WFMT: Critical Thinking and Critic's Choice

Andrew presents a 2014 conversation with Bernard Haitink discussing his 60th anniversary year as a conductor of leading international orchestras.

Andrew returns to the airwaves following a seven week recovery from a fall.  Andrew remembers Robin Williams and discusses matters of mental health in this week’s Critic’s Choice.

Andrew shares some of the commissioned pieces from U.S. composers on “American Vernacular: new music for solo piano,” the latest recording from Midwest pianist Nicholas Phillips. (And an additional teaser, too, from Chicago composer Bernard Rands, who celebrated his 80th birthday in March)

In an encore presentation from 2011, Andrew reads a favorite short story by James Alan McPherson, “A Matter of Vocabulary” from his 1969 collection Hue and Cry. A longtime faculty member at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop at The University of Iowa, McPherson, born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1943, was in the first class of MacArthur Fellows more...

Critic’s Choice is a weekly feature in which WFMT’s Critic-at-Large Andrew Patner shares his observations on arts and culture, from performances at Orchestra Hall to happenings in overlooked Chicago neighborhoods to festivals around the world.

Andrew’s guest is pianist and writer Jeremy Denk, who was in town for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Keys to the City Piano Festival.  Jeremy’s new album Ligeti/Beethoven is out now on the Nonesuch label.

Andrew shares an article written by Gerald Stein from last year regarding greatness and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Andrew continues with the conclusion of his conversation with Bob Riesman, author of the recent book “I Feel So Good: The Life and Times of Big Bill Broonzy,” on the legendary Chicago blues and folk musician.

With the acclaimed Steve James documentary on the late Roger Ebert, Life Itself, now in theaters, Andrew rebroadcasts his commentary from Roger’s death in April of last year.

Andrew talks with Bob Riesman, author of the recent book “I Feel So Good: The Life and Times of Big Bill Broonzy,” in the second of a series on the legendary Chicago blues and folk musician.

Tonight on Critical Thinking with Andrew Patner, we feature music recently recorded by Wisconsin-based pianist Nicholas Phillips of Croatian composer Boris Papandopulo (1906-1991).

Andrew shares the second hour of a two-part “exit interview with music” with Deborah F. Rutter.  Rutter leaves her longtime position as president of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association today to head the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. beginning in September.

This year’s Beethoven Festival, scheduled to take place in September, is in trouble.  Andrew outlines its problems, and points to solutions in this week’s Critic’s Choice.

Andrew shares a new conversation with Riccardo Muti.  The Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director talks about Verdi he has not conducted, Richard Strauss works he plans to add to his repertoire, and the role of principal players in an ensemble.   Riccardo Muti leads the final CSO programs of the season — the Schubert Fifth more...

Andrew revives the 1947 Broadway musical by E.Y. “Yip” Harburg and Burl Lane, “Finian’s Rainbow” via its original cast recording.