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PODCAST

Classical Breakdown

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.

music music commentary

All Episodes

00:40:05

Meet Grammy-Winning Composer Jessie Montgomery!

Classical Breakdown ·

2026/02/03

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.

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00:25:35

A performance of Carnival of the Animals featuring...

Classical Breakdown ·

2026/01/27

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01:02:54

Carnival of the Animals, a work of genius kept hidden...

Classical Breakdown ·

2026/01/20

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!

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00:17:48

Bonus episode: Ballet music from 2 operas by Verdi!

Classical Breakdown ·

2026/01/13

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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00:57:59

Giuseppe Verdi: A life of drama, censorship, and even...

Classical Breakdown ·

2026/01/06

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!"

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00:52:04

Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto, one of the most...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/12/23

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.

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00:28:07

A performance of Emilie Mayer's Cello Sonata in D...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/12/16

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00:45:04

Emilie Mayer; Rediscovering a celebrated 19th-century...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/12/09

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00:38:30

Clara Wieck Schumann's Piano Concerto; a teenage work...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/11/25

This, the only orchestral output from Clara Wieck, might be one of the few 19th-century concertos written by a teenager that still occupies the concert stage today, and its popularity is only increasing. Join hosts John Banther and Linda Carducci to explore its youthful origins, characteristics of her writing, the size of her hands, and her big concert premiere.

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00:10:21

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra performs Hailstork's An...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/11/18

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00:54:25

Adolphus Hailstork, an American composer writing for...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/11/11

Hailstork has been writing music and teaching for over 5 decades, and his work has documented in music major American moments, from the bicentennial, 9/11, George Floyd, and even infrastructure. John Banther and Evan Keely explore his life, studies with Boulanger, his military experience, and look at 3 works from orchestral to choral that demonstrate his style.

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00:47:52

Death in music! 10 works that explore life’s final...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/10/28

Death has been depicted in music to console, frighten, warn, and entertain for over 400 years. In fact, the most quoted motif about death is also the oldest, and you know it intimately whether you realize it or not! John Banther and Evan Keely take you on a deathly trip over 10 works and a bonus.

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00:12:45

Bonus episode! 3 select performances of guitarist...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/10/21

I'm excited to bring you more from Xuefei Yang with these three performances taken from her YouTube channel (where you will find plenty more performances!).

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12:45

Bonus episode! 3 select performances of guitarist...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/10/21

I'm excited to bring you more from Xuefei Yang with these three performances taken from her YouTube channel (where you will find plenty more performances!). In this episode, we hear: John Williams (guitarist/composer) - When The Birds Return Changjun Xu - Sword Dance Jerome Kern - Smoke gets in your eyes Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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41:11

Xuefei Yang performs Erik Satie and shares insight...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/10/14

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!Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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00:41:11

Xuefei Yang performs Erik Satie and shares insight...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/10/14

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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64:11

Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 "Eroica", Rejecting...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/09/30

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!Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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104:57

The Great World of Percussion with Chris DeChiara:...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/09/16

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.Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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16:35

Bonus episode! A performance of a suite from the...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/09/09

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.Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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83:58

Maurice Ravel at 150: celebrating his life, music,...

Classical Breakdown ·

2025/09/02

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.Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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155 results

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