Music

From the deep basses in the music of Russian masters Golovanov and Stravinsky to the familiar sound of Mozart’s "Ave Verum Corpus" and Poulenc’s "Mass in G Major", Cathedral Classics sets a tone that is both somber and glorious, perfect for the Easter season.
Times are tough in the classical music world. Orchestras around the country are cutting staff and operating in the red. But the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra expects to end the season with a balanced budget, and has boosted its audience by 40 percent in one year.
For decades, Hibo Mohamed Nuur's legendary voice drew thousands to concerts from Mogadishu to Toronto. They still call her the James Brown of Somali music. But for the past few years Nuur's lived in relative obscurity in Rochester.
Song writing is easy for folk musician John McCutcheon. The prolific artist says some songs come to him in a flash of revelation and all he has to do is put the words and melody on paper. McCutcheon has produced 26 collections of songs during his 30-year career. His latest CD, The Greatest Story Never Told, delves into the past, looking back at historical events that had worldwide significance and smaller episodes that hold personal meaning. McCutcheon told MPR's All Things Considered host Lorna Benson he first considered becoming a professional musician on a trip he took to Appalachia, while he was a student at St. John's University in Collegeville.
Vern Sutton, a living Minnesota opera legend, is retiring. He's ending 36 years as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota School of Music. However, Sutton is not yet ready to leave the stage.
The Corpse Carrier's Tango was written in 1943 by Aleksander Kulisiewicz. The song is sung in Polish by mezzo soprano Julie Mirel. Here is the English translation of the lyrics.
Mister C was written in 1940 by Aleksander Kulisiewicz. The song is sung in Polish by mezzo soprano Julie Mirel. Here is the English translation of the lyrics.
The Chamber Music Society of Minnesota presents the Midwest premiere of "Camp Songs" -- five poems from the Holocaust set to music. Many people might imagine music inspired by the Holocaust to be mournful, respectful of the dead. But what sets these songs apart is their bitter defiance and humor in the face of war and death.
Sounds Irish celebrates the brilliant music at the heart of Irish life. Classical meets Celtic this year, as Tom remembers musician Derek Bell of the Chieftains, who died unexpectedly in October while the group was on a US tour. The Belfast native will no doubt be remembered as a member of the one of the most famous Irish bands in the world. But he was also a classically trained composer and instrumentalist, accomplished on the oboe, English horn, and keyboards.
Haley Bonar is keeping busy. She's playing regularly in Duluth. Her new CD is coming out. And she's going on a national tour this spring. She's doing all right for a 19-year-old who quit college to write songs.