Classical Music Playlist, January 14, 2026
19th century folk or fairy tales were often pretty gruesome. For example, “Zlatý kolovrat” (The Golden Spinning Wheel) by Czech folklorist Karel Jaromír Erben tells a tale that Czech composer Antonín Dvořák would set to music in his same-titled symphonic poem.
While out riding, a king happens upon a young lady, Dornička, and falls in love with her. He asks her step-mother to bring her to his castle. The step-mother and step-sister set off to the king's castle with Dornička. On the way, they murder and dismember her, secretly keeping her eyes, hands and feet. The look-alike step-sister poses as Dornička and marries the king, after which he is called away to battle.
In the forest, a magician finds Dornička's remains and decides to bring her back to life. He persuades the step-sister to return Dornička’s parts in exchange for a golden spinning wheel and its parts. Dornička's body once again whole, the magician brings Dornička back to life. The king returns from battle and hears the magical golden spinning wheel sing the gruesome details of Dornička's murder. The king goes off into the forest to be reunited with her and the two murderesses are thrown to the wolves. The King and Dornička live happily ever after.
Dvořák’s symphonic poem “The Golden Spinning Wheel” is today’s Midday Masterpiece.
6:00 a.m.
Antonio Vivaldi
Chamber Concerto in F major RV 99
Camerata Koln
6:08 a.m.
Camille Saint-Saens
Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor Opus 92
Neave Trio
6:42 a.m.
Vincenzo Capirola
Renaissance Dances for Lute
Ronn McFarlane, lute
6:48 a.m.
Alexander Glazunov
Concert Waltz No. 2 (Valse de Concert) Opus 51
Bamberg Symphony; Neeme Jarvi, conductor
6:59 a.m.
George Friederich Handel
Occasional Suite in D major
The English Concert; Trevor Pinnock, conductor
7:15 a.m.
Mauro Giuliani
Guitar Concerto No. 1 in A major Opus 30
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor Pepe Romero, guitar
7:39 a.m.
Isaac Albeniz
Iberia: Festival Day in Seville (Fete-Dieu a Seville)
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; Jesus Lopez-Cobos, conductor
7:49 a.m.
Arturo Marquez
Danzon No. 2
Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra; Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
8:00 a.m.
Gustav Holst
St. Paul's Suite Opus 29/2
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; Christopher Hogwood, conductor
8:13 a.m.
George Enescu
Dixtour pour instruments a vent (Dectet for winds) Opus 14
Oslo Wind Soloists
8:34 a.m.
Alfredo Catalani
Ero e Leandro (Hero and Leander) - Symphonic Poem
Rome Symphony Orchestra; Francesco La Vecchia, conductor
8:54 a.m.
Leonard Bernstein
CANDIDE: Overture
New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, conductor
9:00 a.m.
Johannes Brahms
Piano Concerto No. 2 in Bb major Opus 83
Cleveland Orchestra; George Szell, conductor Leon Fleisher, piano; Jules Eskin, cello
9:48 a.m.
Enrique Granados
La Maja de Goya
Eduardo Fernandez, guitar
9:54 a.m.
Antonin Dvorak
Slavonic Dance No. 9 in B major Opus 72
London Symphony Orchestra; Andre Previn, conductor
10:00 a.m.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Hamlet Fantasy Overture Opus 67
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra; Leonard Slatkin, conductor
10:18 a.m.
John Playford
Mr. Baptiste of France, his Ground
Hesperus
10:21 a.m.
Malcolm Forsyth
Golyardes' Grounde
Canadian Brass
10:25 a.m.
Franz Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 53 "L'Imperiale" in D major
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
10:48 a.m.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Fantasia and Fugue in A minor in A minor BWV 904
Vikingur Olafsson, piano
10:59 a.m.
Carl Maria Von Weber
Clarinet Quintet in Bb major Opus 34 J 182
Hagen Quartet Eduard Brunner, clarinet
11:25 a.m.
Wilhelm Stenhammar
Piano Concerto No. 1: II. Vivacissimo in Bb minor Opus 1
Malmo Symphony Orchestra; Mario Venzago, conductor Niklas Sivel�v, piano
11:31 a.m.
Jan Dismas Zelenka
Capriccio No. 2 in G major Z 183
Bern Camerata; Alexander van Wijnkoop, conductor
11:46 a.m.
Johan Svendsen
Carnival in Paris (Karnival i Paris) Opus 9
Latvian National Symphony; Terje Mikkelsen, conductor
12:00 p.m.
Lars-Erik Larsson
Little Serenade Opus 12
Swedish Chamber Orchestra; Petter Sundkvist, conductor
12:12 p.m.
Agustin Barrios
Aire de Zamba
Angel Romero, guitar
12:14 p.m.
Agustin Bardi
Gallo Ciego blind rooster
Apollo Chamber Players Hector del Curto, bandoneon
12:19 p.m.
Vincent d'Indy
Symphony on a French Mountain Air
Montreal Symphony Orchestra; Charles Dutoit, conductor Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
12:48 p.m.
Johann Strauss, Jr.
Artist's Life Opus 316 Kunstlerleben
Berlin Philharmonic; Herbert Von Karajan, conductor
12:59 p.m.
Antonio Vivaldi
Violin Concerto, Op. 4, No. 4 in A minor Opus 4 RV 357
Academy of Ancient Music; Christopher Hogwood, conductor Monica Huggett, violin
1:09 p.m.
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 4 in Bb major Opus 60
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic; Charles Mackerras, conductor
1:41 p.m.
Astor Piazzolla
Histoire du Tango: II. Cafe 1930
Manuel Barrueco, guitar; Emmanuel Pahud, flute
1:50 p.m.
Johannes Brahms
Violin Concerto: III. Allegro Giocoso (Finale) in D major Opus 77
Concertgebouw Orchestra; Bernard Haitink, conductor Henryk Szeryng, violin
2:00 p.m.
Antonin Dvorak
The Golden Spinning Wheel Opus 109
Berlin Philharmonic; Simon Rattle, conductor John Ogdon, piano
2:29 p.m.
Engelbert Humperdinck
HANSEL UND GRETEL Overture
London Symphony Orchestra; Andre Previn, conductor
2:38 p.m.
Maurice Ravel
Mother Goose Suite
Philharmonia Orchestra; Geoffrey Simon, conductor
2:55 p.m.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Sleeping Beauty: Waltz from Act I
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Herbert Von Karajan, conductor
3:01 p.m.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Violin Concerto No. 2 in E major BWV 1042
Amsterdam Bach Solisten; Thomas Zehetmair, conductor Thomas Zehetmair, violin
3:18 p.m.
Heitor Villa-Lobos
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4: I. Preludio W284 Introdu��o
Nelson Freire, piano
3:22 p.m.
Lucas Saboya
Zamba Negra (from Suite Ernestina)
Jose Antonio Escobar, guitar
3:27 p.m.
Edvard Grieg
Holberg Suite Opus 40
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra; Neeme Jarvi, conductor
3:47 p.m.
Zoltan Kodaly
Marosszek Dances
Budapest Festival Orchestra; Ivan Fischer, conductor
4:00 p.m.
Manuel de Falla
Three-Cornered Hat Suite No. 2
Simon Bolivar Orchestra; Eduardo Mata, conductor
4:13 p.m.
Henry Purcell
Timon of Athens: Curtain Tune on a Ground
Collegium Musicum 90; Richard Hickox, conductor
4:16 p.m.
Karen LeFrak
Habanera Nights
Sharon Isbin, guitar; ...and friends
4:20 p.m.
Felix Mendelssohn
Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor Opus 49
Claremont Trio
4:49 p.m.
Emmanuel Chabrier
Festive Polonaise (Le Roi Malgre Lui: Fete Polonaise)
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
4:58 p.m.
Thomas Arne
Symphony No. 3 in Eb major
Cantilena; Adrian Shepherd, conductor
5:10 p.m.
Isaac Albeniz
Majorca (Mallorca) Opus 202
Pepe Romero, guitar
5:18 p.m.
Louis Spohr
Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in C minor Opus 26
English Chamber Orchestra; Gerard Schwarz, conductor Emma Johnson, clarinet
5:41 p.m.
Benjamin Britten
Simple Symphony Opus 4
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
6:00 p.m.
Asger Hamerik
Symphony No. 5 "Symphonie Serieuse" in G minor Opus 36
Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra; Thomas Dausgaard, conductor
6:37 p.m.
Ernest Bloch
Suite Hebraique: I. Rapsodie Hebrew suite
Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Jose Serebrier, conductor Zina Schiff, violin
6:45 p.m.
Jeff Lambert
Chicago Summer
Minneapolis Guitar Quartet
6:49 p.m.
William Grant Still
Summerland
Alexa Still, flute; Susan DeWitt Smith, piano
6:53 p.m.
Astor Piazzolla
Libertango
Imani Winds
