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Giving Thanks
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AS THANKSGIVING brings family and food together to share common blessings, "Giving Thanks" brings music and words together in a thoughtful reflection on the meaning of the holiday.

LIKE A GOOD THANKSGIVING FEAST, "Giving Thanks" combines traditional fare with unexpected delights. You'll hear hymns of thanks by Beethoven and Dylan Thomas, reflections on the delights of simplicity by Aaron Copland and Thornton Wilder, contemplation of the deeper meaning of bread from Antoine de Saint-Exupery, expressions of joy amid hardship from John Tavener and Abraham Lincoln, and celebrations of the harvest season from Vivaldi and Donald Hall.

THE HIGHLIGHT OF "GIVING THANKS" is a rare recording of actor Charles Laughton. His spellbinding story connects his personal discovery of Chartres Cathedral with an excerpt from Jack Kerouac's The Dharma Bums and the 104th Psalm. It's a moving and powerful tale, giving thanks for the discovery that Art connects us all to a greater creative spirit, offering a beautiful focus for the program and the day.

John BirgeHOST JOHN BIRGE produced his first Thanksgiving Day special 14 years ago as the morning host at WGUC, Cincinnati. The program grew to become a much-anticipated annual tradition there. He brought the tradition with him when he came to MPR two years ago; this year he's sharing it with listeners throughout the country via Public Radio International. John hosts the afternoon drive-time show on MPR's classical music network, and this year will once again host "Welcome Christmas!" for PRI.



Playlist

First Hour

Traditional (arr. Kremser)
Hymn of Thanksgiving
Boston Pops/John Williams
Philips 454391

Traditional
Let us break bread
Uptown String Quartet
Philips 838358

Reading:
Gary Barton reads from "Flight to Arras" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Traditional
Let us break bread
Simon Estes, bass
Howard Roberts Chorale
Philips 412631

Reading:
John Birge reads from "Dobry" by Monica Shannon

Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: The Promise of Living
Cincinnati Pops
Erich Kunzel
Telarc 80117

Alan Mencken
Lincoln (soundtrack)
EMI 54751

Jay Ungar & Molly Mason
Ashokan Farewell
Nonesuch 79256

Reading
Dan Olson reads Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving proclamation

Aaron Copland
Old American Songs: Simple Gifts
William Warfield, baritone
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Aaron Copland
Sony 42430

Reading:
Katy Butler reads from her essay "The Great Boomer Bust"

Aaron Copland
Our Town: The Story of Our Town
London Symphony Orchestra
Aaron Copland
Sony 46559

Reading
Dave Schliep reads from "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder

Handel
Largo from "Xerxes"
Orpheus Chamber Orchstra
DG 429390

Reading:
Dylan Thomas reads his poem "Fern Hill"
Caedmon CD 1002

Henry Purcell
Fantasy on Old 100th (Doxology)
Canadian Brass
Philips 434276

John Tavener
Akathist of Thanksgiving (selection)
Westminster Abbey Choir
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Martin Neary
Sony 64446

Claudio Monteverdi
Mass of Thanksgiving:Gloria
Taverner Consort
EMI 49876

Second Hour

Vivaldi
The Four Seasons: Autumn
Patrick Stewart, narrator
Arnie Roth, violin
Musica Anima Ensemble.
American Gramophone 801

Reading:
Garrison Keillor reads from "Seasons at Eagle Pond" by Donald Hall

Denny Zeitlin
Hymn
Denny Zeitlin, piano
Living Music 0011

Percy Grainger
Harvest Hymn
Collage
Northeastern 228

Reading:
Bill Moyers reads "i thank You God for most this amazing day" by e. e. cummings

Alec Wilder
The Star Wish
Roland Hanna, piano
Inner City LP 1072

Beethoven
Symphony No. 6, "Pastoral": "Shepherd's Hymn and Thankful Feelings after the Storm"
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Georg Solti
London 430400

Reading:
Charles Laughton tells his Chartres Cathedral story, reads from "The Dharma Bums" by Jack Kerouac, and Psalm 104
Capitol LP TBO 1650 (out-of-print)

Handel
Dank sei Dir, Herr
Philharmonia Virtuosi
Richard Kapp
CBS LP 38910

Minnesota Public Radio