Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Classical Breakdown
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snoopy and the Gang come to life in Ellen Taafe Zwilich's Peanuts Gallery! | 13 Oct 2026 | 00:34:31 | |
What kind of dance is Snoopy's favorite? What is Schroeder's favorite Beethoven sonata? And will Charlie ever kick the football? John Banther and Evan Keely learn all about that and more in the imaginative piano concerto, Peanuts Gallery, by American Composer Ellen Zwilich. | |||
| William Schuman: The composer that shaped Juilliard, the Lincoln Center, and American music | 29 Sep 2026 | 00:53:47 | |
Why is it that this composer's name is probably not known to you? John Banther and Evan Keely explore some of his extraordinary music and achievements in the arts, including how he shaped art institutions and his very unusual start in composing music. | |||
| What is a Harp with Nadia Pessoa: Ancient origins to modern innovations! | 15 Sep 2026 | 00:38:18 | |
Not too many instruments in the orchestra have a history that spans the centuries, and use of the harp! Nadia Pessoa, a Washington, DC-area harpist, shares with us the harp's use in the orchestra from around 1600 to now, answers John's burning questions, and plays for us, including a recent viral tune on the harp. | |||
| Bonus! A performance of Handel's Water Music | 08 Sep 2026 | 00:49:20 | |
Enjoy a Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra recording of the music we learned about last week, plus a listener comment that helps clarify the situation after Queen Anne's death! | |||
| Handel's Water Music; a Kings bid to lift his reputation and one smelly river | 01 Sep 2026 | 00:48:12 | |
Why did Handel write this, and what would it have been like on the river's edge? John Banther and Linda Carducci explore how Handel went above and beyond for a King and even what it would have been like for the musicians. | |||
| Season 7 Recommended Summer Listening! | 23 Jun 2026 | 00:33:29 | |
It's time again to look at some recently recorded albums for us to enjoy and grow with this summer. John Banther has 4 albums to recommend, and one of them includes a remarkable composer's story! | |||
| Tosca! Puccini's tragic opera on love, lust, and brutality | 09 Jun 2026 | 01:14:47 | |
Why watch a thriller on a Friday night when you can watch the dramatic and compact "blood and guts" opera by Puccini that is... Tosca! John Banther and Linda Carducci give you the historical and cultural context to the plot, show you specific themes hidden throughout, and highlight 4 show-stopping moments. | |||
| The Montgomery Variations: A Piece of American History by Margaret Bonds | 26 May 2026 | 01:01:26 | |
Music can be just as much of a historical document as letters or legislation, and we see that directly in this episode with music by Bonds written in 1963. John Banther and Evan Keely show you what to listen for, how Bonds adapts a well-known melody, the historical context, and more. | |||
| Haydn's Trumpet Concerto: Revolutionary in ways you didn't know! | 12 May 2026 | 00:50:32 | |
There is so much more to this humble concerto than you realize, because the context of hearing a trumpet do something unheard of before has been lost. We show you what made this concerto possible, how Haydn was revolutionary, and why each recording is a little bit different. | |||
| Leos Janacek: an original composer who found success late | 28 Apr 2026 | 00:53:20 | |
Another listener request! John Banther and Bill Bukowski explore the life of Leos Janacek and look at 2 specific subjects to understand this composer's original sound, speech melodies and modality. | |||
| Bonus! John and James discuss Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and gigs | 21 Apr 2026 | 00:27:49 | |
John Banther and James Jacobs discuss Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and performing it at gigs, which for James reaches into the hundreds at weddings! Plus, we enjoy a full performance with the Berlin Philharmonic. | |||
| Also Sprach Zarathustra: Where Music and Philosophy Reach New Heights | 14 Apr 2026 | 00:53:08 | |
You know the opening of this work through its countless use in movies, commercials, and even popular music. But do you know the underlying philosophy that inspired Strauss? John Banther and Evan Keely show you how themes transform from beginning to end in an effort to reach the Übermensch! | |||
| Bonus! 2 Opera preludes by Richard Wagner | 07 Apr 2026 | 00:24:06 | |
Let's enjoy two iconic Wagner preludes in two larger-than-life recordings featuring the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and conductor Bernard Haitink! | |||
| Richard Wagner: The flawed man who changed opera | 31 Mar 2026 | 01:18:39 | |
This composer's life was tumultuous and sometimes straight out of a soap opera. John Banther and Evan Keely explore what led him to opera, his initial success and failures, his bigoted "Judaism in Music" essay, and how his Ring Cycle changed everything. | |||
| Bonus! 3 Preludes and Fugues from the Well-Tampered Clavier Book 1 by Sam Post | 24 Mar 2026 | 00:14:32 | |
Listen to Ralitza Patcheva and Sam Post in their latest recording, featuring a rhythmic reimaging of JS Bach. If you missed last week's episode, listen afterwards to learn all about this project from beginning to end. Music provided by (c) Acis Productions LLC. All rights reserved | |||
| The Well-TAMPERED Clavier: A rhythmic reimagining of JS Bach by Sam Post | 17 Mar 2026 | 00:44:21 | |
JS Bach was experimental, and that spirit has carried on into the 21st century with composers and pianists like Sam Post and Ralitza Patcheva. While Bach was experimenting with using all 12 major and minor keys at a single keyboard, Sam Post's rhythmic reimagining brings together elements that didn't exist in Bach's time. | |||
| Brahms Symphony No. 3: Perfection in Orchestration and Form | 03 Mar 2026 | 00:51:04 | |
The first symphonies came from a place of insecurity, but his 3rd exudes confidence from the first note to the last. John Banther and Evan Keely show you what to listen for in Brahms' orchestration, how he uses compositional tools to create new melodies, sonata form basics, and the rivalry that took place the night of the premiere. | |||
| 3 Composers lost to Tyranny | 17 Feb 2026 | 00:43:15 | |
A hallmark of tyranny is its desire to control and stifle creative expression. In this episode, in memory of Lubna Alyaan, John Banther and Evan Keely explore three 20th-century composers, what happened to them, and select works that demand your attention. | |||
| Meet Grammy-Winning Composer Jessie Montgomery! | 03 Feb 2026 | 00:40:05 | |
Jessie Montgomery and John Banther discuss her popular works, her time writing for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Blacknificent 7 composer group, and her early artistic influences. | |||
| A performance of Carnival of the Animals featuring Argerich and Freire! | 27 Jan 2026 | 00:25:35 | |
Enjoy this performance after listening to the previous episode all about Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saens. (Elephant image: By Muhammad Mahdi Karim) | |||
| Carnival of the Animals, a work of genius kept hidden (plus animal facts!) | 20 Jan 2026 | 01:02:54 | |
One of the most endearing works in music was also hidden for years because the composer worried about his reputation. John Banther and Evan Keely explore the world of animals, how Saint-Saëns brings them to life, and why you have to play bad to sound good! | |||
| Bonus episode: Ballet music from 2 operas by Verdi! | 13 Jan 2026 | 00:17:48 | |
Different audiences have different tastes, and you can't always serve them the same dish. If Verdi wanted his grand operas to be staged in Paris, he needed to include ballet. In this bonus episode, we'll hear two ballet sections from two different operas, sometimes composed decades later. | |||
| Giuseppe Verdi: A life of drama, censorship, and even farming! | 06 Jan 2026 | 00:57:59 | |
This composer wrote operas almost exclusively, and his 19th-century success and popularity are hard to grasp even today. John Banther and Linda Carducci explore his life, his upward rise, the tragedies, and how he provided the sound for Italy's "Risorgimento!" | |||
| Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto, one of the most challenging works for violin! | 23 Dec 2025 | 00:52:04 | |
This concerto is one of the most daunting in the repertoire, and almost every big soloist aims to lay down their interpretation. But what makes this work so difficult? Is it the written music or is it something else? John Banther and Evan Keely show you what to listen for, how Sibelius does things differently, a moment from a masterclass, and what went wrong in the premiere. | |||
| A performance of Emilie Mayer's Cello Sonata in D minor featuring Grace Mockus | 16 Dec 2025 | 00:28:07 | |
In the episode on Emilie Mayer's life and music, we briefly discussed her wonderful writing for cello, and we get to experience it firsthand in this bonus episode. Juilliard Graduate student, Grace Mockus, is working on publishing her critical edition of Emilie Mayer's Cello Sonata in D minor! After listening to this, you can find more performances of Grace Mockus on YouTube. | |||
| Emilie Mayer; Rediscovering a celebrated 19th-century composer | 09 Dec 2025 | 00:45:04 | |
She didn't have a typical upbringing like other composers, and forged her own way with private teachers and determination. John Banther and Evan Keely explore the wide range of repertoire she composed, from symphonies to songs, and look at events that changed the trajectory of her life and career. | |||
| Clara Wieck Schumann's Piano Concerto; a teenage work of genius | 25 Nov 2025 | 00:38:30 | |
This, the only orchestral output from Clara Wieck, might be one of the few 19th-century concertos written by a teenager that still occupies the concert stage today, and its popularity is only increasing. Join hosts John Banther and Linda Carducci to explore its youthful origins, characteristics of her writing, the size of her hands, and her big concert premiere. | |||
| Adolphus Hailstork, an American composer writing for our time | 11 Nov 2025 | 00:54:25 | |
Hailstork has been writing music and teaching for over 5 decades, and his work has documented in music major American moments, from the bicentennial, 9/11, George Floyd, and even infrastructure. John Banther and Evan Keely explore his life, studies with Boulanger, his military experience, and look at 3 works from orchestral to choral that demonstrate his style. | |||
| Death in music! 10 works that explore life’s final question | 28 Oct 2025 | 00:47:52 | |
Death has been depicted in music to console, frighten, warn, and entertain for over 400 years. In fact, the most quoted motif about death is also the oldest, and you know it intimately whether you realize it or not! John Banther and Evan Keely take you on a deathly trip over 10 works and a bonus. | |||
| Bonus episode! 3 select performances of guitarist Xuefei Yang | 21 Oct 2025 | 00:12:45 | |
I'm excited to bring you more from Xuefei Yang with these three performances taken from her YouTube channel (where you will find plenty more performances!). | |||
| Xuefei Yang performs Erik Satie and shares insight into her new album! | 14 Oct 2025 | 00:41:11 | |
She is one of today's great living guitarists, and in this episode, she tells us all about her new album Chapeu Satie. Xuefei explains how she approaches transcribing and arranging for the guitar, why she chose to include flute and voice, and performs a work from her new album at the end, too! | |||
| Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 "Eroica", Rejecting Napoleon and Charting a New Path! | 30 Sep 2025 | 01:04:11 | |
Beethoven pushed the symphonic form in a new direction with this heroic work that sounds larger than the sum of its parts. John Banther and Evan Keely show you what to listen for, how it pushed boundaries in 19th-century music, the famous Napoleon dedication, and more! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| The Great World of Percussion with Chris DeChiara: From bones and war drums to symphonies! | 16 Sep 2025 | 01:44:57 | |
Think you can play the triangle? Think again! In our biggest episode yet, we explore the big world of percussion with Chris DeChiara. Using composers from Beethoven to Ozzy Osborne, he demonstrates over a dozen instruments and shares insider secrets as to what goes on in the back row. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| Bonus episode! A performance of a suite from the ballet Daphnis and Chloe by Maurice Ravel | 09 Sep 2025 | 00:16:35 | |
Who doesn't love more music? Starting this season, we'll be releasing occasional bonus episodes. We kick it off with a great performance of a suite from Ravel's ballet Daphnis and Chloe. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| Maurice Ravel at 150: celebrating his life, music, and influence! | 02 Sep 2025 | 01:23:43 | |
This composer had way more impact on the 20th century than you realize! Join us as we celebrate his life at 150 and look at how he achieved this unique sound, why he was kicked out of school twice, and enjoy a performance of his string quartet. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| Recommended listening; 4 new albums to listen to this summer! | 24 Jun 2025 | 00:31:21 | |
It's the final episode of Season 6, and per tradition, it's an episode with recommended summer listening. Thank you very much for listening, rating, and sharing the podcast as it continues to grow year after year with your help! In this episode, there 4 albums to explore, taking us on a journey to ancient cities, flirtatious oboe playing, an emotional rollercoaster, and more! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| Mahler's Symphony No. 5, a story of uncertainty and triumph | 10 Jun 2025 | 01:10:15 | |
This work marks a departure from his previous symphonies, which were linked together by vocal music. But what is this? Is this Mahler working through his mortality and uncertainty, or something else? John Banther and Evan Keely show you what to listen for, how Mahler achieves his unique sound, and what it could all mean. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| Felix Mendelssohn: A prodigy, inventor, and visionary! | 27 May 2025 | 01:07:29 | |
Join us to explore Felix Mendelssohn's life through 4 different aspects of life that separated him from nearly every other composer. John Banther and James Jacobs explore his life, what made him different, and enjoy a full performance of one of his iconic works too! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| Verdi's Rigoletto: Unforgettable tunes, tragedy, and a new concept in opera | 13 May 2025 | 01:10:13 | |
Verdi considered this character worthy of a Shakespearean tragedy, and he delivers just that! John Banther and Linda Carducci explore Verdi's masterpiece and show you what to listen for, intricacies of the characters and plot, the banned origin story, and so much more. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| John Williams: a defining American composer that goes beyond the silver screen | 29 Apr 2025 | 00:59:03 | |
You knew this composer before you knew his name, and he has shaped the sound of movies and childhoods for generations. Join us to learn about aspects of his life you didn't know, like his early career and first film scores, influences, nonfilm work, and more! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5: a symphony of bravery, intrigue, and survival | 15 Apr 2025 | 01:00:04 | |
Few other works in the canon occupy a place like this symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich. John Banther and Evan Keely dive into history as they show you what to listen for, Shostakovich's perilous circumstances, and what clues he could have left for all of us in the music. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| An update on Florence Price! | 10 Apr 2025 | 00:01:55 | |
I have a special update for you on Florence Price because of the hard work of a particular listener and a previous guest. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| The most difficult music for piano: Gaspard de la Nuit by Maurice Ravel | 01 Apr 2025 | 00:37:31 | |
Ravel wrote something so difficult he couldn't even play it, and he even dared to criticize others' performances! Linda Carducci and John Banther dive into a work that challenges the most virtuosic of soloists, its frightening accompanying poetry, and what exactly makes it so difficult. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| The Future is Female: Exploring Clarice Assad and the Boulanger Initiative with Laura Colgate | 18 Mar 2025 | 00:55:00 | |
Discover contemporary works by living Brazillian composer Clarice Assad that cover chamber music, solo piano, and orchestra. Then Co-Founder Laura Colgate tells us everything we need to know about and how you can benefit from the Boulanger Initiative, which advocates for women and gender-marginalized composers. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| Ethel Smyth's Mass in D: A 19th century mass by an extraordinary woman! | 04 Mar 2025 | 00:57:26 | |
Conductor Steven Fox joins John Banther to talk about this Mass that was overlooked after its premiere in 1893. Fox tells us everything we need to know about a mass, what to listen for, and how Ethel Smyth's mass stands apart. We also touch on her life as she was an aggressive suffragette, women's rights advocate, and openly bisexual composer in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| Olly Wilson, an American composer that will change how you hear music! | 18 Feb 2025 | 00:41:15 | |
This American composer was a pioneer in electronic music, commissioned works with major orchestras, and did groundbreaking work in musicology connecting music traditions from West Africa to the United States. John Banther and Evan Keely explore 3 of his works and look at his work in musicology that will change how you hear music! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| Carlos Simon's Songs of Separation: An American song cycle set to poetry of Rumi | 04 Feb 2025 | 00:47:06 | |
Explore the different emotional aspects of loss, grief, and separation in this orchestral song cycle by Kenedy Center composer-in-residence Carlos Simon. John Banther and Evan Keely explore the text by Rumi, how Simon pairs this directly in the music, and moments to listen for! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| Lincoln Portrait: Aaron Copland's defense of Democracy | 21 Jan 2025 | 00:44:38 | |
Music was used in World War 2 like never before, from propaganda to national pride. John Banther and Evan Keely explore Copland's musical effort to rally a defense for democracy using Abraham Lincoln's timeless words and examine why it was banned from a Presidential inauguration. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| Chris Gekker tells us everything about the trumpet! | 07 Jan 2025 | 01:01:40 | |
We take a glimpse into the massive world and history of the trumpet! From its use in military battles and physical dangers to beautifully soft moments on the stage, world-renowned trumpeter and teacher Chris Gekker joins John Banther for a wide-ranging discussion on the trumpet, and he plays examples for us too! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||
| Your Guide to JS Bach's Cello Suites! | 24 Dec 2024 | 01:32:43 | |
WETA resident cello player James Jacobs joins John Banther for a deep dive into the 6 iconic cello suites by JS Bach. With cello in hand, James demonstrates different aspects of the suites and shows us what to listen for, plus we enjoy a full recording performance of one of the suites at the end! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. | |||