Airs Sunday, January 1, 2017, at 6 p.m. New discoveries from a lost stash of klezmer recordings are changing what we know about the genre - Working class Americans used to love opera... so what happened? - Favorite holiday music and memories from Charlie Brown to Donny Hathaway
A new CD anthology: Chekhov’s Band: Eastern European Klezmer 1908-1913 reveals what traditional Jewish Klezmer music sounded like before the Russian Revolution. Joel Rubin is a master Klezmer musician. He speaks about this treasure trove of music and plays from his work with the band Veretski Pass on their new CD Poyln. Also: There was a time when opera was as beloved in American society as sitcoms and movies are today — but it all came crashing to a halt in 1873. Katherine Preston walks us through the forgotten history of the American people’s love affair with opera and how it turned into theater for the elite.
Later in the show: Whether it’s a traditional hymn or a holiday song from our childhood, many feel Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without the music that marks this season. The sense of joy, comfort, or spiritual uplift comes in all kinds of music at this time of year. From a Charlie Brown Christmas to Donny Hathaway and carols from the 15th century, Inman Majors, Hermine Pinson, and Rob Vaughan share their favorite holiday music and memories.