The Great Composers Podcast - a classical music podcast

The Great Composers Podcast - a classical music podcast

This classical music podcast explores the history and lives of some of western classical music's most famous composers and musicians. Classical music is filled with very colorful personalities and riddled with drama of all kinds, from political intrigue to failed romances and everything in between. Through the course of the show, we will discuss composers and musicians from the distant past all the way to the present, beginning with the greatest, JS Bach. -Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-great-composers-podcast/id1125785164?mt=2 -Like our Facebook page too! https://www.facebook.com/thegreatcomposerspodcast/ -Want to help out? Donate to the show! https://www.gofundme.com/manage/thegreatcomposerspodcast www.kevinnordstrom.com Thank you for listening! Recently named an artaxmusic top 10 classical music podcast https://www.artaxmusic.com/top-10-classical-music-podcasts/ Bibliography for all episodes found on the website: https://www.kevinnordstrom.com/the-great-composers-podcast

Episodes

June 15, 2016 11 mins

Ep. 0, The GCP pilot episode! The life of Johann Sebastian Bach 'An Introduction' surveys the life of one of classical music's greatest composers.

----------------

For all things GCP Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!

The App! 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-great-composers-the-gcp/id1465809545?fbclid=IwAR0tQTElluT8I3jn6SYFcQst70IY0Ym52LjEz1Z3DR11oq5ZGDLV_URNyHk&ls=1

Like our Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/t...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 1, The Life of Johann Sebastian Bach pt. 1 “The Young Bach”, we explore the early life of this great composer from birth until his appointment to the court at Weimar in 1708.

----------------

For all things GCP Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!

The App! 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-great-composers-the-gcp/id1465809545?fbclid=IwAR0tQTElluT8I3jn6SYFcQst70IY0Ym52LjEz1Z3DR11oq5ZGDLV_URNyHk&ls=1

Like our Facebo...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 2, The Life of Johann Sebastian Bach pt. 2 'The Maturing Master', we see our hero off to Weimar, where he will play a little organ, lay down a few tunes, and cause some trouble. From there, he will journey to Cöthen and enjoy a few years of tranquility before his real life's work begins in Leipzig!

----------------

For all things GCP Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!

The App! 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-g...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 3, The Life of Johann Sebastian Bach pt. 3, "The Cantor of Leipzig", we see our great composer become the Cantor of Leipzig. He will encounter many obstacles during these long years in Leipzig, but will still manage to be able to keep up a relentless composition schedule and create one of the greatest bodies of work in the history of music.

----------------

For all things GCP Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!

The...

Mark as Played

Ep. 4, The Life of JS Bach, "Old Man Bach, The Twilight of a God" brings us to the end of the great man's life and to the beginning of his immortality. As Bach grew to old age, his music slowly faded out of fashion and appreciation for his great musical achievements diminished. Even so, he would continue his work, dedicated as always to spirits greater than his own, and press on towards musical godhood.

----------------

For all thi...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 5, The Life of Fritz Kreisler, pt. I tells the story of Vienna's greatest violinist, Fritz Kreisler, from birth to his marriage in the beginning of the 20th century. His rise to fame was an eventful one and we will see him grow from a normal little boy into a first rate wunderkind. Following the glories of his youth, Kreisler will give up the violin to pursue the medical arts and also do a bit of soldering. But in the end, t...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 6, The Life of Fritz Kreisler, Part II tells the story of this great violinist composer's life from 1900 to the end of The First World War. We will see him achieve glory on the concert stage, in composition, and on the battlefield.

----------------

For all things GCP Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!

The App! 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-great-composers-the-gcp/id1465809545?fbclid=IwAR0tQTElluT8I3jn6SYFcQs...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 7, The Life of Fritz Kreisler, Part III finishes the story of the great Fritz Kreisler, from the end of the First World War, through his retirement in 1950, and all the way to the twilight of his life.

----------------

For all things GCP Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!

The App! 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-great-composers-the-gcp/id1465809545?fbclid=IwAR0tQTElluT8I3jn6SYFcQst70IY0Ym52LjEz1Z3DR11oq5ZGDLV_...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 8, The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven, 'An Introduction' introduces us to the man who is perhaps the greatest composer in the western classical music tradition.

----------------

For all things GCP Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!

The App! 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-great-composers-the-gcp/id1465809545?fbclid=IwAR0tQTElluT8I3jn6SYFcQst70IY0Ym52LjEz1Z3DR11oq5ZGDLV_URNyHk&ls=1

Like our Facebook page! https:/...

Mark as Played

Ep. 9 - "A Distant Mirror" begins to paint the portrait of Beethoven's life. We first describe his grandfather, the first Ludwig van Beethoven. This Ludwig was our great composer's lifelong musical idol and the one person he sought to emulate in nearly everything he did. We then meet Beethoven's father, Johann, and explore the first half of the tragedy that was his life.

----------------

For all things GCP Please rate, review, and ...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 10 - The Life Of Ludwig van Beethoven, pt. 2 - 'The Dreams Of My Father' we will explore the character of Beethoven's father, Johann, and his impact upon his son's early life.

----------------

For all things GCP Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!

The App! 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-great-composers-the-gcp/id1465809545?fbclid=IwAR0tQTElluT8I3jn6SYFcQst70IY0Ym52LjEz1Z3DR11oq5ZGDLV_URNyHk&ls=1

Like our Faceb...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 11 - "The Sword in the Stone" we explore Beethoven's teenage years, the circumstance that would lead to his first trip to Vienna, and his mythologized meeting with Mozart.

----------------

For all things GCP Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!

The App! 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-great-composers-the-gcp/id1465809545?fbclid=IwAR0tQTElluT8I3jn6SYFcQst70IY0Ym52LjEz1Z3DR11oq5ZGDLV_URNyHk&ls=1

Like our Facebook ...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 12 - "The Will to Power" we will explore Beethoven's life between the years 1787 and 1792. During these years, Beethoven will overcome personal and professional obstacles so that he might make his way back to Vienna, and pursue his dreams of becoming a virtuoso composer once more.

----------------

For all things GCP Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!

The App! 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-great-composers-the...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 13 - The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven pt. 5, "The Spirit of Mozart" we see our great composer arrive in Vienna in late 1792, starting out as a student of Haydn and a nobody. But within a few years, Beethoven would make a name for himself in the great music capital, and then try his luck on a tour across Germany.

----------------

For all things GCP Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!

The App! 

https://apps.apple.co...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 14 - "Friends and Enemies" we will see Beethoven continue adding to his fame. As a new century dawns however, he will encounter dangerous enemies who will threaten to unseat him as Vienna's top piano virtuoso. But one of these enemies will seek not only to knock off his piano playing crown, but to destroy his life altogether. He will not be able to resist this new threat, and will be forced to choose between a sad, silent ar...

Mark as Played
December 13, 2017 18 mins
This is an updates episode for The Great Composers Podcast, with a bunch of stuff you might be interested in including my interview with Adam Rodman of the "Bedside Rounds" podcast, and an episode XV teaser at the end! Enjoy! The show returns on Dec. 22nd with The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven pt. 7, just in time to celebrate the 209th anniversary of the monumental concert which saw the premier of the 5th and 6th symphonies, and als...
Mark as Played

In Ep. 15 The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven, pt. 7 "A Hero's Life" we explore the Beethoven's life between the years late 1802 and 1808. During that time, the composer would overcome adversity to reach the pinnacle of his career. Masterpieces would fly from his pen and both the man and the legend of Ludwig van Beethoven will be formed.

----------------

For all things GCP Please rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes!

The App! 

https...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 16, The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven pt. 8 "The Witch in the Wood" our great hero will ride triumphant into 1809. Though it began well enough for Beethoven, 1809 was to be a bad year for Austria. Defeat on the battlefield, a depressed economy, and a deeply wounded national pride would touch all of her citizens. As his country declined, so in a way did Beethoven. He would compose less and less, but what he did write was still...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 17 "The Ill-Made Knight" we investigate the mystery surrounding the Immortal Beloved letters, and discuss several theories which attempt to identify who she was. We then continue to parallel the lives of Beethoven and Napoleon Bonaparte, and see that the events of 1812 would hurdle both men towards destruction. Only one of them however met ruin, while the other eventually transcended the difficulties of his life to become gr...

Mark as Played

In Ep. 18a, Beethoven pt. 10 "The Candle in the Wind", first part of our massive grand finale(!) we start Beethoven on the last leg of his life. As a new father, and aging man with ill health, life would become more and more difficult for our great composer. His compositional life would prove more cumbersome as well, as massive new works that took a considerable amount of time to complete were now at the forefront of his mind: the ...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Intentionally Disturbing

    Join me on this podcast as I navigate the murky waters of human behavior, current events, and personal anecdotes through in-depth interviews with incredible people—all served with a generous helping of sarcasm and satire. After years as a forensic and clinical psychologist, I offer a unique interview style and a low tolerance for bullshit, quickly steering conversations toward depth and darkness. I honor the seriousness while also appreciating wit. I’m your guide through the twisted labyrinth of the human psyche, armed with dark humor and biting wit.

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.