Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast

Bartok did not have an easy life in the US, and he was constantly both homesick and horrorstruck by the news from across the ocean. The final three movements of his Concerto for Orchestra display some...

9 Huhti 202047min

In 1944, Bartok, dying of Leukemia and weighing only 87 lbs, was commissioned to write a new orchestral piece. He had not written any music for years, and was barely clinging to life. The commission s...

2 Huhti 202042min

I've been coming back to this symphony again and again over the past couple of weeks. The story of the composition and Leningrad performance of Shostakovich 7 is one of the most remarkable stories of ...

26 Maalis 202040min

Never fear everyone, the podcasts are still coming during this crazy time! This week I'll take you through 7 of Beethoven's greatest overtures, pieces that distill Beethoven's storytelling abilities, ...

19 Maalis 202056min

On today's Patreon-sponsored episode, we'll explore the enigmatic masterpiece known as the Schumann Cello Concerto. This is a piece that has been relentlessly criticized ever since it was written, and...

12 Maalis 202046min

Brahms' 3rd symphony is his most underrated symphony. It is a nearly perfect piece that transcends the traditional symphonic narrative over its 40 minute journey. So why doesn't it get performed as of...

5 Maalis 20201h 1min

This week I was joined by the wonderful composer Christopher Willis for a wide ranging and fascinating conversation. Willis, who wrote the music for The Death Of Stalin, Mickey Mouse Shorts, Veep, an...

6 Helmi 202040min

Rachmaninoff remains extremely popular as a composer. But at the same time, a kind of condescending attitude continues to linger about Rachmaninoff's music. People say it sounds like movie music, it's...

30 Tammi 202055min