Temianka Talks Music: Lectures from a Virtuoso

Temianka’s Performance Lectures

Starting in the early 1950s, lectures and commentaries became a staple of Temianka's performances. One program for a 1963 performance mentions the acclaim surrounding Temianka's commentary style:

"When someone like Temianka comes along to annotate verbally with human interest, accuracy and excellence, program notes give music a lift." — Herbert Donaldson

Concert programs from as early as 1951 note "comments from the stage by Mr. Temianka," and his later series, aptly titled "Let's Talk Music," prominently featured lectures and discussions about history, music appreciation and performance techniques. Sometimes, large portions of Temianka's audience would stay back after a performance to ask questions and hear more of Temianka's remarks.

But what exactly did Temianka discuss in these commentaries, and what made them so impactful to his audiences?



- people coming up to the stage and discussing further
- description of lectures
- lecture/radio annotations