaine...

  • Episode 19: The NAC Orchestra and Felix Mendelssohn

    English Nov 12, 2010 29:27

    The second of the 2010-11 season's "Explore the Symphony" podcasts examines the short life and remarkable career of German composer Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), one of the most popular composers of...

  • Episode 18: The NAC Orchestra’s Mozart-Haydn Festival

    English Sep 21, 2010 29:41

    The first of the 2010-11 season's "Explore the Symphony" podcasts is in honour of the 7-concert Mozart-Haydn Festival taking place September 22-30. In this podcast, the NAC Orchestra's assistant principal...

  • Episode 17: Mozart Concerto 23 for Piano and Orchestra

    English Apr 20, 2010 26:07

    In the sixth of the 2009-10 season's "Explore the Symphony" podcasts, the NAC Orchestra's assistant principal double bass Marjolaine Fournier and one of Canada's foremost music journalists Jean-Jacques van Vlasselaer...

  • Episode 16: Debussy’s La Mer

    English Feb 25, 2010 36:47

    In the fifth of the 2009-10 season's "Explore the Symphony" podcasts, the NAC Orchestra's assistant principal double bass Marjolaine Fournier and one of Canada's foremost music journalists Jean-Jacques van Vlasselaer...