February 16, 2009
The Color of Music
We all hear with our ears, but there's a small minority of people who seem to hear with their eyes too. They see colors when they hear music. It's called synesthesia. Hour one of today's show is all about the phenomenon, featuring interviews with synesthetes and the scientists who have studied them, plus music by synesthetic composers.
Today's Playlist
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Alexander Scriabin
"Vers la Flamme" ("Toward the Flame")
Pianist Ruth Laredo
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Robert Schumann
Preambule from "Carnaval," Op. 9
Pianist Joyce Yang
Aspen Music Festival, Aspen, Colorado
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Felix Mendelssohn
Scherzo from Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 49
Violinist Cho-Liang Lin, cellist Andrew Shulman, and pianist Joyce Yang
Aspen Music Festival, Aspen, Colorado
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Leonard Bernstein
Divertimento for Orchestra
National Orchestra Institute Philharmonic with conductor Jorge Mester
University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
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Peter Torke
"Yellow Pages" and "White Pages," from "Telephone Book"
The Australia Ensemble
University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia
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Olivier Messiaen
Prelude ("The Dove")
Pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard
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Andrew York
"B&B"
The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
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John Philip Sousa
"George Washington Bicentennial March"
The United States Marine Band with conductor Colonel Timothy W. Foley
University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
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John Stafford Smith
"The Star-Spangled Banner"
Violinists Elena Urioste and Melissa White
Sphinx Competition, Detroit
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Aaron Copland
"Appalachian Spring"
The River Oaks Chamber Orchestra with conductor Tanya Ratner
St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, Houston
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John Philip Sousa
"The Black Horse Troop"
The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
Kaul Auditorium, Portland, Oregon
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Count Basie
"Jumpin' at the Woodside"
The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
Kaul Auditorium, Portland, Oregon
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Traditional (Arranged by Andrew York)
"Shenandoah"
The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
Kaul Auditorium, Portland, Oregon
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Aaron Copland
"Hoe Down," from "Rodeo"
The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
Kaul Auditorium, Portland, Oregon