Clef Notes

Here at Clef Notes, we’re always interested in how classical music is used in works of literature. This month, we review Deborah Levy’s latest novel August Blue (2023). The book is told from the perspective of a famed concert pianist named Elsa A. Anderson, who suddenly walks off stage in the middle of a performance. Leaving her illustrious performing career behind, she travels Europe in search of her identity outside of the one that was created for her. What ensues is a journey of self-discovery told through Levy’s shimmering prose that blends the hyperreal with the surreal.

Classical manager Max Ramirez takes us through some changes coming to the programming on Classical 90.9 in the new year.

We had the honor of interviewing author and botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer, recipient of the 2023 National Humanities Medal. Kimmerer wrote the libretto for Singing Land, a new piece commissioned by the Jupiter String Quartet with music by composer Su Lian Tan. The Jupiter String Quartet and UI Chamber Singers will premiere Singing Land on Sunday, January 26 at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Read on to learn more about Singing Land and what Kimmerer hopes audiences take away from the work.

Around the world, people celebrate the dawning of a new year with a wide array of traditions. In the United States, we set off fireworks and watch the ball drop from Times Square, while in other countries people eat grapes, burn effigies, jump off chairs, and even throw furniture and plates out of windows. Across cultural traditions there is one common thread—music—whether it’s the tolling of bells, the singing of folk songs, or the dancing of Viennese waltzes. In the English-speaking world, the music we generally associate with New Year’s celebrations is the Scottish air “Auld Lang Syne.” In this article, we investigate the origins behind this wistful ode to times and friends gone by.

In spite of its historical inaccuracy, Amadeus (1984) is still one of the greatest films about classical music of all time. Directed by Miloš Forman, Amadeus was adapted from Peter Shaffer’s 1979 stage play of the same name, which itself was inspired by Alexander Pushkin’s 1830 play Mozart and Salieri. In honor of the film’s 40th anniversary, we discuss why it has endured as a classic film beloved by musicians and non-musicians alike.

Recently, there has been a spate of films about classical music starring A-list actors: Bradley Cooper as conductor Leonard Bernstein in Maestro (2023), Cate Blanchett as the fictional conductor Lydia Tár in Tár (2022), and now Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas in Maria, in theaters November 27 and streaming on Netflix December 11. Each role has demanded significant preparation from the lead actors, requiring them to master skills such as conducting, playing the piano, speaking German, and in Jolie’s case, singing. In this article, we preview how Jolie trained for the role of Callas and what making the film has taught her.

Legendary music producer, composer, and arranger Quincy Jones passed away on Sunday, November 3 at the age of 91. His prodigious musical talent, indefatigable work ethic, and ability to build relationships with top musicians across genres propelled his long and varied career. Most people will be familiar with his work as producer of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the best-selling album of all time. But did you know Quincy Jones had extensive classical training with Nadia Boulanger, one of the most renowned composition teachers of the twentieth century? Read on to learn more about Jones’s classical training and how it influenced his career, and be sure to tune into WILL-TV on Tuesday, December 31 at 10:30 pm for Quincy Jones: A Musical Celebration in Paris.

Hailed by The New Yorker as “an ensemble of eloquent intensity [that] has matured into one of the mainstays of the American chamber-music scene,” the Jupiter Quartet returns to the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on November 12 with a program of quartets by Ludwig van Beethoven, Kati Agócs, and Franz Schubert. We sat down with two members of the University of Illinois’ Quartet-in-Residence to discuss their upcoming season. In particular, we preview Singing Land, a work for chamber choir and string quartet by composer Su Lian Tan with words by botanist/writer Robin Wall Kimmerer. Singing Land is the latest in a series of Jupiter Quartet-commissioned works celebrating the environment.

On Thursday, November 7, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra returns to the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts—its downstate home away from home. Led by Music Director Emeritus for Life Riccardo Muti, the CSO will play music from Muti’s native Italy alongside selections by Falla and Chabrier. Excitingly, the program will also include the world premiere of Osvaldo Golijov’s Megalopolis Suite from his score to Francis Ford Coppola’s latest film, Megalopolis. Read on to learn more about the CSO’s history at Krannert and the November 7 program.

We are pleased to announce the addition of a new show to our weekday programming. Starting Monday, October 7, we will be carrying Anytime Classical with host John Nasukaluk Clare. Airing weekdays from noon to 1 p.m. on FM 90.9, the program comes to us from our partners at Classical Music Indianapolis. The show will feature classical favorites, new music, and occasional interviews with composers and artists performing in cities across the Midwest. Read on to learn more about Clare and how he approaches programming for Anytime Classical.