Classical Breakdown

Latest Episodes:

Bonus! A performance of Mozart's Requiem Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

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.

Your Guide to Mozart's Requiem with Steven Fox Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

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.

Snoopy and the Gang come to life in Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's Peanuts Gallery! Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

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 Sep 29, 2026

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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! Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

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 Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

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 Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

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! Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

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 Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

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 May 26, 2026

Show notes

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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