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An Alpine Symphony, by Richard Strauss, depicts a dawn to dusk climb up a mountain.

An Alpine Symphony, by Richard Strauss, depicts a dawn to dusk climb up a mountain. iStockphoto.com hide caption

itoggle caption iStockphoto.com

Deceptive Cadence

Richard Strauss' Musical Mountain Climb

Marking the 100th anniversary of An Alpine Symphony, take a guided tour through Strauss' evocative music with conductor Semyon Bychkov and author David Hurwitz as trail guides.

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Conductor Andris Nelsons led the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus Thursday in Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky at Carnegie Hall in New York.

Conductor Andris Nelsons led the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus Thursday in Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky at Carnegie Hall in New York. AJ Wilhelm for NPR hide caption

itoggle caption AJ Wilhelm for NPR

Classics in Concert

A Tale Of Two Sergeys: Boston Symphony Orchestra At Carnegie Hall

WQXR radio

Conductor Andris Nelsons rallies the Tanglewood Festival Chorus in Prokofiev's riotous Alexander Nevsky and makes the orchestra shine in Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances.

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Teddy Abrams conducts the Louisville Orchestra in his first concert as Music Director in Spring 2014.

Teddy Abrams conducts the Louisville Orchestra in his first concert as Music Director in Spring 2014. O'Neil Arnold/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

itoggle caption O'Neil Arnold/Courtesy of the artist

Deceptive Cadence

In Louisville, A Young Conductor Seeks To Challenge And Delight

At 28, Teddy Abrams is the youngest-ever music director of the Louisville Orchestra. He speaks with Rachel Martin about the task of making classical music at once accessible and provocative.

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Tigran Hamasyan merges ancient Armenian sacred music with jazz piano.

Tigran Hamasyan merges ancient Armenian sacred music with jazz piano. Vahan Stepanyan/ECM hide caption

itoggle caption Vahan Stepanyan/ECM

Deceptive Cadence

Songs We Love: Tigran Hamasyan, 'Your Mercy is Boundless'

Award-winning pianist Tigran Hamasyan merges ancient sacred hymns from his homeland with improvisation, and a little mystery.

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Thomas Newman poses for a portrait at a luncheon for Oscar nominees in February 2014, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Thomas Newman poses for a portrait at a luncheon for Oscar nominees in February 2014, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Matt Sayles/Invision/AP hide caption

itoggle caption Matt Sayles/Invision/AP

Movies

When John Williams Can't Go, Whom Does Spielberg Call? Thomas Newman

It's been decades since Steven Spielberg directed a film without Williams' help. With the composer unable to do his latest, Bridge of Spies, Spielberg kept it in the "extended family," tapping Newman.

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Alan Gilbert leads the New York Philharmonic, with pianist Evgeny Kissin, at Carnegie Hall's gala opening concert, Oct. 7.

Alan Gilbert leads the New York Philharmonic, with pianist Evgeny Kissin, at Carnegie Hall's gala opening concert, Oct. 7. AJ Wilhelm /for NPR hide caption

itoggle caption AJ Wilhelm /for NPR

Carnegie Hall Live

The New York Philharmonic At Carnegie Hall

WQXR radio

A world premiere by Magnus Lindberg and a time-honored concerto played by Evgeny Kissin bring history and celebration to Carnegie's season-opening concert.

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The last photo of Leon Klinghoffer, taken on the cruise ship Achille Lauro in 1985. He was killed there during a hijacking.

The last photo of Leon Klinghoffer, taken on the cruise ship Achille Lauro in 1985. He was killed there during a hijacking. Courtesy of the American Jewish Historical Society at the Center for Jewish History hide caption

itoggle caption Courtesy of the American Jewish Historical Society at the Center for Jewish History

Deceptive Cadence

30 Years After Their Father's Murder, Klinghoffer Daughters Step Onto Their Own Stage

Leon Klinghoffer was killed during the hijacking of the Achille Lauro — and later became a character in a controversial opera. His daughters want people to know him in a different way.

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Pianist Anthony de Mare commissioned 36 composers to rework songs by Stephen Sondheim for the new album Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim from The Piano.

Pianist Anthony de Mare commissioned 36 composers to rework songs by Stephen Sondheim for the new album Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim from The Piano. Paolo Soriani/ECM Records hide caption

itoggle caption Paolo Soriani/ECM Records

Deceptive Cadence

'Re-Imagining Sondheim': A Pianist And His Peers Deconstruct The Master

Seated at the piano in NPR's studios, Anthony de Mare explains why he commissioned composers from the classical, jazz and Broadway worlds to interpret some of Sondheim's finest songs.

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