The most difficult music for piano: Gaspard de la Nuit by Maurice Ravel

It's the final episode of Season 6, and per tradition, it's an episode with recommended summer listening. Thank you very much for listening, rating, and sharing the podcast as it continues to grow year after year with your help! In this episode, there 4 albums to explore, taking us on a journey to ancient cities, flirtatious oboe playing, an emotional rollercoaster, and more!Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This work marks a departure from his previous symphonies, which were linked together by vocal music. But what is this? Is this Mahler working through his mortality and uncertainty, or something else? John Banther and Evan Keely show you what to listen for, how Mahler achieves his unique sound, and what it could all mean. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join us to explore Felix Mendelssohn's life through 4 different aspects of life that separated him from nearly every other composer. John Banther and James Jacobs explore his life, what made him different, and enjoy a full performance of one of his iconic works too!Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Verdi considered this character worthy of a Shakespearean tragedy, and he delivers just that! John Banther and Linda Carducci explore Verdi's masterpiece and show you what to listen for, intricacies of the characters and plot, the banned origin story, and so much more. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You knew this composer before you knew his name, and he has shaped the sound of movies and childhoods for generations. Join us to learn about aspects of his life you didn't know, like his early career and first film scores, influences, nonfilm work, and more!Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few other works in the canon occupy a place like this symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich. John Banther and Evan Keely dive into history as they show you what to listen for, Shostakovich's perilous circumstances, and what clues he could have left for all of us in the music.Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have a special update for you on Florence Price because of the hard work of a particular listener and a previous guest. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ravel wrote something so difficult he couldn't even play it, and he even dared to criticize others' performances! Linda Carducci and John Banther dive into a work that challenges the most virtuosic of soloists, its frightening accompanying poetry, and what exactly makes it so difficult. Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discover contemporary works by living Brazillian composer Clarice Assad that cover chamber music, solo piano, and orchestra. Then Co-Founder Laura Colgate tells us everything we need to know about and how you can benefit from the Boulanger Initiative, which advocates for women and gender-marginalized composers.Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Conductor Steven Fox joins John Banther to talk about this Mass that was overlooked after its premiere in 1893. Fox tells us everything we need to know about a mass, what to listen for, and how Ethel Smyth's mass stands apart. We also touch on her life as she was an aggressive suffragette, women's rights advocate, and openly bisexual composer in the 19th and early 20th centuries.Support Classical Breakdown: https://weta.org/donatefmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.