The New Criterion Podcasts

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights in this month’s issue and reads from its opening pages.

Mariss Jansons, the great Latvian conductor, born in 1943, died toward the end of last year. Jay talks about him, relating stories both from him and about him. (Jay interviewed Jansons twice, ten years apart.) And, of course, we hear music—from Jansons and his orchestras. Tracks played: Bizet-Shchedrin, from “Carmen Suite” Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 2 in C minor Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 in D minor...

Michael Anton, a scholar and former staffer for the National Security Council, discusses the notion of a “liberal international order” and its place in the present-day war of ideas. Audio taken from The New Criterion’s “Sovereignty or Submission” conference in Washington, D.C. An adapted form of this address appeared in the January 2020 issue of The New Criterion as “The enemy is an idea.”

Angelo M. Codevilla, a professor emeritus of international relations at Boston University and a fellow at the Claremont Institute, discusses the notion of liberty as it relates to American history and self-governance. An adapted form of this address appeared in the January 2020 issue of The New Criterion as “Liberty: collective and individual.”

John Fonte, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and the author of Sovereignty or Submission: Will Americans Rule Themselves or be Ruled by Others? (Encounter), offers his thoughts on “transnational progressivism” and the forces abetting it.

Victor Davis Hanson, who is the 2019–20 Visiting Critic for The New Criterion, discusses the notion of citizenship as understood in the twenty-first century. Audio taken from The New Criterion’s “Sovereignty or Submission” conference in Washington, D.C. An adapted form of this address appeared in the January 2020 issue of The New Criterion as “Pre- and post-citizens.”

Jay begins with a Schubert work, and some singers and pianists who have performed it. He moves on to a funky, frenetic thing called “Techno-Parade.” Later, there is some Wagner by a great new singer. There is some immortal Rachmaninoff. And, at the very end, a song by the late Jerry Herman: “It’s Today,” from “Mame.” A diverse, appetizing musical menu. Tracks played: Schubert, “Winterreise,” Schäf...

James Piereson, a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, discusses the genesis of the American nation-state. Audio taken from The New Criterion’s “Sovereignty or Submission” conference in Washington, D.C. An adapted form of this address appeared in the January 2020 issue of The New Criterion as “The idea of an American nation.”

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights in this month’s issue and reads from its opening pages.

Jay plays his favorite Christmas tracks: from Bach to gospel to jazz and beyond. Performers include Hermann Prey, James Cleveland, George Shearing, Heidi Grant Murphy, and Leontyne Price. A gift of a podcast. Tracks played: Bach, “Grosser Herr, o starker König” from the Christmas Oratorio “The First Nowell” (Schwarzkopf et al.) “I Saw Three Ships” (Schwarzkopf et al.) “Ding Dong Merrily on High” (...

James Panero on the legacy of John Simon (1925–2019), the inimitable critic and longtime contributor to The New Criterion.

Jay went to the ballet in Kyiv, for “Carmen Suite” and “Scheherazade.” He said, “It was the most erotic evening you could ever spend alone.” He plays some music from “Carmen Suite” in this episode, plus Bach, Scriabin, and Glass. And Frank Bridge, that half remembered and estimable English composer. There is much beauty, and much of interest, in this episode. Tracks played: Bach, Toccata in F-shar...

James Hankins, a Professor of History at Harvard, joins James Panero to discuss the monumental Leonardo exhibition at the Louvre and the artist’s legacy five hundred years after his death.

This episode begins with a liturgical piece by James MacMillan—a living composer—and ends with another liturgical piece by Wynton Marsalis—another living composer. In between, you’ve got some Saint-Saëns, some Sibelius, and some other music. Jay says some provocative—possibly offensive—things about a couple of cello concertos. Otherwise, it’s sweetness and light, mainly. A good show. Tracks played...

The Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion discusses highlights in this month’s issue and remembers the life and work of Peter Collier.

James Panero discusses the architectural virtues and vices of the American home, and culls a few examples of past styles from the city of Portland, Maine.

Jay ends with “Rustle of Spring,” the piano piece by Christian Sinding. It used to be universally known. It deserved to be. Jay also plays Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Shostakovich, Amy Beach, Havergal Brian, and Jörg Widmann. He tells some stories, makes some points. A rich and diverse world, music. Tracks played: Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No. 1 Brian, Double Fugue in E flat Widmann, “Con brio” Brahms,...

James Panero recounts a recent trip to Mystic, Connecticut, and offers his thoughts on “J. M. W. Turner: Watercolors from Tate” and other developments at the Mystic Seaport Museum.

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights in this month’s issue and reads from its opening pages.

When Harriet Cohen finishes playing her arrangement of Bach’s “Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier,” Jay says, “Holy stuff.” There is other stuff too in this episode: including “Tain’t What You Do (It’s How You Do It).” There may also be a little Beach Boys, classically performed. Jay likes that opening Bach piece so much, he ends with it, too: in a different version. Bach-Cohen, “Liebster Jesu, wir sind...

Remarks occasioned by Criterion Books’ republication of Russell Kirk’s “Old House of Fear,” with a new introduction by James Panero. https://newcriterion.com/bookstore?mode=criterion

Gary Saul Morson, the Lawrence B. Dumas Professor of the Arts and Humanities at Northwestern University, delivers the inaugural Circle Lecture on the pernicious legacy of Vladimir Lenin.

Someone asked Jay to name one composer whose music he would take with him to a desert island. He names him (Bach). He also says farewell to Marcello Giordani, the Italian tenor, and Jessye Norman, the American soprano. We also get an opera overture, a Beethoven overture, some Gershwin—and “Take This Job and Shove It.” Quite a menu, quite a program. Tracks played: Bach, Prelude in C major, Book I,...

Gary Saul Morson, the Lawrence B. Dumas Professor of the Arts and Humanities at Northwestern University and the author of “Leninthink,” joins James Panero to discuss the pernicious legacy of Vladimir Lenin.

Roger Kimball, the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion, discusses highlights in this month’s issue and reads from its opening pages.