Requested for this Friday, the Piano trio in c by Eduard Lalo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnyzIpdSE2w Eduard Lalo (1823-1982) should be more than a footnote in music. He's mid-Gounod, mid-Massenet, through Wagner and pre-Ravel. He was also a fine musician. It's been easy for Lalo to get lost in such a crowd. But that would mean missing out on his Symphonie espagnole, not to mention his Cello Concerto. Very young tenors and very old tenors often sing the lovely 'Aubade' from Lalo's opera, Le roi d'Ys. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHXLa2Zg49c Okay so we know this opera is about a king, but where in the world is Ys? (Brittany) This is the only one of Lalo's opera still performed, and a long Wagnerian miasma it is. It's not one of Lalo's hits but, rather, his lovely Piano trio in c minor that's been requested. Lalo was a formidable string player (violin, viola). This trio comes from early in Lalo's career, while he was touring as a founding member of the Armigaud Quartet. It was Lalo who was partly responsible for the Haydn and Schubert Quartets being more played than studied. Lalo's music has the grace and wit of the best of French music, and a dash of Wagner's harmonic richness. Classical 101 By Request is heard Friday, 1-3 p.m. Go to www.wosu.org/requests and let me know what you want to hear!
Christopher Purdy is Classical 101's early morning host, 7-10 a.m. weekdays. He is host and producer of Front Row Center – Classical 101’s weekly celebration of Opera and more – as well as Music in Mid-Ohio, Concerts at Ohio State, and the Columbus Symphony broadcast series. He is the regular pre-concert speaker for Columbus Symphony performances in the Ohio Theater.