This Week at The Classical Station

(The Nativity by Perugino, c. 1500-1505)

Some say that ever ’gainst that season comes wherein our savior’s birth is celebrated … the nights are wholesome; then no planets strike, no fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm, so hallowed and so gracious is that time.

~ William Shakespeare from Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 1

This Week at The Classical Station

by Chrissy Keuper & Mark Schreiner

This Week at The Classical Station is on hiatus until 12 January 2026.

Happy New Year from all of us at The Classical Station!

Tuesday, 23 December 2025

Join George Leef today at 11am ET for his weekly Legendary Performer: French conductor Jean-François Palliard.

Before the 1970s, it was not easy to find concerts or recordings of the Baroque repertory outside of Europe. But when the LP catalog of Jean-François Palliard became available in the United States, everything changed. In particular, his recording of the Canon in D by Pachelbel with a slower tempo that made it nearly twice as long as it had been heard caused a sensation that has never really dissipated.

Monday, December 22

LP on turntable with tone arm and needJJoin Vince Tillona for a special Christmas edition of Drop the Needle. From our vast vinyl collection, Vince has selected recordings of Tchaikovsky, Handel and American colonial composer Charles Theodore Pachelbel (1690-1750), son of Johann Pachelbel of Canon in D fame. The needle drops at 7 p.m. Eastern.

 

script and serif text: Monday Night at the symphonyTonight’s Monday Night at the Symphony features the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. Hear violinist Hillary Hahn in two thrilling, back-to-back performances and Nelson Freire’s performance of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2. The concert begins at 8 p.m. Eastern.

 

On this date in the history of classical music:

1962 — Harpist, university professor and president of the Liszt Academy Andrea Vigh was born in Hungary. A unique combination of accomplished instrumentalist and respected academic researcher, Vigh graduated from the Liszt Academy in 1986 as a harpist-professor and musicologist.

As a performer, she has been active with the Budapest Festival Orchestra, has appeared on stage at the Salzburg Festival, and has released 10 solo albums. As an educator, she made a documentary for Hungarian television on the history of the harp and has taught harp at the Liszt Academy. She was appointed president of the academy in 2013.

Now Playing

The Planets, Op. 32

Composed by

Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

Performed by

NY Philharmonic/NY Choral Artists/Mehta

Label

Teldec

Catalog Number

46316

Today's Playlist

8:56pm Abendlied (Evening Song)

Composed by

Robert Schumann

Performed by

Katia & Marielle Labeque

9:01pm Norwegian Dance, Op. 35 No. 1

Composed by

Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)

Performed by

Gothenburg Symphony/Jarvi

9:08pm Lute Suite in G minor, BWV 995 (perf. on guitar in A minor)

Composed by

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Performed by

Sharon Isbin

9:31pm String Quartet No. 1 in D, Op. 11

Composed by

Peter I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Performed by

Heath Quartet

10:03pm Nimrod from Enigma Variations, Op. 36

Composed by

Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

Performed by

Kanneh-Mason/Davies/Roberts/Knight/Dearnley/Klouda

10:08pm Guitar Concerto in E minor, Op. 56

Composed by

Francesco Molino (1768-1847)

Performed by

Romero/Academy SMF/Brown

10:34pm Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

Composed by

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Performed by

Li/Melbourne Symphony Orchestra/Davis

11:03pm Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104

Composed by

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)

Performed by

Tsang/Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Yoo

11:45pm Music selected by the announcer