by Kile Smith | Aug 22, 2008 | church music, hymn, Music Composition, New Compositions, new music
The story goes that Stalin wanted a national hymn written and asked Shostakovich, “Will three months be enough time?” and that the composer answered, “Five days will do.” This is how I heard it. Shostakovich didn’t get the job, but I’ve often recalled the story...
by Kile Smith | Aug 15, 2008 | Classical music
It was during “America the Beautiful” that I noticed the minor third. We were seated outside the carillon tower in Luray, Virginia, when, at precisely 8:00, as advertised, David Breneman began his elegantly played 45-minute program with this piece. There’s something...
by Kile Smith | Aug 8, 2008 | Classical music, Music Composition, New Compositions, new music
The Bremen Town Musicians, my piece written for children’s audiences, will have its first beyond-Pennsylvania performance at the Newburyport Chamber Music Festival. Newburyport Public Library in Newburyport, Massachusetts is the place, the time is 4 p.m., and the day...
by Kile Smith | Aug 2, 2008 | CDs, Classical music, liturgical music, Lutheran, Music Composition, New Compositions, new music
David Patrick Stearns of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Jim Cotter of WRTI’s Creatively Speaking put last week’s radio segment together with this film (just over 5 minutes). Great shots with some raw takes of Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn, Wie schön leuchtet der...
