Previn and the Pittsburgh

Feb 27, 1977

Previn discusses Mozart's life and genius, performs his "C-Major Sonata for Four Hands" with Patricia Prattis-Jennings, then conducts the symphony in "piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor".

Mar 6, 1977

Previn conducts the symphony in Stravinsky's "Firebird", and soloist Horatio Gutierrez plays Tchaikovsky's "Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Minor".

Mar 13, 1977

The award-winning Broadway composer-lyricist talks about his craft and the state of today's musical theatre. Cast members of the London revue "Side by Side by Sondheim" perform three of his songs, including the Grammy-winning "Send In The Clowns".

Mar 20, 1977

Previn and guest Thomas Hoving, director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, examine the Impressionistic movement and its influence in music. Previn conducts the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in examples of what they discussed: Debussy's "Afternoon of a Faun", Ravel's "Daphnis and Chloe", and others.

Mar 27, 1977

Jazz pianist Oscar Peterson joins Previn at the keyboard for a lively two-man show of conversation and music reflecting on Peterson's career and the creation and improvisation of the jazz sound.

Apr 3, 1977

As television cameras observe an actual Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra rehearsal, Previn explains the importance of the rehearsal process.

Apr 10, 1977

Violinist Isaac Stern joins pianist Andre Previn and cellist Michael Grebanier of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for an intimate program of chamber music and conversation.

Apr 17, 1977

Previn conducts the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as they perform "Symphony No. 2" by Brahms and "Classical Symphony" by Prokofiev.

Mar 26, 1978

Composer John Williams, who wrote the music for Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Star Wars, joins for performances of Star Wars Suite and music from Adventures of Robin Hood, Henry V, and The Blue Max.

Apr 2, 1978

Composer Sir William Walton is honored with a performance of his oratorio "Belshazzar's Feast", which includes baritone John Shirley-Quirk, the Penn State University Chorus, and the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Apr 9, 1978

The musical comedy team of Betty Comden and Adolph Green join for reminiscences of their movie musical days in Hollywood. Classic material includes Bells Are Ringing, On The Town, and Singin' In The Rain.

Apr 16, 1978

With principal pianist Patricia Prattis Jennings of the Pittsburgh Symphony, Previn performs Mozart's "Concerto for Two Pianos in E-Flat". The orchestra is joined by Korean violinist Kyung Wha Chung for the violin concerto of Sir William Walton.

Apr 23, 1978

Isaac Stern, Pinchas Zukerman, and Nathaniel Rosen, principal cellist for the Pittsburgh Symphony, join Previn in an informal setting for some chat and music-making, including Mozart's G-Minor quartet for piano, violin, viola, and cello.

Apr 30, 1978

Previn conducts the Pittsburgh Symphony in a performance of Richard Strauss' Alpine Symphony, then examines some of Strauss' musical themes and discusses their use in a lecture-demonstration at the piano.

May 7, 1978

Dame Janet discusses her artistic career with Previn, who accompanies her in a performance of the song cycle she commissioned him to write.

May 14, 1978

The 70-minute-long requiem features the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, soprano Barbara Hendricks, and baritone Ryan Edwards. An informal talk by Previn, revealing his deepest feelings on the piece, follows in this expanded 90-minute season finale.

Apr 3, 1979

Ella Fitzgerald discusses her career, from Chick Webb to the big bands to the song books of Gershwin and Cole Porter and beyond. and sings some old favorites with her combo.

Apr 10, 1979

Composer John Williams premieres his new "Superman Suite", Miklos Rozsa conducts the Pittsburgh Symphony in his "Ben Hur Suite", and Previn conducts film scores from Psycho, The Seahawk, and Now Voyager. Previn, Williams, and Rozsa talk about the relationship between composers and movie producers in the old - and new - days of Hollywood.

Apr 17, 1979

Violinist Itzhak Perlman performs the Sibelius Violin Concerto with the Pittsburgh Symphony, then talks with conductor Andre Previn.

Apr 24, 1979

Cellist Nathaniel Rosen, the first American to win the Tchaikovsky Competition since Van Cliburn, is featured soloist in Richard Strauss' "Don Quixote". Rosen also performs a movement from the Prokofiev Cello Sonata, accompanied by Previn on piano, and talks about his experience in Moscow.

May 8, 1979

Violinist Yehudi Menuhin performs chamber music with Pittsburgh Symphony cellist Ann Martindale Williams and Previn.

May 15, 1979

Pittsburgh Symphony and Penn State University Choir perform the concert favorite, Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" - a lively piece set to medieval poems.

May 22, 1979

This tribute to English composer Benjamin Britten features concert tenor Robert Tear and French hornist Barry Tuckwell soloing in "Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings", and also includes the ballet suite "Prince of the Pagoda". Previn, Tear, and Tuckwell reminisce about the composer.

Oct 6, 1982

A candid close-up on the making of a jazz record, this special features violinist Itzhak Perlman, Andre Previn on piano, Shelly Manne on drums, Red Mitchell on bass, and Jim Hall on guitar playing original music by Previn.

Nov 3, 1982

Pianist Horacio Gutierrez joins Andre Previn and the Pittsburgh Symphony for a performance of Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto from Heinz Hall, and a humorous chat about the composer's thoughts and problems with his 1909 masterpiece.

Dec 15, 1982

Highlights from Pittsburgh's city-wide festival honoring British music and arts in the fall of 1981. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma joins Previn and the Pittsburgh Symphony to perform Sir Edward Elgar's "Cello Concerto". The Symphony also performs the final movement of the Second Symphony of Sir William Walton. British composers Oliver Knussen, John McCabe, and Sir Michael Tippett also appear.