The 9 a.m. almanac: A musical hour through May 17 history

🎶 Saturday Morning Almanac – May 17 Edition!
Your 9 a.m. Hour of Musical Milestones on Classic 107 🎶

Happy Saturday, classical friends! Pour yourself a second cup of coffee and settle in for a time-travelling tour through music history — because May 17 is packed with juicy anniversaries, legendary debuts, and birthday shoutouts. Whether you’re tuning in from the kitchen, garden, or couch, this hour is all about celebrating the moments that made music history sing. Let’s dive in!

🎻 9:00 – Beethoven’s “Kreutzer” Sonata: Finale
Performed by Andrew Dawes (violin) & Jane Coop (piano)
We kick things off with fire and flair! On this day in 1803, Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 9 — better known as the “Kreutzer” Sonata — was first performed. Drama? Check. Virtuosity? Double check. A scandalous dedication story? Of course. This sonata’s finale sizzles like your breakfast pan on high heat.

🎹 9:08 – Fanny Mendelssohn: Piano Trio in D minor, First Movement
Performed by the Andsnes Ensemble
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel passed away on this day in 1847 — but not before blazing her own musical trail alongside her famous brother, Felix. Her Piano Trio is brimming with elegance and power, much like Fanny herself. We honour her legacy with this lush, lyrical opener.

🌫️ 9:21 – Erik Satie: Gymnopédie No. 3
Performed by Valérie Milot (harp)
The master of mystery and minimalism was born May 17, 1866. Erik Satie once described himself as a “phonometrician” rather than a musician, but don’t let the wordplay fool you — his Gymnopédies are hauntingly beautiful. This third one, on harp no less, is a dreamy detour into the surreal.

🎭 9:23 – Mascagni: Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana
Performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Riccardo Muti
Mascagni’s operatic debut was anything but rustic when Cavalleria Rusticana premiered on this day in 1890. This iconic intermezzo brings pure operatic romance and Italian sunshine straight to your speakers.

🎻 9:38 – Burleigh: Southland Sketches (Nos. 1 & 2)
Performed by Arnold Steinhardt (violin) & Victor Steinhardt (piano)
On May 17, 1916, Henry Thacker Burleigh became the first African American to win the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal. His music brought spirituals to the concert stage — and these sketches sing with heart, history, and soul.

💃 9:43 – Ravel: Alborada del gracioso
Performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Jean Martinon
From Paris with pizzazz: May 17, 1919 marked the orchestral premiere of Ravel’s vibrant Alborada del gracioso. Flamenco rhythms meet French finesse in this lively morning wake-up call.

🎺 9:50 – Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 1, First Movement
Performed by Dennis Brain & the Philharmonia Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan
Born this day in 1921, Dennis Brain was the horn player who made everyone else want to play horn. His effortless tone and cheeky phrasing make Mozart’s writing positively gleam.

🎶 9:56 – Haydn: Symphony No. 84, Final Movement
Performed by the New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
And to wrap things up, we toast to Leonard Bernstein, who gave his final concert as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic on May 17, 1969. What better way to celebrate than with Papa Haydn and Bernstein’s boundless energy at the helm?

That’s your 9 a.m. almanac hour! Stay tuned for more musical gems throughout the day, and remember: every day is a good day for great music.