Classical Breakdown

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

What is a Harp with Nadia Pessoa: Ancient origins to modern innovations!

#13 trending · Music Commentary

Not too many instruments in the orchestra have a history that spans the centuries, and use of the harp! Nadia Pessoa, a Washington, DC-area harpist, shares with us the ha

Sep 15
38 min

Bonus! A performance of Handel's Water Music

Enjoy a Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra recording of the music we learned about last week, plus a listener comment that helps clarify the situation after Queen Anne's dea

Sep 8
49 min

Handel's Water Music; a Kings bid to lift his reputation and one smelly river

Why did Handel write this, and what would it have been like on the river's edge? John Banther and Linda Carducci explore how Handel went above and beyond for a King and e

Sep 1
48 min

Season 7 Recommended Summer Listening!

It's time again to look at some recently recorded albums for us to enjoy and grow with this summer. John Banther has 4 albums to recommend, and one of them includes a rem

Jun 23
33 min

Tosca! Puccini's tragic opera on love, lust, and brutality

Why watch a thriller on a Friday night when you can watch the dramatic and compact "blood and guts" opera by Puccini that is... Tosca! John Banther and Linda Carducci giv

Jun 9
1 h 14 min

The Montgomery Variations: A Piece of American History by Margaret Bonds

Music can be just as much of a historical document as letters or legislation, and we see that directly in this episode with music by Bonds written in 1963. John Banther a

May 26
1 h 01 min

Haydn's Trumpet Concerto: Revolutionary in ways you didn't know!

There is so much more to this humble concerto than you realize, because the context of hearing a trumpet do something unheard of before has been lost. We show you what ma

May 12
50 min

Leos Janacek: an original composer who found success late

Another listener request! John Banther and Bill Bukowski explore the life of Leos Janacek and look at 2 specific subjects to understand this composer's original sound, sp

Apr 28
53 min

Bonus! John and James discuss Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and gigs

John Banther and James Jacobs discuss Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and performing it at gigs, which for James reaches into the hundreds at weddings! Plus, we enjoy a f

Apr 21
27 min

Also Sprach Zarathustra: Where Music and Philosophy Reach New Heights

You know the opening of this work through its countless use in movies, commercials, and even popular music. But do you know the underlying philosophy that inspired Straus

Apr 14
53 min

Bonus! 2 Opera preludes by Richard Wagner

Let's enjoy two iconic Wagner preludes in two larger-than-life recordings featuring the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and conductor Bernard Haitink!

Apr 7
24 min

Richard Wagner: The flawed man who changed opera

This composer's life was tumultuous and sometimes straight out of a soap opera. John Banther and Evan Keely explore what led him to opera, his initial success and failure

Mar 31
1 h 18 min

Bonus! 3 Preludes and Fugues from the Well-Tampered Clavier Book 1 by Sam Post

Listen to Ralitza Patcheva and Sam Post in their latest recording, featuring a rhythmic reimaging of JS Bach. If you missed last week's episode, listen afterwards to lear

Mar 24
14 min

The Well-TAMPERED Clavier: A rhythmic reimagining of JS Bach by Sam Post

JS Bach was experimental, and that spirit has carried on into the 21st century with composers and pianists like Sam Post and Ralitza Patcheva. While Bach was experimentin

Mar 17
44 min

Brahms Symphony No. 3: Perfection in Orchestration and Form

The first symphonies came from a place of insecurity, but his 3rd exudes confidence from the first note to the last. John Banther and Evan Keely show you what to listen f

Mar 3
51 min

3 Composers lost to Tyranny

A hallmark of tyranny is its desire to control and stifle creative expression. In this episode, in memory of Lubna Alyaan, John Banther and Evan Keely explore three 20th-

Feb 17
43 min

Meet Grammy-Winning Composer Jessie Montgomery!

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 artis

Feb 3
40 min

A performance of Carnival of the Animals featuring Argerich and Freire!

Enjoy this performance after listening to the previous episode all about Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saens. (Elephant image: By Muhammad Mahdi Karim)

Jan 27
25 min

Carnival of the Animals, a work of genius kept hidden (plus animal facts!)

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 ani

Jan 20
1 h 02 min

Bonus episode: Ballet music from 2 operas by Verdi!

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 bal

Jan 13
17 min

Chart trend

Position in the Music Commentary chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#51#101JunJulAugSep

all-time peak

days in the top 10 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where Classical Breakdown ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 16, 2026).

#77 ▲ 15 Music US

#19 ▲ 4 Music Commentary US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

It’s never too late in life to study classical music and this show is a great enjoyable way to learn. I keep going further and further back in your episodes. Since I am an amateur pianist I especially love the ones including this instrument. A tiny suggestion- as another grateful positive reviewer noted - we would enjoy more music samples inserted into some of the episodes.

delusionfan · Mar 2026

I’ve loved your program ever since I discovered it years ago. I’ve listened to every episode and saved many of my favorites on my phone so I can return to them again and again. All of your co-hosts are truly professional and bring great enthusiasm to the show. I especially enjoy the sense of humor that you and your co-hosts share throughout the program. The recent episode about Verdi’s life and music was absolutely wonderful, and I’m very much looking forward to the episode on Verdi’s Requiem, as you mentioned. I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to sing it several times with local musicians, and it deeply moved me every time I performed it. The topics you choose have greatly broadened my horizons in classical music. There are so many outstanding episodes—The Great World of Percussion, Chris Gekker’s deep dive into the trumpet, and The Secret Life of a Classical Recording Engineer, just to name a few. The list could go on and on. Your hard work is truly appreciated. Absolutely five stars.

Chen NC · Jan 2026

As a music-lover of many genres, I have little formal background but have come to love the sweeping breadth and depth of classical music. This podcast has helped me become a better listener and brought to my attention many composers that I would not have otherwise known. My wife and I attend concerts, operas, and chamber music recitals often and this podcast has truly deepened our appreciation and connection to the music. Thank you.

Joshua Sloan · Oct 2025

Simply the best podcast about classical music. The detail and explanations are simple and clear, even for a non-musical person like me. I love classical music and the insights and background have made me develop even greater affection for some of my favorite composers and pieces while introducing me to new composers and musicians.

mikebarresi · Sep 2025

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.