Classical Breakdown

Latest Episodes:

Xuefei Yang performs Erik Satie and shares insight into her new album! Oct 14, 2025

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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 transcribing and arranging for the guitar, why she chose to include flute and voice, and performs a work from her new album at the end, too!

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Xuefei Yang performs Erik Satie and shares insight into her new album! Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 "Eroica", Rejecting Napoleon and Charting a New Path! Sep 30, 2025

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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 what to listen for, how it pushed boundaries in 19th-century music, the famous Napoleon dedication, and more!

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The Great World of Percussion with Chris DeChiara: From bones and war drums to symphonies! Sep 16, 2025

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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 Beethoven to Ozzy Osborne, he demonstrates over a dozen instruments and shares insider secrets as to what goes on in the back row.

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Bonus episode! A performance of a suite from the ballet Daphnis and Chloe by Maurice Ravel Sep 09, 2025

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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 Ravel's ballet Daphnis and Chloe.

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Maurice Ravel at 150: celebrating his life, music, and influence! Sep 02, 2025

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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, why he was kicked out of school twice, and enjoy a performance of his string quartet.

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Recommended listening; 4 new albums to listen to this summer! Jun 24, 2025

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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!

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Mahler's Symphony No. 5, a story of uncertainty and triumph Jun 10, 2025

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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.

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Felix Mendelssohn: A prodigy, inventor, and visionary! May 27, 2025

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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!

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Verdi's Rigoletto: Unforgettable tunes, tragedy, and a new concept in opera May 13, 2025

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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.

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