Bartok Concerto for Orchestra, Part 2
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 Apr 202047min
Bartok Concerto For Orchestra, Part 1
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 Apr 202042min
Shostakovich Symphony No. 7, "Leningrad"
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 Mars 202040min
The Overtures of Beethoven
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 Mars 202056min
Schumann Cello Concerto
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 Mars 202046min
Brahms Symphony No. 3
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 Mars 20201h 1min
How to Be A Film Composer, with Christopher Willis
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 Feb 202040min
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3
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 Jan 202055min
