Podcasts about trout quintet

Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason was born in Nottingham in 1999 into a big musical family. He and his six siblings all grew up learning classical instruments, and appeared on Britain's Got Talent in 2015. Sheku first made his mark as a solo performer the following year when he won the BBC Young Musician Of The Year competition. In 2018 a global audience of over a billion watched him perform live at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Since then he has received two classical Brit awards, An MBE for services to music, and performed at the Proms every year since 2017. His book The Power Of Music charts his creative journey, whilst his new album - his fifth release - includes recording of works by Shostakovich and Britten. Sheku talks to John Wilson about the early influence of his paternal grandfather, a classical music lover who encouraged an appreciation of chamber music, including Schubert's Trout Quintet. Sheku also discusses his cellist heroes Jacqueline du Pré and Mstislav Rostropovich and explains how the music of reggae superstar Bob Marley has been an inspiration throughout his life.Producer: Edwina Pitman

  There's a free performance of the Trout Quintet on Saturday 19 October (3pm) and a ticket only event, the Renaissance Choir, on Saturday 26 October at 730pm Angela Zanders, who will talk briefly about the Trout Quintet and play piano in it, spoke to Mike Waddington about the event.  The Reverend Will Hughes explains more about why the Church arranges these events. the full concert programme is here: Concerts-and-Events.pdf   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Day in Legal History: WWI Spy ConvictedOn August 16, 1918, Lothar Witzke became the first German spy convicted by the United States during World War I. Tried by a military commission at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Witzke was found guilty of espionage for his role in sabotage activities against the U.S., including his alleged involvement in the Black Tom explosion, a major act of sabotage in 1916. His conviction marked a significant moment in the U.S.'s efforts to counter German espionage during the war. Witzke was sentenced to hang, but his fate took a turn when President Woodrow Wilson commuted his sentence on May 27, 1920. The commutation reflected the complexities of wartime justice and international relations. Later, in 1922, President Calvin Coolidge granted Witzke a pardon, leading to his deportation to Berlin. Witzke's case highlighted the U.S. government's determination to crack down on espionage while also navigating the diplomatic and political nuances of post-war justice.India's legal market is cautiously opening to foreign law firms under new guidance allowing them to practice international law within the country. However, only a few firms have taken steps to establish a presence, as many remain hesitant due to past challenges and uncertainties about the implementation of these new rules. India's rapid economic growth and favorable business environment under Prime Minister Narendra Modi make it an attractive prospect for foreign firms, but the memory of previous failed attempts and local opposition leads many to adopt a wait-and-see approach.Some firms are opting for strategies like the "fly in, fly out" model, running operations from nearby locations like Singapore. Others, like Baker McKenzie and Dentons, are planning to establish offices when permitted, but are currently working through collaborations with local firms. Japan-based TNY Legal and GVA Professional have already entered the Indian market to support their clients' growing needs.Despite the opportunities, significant hurdles remain, including unclear regulations and potential resistance from the local bar. Implementing legislation is still required, and foreign firms face a complex bureaucracy. The possibility of limits on foreign registrations to protect Indian firms adds to the uncertainty, making the path forward for foreign law firms in India fraught with challenges. India Sees Foreign Law Firms Take Baby Steps to Set Up OutpostsTikTok is challenging a U.S. law requiring its parent company, China-based ByteDance, to sell its U.S. assets or face a ban, arguing that the U.S. Department of Justice has misrepresented the app's ties to China. TikTok maintains that its data and content moderation decisions for U.S. users are handled within the U.S. and that the law infringes on its free speech rights. The law, signed by President Biden, aims to end Chinese ownership of TikTok due to national security concerns. The case will be heard by a federal appeals court in September, just before the November presidential election.TikTok disputes US claims on China ties in court appeal | ReutersThe Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld California's vote-by-mail system, ruling that it does not violate the constitutional rights of in-person voters, even if some invalid mailed ballots are occasionally counted. The court rejected the claim that counting these ballots dilutes the votes of in-person voters, emphasizing that such errors do not disproportionately affect any particular group. The decision arose from a lawsuit aiming to decertify California's 2020 election results, which, if successful, could have favored Donald Trump. The court found that the plaintiffs' "vote dilution" theory was legally unfounded, consistent with rulings from other circuits.California Vote-By-Mail Upheld in Rebuke of ‘Vote Dilution' SuitGSK plans to seek the dismissal of a Zantac-related lawsuit in Florida, where plaintiffs allege the heartburn drug caused prostate cancer. This follows a recent Florida court ruling in GSK's favor, which excluded expert testimony linking ranitidine, Zantac's active ingredient, to prostate cancer. The ruling aligns with a 2022 federal court decision that dismissed similar cancer-related claims. However, a Delaware court ruling in June allowed over 70,000 lawsuits to proceed, permitting expert testimony that Zantac causes cancer. GSK is appealing the Delaware decision, as the majority of Zantac cases are concentrated there. Concerns over ranitidine's potential to degrade into the carcinogen NDMA led to the FDA pulling Zantac from the market five years ago.GSK to seek dismissal of Florida case against heartburn drug Zantac | ReutersBayer achieved a legal victory as a U.S. appeals court ruled that federal law shields the company from liability in a lawsuit claiming its Roundup weed killer causes cancer. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia decided that federal regulations, which require uniform pesticide labeling, preempted Pennsylvania state law from mandating a cancer warning on Roundup. This ruling came in response to a lawsuit by David Schaffner, a landscaper diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, who argued that Bayer's Monsanto unit failed to warn consumers about the cancer risk. The decision could lead to a U.S. Supreme Court review due to conflicting rulings from other federal appeals courts, potentially impacting Bayer's broader litigation risk. Bayer, which has settled much of the Roundup litigation for $10.9 billion but still faces tens of thousands of claims, welcomed the ruling, asserting that Roundup and its active ingredient glyphosate are safe.Bayer wins victory in US legal battle against Roundup cancer claims | ReutersThis week's closing theme is by Franz Schubert.This week's closing theme brings us to the world of Franz Schubert, a composer whose music bridges the Classical and Romantic eras with remarkable emotional depth and lyrical beauty. Schubert, born in Vienna in 1797, was a prolific composer despite his tragically short life, leaving behind a vast body of work that continues to resonate with audiences today. Among his numerous compositions, his Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667, known as the "Trout Quintet," and his symphonies are often celebrated, but today we focus on one of his masterpieces in chamber music: his Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 15.The first movement, "Allegro con fuoco ma non troppo," showcases Schubert's unique ability to blend intensity with elegance. The title, which translates to "fast, with fire but not too much," perfectly encapsulates the movement's spirit. It opens with a passionate and fiery theme that immediately captures the listener's attention, setting the stage for a dynamic interplay between the piano and strings. As the movement progresses, Schubert masterfully balances this intensity with moments of lyrical beauty, creating a musical narrative that is both dramatic and profoundly moving.This piece exemplifies Schubert's gift for melody and his deep understanding of the human experience, qualities that have endeared his music to generations of listeners. As you listen to the "Allegro con fuoco ma non troppo," let yourself be carried by its sweeping phrases and the emotional journey it offers—a true testament to Schubert's genius.Without further ado, the first movement of Franz Schubert's Fantasie in C major, Op. 15, popularly known as the Wanderer Fantasy. Enjoy.   This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

SynopsisPerformers need composers and composers need performers. And some performers really like composers–and vice versa.  That seems to be the case with the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, comprised of Joseph Kalichstein, piano; Jaime Laredo, violin; and Sharon Robinson, cello, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.On today's date in 2011, at a La Jolla Music Society concert in San Diego, California, the Trio premiered the fourth work they had commissioned from Zwilch.  She created a blues-y piano quintet, scored for the same ensemble as Schubert's famous Trout Quintet, so for this “blue trout” Quintet, the Trio were joined by violist Michael Tree and double-bassist Harold Robinson.In notes for her new piece, Zwilich wrote: "My Quintet is in three movements, the second of which has the title ‘Die Launische Forelle' (roughly translated: ‘The Moody Trout'). I couldn't resist using a very small quote from the Schubert song on which his Quintet is based. I also took the liberty of allowing that movement to spin out musical images of a ‘moody' trout. In all three movements the weight and character of the contrabass is an important element in the overall design.”Music Played in Today's ProgramEllen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939) Piano Quintet The Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio; Michael Tree, vla; Harold Robinson, db. Azica 71292

Jane Austen's Irish love, a pair of border collies, a basket of eggs and Schubert's Trout Quintet, with Paula Shields, Lourdes Mackey, Jody Clarke, Sara Shine, Lani O'Hanlon, John F Deane and Vincent Woods

In this episode, we discuss recordings of “Haydn: Symphonies 6, 7, 8 'Le matin' 'Le midi' 'Le soir'” by Florilegium / Ashley Solomon, “Schubert: Piano Trio No. 1 & Trout Quintet” by Busch Trio, “Mahler: Symphony No. 5” by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra / Semyon Bychkov, “Golden Moments” by The Charles Owens Quartet, “Iglika” by Vladimir Karparov, and “Re-Generation Quartet” by Alfredo Ponissi.   The Adult Music Podcast is featured in: Feedspot's Best 60 Jazz Podcasts   Episode 96 Deezer Playlist   “Haydn: Symphonies 6, 7, 8 'Le matin' 'Le midi' 'Le soir'” (Channel) Florilegium / Ashley Solomon https://open.spotify.com/album/7qbnU1xj3vX1VhpdoNMEpv https://music.apple.com/us/album/haydn-symphonies-nos-6-7-8-le-matin-le-midi-le-soir/1643949742   “Schubert: Piano Trio No. 1 & Trout Quintet” (Alpha) Busch Trio https://open.spotify.com/album/09P2EQ7d70qwZWJeQINYnZ https://music.apple.com/us/album/haydn-symphonies-nos-6-7-8-le-matin-le-midi-le-soir/1643949742   “Mahler: Symphony No. 5” (Pentatone) Czech Philharmonic Orchestra / Semyon Bychkov https://open.spotify.com/album/7faZH08goBHFibti7wPI3V https://music.apple.com/us/album/mahler-symphony-no-5-in-c-sharp-minor/1646060411   “Golden Moments” (La Reserve Records)  Charles Owens Quartet https://open.spotify.com/album/7wBDUiuhTxikMfMMcO3zYv https://music.apple.com/us/album/golden-moments/1629126755   “Iglika” (Unit)  Vladimir Karparov https://open.spotify.com/album/1cZfLocWhhuBAL6TpMY49J https://music.apple.com/us/album/iglika/1651007673   “Re-Generation Quartet” (DDE Records)  Alfredo Ponissi https://open.spotify.com/album/0J9eAi3c9VPBFG6s2wVQW3 https://music.apple.com/us/album/re-generation-quartet/1657236216   Be sure to check out these other podcasts:  "SOMETHING came from Baltimore"   Jazz, blues, and R&B interviews from Tom Gouker. Famous Interviews and Neon Jazz  Features a wide range of artists, musicians, writers, creatives and business folks from around the globe.   "Same Difference: 2 Jazz Fans, 1 Jazz Standard" Johnny Valenzuela and Tony Habra look at several versions of the same Jazz standard each week, play snippets from each version, discuss the history of the original and the different versions.    

Dr. Barry Coutinho joins with colleagues from the Pittsburgh Symphony to play Schubert's beloved Trout Quintet and with violinist Laura Motchalov, he will play the Spring Sonata by Beethoven to benefit the physician led "Shoulder to Shoulder Pittsburgh," which offers help for medical needs in Honduras. The concert takes place at the Herberman Conference Center of UPMC Shadyside Thursday, November 4th at 7:30 pm. The tickets are $20 to attend in person or receive a link for a live stream for $10. Student ticket are available.   Dr. Coutinho was  a finalist in the Van Cliburn Competition Amateur Division having studied at the Guildhall School of Music in London along with his medical work. He now teaches Family Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, sees patients and serves as Vice Chief of the Department of Family Medicine at Shadyside. He will play three short pieces by Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and Liszt for the program. Joining Dr. Coutinho in the Trout Quintet will be Pittsburgh Symphony members Laura Motchalov, violin; Brandon McLean, bass; Marylene Gingras Roy, viola; and cellist Will Chow. For more information:  https://www.shouldertoshoulderpgh.org/tickets?%3E

Emily talks with two millennials, a teacher and a parent, about how their music has stemmed from their parents and grandparents, and about the form it's taken in their students and children.  EPISODE NOTES Emmy Bodner teaches in Clarksville (Ind.) Community Schools. Her school's video of "We Are The World" is on YouTube--and as of July, 2021 is approaching half a million views! Ben Kaufman mentions two pieces worth your time: Take Five by Dave Brubek, and the Trout Quintet by Franz Schubert (links are to YouTube.) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Download Episode 41 How many pieces do you know about water? How about Row, Row, Row Your Boat? Enjoy this playlist of classical music that sounds like water and waves. Episode 41 playlist Claude Debussy: On a Boat — Can you hear the waves gently flowing back and forth, or hear them rocking up against a boat? Claude Debussy: On a Boat(En Bateau) by Franz Schubert: Music from the “Trout” Quintet — Can you imagine fish and wildlife jumping in and out of water in this piece? Franz Schubert: 1st mvt. from the "Trout" Quintet by Richard Wagner: Overture to The Flying Dutchman — This piece is about a sea captain that runs into a terrible storm while out sailing. Richard Wagner: Overture to The Flying Dutchman by YourClassical Adventures is available in your favorite podcast portal. Explore more from YourClassical Adventures! What are you curious about? Submit your feedback https://www.classicalmpr.org/story/2021/04/17/classical-kids-corner You must be 13 or older to submit any information to American Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about things like our programs, products and services. See Terms of Use and Privacy.

Your free classical podcast this month is Schubert's Trout Quintet played by Monique Lapins, Gillian Ansell, Rolf Gjelsten, Hiroshi Ikematsu and Piers Lane.

Mozart: Serenade No. 13 for Strings in G Major, K. 525 "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 95 Schubert: Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667 "Trout Quintet" Purchase the music (without talk) at: http://www.classicalsavings.com/store/p1173/La_Musica_50.html Your purchase helps to support our show! Classical Music Discoveries is sponsored by La Musica International Chamber Music Festival and Uber. @khedgecock #ClassicalMusicDiscoveries #KeepClassicalMusicAlive #LaMusicaFestival #CMDGrandOperaCompanyofVenice #CMDParisPhilharmonicinOrléans #CMDGermanOperaCompanyofBerlin #CMDGrandOperaCompanyofBarcelonaSpain #ClassicalMusicLivesOn #Uber Please consider supporting our show, thank you! http://www.classicalsavings.com/donate.html staff@classicalmusicdiscoveries.com

Anyone who saw Sheku Kanneh-Mason play the cello at the Royal Wedding, or win BBC Young Musician of the Year at the age of only 17, will realise that he comes from the most extraordinary family. Two of his siblings are also Young Musician finalists, and his older sister, Isata, is a professional pianist. Collectively the seven Kanneh-Mason children make music wherever they are. During lockdown, that was the family home in Nottingham, from which they performed live on Facebook. Michael Berkeley’s guest is their mother, Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason: the woman who inspires them, who gets up before dawn to drive them to lessons and trains, who organises their practice schedules, who dances with them in the kitchen. She tells Michael Berkeley about how she does it – and why. She looks back on her childhood in Sierra Leone, and the huge transition of coming to live with her grandparents in Wales after her father died. She reveals her own musical ambition – to play the violin – and discusses how she manages to get the children to practise. She explores with Michael the question of prejudice in the classical music world. And she plays the reggae song the family will be dancing to at Christmas. Other choices include Verdi’s “Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves”, Shostakovich’s Second Piano Trio, Mozart’s Requiem, Schubert’s Trout Quintet and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s “Deep River”. A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 3 Produced by Elizabeth Burke

Performers need composers and composers need performers. And some performers really like composers–and vice versa. That seems to be the case with the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, comprised of Joseph Kalichstein, piano; Jaime Laredo, violin; and Sharon Robinson, cello, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. On today’s date in 2011, at a La Jolla Music Society concert in San Diego, California, the Trio premiered the fourth work they had commissioned from Zwilch. She created a blues-y piano quintet, scored for the same ensemble as Schubert’s famous “Trout” Quintet, so for this “blue trout” Quintet, the Trio were joined by violist Michael Tree and double-bassist Harold Robinson. In notes for her new piece, Zwilich wrote: "My Quintet is in three movements, the second of which has the title ‘Die Launische Forelle' (roughly translated: ‘The Moody Trout'). I couldn't resist using a very small quote from the Schubert song on which his Quintet is based. I also took the liberty of allowing that movement to spin out musical images of a ‘moody' trout. In all three movements the weight and character of the contrabass is an important element in the overall design.”

Performers need composers and composers need performers. And some performers really like composers–and vice versa. That seems to be the case with the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, comprised of Joseph Kalichstein, piano; Jaime Laredo, violin; and Sharon Robinson, cello, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. On today’s date in 2011, at a La Jolla Music Society concert in San Diego, California, the Trio premiered the fourth work they had commissioned from Zwilch. She created a blues-y piano quintet, scored for the same ensemble as Schubert’s famous “Trout” Quintet, so for this “blue trout” Quintet, the Trio were joined by violist Michael Tree and double-bassist Harold Robinson. In notes for her new piece, Zwilich wrote: "My Quintet is in three movements, the second of which has the title ‘Die Launische Forelle' (roughly translated: ‘The Moody Trout'). I couldn't resist using a very small quote from the Schubert song on which his Quintet is based. I also took the liberty of allowing that movement to spin out musical images of a ‘moody' trout. In all three movements the weight and character of the contrabass is an important element in the overall design.”

This episode of Spoleto Backstage rounds out Geoff Nuttall’s list of top Spoleto Festival chamber performances from the past decade with a 2011 program featuring Franz Schubert’s Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667—better known as the “Trout” Quintet. As Geoff shares with Bradley Fuller in a conversation before the music begins, this sparkling chamber work gets both its nickname and the musical material for its theme-and-variations fourth movement from a catchy lied or art song Schubert wrote two years prior: “Die Forelle” (“The Trout”), op. 32, D. 550. Baritone Tyler Duncan performs this lied just before pianist Pedja Muzijevic joins string players Hsin-Yun Huang, Christopher Costanza, Anthony Manzo, and Geoff himself for the quintet it inspired. The concert opens with Niccolò Paganini’s fiendishly-difficult Moses Fantasy for cello and piano, a work based on an operatic aria by Gioachino Rossini and allegedly shaped by its composer’s prison sentence.

CMS Resident Lecturer, Bruce Adolphe, discusses Franz Schubert's beloved "Trout" quintet. Featuring musical demonstrations and a performance by pianist Yekwon Sunwoo, violinist Sean Lee, violist Mark Holloway, cellist Mihai Marica, and bassist David Grossman.

Our landmark 50th edition of La Musica Chamber Music Hour from our sponsor, La Musica International Chamber Music Festival. Mozart: Serenade No. 13 for Strings in G Major, K. 525 "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 95 Schubert: Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667 "Trout Quintet" For more information on La Musica International Chamber Music Festival, please visit: www.LaMusicaFestival.org

I had a great time talking with Kate Jones for the podcast!  Kate is a Suzuki bass specialist working in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford School District in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  She is doing remarkable things for young bass students! Links to Check Out: Kate's website Jason attempting to play a 1/32 size bass More About Kate: Double bassist Kate Jones studied with Jeff Bradetich at the University of North Texas, where she completed her Doctorate of Musical Arts in the summer of 2014. Before moving to Texas, Kate received her Master of Music degree at Cleveland Institute of Music under the direction of Max Dimoff and Jeff Bradetich. In Cleveland she was actively involved in several area orchestras, including the CIM Orchestra, Cleveland Opera Circle, Firelands Symphony and the Cleveland Womens' Orchestra. Kate received her Bachelor of Music at Illinois Wesleyan University in 2008. Here she was active in the IWU Civic Orchestra as well as Wind Ensemble, in addition to local orchestras such as the Muscatine Symphony and the Champaign-Urbana Symphony. Kate currently holds regular positions in Texas and has subbed for such orchestras as Fort Worth Symphony. In the fall of 2014 she joined the faculty of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD as their bass specialist. Kate began playing chamber music at an early age with her family--first reading the Trout Quintet in High School. Her fascination with this genre continued to grow and blossomed during a summer abroad in 2007. It was then that she first played the Dvořák string Quintet as well as the Prokofiev Op. 39 Quintet. These performances prepared her for work in contemporary chamber ensembles such as the CIM Bass Quartet and the Cleveland contemporary ensemble Secundum Silentium. Kate has had the pleasure of participating in workshops and masterclasses with such artists as Edgar Meyer, Jeff Turner, and Michael Tilson Thomas. She attended Chautauqua Music Festival during the summers of 2011 and 2012. Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by: A440 Violin Shop - An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440's commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools. The Bass Violin Shop, which  offers the Southeast's largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome! Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

SUMMARYWhy do some puns strike us as clever, while others are plain old groaners? Martha and Grant puzzle over this question. Also, the difference between baggage and luggage, a royal word quiz, the "egg" in egg on, what to call someone who doesn't eat fish or seafood, Hawaiian riddles, and why we say "You bet your sweet bippy!" FULL DETAILSWhen President Barack Obama had the Oval Office redecorated in soft browns and beige, The New York Times headline read: “The Audacity of Taupe.” The hosts discuss how puns work, and what makes them clever. Martha recommends John Pollack's new book, The Pun Also Rises: How the Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More than Some Antics.http://www.thepunalsorises.com/What do you call someone who doesn't eat fish? A caller wants to know, but not because of dietary requirements. He's a string bass player who plays in an ensemble that's tired of being asked to perform Schubert's famous composition, the Trout Quintet.http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics/trout.htmlMartha and Grant tells him he has several options. Among them: non-pescatarian, anti-marinovore, anichthyophagist--and, of course, non-seafood eater.What's the difference between baggage and luggage? After all, it's not as if anyone confesses to having emotional luggage. The hosts conclude that usually the word “luggage” specifies the container, while “baggage” is more likely to refer to that which is lugged inside the container. Martha shares a quotation from Joseph Addison, no fan of puns: “If we must lash one another, let it be with the manly strokes of wit and satire: for I am of the old philosopher's opinion, that, if I must suffer from one or the other, I would rather it should be from the paw of a lion than from the hoof of an ass.”Quiz Guy Greg Pliska has a royal quiz in honor of the wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William. He celebrates the wedding of the King and Queen with clues to answers that contain the letters "K" and "Q" next to each other. The answer to "The band that recorded 'Take Five,'" for example, is the "Dave BrubecK Quartet."Where'd we get a word like skyscraper? Martha explains the image literally refers to scraping the sky, but first applied to the topmost sail on a ship, and later to tall horses, and high fly balls in baseball. There are similar ideas in other languages, as in the Spanish word "rascacielos" and French "gratte-ciel." In German, the word is picturesque as well. It's “Wolkenkratzer,” which literally means "cloud-scratcher."Grant shares some fill-in-the-blank puzzles from a listener. For example, "There's one w______ on a u________" and "There are 5 d________ in a z_________ c__________."A listener remembers her mother used to say, "Your Monday is longer than your Tuesday." This phrase offered a subtle way to notify someone that her slip was showing. Other expressions convey that warning as well, including "Monday comes before Sunday" and "Saturday is longer than Sunday." Also, if someone whispers "Mrs. White is out of jail," it's time to check to see if your slip is showing. Ditto if you're told you have "a Ph.D.," but you've never earned that degree. In this case "Ph.D" stands for "Petticoat Hanging Down."Martha's been reading the Dictionary of Smoky Mountain English again, and stumbled across a synonym for "fried chicken." It's preacher meat.http://www.cas.sc.edu/engl/dictionary/"The Die is Cast" is the title of an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. A listener and his wife disagree about what kind of "die" is meant here. It's not a reference to metallurgy -- it's a quotation attributed to Julius Caesar. When he crossed the Rubicon to lead a campaign against his enemies, he supposedly declared, "Alea jacta est." The word "alea," which refers to one piece of a set of dice, is an ancestor of the modern English word "aleatory," which means "by chance." What happens when a clock gets hungry? It goes back four seconds. Martha talks about how puns weren't always considered "bad." Cicero praised them as the wittiest kind of saying, and Shakespeare made plenty of them, for both serious and comic effect. In the early 18th century, though, things changed. Pamphlets with titles like "God's Revenge Against Punning" began appearing, and the great lexicographer Samuel Johnson denounced them as "the last refuge of the witless." Martha and Grant discuss why some puns work and others don't. Martha recommends John Pollack's observation in The Pun Also Rises describing how "for a split second, puns manage to hold open the elevator doors of language and meaning as the brain toggles furiously between competing semantic destinations, before finally deciding which is the best answer, or deciding to live with both."Where'd we get the expression You bet your sweet bippy!? It's from Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, a zany television show from the late 1960s. The word "bippy," by the way, means "butt." The phrase "You bet your sweet bippy" is a linguistic descendant of earlier versions that go back to at least the 1880s, when phrases like "You bet your sweet life" were commonly used. http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=rowanandmarThe show also popularized such phrases as "Sock it to me!" and "Look that up in your Funk & Wagnalls."http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iGvzmOoh3YWhy is Cairo, Ill., pronounced "KAY-roh"? Why do Midwesterners pronounce Versailles as "Ver-SALES" and the New Madrid Fault as "New MAD-rid"? Grant explains that these names are far removed from their earlier incarnations and function as a sort of shibboleth among the locals.Martha springs another pun on Grant: Knock-knock. Who's there? Tarzan. Tarzan who? “Tarzan Stripes Forever.”Why do we speak of trying to egg on a person, meaning to urge them to do something? Martha explains that the "egg" in this case has nothing to do with chickens. This kind of "egg" is derives from an old root that means to "urge on with a sharp object." It's a linguistic relative of the word "edge."Grant wraps up with some Hawaiian riddles from the book Riddling Tales From Around the World, by Marjorie Dundas, including this one:My twin was with me from the day I crawledWith me till the day I diei cannot escape himyet when storms come, he deserts mehttp://books.google.com/books?id=qnWz6zrE8RUC&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=%22My+twin+with+me+from+the+day+I+crawled%22&source=bl&ots=dTLR_OAxIm&sig=vvHKYEeCGLgl2SqLqqqpcOn8d_A&hl=en&ei=drrZTcbZEoeusAP9wtWFDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22My%20twin%20with%20me%20from%20the%20day%20I%20crawled%22&f=false--A Way with Words is funded by its listeners: http://waywordradio.org/donateGet your language question answered on the air! 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Kirsty Young's guest on Desert Island Discs this week is the actress Miriam Margolyes. Her rich career has seen her work with directors such as Martin Scorsese and Baz Luhrmann and she's won awards and acclaim for her film work, her theatre performances and her book readings. She made the leap from the Cambridge Footlights to become one of our most successful and popular character actresses. Yet, despite having one of the most sought after voices in the business, she says she hasn't had the career that she aspired to. She yearned to be taken more seriously and given meatier roles but, she jokes, Joan Plowright always stood in her way. On stage she seems to have the confidence and chutzpah of someone who is beyond embarrassment - but in reality, she says, for most of her life she has simply been a 'frightened little muffin'.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]Favourite track: The opening of the Fourth movement of the Trout Quintet by Franz Schubert Book: Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens Luxury: A flush toilet.

Kirsty Young's guest on Desert Island Discs this week is the actress Miriam Margolyes. Her rich career has seen her work with directors such as Martin Scorsese and Baz Luhrmann and she's won awards and acclaim for her film work, her theatre performances and her book readings. She made the leap from the Cambridge Footlights to become one of our most successful and popular character actresses. Yet, despite having one of the most sought after voices in the business, she says she hasn't had the career that she aspired to. She yearned to be taken more seriously and given meatier roles but, she jokes, Joan Plowright always stood in her way. On stage she seems to have the confidence and chutzpah of someone who is beyond embarrassment - but in reality, she says, for most of her life she has simply been a 'frightened little muffin'. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: The opening of the Fourth movement of the Trout Quintet by Franz Schubert Book: Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens Luxury: A flush toilet.

We’re concluding our interview with double bass soloist and University of Texas-Austin bass professor DaXun Zhang today, as well as featuring more tracks from this stellar musician. Check out episode 92 for the first part of this interview. Along with the conclusion of our interview, we’ll be featuring DaXun performing a very cool Chinese piece for bass called Sun SHines on Taxkorgan. It’s available on his self-titled solo album, which you can learn more about at his website. DaXun is also professor of double bass at the University of Texas-Austin, so check out their website if you’d like to learn more about studying with him, and be sure to visit daxunzhang.com for more about this great artist. Enjoy!   About DaXun: “If the bass is finally to produce a headliner, the instrument can have no better champion,” wrote The Washington Post of double bassist DAXUN ZHANG, who has indeed made his mark as a soloist on this unusual instrument. In April 2007, Mr. Zhang won an Avery Fisher Career Grant, only the second double bassist in the history of this prestigious award. This summer he was invited by cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han to participate in the chamber music festival Music@Menlo in California and performs Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet at the Indiana University Summer Chamber Music Series. During the 2007-2008 season he continues his residency with Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society Two, and performs with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project in a series of concerts and cultural exchanges in China. He performs as soloist with the University of Northern Colorado Symphony and gives recitals at Indiana University, Rodef Shalom Congregation (PA), and McCain Performances (KS). Mr. Zhang has performed extensively with the Silk Road Project, including concerts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, at Carnegie Hall, and in Japan and California. With Mr. Ma he recorded the soundtrack to a 10-part documentary series on the Silk Road, which aired in Japan on NHK Television. The CD was released as “Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon” on Sony Classical. He has also joined with fellow Silk Road musician and pipa player Yang Wei and pianist Tomoko Kashiwagi to form the innovative chamber ensemble Qi Lin. As concerto soloist, Mr. Zhang has appeared with orchestras including Orange County’s Pacific Symphony, the Monroe Symphony Orchestra, the Grand Rapids Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle and the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra. He has given recitals at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, the University of Georgia, Missouri State University, and at the Chinese Embassy in the Embassy Series in Washington, DC. He has also performed chamber music at the La Jolla Music Society’s Summerfest, the Linton Chamber Music Series in Cincinnati, the Strings in the Mountains Music Festival and the Vancouver Chamber Music Festival. DaXun Zhang is the first double bass player to win the Young Concert Artists International Auditions and start a career under the auspices of Young Concert Artists. He made his New York debut sponsored by the Claire Tow Prize and his Washington, DC debut as a co-presentation with Washington Performing Arts Society. He also won the La Jolla Music Society Prize, the Orchestra New England Soloist Prize, and The Fergus Prize. In April 2006, Mr. Zhang performed Bizet’s Carmen Fantasy in at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall with Keith Lockhart conducting the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. DaXun Zhang comes from a family of bassists in Harbin, China. He has been playing the instrument since the age of nine, and studied at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing beginning at the age of eleven. He continued his studies in the U.S. at the Interlochen Arts Academy and received his Bachelor of Music at the Indiana University School of Music, where he worked with Lawrence Hurst. He has served on the faculty of Northwestern University and was recently appointed Assistant Professor of Double Bass at the University of Texas at Austin. Mr. Zhang was the first double bassist ever to win First Prize in the 2003 WAMSO (Women’s Auxiliary of the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra) competition, leading to a performance with the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra with Osmo Vanska, conducting. In 2001, Mr. Zhang was the youngest artist ever to win the International Society of Bassists Solo Competition. He has also received the Grand Prize of the American String Teachers Association National Solo Competition. DaXun’s Website: www.daxunzhang.com

We’re featuring an interview with double bass soloist and University of Texas-Austin bass professor DaXun Zhang today, as well as featuring more tracks from this stellar musician. Along with the conclusion of our interview, we’ll be featuring DaXun performing a very cool Chinese piece for bass called Sun SHines on Taxkorgan. It’s available on his self-titled solo album, which you can learn more about at his website. DaXun is also professor of double bass at the University of Texas-Austin, so check out their website if you’d like to learn more about studying with him, and be sure to visit daxunzhang.com for more about this great artist. Enjoy!   About DaXun: “If the bass is finally to produce a headliner, the instrument can have no better champion,” wrote The Washington Post of double bassist DAXUN ZHANG, who has indeed made his mark as a soloist on this unusual instrument. In April 2007, Mr. Zhang won an Avery Fisher Career Grant, only the second double bassist in the history of this prestigious award. This summer he was invited by cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han to participate in the chamber music festival Music@Menlo in California and performs Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet at the Indiana University Summer Chamber Music Series. During the 2007-2008 season he continues his residency with Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society Two, and performs with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project in a series of concerts and cultural exchanges in China. He performs as soloist with the University of Northern Colorado Symphony and gives recitals at Indiana University, Rodef Shalom Congregation (PA), and McCain Performances (KS). Mr. Zhang has performed extensively with the Silk Road Project, including concerts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, at Carnegie Hall, and in Japan and California. With Mr. Ma he recorded the soundtrack to a 10-part documentary series on the Silk Road, which aired in Japan on NHK Television. The CD was released as “Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon” on Sony Classical. He has also joined with fellow Silk Road musician and pipa player Yang Wei and pianist Tomoko Kashiwagi to form the innovative chamber ensemble Qi Lin. As concerto soloist, Mr. Zhang has appeared with orchestras including Orange County’s Pacific Symphony, the Monroe Symphony Orchestra, the Grand Rapids Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle and the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra. He has given recitals at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, the University of Georgia, Missouri State University, and at the Chinese Embassy in the Embassy Series in Washington, DC. He has also performed chamber music at the La Jolla Music Society’s Summerfest, the Linton Chamber Music Series in Cincinnati, the Strings in the Mountains Music Festival and the Vancouver Chamber Music Festival. DaXun Zhang is the first double bass player to win the Young Concert Artists International Auditions and start a career under the auspices of Young Concert Artists. He made his New York debut sponsored by the Claire Tow Prize and his Washington, DC debut as a co-presentation with Washington Performing Arts Society. He also won the La Jolla Music Society Prize, the Orchestra New England Soloist Prize, and The Fergus Prize. In April 2006, Mr. Zhang performed Bizet’s Carmen Fantasy in at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall with Keith Lockhart conducting the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. DaXun Zhang comes from a family of bassists in Harbin, China. He has been playing the instrument since the age of nine, and studied at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing beginning at the age of eleven. He continued his studies in the U.S. at the Interlochen Arts Academy and received his Bachelor of Music at the Indiana University School of Music, where he worked with Lawrence Hurst. He has served on the faculty of Northwestern University and was recently appointed Assistant Professor of Double Bass at the University of Texas at Austin. Mr. Zhang was the first double bassist ever to win First Prize in the 2003 WAMSO (Women’s Auxiliary of the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra) competition, leading to a performance with the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra with Osmo Vanska, conducting. In 2001, Mr. Zhang was the youngest artist ever to win the International Society of Bassists Solo Competition. He has also received the Grand Prize of the American String Teachers Association National Solo Competition. DaXun’s Website: www.daxunzhang.com

This week’s Contrabass Conversations episode features an interview with and music from Chicago Symphony bassist Rob Kassinger. Rob’s musical interests span many genres and include both the electric bass and the double bass. You will learn about Rob’s early years on the bass and how working in jazz and rock settings led to an interest in orchestral double bass playing in this fascinating interview. This episode also features Rob playing the first movement of the Breval Sonata in a live performance, and it includes a track from NYCO, a rock band that Rob was a member of for several years. You will be hearing People We Knew from their recent album “Two". You can purchase “Two" by following this link. Enjoy! About Rob: Robert Kassinger was appointed to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1993. Prior to Chicago, Rob performed as assistant principal bass with the Colorado Symphony and also played with the New Orleans Symphony. In addition to his busy schedule with the Orchestra, Rob is an active chamber musician. He performs with the Revolution Ensemble, the Orion Ensemble, Fulcrum Point, Ars Viva, Music of the Baroque, the Callisto Ensemble, MusicNOW, and broadcasts on WFMT and WTTW. Most recently he has been a featured guest with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, and has performed Schubert’s Trout Quintet with Daniel Barenboim. In July 2006, Rob served as double bass professor at the Canton International Summer Music Academy, led by Charles Dutoit. Rob grew up in a family of musicians in Boulder, Colorado. He began his bass studies with Frank Carroll at the University of Colorado. In 1985 he moved to New York to study with Homer Mensch at the Manhattan School of Music, where he received his bachelor of music degree. Rob then pursued his master’s degree at the Juilliard School, continuing his studies with Mr. Mensch. He later went on to study with Bruce Bransby at Indiana University. Some of his most influential experiences as a student were his two years as principal bass of the New York String Orchestra Seminar, conducted by Alexander Schneider, and the two summers he spent as a fellowship student at the Aspen Music Festival, studying with Stuart Sankey and Bruce Bransby. In 1989 Rob was the winner of the Aspen Double Bass Competition. Rob’s experience as a jazz performer dates back to his early teens, working in the house rhythm section at the infamous Denver jazz club El Chapultapec, and over the years he has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Kenny Burrell, the Woody Herman band, Conte Candoli, Charlie Rouse, Teddy Edwards, Harold Land, Red Holloway, Charles Brown, Art Lande, Richard Stoltzman, Gary Burton, Alex Acuna, Laurence Hobgood, and Bobby Lewis. In 1998 and 2000, Rob toured India with the Chicago Jazz Express, and he can be heard on their recordings Voyage to India and The Rhythm Section. He also appears on Bobby Lewis’ latest CD, Just Havin’ Some Fun. In addition, Rob is featured on Daniel Barenboim’s Brazilian Rhapsody on the Teldec label, and Kabbalah Blues/Quantum Funk by the Revolution Ensemble. Rob’s latest project has given him a chance to spend more time with the bass guitar. His alternative rock group NYCO has released its debut album Two, available through nycomusic.com and at Itunes.com. Rob is professor of double bass at DePaul University. He is also in demand as a coach and master clinician, serving in this capacity for the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, the Juilliard School, and the Mannes School of Music. In the summers of 1999 through 2002, it was Rob’s honor to teach at the West-Eastern Divan, a ground-breaking workshop that brings young musicians from Israel and various Arab countries together to study orchestral music with Daniel Barenboim, Yo-Yo Ma, and members of the CSO, Berlin Philharmonic, and Staatskapelle Berlin.