All composers draw on music of the past, but in different ways. In the memorable words of San Francisco music critic Joshua Kosman, some “assimilate the voices of their predecessors in a broad, territorial embrace,” while others “scooch over on the sofa to make room for a personal dialogue.”

Of course, that dialogue can take different forms. Some composers refashion older works in modern dress, while others use specific elements of older styles to create new music of their own.

In this hour we explore those approaches, in music by Grieg, Respighi, Ravel, Villa-Lobos, Price, and more.

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