Classical Breakdown

WETA Classical

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.

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165 episodes
Updated June 23

Episodes165

Newest first

Season 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 includes a remarkable composer's story!
June 23 · 33 min
Tosca! 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 Carducci give you the historical and cultural context to the plot, show you specific themes hidden throughout, and highlight 4 show-stopping moments.
June 9 · 1 hr 14 min
The 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Music can be just as much of a historical document as letters or legislation, and we see that directly in this episode with music by Bonds written in 1963. John Banther and Evan Keely show you what to listen for, how Bonds adapts a well-known melody, the historical context, and more.
May 26 · 1 hr 1 min
Haydn'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 you what made this concerto possible, how Haydn was revolutionary, and why each recording is a little bit different.
May 12 · 50 min
Leos 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 original sound, speech melodies and modality.
April 28 · 53 min
Bonus! 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, we enjoy a full performance with the Berlin Philharmonic.
April 21 · 27 min
Also 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 inspired Strauss? John Banther and Evan Keely show you how themes transform from beginning to end in an effort to reach the Übermensch!
April 14 · 53 min
Bonus! 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!
April 7 · 24 min
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 and failures, his bigoted "Judaism in Music" essay, and how his Ring Cycle changed everything.
March 31 · 1 hr 18 min
Bonus! 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 afterwards to learn all about this project from beginning to end. Music provided by (c) Acis Productions LLC. All rights reserved
March 24 · 14 min
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 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.
March 17 · 44 min
Brahms 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 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.
March 3 · 51 min
3 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 three 20th-century composers, what happened to them, and select works that demand your attention.
February 17 · 43 min
Meet 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 early artistic influences.
February 3 · 40 min
A 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)
January 27 · 25 min
Carnival 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 world of animals, how Saint-Saëns brings them to life, and why you have to play bad to sound good!
January 20 · 1 hr 2 min
Bonus 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 include ballet. In this bonus episode, we'll hear two ballet sections from two different operas, sometimes composed decades later.
January 13 · 17 min
Giuseppe 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 explore his life, his upward rise, the tragedies, and how he provided the sound for Italy's "Risorgimento!"
January 6 · 57 min
Jean 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 difficult? Is it the written music or is it something else? John Banther and Evan Keely show you what to listen for, how Sibelius does things differently, a moment from a masterclass, and what went wrong in the premiere.
Dec 23, 2025 · 52 min
A 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 episode. Juilliard Graduate student, Grace Mockus, is working on publishing her critical edition of Emilie Mayer's Cello Sonata in D minor! After listening to this, you can find more performances of Grace Mockus on YouTube.
Dec 16, 2025 · 28 min

Classical Breakdown

Season 7 Recommended Summer Listening!

Tosca! Puccini's tragic opera on love, lust, and brutality

The Montgomery Variations: A Piece of American History by Margaret Bonds

Haydn's Trumpet Concerto: Revolutionary in ways you didn't know!

Leos Janacek: an original composer who found success late

Bonus! John and James discuss Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and gigs

Also Sprach Zarathustra: Where Music and Philosophy Reach New Heights

Bonus! 2 Opera preludes by Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner: The flawed man who changed opera

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

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

Brahms Symphony No. 3: Perfection in Orchestration and Form

3 Composers lost to Tyranny

Meet Grammy-Winning Composer Jessie Montgomery!

A performance of Carnival of the Animals featuring Argerich and Freire!

Carnival of the Animals, a work of genius kept hidden (plus animal facts!)

Bonus episode: Ballet music from 2 operas by Verdi!

Giuseppe Verdi: A life of drama, censorship, and even farming!

Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto, one of the most challenging works for violin!

A performance of Emilie Mayer's Cello Sonata in D minor featuring Grace Mockus