Classical Music Playlist, May 7, 2024A symphony of contrasts of light and dark, lyrical and dramatic, extroverted and introspective, the Brahms Symphony No. 2 is today’s Midday Masterpiece as we celebrate his birth on this date in 1833. (And Tchaikovsky in 1840!)
Classical Music Playlist, April 9, 2024The most enduring, melodic and passionate of all the Violin Concertos by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns, his Violin Concerto No. 3, is today's Midday Masterpiece.
Classical Music Playlist, April 8, 2024Irish pianist and composer John Field is credited with inventing the Nocturne. He includes one as a slow movement in his Piano Concerto No. 7, today's Midday Masterpiece.
Classical Music Playlist, April 5, 2024Hesitant to compose a symphony in the shadow of Beethoven, Johannes Brahms finally produced his First Symphony at age 43 and included a nod to Beethoven. The Brahms Symphony No. 1 is today's Midday Masterpiece.
Classical Music Playlist, April 4, 2024The early Piano Quartet No. 1 by Gabriel Fauré, that includes a tender but mournful adagio movement that may be a musical response to his broken-off engagement, is today's Midday Masterpiece.
Classical Music Playlist, April 3, 2024Tchaikovsky’s 3rd Symphony is 43 minutes of music that mirror the relaxed summer he spent in the countryside where he composed it. Chill with Tchaikovsky for today's Midday Masterpiece.
Classical Music Playlist, April 2, 2024With the violin and piano as main instruments, in front of a String Quartet mostly as support, the 1891 “Concert for Violin, Piano and String Quartet” by French composer Ernest Chausson is today’s Midday Masterpiece.
Classical Music Playlist, April 1, 2024For his (151st) birthday today we’re going to play the entire 55-minute romantic Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2 for today’s Midday Masterpiece.
Classical Music Playlist, March 29, 2024Composer Caroline Shaw's 2019 oratorio "The Listeners" is about mankind's eternal contemplation of the cosmos; from gazing at the stars, to actual exploration of space. It's today's Midday Masterpiece as we highlight Shaw for Women's History Month.
Classical Music Playlist, March 28, 2024Written in the late 1770s apparently for him and his sister to perform and with the orchestra scaled back to let the dialogue between the two soloists stand out, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 10 for TWO pianos is today’s Midday Masterpiece.
Classical Music Playlist, March 27, 2024This Women's History Month CapRadio highlights a different woman in music each weekday. Today's classical spotlight is on Henriette Renié. Her Trio for Harp, Violin and Cello is today's Midday Masterpiece.