Shows / Classical Breakdown
Classical Breakdown
John Banther takes classical music fans behind the scenes with interviews, deep dives, and analysis. Episodes released bi-weekly on Tuesdays. Produced by WETA Classical in Washington, D.C.
Episodes
Classical BreakdownYour Guide to Mozart's Requiem with Steven Fox
Who better to learn about all the nitty-gritty of Mozart's Requiem than a conductor who's been living it his whole life? Steven Fox, Music Director of the…
Classical BreakdownSnoopy and the Gang come to life in Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's Peanuts Gallery!
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…
Classical BreakdownWilliam Schuman: The composer that shaped Juilliard, the Lincoln Center, and American music
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…
Classical BreakdownWhat is a Harp with Nadia Pessoa: Ancient origins to modern innovations!
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…
Classical BreakdownBonus! A performance of Handel's Water Music
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…
Classical BreakdownHandel's Water Music; a Kings bid to lift his reputation and one smelly river
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…
Classical BreakdownSeason 7 Recommended Summer Listening!
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…
Classical BreakdownTosca! Puccini's tragic opera on love, lust, and brutality
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…
Classical BreakdownThe Montgomery Variations: A Piece of American History by Margaret Bonds
Music can be just as much of a historical document as letters or legislation, and we see that directly in this episode with music by Bonds written in 1963…
Classical BreakdownHaydn's Trumpet Concerto: Revolutionary in ways you didn't know!
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…
Classical BreakdownLeos Janacek: an original composer who found success late
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…
Classical BreakdownBonus! John and James discuss Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and gigs
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…
Classical BreakdownAlso Sprach Zarathustra: Where Music and Philosophy Reach New Heights
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…
Classical BreakdownBonus! 2 Opera preludes by Richard Wagner
Let's enjoy two iconic Wagner preludes in two larger-than-life recordings featuring the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and conductor Bernard Haitink!
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Richard Wagner: The flawed man who changed opera
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…
Classical BreakdownBonus! 3 Preludes and Fugues from the Well-Tampered Clavier Book 1 by Sam Post
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…
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The Well-TAMPERED Clavier: A rhythmic reimagining of JS Bach by Sam Post
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…
Classical BreakdownBrahms Symphony No. 3: Perfection in Orchestration and Form
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…
Classical Breakdown3 Composers lost to Tyranny
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…
Classical BreakdownMeet Grammy-Winning Composer Jessie Montgomery!
Jessie Montgomery and John Banther discuss her popular works, her time writing for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Blacknificent 7 composer group, and her…
Classical BreakdownA performance of Carnival of the Animals featuring Argerich and Freire!
Enjoy this performance after listening to the previous episode all about Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saens. (Elephant image: By Muhammad Mahdi Karim)
Classical BreakdownCarnival of the Animals, a work of genius kept hidden (plus animal facts!)
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…
Classical BreakdownBonus episode: Ballet music from 2 operas by Verdi!
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…
Classical BreakdownGiuseppe Verdi: A life of drama, censorship, and even farming!
This composer wrote operas almost exclusively, and his 19th-century success and popularity are hard to grasp even today. John Banther and Linda Carducci…
Classical BreakdownJean Sibelius' Violin Concerto, one of the most challenging works for violin!
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…
Classical BreakdownA performance of Emilie Mayer's Cello Sonata in D minor featuring Grace Mockus
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…
Classical BreakdownEmilie Mayer; Rediscovering a celebrated 19th-century composer
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…
Classical BreakdownClara Wieck Schumann's Piano Concerto; a teenage work of genius
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…
Classical BreakdownAdolphus Hailstork, an American composer writing for our time
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…
Classical BreakdownDeath in music! 10 works that explore life’s final question
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…
Classical BreakdownBonus episode! 3 select performances of guitarist Xuefei Yang
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!).
Classical BreakdownXuefei Yang performs Erik Satie and shares insight into her new album!
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…
Classical BreakdownBeethoven's Symphony No. 3 "Eroica", Rejecting Napoleon and Charting a New Path!
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…
Classical BreakdownThe Great World of Percussion with Chris DeChiara: From bones and war drums to symphonies!
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…
Classical BreakdownBonus episode! A performance of a suite from the ballet Daphnis and Chloe by Maurice Ravel
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…
Classical BreakdownMaurice Ravel at 150: celebrating his life, music, and influence!
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…
Classical BreakdownRecommended listening; 4 new albums to listen to this summer!
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…
Classical BreakdownMahler's Symphony No. 5, a story of uncertainty and triumph
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…
Classical BreakdownFelix Mendelssohn: A prodigy, inventor, and visionary!
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…
Classical BreakdownVerdi's Rigoletto: Unforgettable tunes, tragedy, and a new concept in opera
Verdi considered this character worthy of a Shakespearean tragedy, and he delivers just that! John Banther and Linda Carducci explore Verdi's masterpiece and…
Classical BreakdownJohn Williams: a defining American composer that goes beyond the silver screen
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…
Classical BreakdownShostakovich's Symphony No. 5: a symphony of bravery, intrigue, and survival
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…
Classical BreakdownAn update on Florence Price!
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…
Classical BreakdownThe most difficult music for piano: Gaspard de la Nuit by Maurice Ravel
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…
Classical BreakdownThe Future is Female: Exploring Clarice Assad and the Boulanger Initiative with Laura Colgate
Discover contemporary works by living Brazillian composer Clarice Assad that cover chamber music, solo piano, and orchestra. Then Co-Founder Laura Colgate…
Classical BreakdownEthel Smyth's Mass in D: A 19th century mass by an extraordinary woman!
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…
Classical BreakdownOlly Wilson, an American composer that will change how you hear music!
This American composer was a pioneer in electronic music, commissioned works with major orchestras, and did groundbreaking work in musicology connecting music…
Classical BreakdownCarlos Simon's Songs of Separation: An American song cycle set to poetry of Rumi
Explore the different emotional aspects of loss, grief, and separation in this orchestral song cycle by Kenedy Center composer-in-residence Carlos Simon. John…
Classical BreakdownLincoln Portrait: Aaron Copland's defense of Democracy
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…
Classical BreakdownChris Gekker tells us everything about the trumpet!
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…
Classical BreakdownYour Guide to JS Bach's Cello Suites!
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…
Classical BreakdownAaron Copland: The Sound of America
One of the most iconic American composers was at one point even considered by some to be "un-American." John Banther and Evan Keely explore Copland's life…
Classical BreakdownDora Pejačević's Symphony in F# minor; Croatia's very first symphony!
We get a rare opportunity to look at a country's first symphony, and it wasn't written until 1917! John and Evan explore Pejačević's symphony and show you what…
Classical BreakdownThe Life and Music of Gioachino Rossini: An overnight success, foodie, and opera sensation
Few composers were an overnight sensation like Gioachino Rossini! We have 3 musical characteristics of his to show you as we explore his life, travels, his…
Classical BreakdownBeethoven’s iconic Violin Concerto: what to listen for and why it was an initial flop!
Why was the premiere a failure, and how did it get back into the repertoire? John Banther and Evan Keely uncover unique characteristics in this concerto, what…
Classical BreakdownThe horn: Everything you need to know from Mozart, Mahler, to the movie screen!
One of the oldest instruments and one of the most beloved has to be the horn! Chandra Cervantes, one of the most in-demand horn players in the DC area, tells…
Classical BreakdownThe lives and music of Silvestre Revueltas and Gabriela Lena Frank
We explore two influential composers in this episode that you need to know; Silvestre Revueltas and Gabriela Lena Frank. John Banther and Evan Keely highlight…
Classical BreakdownThe Great Unfinished Works
From government intrigue, untimely death, or even distraction, there are many reasons why a composer might leave a work unfinished. John Banther and Linda…
Classical BreakdownBruckner's Symphony No. 4 "Romantic"; a monumental masterpiece!
We hear a full performance of this iconic symphony at the end of the episode. John and Evan break down everything you need to know, the "Bruckner problem," and…
Classical BreakdownRecommended listening; 4 new albums to listen to this summer!
Can you believe it that summer is already here? This is the final episode of Season 5 and I have 4 recently released albums you need to listen to wherever the…