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....
Jun 24, 2025•31 min•Season 6Ep. 134
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....
Jun 10, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 6Ep. 133
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.
May 27, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 6Ep. 132
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.
May 13, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 6Ep. 131
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.
Apr 29, 2025•59 min•Season 6Ep. 130
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.
Apr 15, 2025•1 hr•Season 6Ep. 129
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.
Apr 10, 2025•2 min
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....
Apr 01, 2025•38 min•Season 6Ep. 128
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....
Mar 18, 2025•55 min•Season 6Ep. 127
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....
Mar 04, 2025•57 min•Season 6Ep. 126
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....
Feb 18, 2025•41 min•Season 6Ep. 125
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.
Feb 04, 2025•47 min•Season 6Ep. 124
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.
Jan 21, 2025•45 min•Season 6Ep. 123
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....
Jan 07, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 6Ep. 122
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....
Dec 24, 2024•1 hr 33 min•Season 6Ep. 121
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, works you probably don't know, what influenced him, how he created an "American" sound, and why he was questioned at length in a senate subcommittee hearing in 1953. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Dec 10, 2024•47 min•Season 6Ep. 120
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 to listen for, what sets her symphony apart from others of the time, and how WWI directly affected her and this very work. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 26, 2024•45 min•Season 6Ep. 119
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 love of food, and why he might have quit at the height of his fame at age 37. Plus, stay with us to the end for the Rossini cocktail! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Nov 12, 2024•46 min•Season 6Ep. 118
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 to listen for, and its beguiling opening! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 29, 2024•43 min•Season 6Ep. 117
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 all about its development and use in music, plus, she plays for us some iconic music on the horn. You can find videos and recordings of her playing on the show notes page at classicalbreakdown.org. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Oct 15, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 6Ep. 116
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 works from both composers, aspects of their lives, and what to listen for in their music! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 01, 2024•37 min•Season 5Ep. 115
From government intrigue, untimely death, or even distraction, there are many reasons why a composer might leave a work unfinished. John Banther and Linda Carducci dive into 5 unfinished works, how they are performed today, look at the surrounding circumstances, and discuss what we could have done to get these works completed in the first place! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Sep 17, 2024•40 min•Season 6Ep. 114
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 show you what to listen for! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 03, 2024•2 hr 8 min•Season 6Ep. 113
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 summer takes you! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 25, 2024•23 min•Season 5Ep. 112
Who doesn't love the cello? But, where and when was it invented, and how did it evolve over the centuries? Amit Peled, cello soloist and professor at Peabody, tells us everything and performs music by Bach and Bloch! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 11, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 5Ep. 111
We enjoy a full performance of the Enigma Variations at the end of the episode, but first, we get into the people and places depicted in colorful detail in Elgar's masterpiece. John Banther and Evan Keely uncover hidden clues in the music, the types of people Elgar depicts, and what the Enigma could possibly be (but isn't). Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
May 28, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Season 5Ep. 110
Real and fictional characters come to life in this incredibly challenging work for piano that also includes musical puzzles. John Banther and Linda Carducci explore all the characters and how Schumann depicts them in music, the ciphers, discarded movements, and more. plus we enjoy a full performance of it by Sergei Rachmaninoff! Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
May 14, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 5Ep. 109
She might have been the most influential person in music of the 20th century, and few would argue with you. John Banther and Evan Keely explore her life, music, and incalculable influence, but also some of the criticism her legacy has faced in the 45 years since her passing. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 30, 2024•46 min•Season 5Ep. 108
We've come to know the concerto as a work showcasing a single soloist with (or sometimes against ) an orchestra, but what if a work has not 1... but 4 soloists at the same time? And what if it is also bringing in ideas from the symphony? John Banther and Evan Keely take a look at one of the defining works in the genre, show you what to listen for, and discuss why Haydn might have written it in the first place Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for ...
Apr 16, 2024•29 min•Season 5Ep. 107
It's one of the most common musical instruments, but where did it come from and how did we get here? John Banther and Linda Carducci go on a journey through time to trace the evolution of the piano and its various forms. Plus, why is it so fun to see pianos fall from high places?? Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 02, 2024•51 min•Season 5Ep. 106
