Song of America

Produced by WFMT. This show is no longer airing.

  • Places That Sing To Us

    There are places in the American landscape that are part of our collective consciousness, thanks to music. In this program, we listen to songs that have helped shape the way we see ou... Apr 1, 2012

    Places That Sing To Us
  • Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance

    Langston Hughes, one of America’s great poets, gave jubilant voice to the lives of African Americans. His poetry has inspired settings by dozens of composers; we hear some of that mus... Mar 25, 2012

    Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance
  • Songs We’ve Always Sung

    Aaron Copland’s Old American Songs have become recital standards, but traditional texts and tunes have attracted many other classical composers, including John Jacob Niles, George... Mar 18, 2012

    Songs We’ve Always Sung
  • Emily Dickinson: Letter to the World

    The reclusive poet Emily Dickinson explored all of life’s emotions and there are hundreds of compelling settings of her poems by composers from Ernst Bacon to André Previn to Ned Ro... Mar 11, 2012

    Emily Dickinson: Letter to the World
  • 'There Is No Gender In Music'

    "There is no gender in music," said composer Elinor Remick Warren. In this program we look at the lives and songs of generations of American women composers. Mar 4, 2012

    'There Is No Gender In Music'
  • Arthur Farwell, American Pioneer

    At the beginning of the 20th century, deeply influenced by Dvorak’s challenge to Americans to find their own musical voices, Arthur Farwell used music of Native Americans and words of... Feb 26, 2012

    Arthur Farwell, American Pioneer
  • Champions of American Song

    Over the course of the 20th century, our classical singers were enthusiastic advocates for songs by American composers. In this program, we hear the music they brought to far-flung au... Feb 19, 2012

    Champions of American Song
  • Ives the Chronicler

    Charles Ives was unprecedented at suiting his musical style to the story he wanted to tell, and he created dozens of surprising “snapshots in song” of what it was like to be alive in ... Feb 12, 2012

    Ives the Chronicler
  • War Cries

    Throughout our history, America has gone to war with bravado and with anguish. Songs have helped shape those emotions, and express them—inspiring us to battle, sustaining our courage... Feb 5, 2012

    War Cries
  • Many Are the Voices

    Many Americans have had to raise their voices to be recognized or even heard in America. In this program, we hear songs of African Americans and Native Americans; women, immigrants an... Jan 29, 2012

    Many Are the Voices