Music for a While #104: Vibrations (good)

On June 9, the Friends of The New Criterion gathered for a book party with Nicholas O’Connell, the author of “Crush: My Year as an Apprentice Winemaker.”

On May 7, the Friends and Young Friends gathered for an evening with Fr. George Rutler, who spoke about Shakespeare and Abraham Lincoln.

On April 9, the Friends and Young Friends gathered for a poetry party with David Lehman, winner of the 2025 New Criterion Poetry Prize.

On January 22, Friends of The New Criterion gathered at the offices of the magazine to celebrate the publication of Brooke Allen’s “Good Bones: Glorious Relics from the Age of Reading.”

“Chronological order is not the only order,” says Jay in this episode, but “it’s not a bad” one. The episode starts in the sixteenth century—“Gaudete, Christus est natus.” It stays there for a while and then goes to Bach, spirituals, Reger, Berlin (Irving), jazz, and more. A beautiful and diverse seasonal outpouring. A gift from composers, poets, and musical performers. Trad., “Gaudete, Christus est natus” Trad., “Ding Dong Merrily on High” Walton, “What cheer?” Bach, “Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen,” from the Christmas Oratorio Trad., “I Saw Three Ships” Reger, “Mariae Wiegenlied” Martin/Blane, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” Brahe/Taylor, “Bless This House” Berlin, “White Christmas” Pierpont, “Jingle Bells” Trad., “What Month Was Jesus Born In?” Coots/Gillespie, “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” Trad., “Jerusalem in the Morning”

On October 22, Friends of The New Criterion gathered at a private New York club to hear Andrew Jones discuss his latest book, “The London Club: Architecture, Interiors, Art.”

This episode is about songs of the heart. There is one from Russia, performed two different ways. (That song is by a man named Tolstoy, although not the author of those great novels.) There is one from Samoa. This episode contains assorted treasures—not the least of them by J. S. Bach. Bellini, Excerpt from “La sonnambula” Bellini, Excerpt from “La sonnambula” Bach, Fugue in G major, BWV 577 Bach, “Liebster Jesu,” BWV 731 Tolstoy-Lim, “On This Quiet Summer Night” Tolstoy, “On This Quiet Summer Night” Trad., “La’u Lupe”

This episode begins with a Tchaikovsky work, Souvenir de Florence, heard at the Salzburg Festival this summer. There are other “souvenirs” from the festival too—by Mozart, Scriabin, et al. And the variety of performers is gratifying. Tchaikovsky, Sextet in D minor (“Souvenir de Florence”) Handel, “Vivi, tiranno! Io t’ho scampato,” from “Rodelinda” Scriabin, Poème in F-sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 1 Mozart, “Dalla sua pace,” from “Don Giovanni” Mompou, “Secret Bird” from “Intimate Impressions” Huang Tzu, “Flower in the Mist” Mozart, “Chi in Dio solo spera,” from “David penitente”

Jay offers a personal appreciation of Rodion Shchedrin (1932–2025). Bizet-Shchedrin, “Changing of the Guard,” from “Carmen Suite” Bizet-Shchedrin, “Bolero,” from “Carmen Suite” Rachmaninoff, Prelude in G-sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12 Shchedrin, “Humoresque” Shchedrin, Piano Concerto No. 1, Scherzo-toccata Tchaikovsky, “Miniature overture,” from “The Nutcracker” Shchedrin, Chamber Suite, Finale

In recent days, the music world—classical and popular—has lost Alfred Brendel and Brian Wilson. Jay pays due tribute. He has other selections as well—beginning with a summer song, refreshing on a hot day, or any. Berlioz, “Villanelle,” from “Les nuits d’été” Mozart, Piano Sonata in E flat, K. 282, third movement Schubert, “Moments musicaux” No. 3 Liszt, “Eclogue,” from “Years of Pilgrimage: Year One: Switzerland” Trad., “Do, Lawd, Oh, Do, Lawd” Trad., “Walk Together, Children” Wilson-Love, arr., Chilcott, “Good Vibrations”