Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Classical Music Happy Hour
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our Common Nature with Yo-Yo Ma: Coming Soon! | 11 Sep 2025 | 00:01:54 | |
When the world stopped in 2020, cellist Yo-Yo Ma started thinking about how music can reconnect people to nature. In this limited podcast series, Yo-Yo travels around the country to make music and meet people who have deep connections to the earth. Host Ana González joins him to uncover stories of the ways that culture binds us to nature, from Maine to Appalachia and Hawaii. The result is a seven-episode series that fuses music, personal narratives, and local histories from across the United States. We travel into the world's largest cave to hear the Louisville Orchestra perform. In Hawai‘i, an elder says her “chants are our contribution to the human orchestra of the world.” And the Wabanaki teach us about their duty to welcome the sun each day in Maine. For Yo-Yo Ma, who has spent most of his career indoors, a connection to the natural world is “what doesn’t exist in my life, that I know is missing.” Our Common Nature helps to bridge the gap – for Yo-Yo and for all of us. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Acadia: Yo-Yo Ma and the Wabanaki Play for the Dawn | 08 Oct 2025 | 00:32:04 | |
The series opens with a window into the Yo-Yo universe, one where music and nature work together. Host Ana González guides us into Yo-Yo Ma’s mindset, connecting Bach to leaves, birds, and sunlight. That takes us to a sunrise in Acadia National Park in Maine, where Chris Newell leads Yo-Yo and Wabanaki musicians in a musical performance to welcome the dawn. Featuring music by Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Newell, and Lauren Stevens. Yo-Yo’s performance of In the Gale by Anna Clyne Additional audio provided by the Upstander Project. Watch the Upstander Project film about this sunrise performance here: https://www.reciprocity.org/films/weckuwapok Listen to the Our Common Nature EP here. Preview more videos on @wnyc Instagram/Facebook Credits: Hosted by Ana González Our advisors are Mira Burt-Wintonick, Kamaka Dias, Kelley Libbey, and Chris Newell Special thanks to Acadia National Park. This podcast was inspired by a project of the same name, conceived by Yo-Yo Ma and Sound Postings, with creative direction by Sophie Shackleton, in collaboration with partners all over the world. Our Common Nature is made possible with support from Emerson Collective and Tambourine Philanthropies. Episode photo by Austin Mann; episode and show art by Tiffany Pai Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Yo-Yo Ma wants to know: what place do you love most? What reminds you that you are part of the Earth? Snap a photo of your favorite place on the planet and share it on social with the tag #ourcommonnature Visit the website at ourcommonnaturepodcast.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Kentucky: Yo-Yo Ma and the Louisville Orchestra perform in Mammoth Cave | 15 Oct 2025 | 00:33:45 | |
A cave can hold secrets. Louisville Orchestra conductor Teddy Abrams knows that, which is why he wrote a piece for symphony orchestra to be performed entirely underground. This episode takes us into Mammoth Cave to hear a performance that unlocks a centuries of stories preserved by the caves' seemingly endless walls. One of those is the story of Jerry Bransford, who brought the Bransford name back to Mammoth Cave 80 years after his ancestors were removed from their jobs as cave guides because of their race. Featuring original music from Louisville Symphony Orchestra conductor Teddy Abrams, performed by the Louisville Symphony Orchestra, Davóne Tines, and Yo-Yo Ma. Special thanks to: Mammoth Cave National Park and Louisville Orchestra for their recording of Mammoth used throughout this episode. Find out more about their projects and concerts by visiting louisvilleorchestra.org To learn more about all the history of enslaved guides at Mammoth Cave, read Making Their Mark: The Signature of Slavery at Mammoth Cave, written by Joy Lyons. Listen to the Our Common Nature EP. Credits: Our Common Nature is a production of WNYC and Sound Postings Hosted by Ana González Episode photo by Austin Mann; Episode and show art by Tiffany Pai This podcast was inspired by a project of the same name, conceived by Yo-Yo Ma and Sound Postings, with creative direction by Sophie Shackleton, in collaboration with partners all over the world. Our Common Nature is made possible with support from Emerson Collective and Tambourine Philanthropies Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The Smokies: Mountains and Forgotten Family with Yo-Yo Ma | 22 Oct 2025 | 00:42:52 | |
In the Smoky Mountains, traditions layer and intersect. Yo-Yo Ma believes that story and song can help us grapple with America’s complicated history. This episode highlights two stories of people who are reclaiming their connections to the land. The first brings us to Cherokee, North Carolina, where Lavita Hill and Mary Crowe are working to change the name of the tallest mountain in the range back to its original Cherokee name. Then, we go to the other side of the mountains, where musician Eric Mingus meets up with some long-lost family, and grapples with the weight of his family’s history. His performance reconnects him to a lineage he never thought he’d find. Featuring music by Eric Mingus, Rhiannon Giddens and Yo-Yo Ma. “Grinds My Bones/The Mill” was composed and performed by Eric Mingus. Flute and vocal performance in this episode by Jarrett Wildcatt. Additional audio recording provided by Taylor MacKay. Credits: Our Common Nature is a production of WNYC and Sound Postings Hosted by Ana González
Our advisors are Mira Burt-Wintonick, Kamaka Dias, Kelley Libbey, and Chris Newell Episode photo by Austin Mann; Episode and show art by Tiffany Pai And if you want to listen to more music from this series, you can check out the Our Common Nature EP, featuring Yo-Yo playing with Eric Mingus, Jen Kreisberg and an Icelandic choir, now available on all streaming platforms. This podcast was inspired by a project of the same name, conceived by Yo-Yo Ma and Sound Postings, with creative direction by Sophie Shackleton, in collaboration with partners all over the world. Our Common Nature is made possible with support from Emerson Collective and Tambourine Philanthropies. Our Common Nature is a production of WNYC and Sound Postings. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Yo-Yo Ma wants to know: what place do you love most? What reminds you that you are part of the Earth? Snap a photo of your favorite place on the planet and share it on social with the tag #ourcommonnature Visit the website at ourcommonnaturepodcast.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| West Virginia: Yo-Yo Ma and West Virginia Coal | 05 Nov 2025 | 00:45:35 | |
West Virginia is defined by its beauty and its coal, two things that can work against each other. Yo-Yo Ma felt this as soon as stepped foot in its hills.This episode explores how music and poetry help process the emotions of a community besieged with disaster and held together by pride and duty. We travel down the Coal River with third-generation coal miner Chris Saunders, who tells us how coal has saved and threatened his life. Poet Crystal Good shares her poetry, which channels her rage and love. And musician and granddaughter of West Virginia coal miners, Kathy Mattea, explains the beauty of belting out your home state in a chorus. The end of the episode finds host Ana floating down the New River with help from a group of high schoolers and Yo-Yo Ma. Featuring music by Yo-Yo Ma, Dom Flemons, and Kathy Mattea and poetry by Crystal Good. Listen to the Our Common Nature EP. Credits: Our advisors are Mira Burt-Wintonick, Kamaka Dias, Kelley Libbey, and Chris Newell Episode photo by Austin Mann; Episode and show art by Tiffany Pai This podcast was inspired by a project of the same name, conceived by Yo-Yo Ma and Sound Postings, with creative direction by Sophie Shackleton, in collaboration with partners all over the world. Our Common Nature is made possible with support from Emerson Collective and Tambourine Philanthropies Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Yo-Yo Ma wants to know: what place do you love most? What reminds you that you are part of the Earth? Snap a photo of your favorite place on the planet and share it on social with the tag #ourcommonnature Visit the website at ourcommonnaturepodcast.org
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Alaska: Yo-Yo Ma and the Gwich’in play for the salmon | 29 Oct 2025 | 00:44:06 | |
This episode begins in Fairbanks, AK. Yo-Yo Ma is at a house concert with drag queen environmentalist Pattie Gonia, singer/songwriter Quinn Christopherson and Princess Daazhraii Johnson, a writer and filmmaker from the Gwich’in Nation. They were all performing to help their communities process the negative effects of climate change in Alaska. Salmon have been disappearing for decades, but now there are laws preventing fishing along the Yukon River, an ancestral practice for many Alaska Native people. Host Ana travels up to the 2024 Gwich’in Gathering in Circle, Alaska to learn how the Gwich’in nation uses its centuries-old tools of music and discussion to speak with one voice and bring back the salmon. Featuring music by Yo-Yo Ma, Quinn Christopherson and Pattie Gonia, poetry by Princess Johnson, and traditional music by members of the Gwich’in Nation.
Credits: Our Common Nature is a production of WNYC and Sound Postings Episode photo by Austin Mann; Episode and show art by Tiffany Pai This podcast was inspired by a project of the same name, conceived by Yo-Yo Ma and Sound Postings, with creative direction by Sophie Shackleton, in collaboration with partners all over the world. Our Common Nature is made possible with support from Emerson Collective and Tambourine Philanthropies Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Hawai‘i: Yo-Yo Ma on Moloka‘i | 12 Nov 2025 | 00:44:33 | |
On the island of Molokaʻi in Hawaii, we trace the spiritual power of mana, from a sacred grove to the Kalaupapa colony, where music, story, and Yo-Yo Ma’s performance honor the resilience and memory of those who came before. Perched on a plateau on the southeast side of the island of Molokaʻi sits a grove of kukui trees. Mikiʻala Pescaia tells us that beneath the roots of these trees are the bones of Hawaiian spiritual leader Lanikaula. It holds his energy and power, his mana, a key concept in Hawaiian culture. On the north side of the same island, on a rugged peninsula called Kalaupapa, we explore the mana left behind by another history. It’s the site of a government-mandated colony for people who contracted Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy. Historian Anwei Law tells us the story of Bernard Punikaiʻa, who came to Kalaupapa as a boy with a disease and created a life of music and community within the bounds of the colony. We reflect on how to memorialize the residents of Kalaupapa as the last remaining living residents listen to Yo-Yo play in one of the peninsula's many cemeteries. Featuring music by Yo-Yo Ma and Bernard Punikaʻia Watch a video of Bernard performing “Where Birds Never Fly” Listen to the Our Common Nature EP Credits: Hosted by Ana González Our Common Nature is a production of WNYC and Sound Postings. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Yo-Yo Ma wants to know: what place do you love most? What reminds you that you are part of the Earth? Snap a photo of your favorite place on the planet and share it on social with the tag #ourcommonnature Visit the website at ourcommonnaturepodcast.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Hawai‘i: Yo-Yo Ma and the Whales | 19 Nov 2025 | 00:43:46 | |
Yo-Yo Ma has wanted to use his cello to communicate with whales for half his life. And, in Hawai’i he got a chance. With help from the Polyneisan Voyaging Society and hula master Snowbird Bento, Yo-Yo learns about the ancient art of Hawaiian chant, what one local singer describes to him as their “contribution to the orchestra of the world.” Then Ana and Yo-Yo board a legendary canoe, Hōkūleʻa, with local fishermen, seafaring captains, and marine biologists. The musicians play cello for whales through the hull of the ship, all in the red glow of volcano Mauna Loa’s active eruption. Featuring music by Yo-Yo Ma and Snowbird Bento Listen to the Our Common Nature EP Credits: Hosted by Ana González Our Common Nature is a production of WNYC and Sound Postings. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Yo-Yo Ma wants to know: what place do you love most? What reminds you that you are part of the Earth? Snap a photo of your favorite place on the planet and share it on social with the tag #ourcommonnature Visit the website at ourcommonnaturepodcast.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Our Common Nature Recommends: Classical Music Happy Hour | 19 Feb 2026 | 00:09:44 | |
Hello Our Common Nature fans, Ana González is dropping into the feed to tell you about Classical Music Happy Hour, a new podcast you might be interested in, hosted by Yo-Yo Ma’s friend and pianist Emanuel Ax. The show is all about the joy in chatting about music with all sorts of people, including some of Manny’s dearest friends like pianist Yuja Wang, composer John Adams, actor David Hyde Pierce, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. In every episode, Manny Ax speaks with a guest about their relationship with music. We’ll hear their favorite music selections–sometimes performed live in the studio! Manny also takes listener questions, and he and his guests play music-inspired games. To Our Common Nature fans, please join Manny for music, merriment, and conversation. And to give you a taste of what you can expect, here’s just a bit of the episode with guest Yo-Yo Ma. Follow or subscribe to this show for upcoming episodes of Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Introducing Classical Music Happy Hour with Manny Ax | 25 Feb 2026 | 00:02:47 | |
Join renowned pianist Emanuel Ax for Classical Music Happy Hour: a new podcast full of music, merriment, and conversation. Manny (Emanuel) talks with special guests about their lives, listens to some of their favorite classical gems, plays music-inspired games, and answers questions from listeners. Grab a cocktail and press play on a podcast celebrating our love of all things classical music! Episode one with guest and pianist Yuja Wang drops next week. Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Marc-André Hamelin - Rocks Rachmaninoff | 11 Mar 2026 | 00:31:14 | |
Composer and pianist Marc-André Hamelin joins Manny to talk about growing up with a musical father, the mechanics of piano playing, and the influences behind his prolific performing and recording career. He answers listener questions about piano transcriptions and why music is written in so many different keys. In the music segment, Hamelin performs one of his favorite works by Rachmaninoff live in the studio. The piece performed by Marc-André Hamelin is Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Etude-Tableau op39/5 in E-flat minor. Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax. Music used in today’s episode includes: 53 Studies on the Chopin Études: No. 12 in G-Flat Major (6th Version) 53 Studies on the Chopin Études: No. 45 in E Major (1st Version) Pictures at an Exhibition: Promenade Pictures at an Exhibition: Promenade Horn Concerto No. 2 in E-Flat Major Fantasia in C minor, K. 475 Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Credits Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Yuja Wang - Superstar Pianist Plays Too Many Encores | 04 Mar 2026 | 00:34:54 | |
Superstar pianist Yuja Wang joins Manny Ax to talk about bad pianos, encores, what influences her musical interpretations, and her love for Prokofiev. In our Newly Dead game, Yuja puts her knowledge of composer deaths to the test. Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax. Music used in today’s episode includes: Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat Major, Op. 31 No. 3 "La chasse": IV Piano Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31 No. 1: I. Allegro Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major, K. 545 "Sonata facile": I. Allegro Concerto No. 2 Op 18 II Adagio Sostenuto Scythian Suite, Op. 20: II. The Enemy of God, III. Night Piano Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 6: IV. Marche Funebre Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55 "Eroica": II. Marcia funebre Symphony No. 44 in E minor Trauer Sinfonie Mourning III Adagio Credits Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Gabriela Ortiz - Composer and Grammy Gal | 18 Mar 2026 | 00:39:00 | |
Composer Gabriela Ortiz joins Manny to talk about her grandfather’s surprising connection to Mahler, her own compositional process, and her enduring love for works by Debussy and Stravinsky. Listeners call in with tricky questions about folk music’s influence on classical works, new developments in orchestral instruments, and the realities of orchestra cliques. In our game segment, Manny puts Gabriela to the test—can she identify which famous composer was panned by critics? Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax. Music used in today’s episode includes: Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp minor, IV. Adagietto Le Sacre du Printemps La Mer, L. 109, II. Jeux de vagues Miroirs, M. 43 Une barque sur l'océan Estancia, Op. 8, Scene 5: Danza Final. Malambo Romanian Folk Dances
Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Credits Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| John Adams - not the President | 25 Mar 2026 | 00:37:51 | |
Renowned American composer John Adams joins Manny to discuss his approach to opera composition, the stories behind his intriguingly titled works, and the time he was once mistaken for John Cage. Adams answers listener questions on the evolution of music and the emotional pull of minor keys. He also shares his love of Stravinsky and Handel. For our game segment, Adams puts his knowledge to the test as Manny quizzes him on outrageous performance directions. Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax. Music used in today’s episode includes: Italian Concerto in F Major BWV 971, III: Presto Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 25 Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 25 Violin Sonata No. 21 in E minor, K. 304 Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor, Op. 38, I. Allegro non troppo Symphony No. 5, I. Trauermarsch Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, IV. Finale–Adagio lamentoso
Gnossienne No. 3 Horn Concert No. 2 in E-Flat Major, K. 417, III. Rondo Allegro Credits Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| John McWhorter - Lover of Language | 01 Apr 2026 | 00:31:44 | |
Columbia University Professor of Linguistics John McWhorter, chats with Manny about swear words, Broadway, and tackles the conundrums of musical etymology. McWhorter also makes the case for the brilliant first movement of Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet in B minor. The two then square off in a game about famous classical pieces that bombed at their premieres. Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax. Music used in today’s episode includes: Strike Up the Band: The Man I Love (Arr. For orchestra) Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115, I. Allegro Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3 “The Hunt” Herzgewächse Symphony No. 5 in D Major, I. Preludio. Moderato. Allegro Piano Sonata in B minor, S. 178
Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Credits Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Yo-Yo Ma - 53 years of friendship and duets | 08 Apr 2026 | 00:33:45 | |
Live from Tanglewood, cellist Yo-Yo Ma chats with Manny about their long musical relationship and friendship. The two treat the live audience to a few musical performances, and they take questions from the audience about their burning musical questions, like “why does a piano have three pedals?” Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax. Music Performed in Today’s Episode: Lieder ohne Worte (Song without Words) Ave Maria Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Credits Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Jeanine Tesori - from “Fun Home” to the Met Opera | 15 Apr 2026 | 00:36:17 | |
Composer Jeanine Tesori is a two time Tony Award winner, a two time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and in 2024, she became the first woman composer to open the Metropolitan Opera Opera season in its 139 year history. On this edition of CMHH she tells Manny about her time living in a lighthouse, about her love of Stravinsky, and why she decided not to be a doctor. Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax. 3 Movements from Petrushka: No. 1, Danse russe Carmen, Habanera Turandot, SC 91: Nessun dorma (Live) Carmen: Act I: Habañera: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle Boléro, M. 81 Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Credits Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Manny Ax wants to hear from you! | 10 Jul 2026 | 00:00:58 | |
Hi Classical Music Happy Hour listeners! I’m your host, Manny Ax. I’ve heard from so many of you over the course of this season and I’m so proud of this show and the community we are creating. We’re working hard on another season with amazing guests, fun games, your listener questions, and of course great music. But in the meantime, we’re going to try something a little different. So, for the next few months, I’ll be introducing you to new shows, sharing some music, dropping a few surprises, and as always, having a bit of fun along the way. But as we get ready for a new season, we’d also love to hear from you! What were some of your favorite moments from the show? Who would you love to see as a guest? What are some questions you’d like to hear answered? Use this form to submit your questions or send them to us at manny@wqxr.org. We want to hear your thoughts! Grab a drink and stick around as we continue to celebrate our love for all things classical! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Ray Chen - superstar violinist wants you to practice | 27 May 2026 | 00:35:04 | |
Violinist and social media guru Ray Chen wraps up this season of Classical Music Happy Hour with an in-studio live performance. He chats with Manny about video games, performance anxiety, and his practice app Tonic. In our game, he joins Manny in our game called Is It a Composer or Is it Cheese? Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax. Ray Chen performed an excerpt from JS Bach’s Chaconne from Partitat No. 2 for Solo Violin, BWV 1004. Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64, MWV O14: III. Allegro molto vivace Intermezzo in A major, Op. 118, No. 2 Andante teneramente Le sorcier: Overture Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Credits Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Paquito D’Rivera -Beef, Beans and Benny (Goodman) | 20 May 2026 | 00:28:15 | |
Paquito D’Rivera is composer, saxophonist and clarinetist whose work spans classical, jazz and latin music. Born in Havana, Cuba, D’Rivera started his career playing with the National Theater Orchestra at the age of 10 and has been on stage for seven decades. During their chat, Paquito and Manny discuss what beef and beans have to do with Benny Goodman playing Carnegie Hall, what kind of music teacher his father was, and all things clarinet. He also joins Manny for an in-studio performance of one of his compositions. In our game, Manny and Paquito decide if a sound is made by a musical instrument or an animal. Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax. The piece Paquito D’Rivera and Emanuel Ax perform is Contradanza for Bb Clarinet and Piano, composed by our guest, Paquito D’Rivera. 3 Movements from Petrushka: No. 3, La Semaine grasse Symphonie Fantastique Op. 14, H.48, Ronde du Sabbat Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Credits Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Yefim Bronfman - master of the keyboard | 13 May 2026 | 00:33:07 | |
Pianist Yefim Bronfman, “Fima,” chats with Manny about their decades-long friendship, their love of sports, their surprising anxiety around live broadcast performances. They’ll answer listeners’ questions about recovering from injuries and picking repertoire, even the stuff no one heard of! Fima and Manny work together in our Newly Dead game to identify odd ways composers have died. Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax. Piano Sonata No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8: II. Adagio Sinfonia avanti il Barcheggio for Trumpet, 2 Violins and Continuo Armide, Act III Scene 4: Je responds a tes voeux Solomon, HWV 67: Pt. III: Air. Ev’ry sight these eyes behold Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Credits Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall. Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax. The piece Paquito D’Rivera and Emanuel Ax perform is Contradanza for Bb Clarinet and Piano, composed by our guest, Paquito D’Rivera. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Isabel Hagen - likes a good viola joke | 06 May 2026 | 00:32:20 | |
Comedian Isabel Hagen is a classically trained violist, and a filmmaker. As a comedian, she has been featured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and was a New Face of Comedy at the Just for Laughs festival in Montréal. She talks to Manny about how the viola can be funny and make people love classical music by making them laugh! Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax.
The Star-Spangled Banner Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Credits Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Nicholas Britell - more than that one viral theme song! | 29 Apr 2026 | 00:34:06 | |
The New York Times has called Nicholas Britell: “The composer at the frontier of film music.” Britell has written scores for Hollywood movies including:The Big Short, Moonlight and If Beale Street Could talk. Listeners might best recognize his work from the theme of the HBO series “Succession” for which he’s won the Emmy for the iconic theme song. He’ll talk about writing for the big screen and he’ll play one of his most recognizable pieces live-in studio. Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax. Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 "Enigma": Var. I (C.A.E.) The Planets, Op. 32: I. Mars, the Bringer of War Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30, TrV 176: Introduction Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor Op. 13, Pathetique” Fantasia in C minor, K. 475
Symphony No. 64 in A Major, Hob. 1:64 (Tempora mutantur) Le Sacre du Printemps
Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Credits Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| David Hyde Pierce - a.k.a. Niles Crane | 22 Apr 2026 | 00:33:25 | |
Actor David Hyde Pierce has had a long career in film, television and the theater. He’s best known to listeners for his portrayal of Niles Crane on the sitcom "Frasier." He joins Manny to talk about his life and love of classical music and listen to some of their favorite recordings. They also play a game called “Animal or Instrument.” Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax. Fantasia in C Minor, Op. 80 "Choral Fantasy": Fantasia in C Minor, Op. 80 Piano Trio No. 7 in B-Flat Major, Op. 97 "Archduke": III. Andante cantabile Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor": I. Allegro Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Credits Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim. Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon. Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||