This Week at The Classical Station

(Self-Portrait with Family Members by Jan Miense Molenaer, 1630-1640)

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.

~ Aldous Huxley 

This Week at The Classical Station

by Chrissy Keuper

Saturday and Sunday, 7-8 June 2025

Come join us for great classical music, no matter what you have planned for the weekend.
We’re here for you.

 

This weekend:

Saturday On Point dives into the lush, romantic world of Reinhold Gliere’s The Red Poppy with a rare and riveting performance by the St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra in this sweeping Soviet-era ballet based in 1920s Shanghai and filled with drama, passion, and unforgettable melodies. Join Peggy Powell for the ballet on Saturday at 1pm ET.

 

Then, Emily Moss will be with you at 6pm ET for the Saturday Evening Request Program.

(Here’s the playlist; make requests for next week’s programs here.

 

 

Get your sacred Sunday morning started with James Steelmon and Great Sacred Music, featuring the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Laubin Brass Ensemble, and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, with works by John Tavener, Gustav Mahler, Samuel Barber, and others. Join us at 8am ET following Sing For Joy.

 

And on Preview!, Tom Hayakawa will compare French and German Baroque styles with Zaïde, Queen of Grenada by Joseph-Nicolas-Pancrace Royer and Johann Friedrich Fasch’s Orchestral Suite in D Major. We’ll also hear music from the Japanese anime classic, Kiki’s Delivery Service by Joe Hisaishi. The best in new classical releases, Sundays at 6pm ET.

Thursday, 05 June 2025

Happy Friday Eve to all of you!

 

Come celebrate with us this evening during Thursday Night Opera House, featuring a 2005 recording of Antonio Pappano conducting the Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and legendary soloists in Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. Join Dr. Jay Pierson at 7pm ET for all the drama, tragedy, and gorgeous music of this medieval love triangle.

 

 

On this day in classical music history:

Martha Argerich, c. 2024. (Photo by Marco Borggreve – Courtesy of Deutsche Grammophon)

A very Happy Birthday to Argentine-Swiss pianist Martha Argerich, born in Buenos Aires in 1941. Argerich was considered a prodigy who could play simply anything flawlessly on the piano from the age of three. Her father was given diplomatic status and a post in Vienna in the 1950s so that Argerich could study there. She made her professional debut in 1968 with the Berlin Philharmonic, after having already won the International Chopin Piano Competition. Since then, Argerich has performed countless times and made some of the most iconic recordings for the piano, and she continues to tour and perform all over the world.

Wednesday, 04 June 2025

A very good day to you! Come enjoy the great classical music with us.
And while you’re listening, please consider a gift of support to help ensure the future of classical music on the airwaves and online.

 

On this date in classical music history:

Cecilia Bartoli, c. 2025. (Photo by Cecilia Bartoli)

A very Happy Birthday to Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, born in Rome in 1966. Bartoli attended the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome and made her professional debut on an Italian television show called Fantastico. She was 21 when she made her opera debut at the Arena di Verona, followed by the Cologne Opera, the Schwetzingen Festival, and the Zurich Opera. Bartoli has sung in opera houses and concert halls all over the world and made recordings with the world’s premier orchestras and ensembles. She is also a music producer (2012’s Mission, which premiered the works of Baroque composer Agostino Steffani); she has won numerous music awards (including five Grammy Awards and the 2012 Herbert von Karajan Music Prize); and she is the first woman director of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo (2023).

Monday, 2 June 2025

It’s a new week and a new month! Let’s get a good start on both with some great classical music.

 

This evening at 7pm ET, join Vince Tillona for Drop the Needle and the warmth of vinyl recordings. This week’s show features Symphony Fantastique by Hector Berlioz, and a lot more.

 

And at 8pm ET, Monday Night at the Symphony will feature the Philadelphia Orchestra and include works by Sergei Rachmaninov, Jean Sibelius, and Anton Webern, conducted by Eugene Ormandy, Christoph Eschenbach, and Yannick Nezet-Seguin. See you at the symphony!

 

 

Tuesday on Classical Café, join George Leef for this week’s Legendary Performer: Romanian pianist and composer Dinu Lappate.

 

And on Wednesday, (June 4th between 11am-12pm ET), George will give away tickets to Side by Side, the premiere concert in the Ciompi Quartet’s summertime series. Tune in to win some great summertime tickets!

 

 

On this date in classical music history:

Edward Elgar at his desk, c. 1931. (Photo by Herbert Lambert – Courtesy of National Portrait Gallery)

It’s the birthdate of English composer Edward Elgar in Lower Broadheath, Worcestershire, in 1857. Elgar was an early student of piano and violin, and worked as a clerk for a local solicitor while he made his first public appearances as a violinist and organist. He was also conductor and composer for the orchestra at a nearby mental health facility and was a professor of violin at a local college for the Blind. Elgar was a consistent performer and arranger while also composing, and he is ultimately credited for the renaissance of English works in the late 19th-century. He was sometimes said to be the most internationally famous English composer since Henry Purcell.

Now Playing

Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 15

Composed by

Gabriel Faure (1845-1924)

Performed by

Kissin/Emerson String Quartet members

Label

DG

Catalog Number

2992102

Today's Playlist

5:36am Letter from Home

Composed by

Aaron Copland (1900-1990)

Performed by

Saint Louis Symphony/Slatkin

5:44am Two Arabesques

Composed by

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Performed by

Nancy Allen

5:53am Music selected by the announcer

6:01am Song for World Peace

Composed by

John Williams (b.1932)

Performed by

Recording Arts Orchestra/Williams

6:07am Lullaby for Strings

Composed by

George Gershwin (1898-1937)

Performed by

Dallas Symphony/Litton

6:17am The Dawning of the Day from 'The Guys'

Composed by

Traditional, lyrics Mary Fahl

Performed by

Fahl/Danna/McCollum/Worthington

6:23am American Caprice

Composed by

Morton Gould (1913-1996)

Performed by

Lara Downes

6:29am In Memoriam

Composed by

William Grant Still (1895-1978)

Performed by

Fort Smith Symphony/Jeter

6:37am Elegy for English Horn, Harp & String Orchestra

Composed by

Peter Boyer (b.1970)

Performed by

London Symphony Orchestra/Boyer

6:42am Romance for Cello and Piano

Composed by

Frederick Delius (1862-1934)

Performed by

Ma/Stott

6:49am Harp Concerto in D

Composed by

Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782)

Performed by

Chalan/Antiqua Musica Orchestra/Couraud

7:01am Lyric for Strings

Composed by

George Walker (1922-2018)

Performed by

Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Gray

7:08am The Stars and Stripes Forever

Composed by

John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)

Performed by

Vladimir Horowitz

7:13am American Eagle Waltz

Composed by

Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880)

Performed by

Gulbenkian Orchestra/Swierczewski

7:21am The Moldau from Ma Vlast (My Fatherland)

Composed by

Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884)

Performed by

Minnesota Orchestra/Oue

7:35am A Hymn for the Lost and Living

Composed by

Eric Ewazen (b.1954)

Performed by

Rutgers Wind Ensemble/Berz

7:45am The Union, (a concert paraphrase on national airs)

Composed by

Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829–1869)

Performed by

Alan Marks

7:55am Elegy from "World Trade Center"

Composed by

Craig Armstrong (b.1959)

Performed by

Hollywood Studio Symphony/Hollywood Film Chorale/Anthony

8:01am Festival Overture on the Star-Spangled Banner

Composed by

Dudley Buck

Performed by

Saint Louis Symphony & Chorus/Slatkin

8:09am Amber Waves

Composed by

Morton Gould (1913-1996)

Performed by

National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine/Kuchar

8:17am America the Beautiful

Composed by

Samuel A. Ward (1848-1903)

Performed by

Graves/Perry/String Quartet

8:24am Symphony No. 101 in D, "Clock"

Composed by

Josef Haydn (1732-1809)

Performed by

Scottish Chamber Orchestra/Leppard

8:54am Music selected by the announcer

9:01am Adagio for Strings, Op. 11

Composed by

Samuel Barber (1910-1981)

Performed by

Philadelphia Orchestra/Ormandy

9:10am Ave Maria

Composed by

Giulio Caccini, arr. by David Cullen

Performed by

Lloyd Webber/Royal Philharmonic/Judd

9:17am As All the Heavens Were a Bell

Composed by

Jay Bocook (b.1953)

Performed by

Midwest Wind Ensemble

9:23am Piano Concerto No. 23 in A, K. 488

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Pommier/Sinfonia Varsovia

9:52am Rainbow Connection

Composed by

Paul Williams

Performed by

Lang Lang

9:57am God shall wipe away all tears

Composed by

Karl Jenkins (1944-)

Performed by

Polyphony/Layton

10:01am Eternal Father, Strong to Save (The Navy Hymn)

Composed by

John B. Dykes, arr. Thomas Beveridge

Performed by

Washington Men's Camerata

10:06am Symphony No. 1 in B flat

Composed by

William Boyce (1711-1779)

Performed by

English String Orchestra/Boughton

10:15am Prelude, Fugue and Variation, Op. 18, FWV 30

Composed by

Cesar Franck (1822-1890)

Performed by

Paul Crossley

10:29am Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21

Composed by

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Performed by

Freire/Gurzenich Orchestra of Cologne/Bringuier

11:00am Abide with me

Composed by

William Henry Monk (1823-1889)

Performed by

Gowers/Choir of King's College Cambridge/Cleobury

11:06am Fanfare for the Common Man

Composed by

Aaron Copland (1900-1990)

Performed by

Cincinnati Pops/Kunzel

11:10am Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 “Moonlight”

Composed by

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Performed by

André Watts

11:28am Distant Land (A Prayer for Freedom)

Composed by

John Rutter (1945-)

Performed by

Black Dyke Band/Childs

11:34am A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Composed by

Joseph Joachim Raff (1822-1882)

Performed by

Basel Radio Symphony/Travis

11:54am Un bel di vedremo from Madama Butterfly

Composed by

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

Performed by

Fleming/London Philharmonic/Mackerras

12:01pm Gabriel's Oboe from The Mission

Composed by

Ennio Morricone (1928-2020)

Performed by

Sundet/Panoramicos

12:05pm Dome epais le jasmin (Flower Duet) from Lakme

Composed by

Leo Delibes (1836-1891)

Performed by

Sutherland/Berbie/Monte Carlo Opera/Bonynge

12:11pm The Dawning of the Day from 'The Guys'

Composed by

Traditional

Performed by

FDNY Emerald Society Pipes and Drums

12:15pm The Lark Ascending

Composed by

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Performed by

Kennedy/City of Birmingham Symphony/Rattle

12:34pm Sonata No. 1 in F, ZWV 181

Composed by

Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745)

Performed by

Glaetzner/Goritzki/Sönstevold/Bernstein/Beyer/Pank

12:52pm Divenire for violin, cello, strings and two harps

Composed by

Ludovico Einaudi, arr. by Paul Bateman

Performed by

Samuelsen/Samuelsen/RLPO/Petrenko

1:00pm Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 "Choral"

Composed by

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Performed by

Chicago Symphony/Solti

2:17pm Finlandia, Op. 26

Composed by

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

Performed by

Berlin Philharmonic/Karajan

2:28pm Te Deum, H.146

Composed by

Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643–1704)

Performed by

Lott, et. al./King's College Choir/Academy SMF/Ledger

2:54pm Cherubim Hymn

Composed by

Tchaikovsky

Performed by

St. John's Russian Orthodox Choir/Havriliak

3:01pm Come Away (Come Again)

Composed by

John Dowland (c.1563-1626)

Performed by

Nigel North

3:04pm Piano Concerto No. 4 in G, Op. 58

Composed by

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Performed by

Hough/Finnish Radio Symphony/Lintu

3:41pm 2nd mvt (Lento e largo - tranquillissimo) from Symphony No. 3, Op. 36

Composed by

Henryk Gorecki (1933-2010)

Performed by

Upshaw/London Sinfonietta/Zinman

3:51pm Nuvole bianche

Composed by

Ludovico Einaudi (b.1955)

Performed by

Ludovico Einaudi

3:58pm Morning Mood from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46

Composed by

Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)

Performed by

English Chamber Orchestra/Leppard

4:04pm Funeral and Finale from The Vikings

Composed by

Mario Nascimbene

Performed by

Crouch Festival Chorus/Prague Philharmonic/Temple

4:08pm A mighty fortress is our God

Composed by

Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Performed by

Williamson/King's College Choir/Wallace Collection/Cleobury

4:14pm Distant Land

Composed by

John Rutter (1945-)

Performed by

Royal Philharmonic/Rutter

4:22pm Agnus Dei

Composed by

Samuel Barber (1910-1981)

Performed by

The Sixteen/Christophers

4:31pm Ave Maria

Composed by

Giulio Caccini, arr. by David Cullen

Performed by

Lloyd Webber/Royal Philharmonic/Judd

4:37pm Miserere mei, Deus

Composed by

Gregorio Allegri (1582-1652)

Performed by

Tallis Scholars/Phillips

4:50pm Let My Love Be Heard

Composed by

Jake Runestad (1986-)

Performed by

Wartburg College Choir/Nelson

4:56pm Amazing Grace

Composed by

John Newton, arr. by Mack Wilberg

Performed by

Utah State University Chamber Singers/Evans

5:02pm Nimrod from Enigma Variations, Op. 36

Composed by

Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

Performed by

Kansas City Symphony/Stern

5:08pm Lost Horizon

Composed by

Dimitri Tiomkin (1894-1979)

Performed by

National Philharmonic/Gerhardt

5:32pm Appalachia Waltz

Composed by

Mark O'Connor (b.1961)

Performed by

O'Connor/Salerno-Sonnenberg

5:39pm Battle Hymn of the Republic

Composed by

Traditional, arr. by Peter Wilhousky

Performed by

U.S. Army Chorus

5:45pm Pavane for a Dead Princess

Composed by

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Performed by

Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra/Wolff

5:53pm Adagio for Strings, Op. 11

Composed by

Samuel Barber (1910-1981)

Performed by

Manhattan String Quartet

6:02pm God of our Fathers, arr. Mary McDonald

Composed by

Warren, G.W., arr. Mary McDonald

Performed by

Hal Leonard Church Choral

6:07pm Adagio in G minor

Composed by

Tomaso Albinoni (arr. Remo Giazotto)

Performed by

King's Chamber Orchestra/Malgoire

6:17pm Etudes, Op. 10

Composed by

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Performed by

Yunchan Lim

6:45pm Hymn to the Fallen from Saving Private Ryan

Composed by

John Williams (b.1932)

Performed by

Voces8

6:52pm The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace

Composed by

Karl Jenkins (1944-)

Performed by

London Philharmonic/Nat. Youth Choir of Great Britain/Jenkins

8:01pm Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78 "Organ"

Composed by

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921)

Performed by

Latry/Philadelphia Orchestra/Eschenbach

8:40pm Adagietto from Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor

Composed by

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

Performed by

Junge Deutsche Philharmonie/Barshai

8:49pm Silver Fanfare

Composed by

Peter Boyer (b.1970)

Performed by

London Philharmonic/Boyer

8:55pm Rosh Hashanah

Composed by

The Birthday of the World: Music and Traditions of the High Holy Days

Performed by

Nimoy/Western Wind Vocal Ensemble

9:59pm There will be Rest

Composed by

Frank Ticheli (b.1958)

Performed by

Vox Humana/Childs

10:07pm Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008

Composed by

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Performed by

Alon Sariel

10:29pm Song for World Peace

Composed by

John Williams (b.1932)

Performed by

Recording Arts Orchestra/Williams

10:35pm Meditation from Thais

Composed by

Jules Massenet (1842-1912)

Performed by

Ma/Stott

10:42pm Rest

Composed by

Frank Ticheli (b.1958)

Performed by

Dallas Wind Symphony/Junkin

10:51pm Adoration for violin and piano

Composed by

Florence Price (1887-1953)

Performed by

Goosby/Wang

10:56pm Harp Quintet in C minor

Composed by

E.T.A. Hoffmann (1776-1822)

Performed by

Nordman/Jarry/Ghestem/Collot/Tournus

11:16pm Sleep

Composed by

Eric Whitacre (b. 1970), Orch. Jim Clements

Performed by

Voces8 Foundation Choir/Voces8 Foundation Orchestra/Smith

11:23pm The Moldau from Ma Vlast (My Fatherland)

Composed by

Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884)

Performed by

Slovak Philharmonic/Wordsworth

11:37pm The Stars and Stripes Forever

Composed by

John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)

Performed by

Vladimir Horowitz

11:42pm Music selected by the announcer