Classical Music Playlist, April 29, 2026
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Symphonic Suite — also known as his Symphony No. 2 — titled “Antar” was inspired by an Arabian tale. In the desert, Antar saves a gazelle that turns out to be a fairy-queen. As a reward, she grants him the powers of vengeance, power and love. The first movement sets up the tale. The second movement depicts him enjoying revenge, the third movement power, and the final movement, love. However, there was a stipulation that if he ever tires of these gifts, the fairy-queen will take his life. At the end she senses his love for her cooling, and so he dies. Rimsky-Korsakov made many revisions to the work. The 1897 version of “Antar” that is considered the standard is today’s Midday Masterpiece.
6:00 a.m.
Nicolas Chedeville
Sonata (from "Il Pastor Fido") in A major The Faithful Shepherd
Paul Goodwin, oboe; Susan Sheppard, cello; John Toll, organ; Nigel North, guitar
6:10 a.m.
Mel Bonis
Piano Quartet No. 1 in Bb major Opus 69
Mozart Piano Quartet
6:36 a.m.
Orlando Gibbons
Dainty fine bird
; John Rutter, conductor Cambridge Singers
6:38 a.m.
John Dowland
The King of Denmark's Galiard P 40
Paul O'Dette, lute
6:42 a.m.
Giuseppe Verdi
DON CARLOS: Ballet Music
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra; Edward Downes, conductor
7:00 a.m.
Wilhelm Stenhammar
Excelsior! Opus 13
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra; Neeme Jarvi, conductor
7:13 a.m.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 18 in Bb major K 456
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Richard Goode, piano
7:43 a.m.
Arcangelo Corelli
Concerto Grosso No. 7 in D major Opus 6
Tafelmusik; Jeanne Lamon, conductor
7:54 a.m.
Giacomo Puccini
TURANDOT: Nessun dorma
London Philharmonic Orchestra; Zubin Mehta, conductor Luciano Pavarotti, tenor
7:58 a.m.
Camille Saint-Saens
SAMSON ET DELILA: Bacchanale Opus 47
Minnesota Orchestra; Eiji Oue, conductor
8:07 a.m.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Keyboard Concerto No. 3 in D major BWV 1054
Australian Chamber Orchestra Angela Hewitt, piano
8:24 a.m.
Franz Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 70 in D major
Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra; Adam Fischer, conductor
8:43 a.m.
Josef Suk
Fantastic Scherzo Opus 25
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra; JoAnn Falletta, conductor
8:59 a.m.
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Triple Concerto for piano, violin, cello & orchestra in C major Opus 56
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra; Kurt Masur, conductor Christian Zacharias, piano; Ulf Hoelscher, violin; Heinrich Schiff, cello
9:36 a.m.
George Friederich Handel
Concerto Grosso No. 4 in A minor Opus 6/4 HWV 322
Tafelmusik; Jeanne Lamon, conductor
9:48 a.m.
Johann Christian Bach
Sinfonia No. 4 in D major Opus 18/4
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra; David Zinman, conductor
10:00 a.m.
Robert Schumann
Carnaval Opus 9
Minnesota Orchestra; Eiji Oue, conductor
10:11 a.m.
Clara Schumann
Three Romances for Violin and Piano Opus 22
Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano; Elena Urioste, violin
10:22 a.m.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sinfonia Concertante for winds and orchestra in Eb major K 297b
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra; Libor Pesek, conductor Radomir Pivoda, flute; Jiri Mihule, oboe; Zdenek Tylsar, horn; Frantisek Herman, bassoon
10:48 a.m.
Aram Khachaturian
Spartacus: Adagio of Spartacus & Phrygia
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra; Lawrence Foster, conductor
10:59 a.m.
Jean Sibelius
Symphony No. 5 in Eb major Opus 82
San Francisco Symphony; Herbert Blomstedt, conductor
11:32 a.m.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Aria Variata in A minor BWV 989
Vikingur Olafsson, piano
11:48 a.m.
Mason Bates
Resurrexit
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; Manfred Honeck, conductor
12:00 p.m.
Antonio Vivaldi
Four Seasons: Autumn (L'Autunno) in F major Opus 8/3 RV 293
Tafelmusik; Jeanne Lamon, conductor Jeanne Lamon, violin
12:12 p.m.
Ernesto Lecuona
Andalusia Suite: Malaguena
Richard Cionco, piano
12:16 p.m.
Isaac Albeniz
The Crimson Tower (Torre Bermeja) Opus 92/12
Raphael Feuillatre, guitar
12:21 p.m.
William Grant Still
Symphony No. 4 "Autochthonous"
Philadelphia Orchestra; Yannick Nezet-Seguin, conductor
12:49 p.m.
Johannes Brahms
Violin Concerto: III. Allegro Giocoso (Finale) in D major Opus 77
Concertgebouw Orchestra; Bernard Haitink, conductor Henryk Szeryng, violin
12:59 p.m.
Johan Wagenaar
Frithjof's Sea Voyage (Frithjof's Meerfahrt) Opus 5
Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra; Jac Van Steen, conductor
1:12 p.m.
Grace Williams
Sea Sketches: V. Calm Sea in Summer
English Chamber Orchestra; David Atherton, conductor
1:18 p.m.
Aram Khachaturian
Masquerade: Waltz
The Bolshoi Theater Orchestra; Mark Ermler, conductor
1:24 p.m.
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Piano Quintet in G minor Opus 1
Catalyst Quartet Stewart Goodyear, piano
1:51 p.m.
Claudio Monteverdi
Monteverdiana
Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
2:00 p.m.
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Symphony No. 2 (Symphonic Suite) "Antar" Opus 9
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra; Neeme Jarvi, conductor
2:33 p.m.
Johann Friedrich Fasch
Lute Concerto in D minor
Tempesta di Mare Richard Stone, lute
2:50 p.m.
Franz Von Suppe
Light Cavalry Overture
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Gustav Kuhn, conductor
2:59 p.m.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No. 41 "Jupiter": I. Allegro vivace in C major K 551
Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Charles Mackerras, conductor
3:11 p.m.
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
Variations Across the Centuries: Waltz #2 & #3 & Foxtrot Op 71
Xavier Jara, guitar
3:16 p.m.
John Williams
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: Parade of the Slave Children
Boston Pops Orchestra; John Williams, conductor
3:23 p.m.
Teresa Carreno
Nocturne, "Souvenirs de mon pays"
Alexandra Oehler, piano
3:31 p.m.
Howard Hanson
Symphony No. 2 "Romantic"
Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, conductor
4:00 p.m.
Giuseppe Verdi
NABUCCO Overture (Sinfonia)
Philharmonic of La Scala; Riccardo Muti, conductor
4:08 p.m.
Astor Piazzolla
La Muerte del Angel (Death of the Angel)
Franz Halasz, guitar
4:12 p.m.
Isaac Albeniz
Iberia: Triana
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; Jesus Lopez-Cobos, conductor
4:18 p.m.
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 7 in A major Opus 92
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic; Charles Mackerras, conductor
4:56 p.m.
Olivia Belli
Sapias Latin: "have good taste/sense"
Scoring Berlin; Jonathan Stockhammer, conductor Mari Samuelsen, violin
5:01 p.m.
Hamilton Harty
Fantasy Scenes
Ulster Orchestra; Takuo Yuasa, conductor
5:13 p.m.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 15 in Bb major K 450
English Chamber Orchestra; Jeffrey Tate, conductor Mitsuko Uchida, piano
5:38 p.m.
Felix Mendelssohn
Overture for Wind Instruments Opus 24
London Symphony Orchestra; Claudio Abbado, conductor
5:49 p.m.
Leo Delibes
Sylvia: Pizzicato Polka
New Philharmonia Orchestra; Richard Bonynge, conductor
5:51 p.m.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Jazz Suite No. 1
Concertgebouw Orchestra; Riccardo Chailly, conductor
6:00 p.m.
Franz Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 101 "Clock" in D major
Orchestra of St. Luke's; Charles Mackerras, conductor
6:28 p.m.
Max Richter
Dona Nobis Pacem 2
La Pieta; Angele Dubeau, conductor Angele Dubeau, violin
6:31 p.m.
Arnold Bax
Lullaby (Berceuse)
Ashley Wass, piano
6:37 p.m.
Edward Elgar
Introduction and Allegro Opus 47
English Symphony Orchestra; William Boughton, conductor
6:51 p.m.
Isaac Albeniz
Zambra Granadina
David Russell, guitar
6:56 p.m.
Philip Glass
The Truman Show: Truman Sleeps
Valentina Lisitsa, piano
