November 2000

In addition to Garrison Keillor and Bill Moyers, a rare recording of Charles Laughton returns to Giving Thanks. 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 the creative spirit, offering a beautiful focus for the program and the day.

First Hour

Traditional
Hymn of Thanksgiving
Boston Pops
John Williams
Philips 454391

J. S. Bach
Cantata No. 192, Chorus: Nun danket alle Gott
Bach Ensemble
Helmut Rilling
Hanssler 92057
Listen to the show introduction and Bach

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
Gitanes/Emarcy 558539
Listen to Moyers and Wilder

Copland
Down a Country Lane
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
Hugh Wolff
Teldec 77310

Reading: Studs Terkel reads "Joy," "Let Love Go On," and "Happiness" by Carl Sandburg

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

Reading: Ellen Kushner reads from Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank

Bernstein
Mass: Simple Song
Roberta Alexander, soprano
Tan Crone, piano
Etcetera 1037

Reading: Bill Holm reads his poem "Lemon Pie"

Denny Zeitlin
Hymn
Zeitlin, piano
Living Music 0011
Listen to Holm and Zeitlin

Reading: Poet Donald Hall reads from his book "Seasons at Eagle Pond."

Copland
Our Town: The Story of Our Town
London Symphony Orchestra
Copland
Sony 46559
Listen to Hall and Copland

Reading: Tom Bodett reads his story "Norman's Thanksgiving" (music by Johnny B.)
Listen to Bodett

Second Hour

J. S. Bach
Cantata No. 84, Aria: Ich esse mit Freuden mein weniges Brot
Kathleen Battle, soprano
Itzhak Perlman, violin
Orchestra of St. Luke's
John Nelson
Deutsche Grammophon 429737

Traditional
Let Us Break Bread Together
Uptown String Quartet
Philips 838358
Listen to Bach and the Uptown String Quartet

Reading: Gary Barton reads from Flight to Arras by Antoine de St. Exupery:

Traditional
Let us Break Bread Together
Simon Estes, bass
Howard Roberts Chorale
Philips 412631

Reading: Garrison Keillor reads Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden

Copland
The Tender Land: The Promise of Living
Cincinnati Pops
Erich Kunzel
Telarc 80117
Listen to Keillor and Copland

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

Reading: Lynne Rossetto-Kasper reads from How to be Cheerful Though Starving, by M.F.K. Fischer

Bernstein
Candide: Make our Garden Grow
Boston Pops
John Williams
Sony 48224
Listen to Copland, Kasper, and Bernstein

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 (out-of-print)
Listen to Laughton and Handel