PGM 834 "SEASON OF HOPE"

(click program title above for 30 second MP3 promo clip)

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PGM 834 : "SEASON OF HOPE"
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PGM NOTE : a new age taste of spring
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FEED DATE : 3-28-08
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INTRO: Way back in 1986, the Recording Academy in its wisdom
decided to give an official name and a Grammy award to a popular
new sound in instrumental music. Unfortunately, they chose the
name "New Age" music. 22 years later it sounds...insane.
What were they thinking? What kind of music could possibly
live up to an expectation like that?

As a marketing category, things got off to a bad start.
Musical categories are never 100% precise, but this was anarchy.
Every kind of instrumental music that wasn't obviously jazz, folk,
or classical was dumped into the New Age bins. The home studio
revolution was in full swing, so just about any artist that released
an instrumental album wound up there.

When cross-cultural saxophonist YUSEF LATEEF won the first
New Age Grammy in 1987, he had to call his producer and ask
"What is this 'new age' and why are they calling my album that?".

With no filters and no standards, the genre soon had a reputation
for inconsistent quality and boring music. After a few years the
trend peaked, and both artists and listeners moved on. Some
electronic music formerly known as New Age came to be called
Ambient; the New Age handle had become a marketing taboo.

In 25 years of Hearts of Space, we've rarely mentioned the term,
while trying to bring you the best examples of electronic space,
ambient and contemplative music — all of which were once called
New Age. See, that's the thing: you could hate the name and still
find excellent music there. Well, if Barack Obama can talk about
political taboos like race and hope in his presidential campaign,
we can certainly take a moment to reflect on what's good about
new age music, while not denying any of its faults.

The core quality of the new age genre is music that's gentle,
peaceful and harmonious. While most music is designed to
stimulate, the word "relaxing" is joined to it at the hip. The
best of it is "psycho-acoustic" : psychologically and emotionally
stimulating, even when it's physically relaxing. Most of us can
use a little of that. As we say....slow music for fast times.

As a form of sonic landscape, new age music aims to create images
of heaven on earth — just as gardens did for centuries in the
Middle East and Asia. The best new age artists are skilled sound
designers and producers, who create very sophisticated sonic
environments.

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MICHAEL DIAMOND
Merlin's Garden <>4:53 >
Dream Flight (edited) <>7:17 >
Suspended Animation <>14:11 >
: ATLANTIS RISING; Diamond Sound Productions DSP_CD002; 2004
: Info: www.songpeddler.com/michaeldiamond

DEUTER
Warm the New Dawn Sun <>21:13 >
Dawn Mist - the Temple <>28:24 >
Village Moon <>33:25 >
: SPIRITUAL HEALING; New Earth NE 2806; 2008
: Info: www.newearthrecords.com/web/pc/deuter.asp

ELIZABETH WOODBURY KASIUS and HEARD
Sylvan Dream (part) <>37:55 >
: WATERMUSIC; Heard Music [no catalog #]; 2007
: Info: www.heardmusic.net

ALEX THEORY
Molecule 4 <>44:11 >
Molecule 7 <>51:12 >
: WATER; Sounds True M1229D; 2008
: Info: http://store.soundstrue.com/mm01229d.html

BERNWARD KOCH
Mysterious Way <>54:16 >
Evoking Wonder <>58:59 >
: WALKING THROUGH CLOUDS; Real Music RM2737; 2005
: Info: www.realmusic.com/a_koch.htm; www.bernwardkoch.de/us

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PRODUCED BY : STEVE DAVIS and STEPHEN HILL
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BAY AREA WEATHER : nuages et soleil
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(c) 2008 Hearts of Space
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PGM 485R "SACRED TREASURES"

(click program title above for 30 second MP3 promo clip)

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PGM 485R : "SACRED TREASURES"
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PGM NOTE : choral masterworks from Russia
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FEED DATE : 3-21-08
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INTRO: The choral music of the Russian Orthodox Church has a
history that extends back to the ancient monastic chants of the
Byzantine empire, over a thousand years ago.

In Russia, the music of the Orthodox church evolved into some
of the purest and most beautiful music ever written for the
unaccompanied human voice. The Russian sacred service, sung
in the old high Slavonic language and called "The Divine Liturgy,"
is designed to set the soul soaring beyond earthly cares.

The solemn bells, flickering candles, golden icons, and deep
reverberation of the Russian cathedrals create the context;
the profound basses, the angelic sopranos, and the exquisite
harmonies of the large mixed choruses — all make this one of
the most soul stirring forms of 'sacred spacemusic' in existence.

This extraordinary collection of Orthodox prayers and hymns from
guest producer ELLEN HOLMES highlights a timeless Russian
tradition of faith and devotion. Featured composers are some of
the great all-stars of Russian liturgical music: familiar names
like RACHMANINOV and TCHAIKOVSKY, church composers like
TURCHANINOV, KEDROV, BORTNIANSKY, and the great Bulgarian
composer DOBRI CHRISTOV.

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[ All music in this program is from the compilation album
SACRED TREASURES: CHORAL MASTERWORKS FROM RUSSIA;
Hearts of Space 11109-2; 1998. Produced by ELLEN HOLMES ]

BELLS
Russian Cathedral Bells < 0:00->0:21 >

SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Great Ektenia < 0:21->4:08 >
Hymn of Praise < 4:08->7:12 >
Hymn of the Cherubim (excerpt) < 7:12->11:55 >
Performed by The Russian State Symphony Cappella;
Valery Polyansky, director

DIMITRI BORTNIANSKY
Hymn of the Cherubim (excerpt) < 11:55->15:51 >
Performed by The Leningrad Glinka State Academic Choir;
Vladislav Chernushenko, director

NIKOLAI KEDROV SR.
Our Father 15:51->19:48 >
Performed by "Svetoslav Obretenov" Bulgarian National Choir;
Georgi Robev, conductor

SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Fervent Supplication (excerpt) < 19:48->23:34 >
Performed by The Russian State Symphony Cappella;
Valery Polyansky, director

BULGARSKY ROSPEV
The Noble Joseph < 23:34->26:13 >
Performed by the Men's Chamber Choir of Sofia;
Dimitre Rouskov, director; arranged by P. Turchaninov

PETER TCHAIKOVSKY
Amen, and with Thy Spirit < 26:13->27:29 >
Performed by The USSR Ministry of Culture Chamber Choir;
Valery Polyansky, conductor

BELLS
Russian Cathedral Bells (repeated) < 27:29->28:09 >

MONASTIC VESPERS
Russian Monastic Vespers (excerpt) < 28:09->29:38 >
Performed by the Choir of Monks from the Chevetogne Monastery;
R.P. Philippe Baeer OSB, director

SERGEI RACHMANINOV
Bless the Lord, O My Soul < 29:38->34:46 >
Performed by the Choir of the Moscow Church "Joy to All Sorrows";
Nikolai Matveyev, conductor

PETER TCHAIKOVSKY
Hymn of the Cherubim (excerpt) < 34:46->42:27 >
Performed by The USSR Ministry of Culture Chamber Choir;
Valery Polyansky, conductor

DOBRI CHRISTOV
Hymn of the Cherubim (excerpts/edited) < 42:27->49:07 >
Performed by "Svetoslav Obretenov" Bulgarian National Choir;
Georgi Robev, conductor

PETER TCHAIKOVSKY
Our Father (extended) < 49:07->53:22 >
Performed by The USSR Ministry of Culture Chamber Choir;
Valery Polyansky, conductor

GRIGORY LVOVSKI
Hymn of the Cherubim < 53:22->58:19 >
Performed by the Bulgarian Radio and Television Men's Choir;
Mikhail Milkov, director

BELLS
Final Bells < 58:19->58:59 >

: SACRED TREASURES: CHORAL MASTERWORKS FROM RUSSIA [compilation];
Hearts of Space 11109-2; 1998
: Info: www.valley-entertainment.com/Artists/Sacred_Treasures

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PRODUCED BY : ELLEN HOLMES, STEVE DAVIS and STEPHEN HILL
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BAY AREA WEATHER : sacred spring
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(c) 1998-2008 Hearts of Space
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PGM 833 "GENERATIONS"

(click program title above for 30 second MP3 promo clip)

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PGM 833 : "GENERATIONS"
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PGM NOTE : continuing our communion with the Celtic ballad
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FEED DATE : 3-14-08
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INTRO: By our count, this is the 40th program in the Hearts of
Space series inspired by the wistful charms of the Celtic ballad.

The big trend in Celtic music has receded, but we return to it,
not only to honor the Saint Patrick's Day celebration, but because
it's so musically and emotionally rewarding. Celtic music has deep
roots in the human experience, lovingly shared and developed from
generation to generation.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we continue our journey
in the pan-Celtic soundscape with a program called GENERATIONS.

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JEFF JOHNSON and BRIAN DUNNING
Down by the Glenside (extended) <>4:00 >
: KING RAVEN, VOL. 2; Ark Music AKD-1522; 2007
: Info: www.arkmusic.com

DEIRDRE NI CHINNEIDE
Return <>8:08 >
: CELTIC PASSAGE; Sounds True M1102D; 2007
: Info: www.soundstrue.com; www.deirdrenichinneide.com

AINE MINOGUE
Blessing (edited) <>14:09 >
Mathair <>18:00 >
New Light <>22:25 >
: CELTIC PILGRIMAGE; Sounds True M1231D; 2007
: Info: www.soundstrue.com; www.minogue.com

LOREENA McKENNITT
Raglan Road <>27:49 >
: NIGHTS FROM THE ALHAMBRA; Quinlan Road B0009459-00; 2007
: Info: www.quinlanroad.com

JAMES NEWTON HOWARD
The Water Horse (Main Title) <>28:58 >
Angus Feeds Crusoe <>31:00 >
The Children Laugh <>34:01 >
: THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP [soundtrack];
Sony Classical 88697-19300-2; 2007
: Info: www.sonybmgmasterworks.com;
www.james-newton-howard.com (fan site)

SOLAS
Lament for Frankie <>38:41 >
: REUNION: A DECADE OF SOLAS; Compass 7 4431 2; 2006
: Info: www.compassrecords.com/solas; www.solasmusic.com

ARYEH FRANKFURTER
Farewell to Music (Turlough O'Carolan) <>43:01 >
: LEST THE HARP STRINGS UNRAVEL; Lionharp Music ajfcd03; 1996
: Info: www.lionharp.com

AINE MINOGUE
Across Distances <>47:53 >
: CELTIC PILGRIMAGE; Sounds True M1231D; 2007
: Info: www.soundstrue.com; www.minogue.com

CHERISH THE LADIES (sung by HEIDI TALBOT)
The Green Fields of Canada <>54:28 >
: CELTIC WOMAN 3: THE IRISH [compilation];
Hearts O'Space 2-HOS-11119; 2007
originally on WOMAN OF THE HOUSE; Rounder ROUN7063; 2005
: Info: www.valley-entertainment.com/Labels/Hearts_of_Space;
www.cherishtheladies.com

JEFF JOHNSON
Lauds ~ Creator of the Starry Height (part) <>58:59 >
: STANDING STILL; Ark Music AKD-1521; 2007
: Info: www.arkmusic.com

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PRODUCED BY : STEVE DAVIS and STEPHEN HILL
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BAY AREA WEATHER : wandering and wondering
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(c) 2008 Hearts of Space
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PGM 832 "KONTINUUM"

(click program title above for 30 second MP3 promo)

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PGM 832 : "KONTINUUM"
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PGM NOTE : infinitely extended electronic soundscapes
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FEED DATE : 3-07-08
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INTRO: If musical genres had birthdays, electronic music
would now be over a hundred years old. The first playable
instruments appeared around the 1920s, but things really
got going in 1957 with the invention of the first vacuum
tube synthesizer. You can still see this electronic fossil
at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center at
Columbia University in New York City.

Since then, electronic music has been on a roll, merging
with the computer to breed new instruments and new
sounds in a 50-year period of continuous evolution.
On this transmission of Hearts of Space, another excursion
in the electronic soundscape called KONTINUUM.

The famous "space-time continuum" in physics merges
3-dimensional space and time into a single four-dimensional
construct. In music, as in science, a continuum is something
that retains a common character from beginning to end,
and changes by regular degrees. The music on this program
fits that definition.

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KLAUS SCHULZE
Sequenzer (From 70 to 07) (edited) <>13:44 >
: KONTINUUM; Synthetic Symphony SPV 49392 CD; 2007
: Info: www.insideout.de; www.klaus-schulze.com

RICHARD BONE
Dreams & Whispers <>22:28 >
: CONNECTION FAILED; Quirkworks Laboratory Discs QRK0138; 2008
: Info: www.richardbone.com

PSICODREAMICS
The Beyond (part) <>28:04 >
: AMBIETHERNUM; Witches On The Radiowaves WOTR-07; Spain 2008
also on THE UNKNOWN FRONTIER; SynGate CD-R 2048; Germany 2005
: Info: www.syngate.net; www.psicodreamics.com
--segue--
KLAUS SCHULZE
Sequenzer (From 70 to 07) (conclusion) <>33:57 >
: KONTINUUM; Synthetic Symphony SPV 49392 CD; 2007
: Info: www.insideout.de; www.klaus-schulze.com

RICHARD BONE
The Moon Pool <>39:10 >
: CONNECTION FAILED; Quirkworks Laboratory Discs QRK0138; 2008
: Info: www.richardbone.com

DAVID PARSONS
Surya (edited) <>54:08 >
: SURYA; Celestial Harmonies 13227-2; 2008
: Info: www.harmonies.com/releases/13227.htm

IGNEOUS FLAME
Book of Shadows <>58:59 >
: HYDRA; Chillfactor10 Records CF10-11; England 2007
: Info: www.chillfactor10.com

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PRODUCED BY : STEVE DAVIS and STEPHEN HILL
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BAY AREA WEATHER : stubborn
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(c) 2008 Hearts of Space
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