Classical Breakdown

Episodes

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  Alexander Scriabin: music, philosophy, and the end of the world! 10.11.2026 1h 6m

  Was this a misunderstood composer or just another man with a tower sized ego? John and Evan explore his life and music, controversies, how his music evolved, the philosophy that shaped his music, his sudden end, and give you several recommended works to listen to.
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  Bonus! A performance of Mozart's Requiem 03.11.2026 54m

  We learned all about Mozart's final work last week with Steven Fox, now we get to put our ears to work and enjoy a full performance.
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  Your Guide to Mozart's Requiem with Steven Fox 27.10.2026 1h 27m

  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 Cathedral Choral Society, came to the studio with the score in hand and answered all of John's burning questions.
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  Snoopy and the Gang come to life in Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's Peanuts Gallery! 13.10.2026 34m

  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.
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  William Schuman: The composer that shaped Juilliard, the Lincoln Center, and American music 29.09.2026 53m

  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.
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  What is a Harp with Nadia Pessoa: Ancient origins to modern innovations! 15.09.2026 38m

  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.
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  Bonus! A performance of Handel's Water Music 08.09.2026 49m

  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!
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  Handel's Water Music; a Kings bid to lift his reputation and one smelly river 01.09.2026 48m

  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.
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  Season 7 Recommended Summer Listening! 23.06.2026 33m

  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!
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  Tosca! Puccini's tragic opera on love, lust, and brutality 09.06.2026 1h 14m

  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.
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  The Montgomery Variations: A Piece of American History by Margaret Bonds 26.05.2026 1h 1m

  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.
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  Haydn's Trumpet Concerto: Revolutionary in ways you didn't know! 12.05.2026 50m

  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.
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  Leos Janacek: an original composer who found success late 28.04.2026 53m

  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.
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  Bonus! John and James discuss Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and gigs 21.04.2026 27m

  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.
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  Also Sprach Zarathustra: Where Music and Philosophy Reach New Heights 14.04.2026 53m

  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!
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  Bonus! 2 Opera preludes by Richard Wagner 07.04.2026 24m

  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 31.03.2026 1h 18m

  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.
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  Bonus! 3 Preludes and Fugues from the Well-Tampered Clavier Book 1 by Sam Post 24.03.2026 14m

  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
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  The Well-TAMPERED Clavier: A rhythmic reimagining of JS Bach by Sam Post 17.03.2026 44m

  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.
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  Brahms Symphony No. 3: Perfection in Orchestration and Form 03.03.2026 51m

  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.