Drop the Needle

Mondays at 7:00 p.m. Eastern

Visit a place where analog sound lives.

Drop the Needle is The Classical Station’s tribute to the timeless artistry of vinyl recordings. Hosted by Vince Tillona, this program brings you hand-selected treasures from the station’s vast archive of over 25,000 albums—a collection that features legendary performances, rare pressings and the warmth of sound that only vinyl can offer.

Each week, Vince carefully curates a listening experience for audiophiles and music lovers alike, reviving recordings that have shaped the classical tradition and rediscovering gems no longer available in modern formats.

Whether you’re a lifelong collector or simply curious about the magic of vinyl, Drop the Needle invites you to savor the depth and authenticity of classical music as it was meant to be heard.

Every episode of Drop the Needle features an array of treasures from our extensive vinyl library. Here are just a few of the selections we’re especially excited to share with listeners this month:

September 2026 on Drop the Needle

9/7/2026

Piece: Manfred Symphony

Composer: Tchaikovsky

Conductor: Yevgeny Svetlanov

Orchestra: USSR Symphony Orchestra

Tchaikovsky Manfred Symphony album cover conducted by Yevgeny Svetlanov with the USSR Symphony Orchestra

9/14/2026

Piece: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37

Composer: Beethoven

Conductor: Josif Conta

Orchestra: The Bucharest Radio Symphony Orchestra

Soloist: Radu Lupu, piano

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 album cover featuring Radu Lupu with Josif Conta and the Bucharest Radio Symphony Orchestra

9/21/2026

Piece: Serenade No. 10 in B-flat Major, K. 361, “Gran Partita”

Composer: Mozart

Orchestra: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Mozart Gran Partita album cover performed by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

9/28/2026

Piece: The Tender Land Suite

Composer: Copland

Conductor: Aaron Copland

Orchestra: The Boston Symphony Orchestra

Copland The Tender Land Suite album cover conducted by Aaron Copland with the Boston Symphony Orchestra

Elsa Says Thank You For Giving To The Classical Station

Elsa, Vince Tillona's grand-dog and Drop the Needle's unofficial mascot

During the Fall 2025 fund drive, Drop the Needle host Vince Tillona called to make a donation from his three dogs and four cats.

He told the story of how, during announcer training, volunteers were taught to visualize speaking to a single person, not a full audience.

That’s why a picture of Vince’s grand-dog Elsa sits on the desk each week during Drop the Needle—she’s the listener he imagines when he speaks.

As Vince explains, “She always listens and she’s totally non-judgemental. She’s the perfect audience.” (And yes, Elsa is a dog, despite what you may have heard on the air!)

Now Playing

The Oak

Composed by

Florence Price (1887-1953)

Performed by

Women's Philharmonic Orchestra of San Francisco/Hsu

Label

Alto Music

Catalog Number

0

Today's Playlist

3:15pm Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11

Composed by

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Performed by

Biret/Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic/Stankovsky

4:00pm Pas de six (the fairy variations) from Prologue, The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66

Composed by

Peter I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Performed by

Bergen Philharmonic/Jarvi

4:12pm Greensleeves

Composed by

Traditional, arr. by Francis Cutting

Performed by

Goran Sollscher

4:17pm Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77

Composed by

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Performed by

Hadelich/Norwegian Radio Orchestra/Harth-Bedoya

5:00pm Suite from Pelleas et Melisande

Composed by

Gabriel Faure (1845-1924)

Performed by

Berlin Philharmonic/Barenboim

5:19pm Selections from The Surprises of Love

Composed by

Jean-Philippe Rameau (realized by Silvie Bouissou)

Performed by

Musicians of the Louvre/Minkowski

5:35pm Horn Concerto No. 3 in E flat, K. 447

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Clevenger/Franz Liszt Chamber Orch/Rolla

5:53pm Music selected by the announcer

6:01pm Tempus Est Iocundum

Composed by

Anonymous (13th c.)

Performed by

Il Giardino Delle Muse

6:07pm Magnificat I

Composed by

Anonymous

Performed by

Iken Scholars

6:25pm Orchestral Suite in E minor, FaWV K:el

Composed by

Johann Friedrich Fasch (1688-1759)

Performed by

Tempesta di Mare - Philadelphia Baroque Orchestra/Roberts/Stone

6:49pm Goldberg Variations 19 - 24, BWV 988

Composed by

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), arr. Garcia & Moriniere

Performed by

Thibaut Garcia/Antoine Moriniere

7:01pm Violin Concerto in C, Op. 3 No. 2

Composed by

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799)

Performed by

Swarte/Royal Opera Orchestra of Versailles/Swarte

7:15pm Berlin Symphony in F, Wq. 175

Composed by

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788)

Performed by

Arte dei Suonatori

7:26pm 3 Selections from Welsh Songs, WoO 155

Composed by

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Performed by

Finley/Benedetti/Kanneh-Mason/Grosvenor

7:34pm Symphony No. 1 in B flat

Composed by

Friedrich Witt (1770-1836)

Performed by

Cologne Academy/Willens

8:01pm Piano Trio in C, Op. 101 No. 3

Composed by

Anton Reicha (1770–1836)

Performed by

Trio Bohemo

8:28pm Roses from the South, Op. 388

Composed by

Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899)

Performed by

Vienna Philharmonic/Nezet-Seguin

8:38pm Dance of the Tumblers from The Snow Maiden, Op. 12

Composed by

Peter I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Performed by

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Chauhan

8:44pm The Lark Ascending

Composed by

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Performed by

Liebeck/Voces8 Foundation Choir/Voces8 Foundation Orchestra/Smith

9:01pm Dovehouse Pavan

Composed by

Alfonso Ferrabosco the Younger (1575-1628)

Performed by

American Brass Quintet

9:06pm Sonata for Cello and Continuo in C, Op. 5 No. 3

Composed by

Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762)

Performed by

O'Sullivan/Four Nations Ensemble

9:21pm Mother Of Sorrows

Composed by

Benedictines of Mary

Performed by

Benedictines Of Mary, Queen Of Apostles

9:27pm Concerto for Harp and Orchestra

Composed by

Alexander Mosolov (1900-1973)

Performed by

Maistre/WDR Symphony Orchestra of Cologne/Stutzmann

10:01pm Elegiac Trio No. 2 in D minor, Op. 9

Composed by

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

Performed by

Beaux Arts Trio

10:48pm In paradisum

Composed by

Eriks Esenvalds (b.1977)

Performed by

Oliveira/Noble/Portland State Chamber Choir/Sperry

11:03pm To Sing of Love - A Triptych

Composed by

Taylor Scott Davis (b.1980)

Performed by

Liebeck/Voces8 Foundation Choir/Voces8 Foundation Orchestra/Smith

11:28pm Quartet No. 15 for String Trio & Guitar

Composed by

Niccolo Paganini (1782–1840)

Performed by

Gray/Diaz Trio

11:50pm Music selected by the announcer