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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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23 episodes
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English

Episodes 23

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Yesterday · 38 min
What is a Harp with Nadia Pessoa: Ancient origins to modern innovations!
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.
September 8 · 49 min
Bonus! A performance of Handel's Water Music
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!
September 1 · 48 min
Handel's Water Music; a Kings bid to lift his reputation and one smelly river
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.
June 23 · 33 min
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 9 · 1 hr 14 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.
May 26 · 1 hr 1 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Music can be just as much of a historical document as letters or legislation, and we see that directly in this episode with music by Bonds written in 1963.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 12 · 50 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.
April 28 · 53 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 21 · 27 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 14 · 53 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 7 · 24 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!
March 31 · 1 hr 18 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 24 · 14 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 17 · 44 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 3 · 51 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.
February 17 · 43 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 3 · 40 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.
January 27 · 25 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 20 · 1 hr 2 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 13 · 17 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.

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