Dive deep into some of the favorite pieces in Classical music!

From intimate music for solo piano to grand masterpieces for a symphony orchestra, discover your new favorite pieces, and the thrilling stories behind the music.

Listen to the episodes below and use the activity sheet to deepen your understanding.

Activity Sheet

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Let's Go to the Symphony!

As you listen to your chosen episode, take notes with the given questions in mind. When you are finished, write a review of the piece, as if you are a music critic for a newspaper!

Teachers/Parents:
The goal is for the student to listen to the episode critically, all the while thinking for themselves and considering what their personal takeaway is from learning about the piece. More than absorbing facts, the exercise encourages the student to relate to the piece in a personal way, forming their own opinions, and letting the music spark their creativity.
 

Episodes

  • The Great Unfinished Works

    The Great Unfinished Works

    Episode 114 September 17, 2024

    From government intrigue, untimely death, or even distraction, there are many reasons why a composer might leave a work unfinished. John Banther and Linda Carducci dive into 5 unfinished works, how they are performed today, look at the surrounding circumstances, and discuss what we could have done to get these works completed in the first place!
  • Elgar's Enigma Variations, a portrait of friends, life, and love!

    Elgar's Enigma Variations, a portrait of friends, life, and love!

    Episode 110 May 28, 2024

    We enjoy a full performance of the Enigma Variations at the end of the episode, but first, we get into the people and places depicted in colorful detail in Elgar's masterpiece. John Banther and Evan Keely uncover hidden clues in the music, the types of people Elgar depicts, and what the Enigma could possibly be (but isn't).
  • Robert Schumann's Carnaval: A solo piano brings a masked ball to life!

    Robert Schumann's Carnaval: A solo piano brings a masked ball to life!

    Episode 109 May 14, 2024

    Real and fictional characters come to life in this incredibly challenging work for piano that also includes musical puzzles. John Banther and Linda Carducci explore all the characters and how Schumann depicts them in music, the ciphers, discarded movements, and more. plus we enjoy a full performance of it by Sergei Rachmaninoff!
  • Haydn's masterpiece for 4 soloists and orchestra, the Sinfonia Concertante

    Haydn's masterpiece for 4 soloists and orchestra, the Sinfonia Concertante

    Episode 107 April 16, 2024

    We've come to know the concerto as a work showcasing a single soloist with (or sometimes against) an orchestra, but what if a work has not 1... but 4 soloists at the same time? And what if it is also bringing in ideas from the symphony? John Banther and Evan Keely take a look at one of the defining works in the genre, show you what to listen for, and discuss why Haydn might have written it in the first place
  • 6 recommended works by living Black composers!

    6 recommended works by living Black composers!

    Episode 102 February 6, 2024

    We celebrate the music of living Black composers with 6 recommended works spanning violin and piano to the full orchestra! Go to the show notes page at classicalbreakdown.org for more information on these composers, links to recordings, and links to resources.
  • Korngold's Violin Concerto, from the Golden Age of Hollywood!

    Korngold's Violin Concerto, from the Golden Age of Hollywood!

    Episode 101 January 23, 2024

    The sounds of Hollywood are found throughout this enduring concerto. John Banther and Evan Keely show you moments in the music to listen for, how Korngold does things differently, which movies ended up in this concerto, and discuss why this concerto has remained so popular!

Support for arts and education programming on WETA comes from the Estate of Toni A. Ritzenberg.