Back to Louisiana!

The word exotic doesn't get used much anymore. With airlines, vaccinations and satellites - all parts of the world are now accessible, but that wasn't always the case. In his opera Manon Lescaut, Puccini has the lovers end up in the vast desert near the outskirts of New Orleans. Now that is use of a wholly imagined landscape!

On the Piano this Sunday we return to the Louisiana and more realistic depictions of that our neighboring state with music by native son, L.M. Gottschalk and contributions by Ketelbey and Virgil Thomson. Louisiana - A Pianist's Journey features many world premiere recordings of music meant to beguile and relax the listener. Imagine the beauties of Louisiana without humidity, gas stations or even leaving your easy chair!

The Piano, Sunday afternoons at 5 on KPAC and KTXI.

Randy Anderson, host