In this episode Dave and Andrew discuss a composer known for his eclecticism, who writes music that features the influence of jazz, Stravinskian neoclassicism, Schoenbergian serialism, and a variety of popular idioms. But will that mixture of styles win them over when applied to a Biblical text about the "dark side" of Christmas?

If you'd like more information about Harbison, we recommend:

1. Brian Galante's dissertation "John Harbison's The Flight into Egypt: An Analysis for Performance," University of North Texas, 2008.
2. Mike Seabrook's "John Harbison and His Music," Tempo 197 (July 1996): 7–11.
3. Tom Jacob's profile in the San Francisco Classical Voice.