YourClassical Adventures

When you picture your perfect day in the fall season, what does it look like Does it include crisp fall leaves, sweater weather and cooler temperatures? Join host Liz Lyon as we discover pieces that sound like the different stages of fall.

Scott Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag - (Used at the beginning and end of the episode) This piece by Scott Joplin was groundbreaking for the genre of rag music and became a templa...

Halloween is a great time to explore the most mysterious music ever composed.

Camille Saint-Saens: Danse Macabre — Music about ghosts and spirits coming alive in a graveyard to dance in the moonlight.

LISTEN — Camille Saint-Saens: Danse Macabre

Carl Orff: O Fortuna from Carmina Burana — This piece makes us want to hide. Where is your favorite hiding spot? Do ...

Sometimes composers and their work can get buried in time. Join producer Melanie Renate as we uncover and learn more about composers who aren’t as well known in the traditional classical world.

Gerald Finzi - Cello Concerto — Some of Gerald Finzi’s pieces are well known, but after he died his family worked hard to help make sure more of his music was made accessible to people. This is the last piece he wrote.

LIS...

Enjoy peaceful music that can help you feel calm and relaxed.

Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending — Sometimes music can help you slow down and let your mind wander by creating pictures or places in your mind. Like this piece by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

LISTEN — Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending

Claude Deb...

When Xuefei Yang was a young girl, she became the first Chinese guitarist to enter an international competition. It was one of many firsts for her as she paved the way for future female guitarists from China.

Xuefei Yang: Romance de Amor — This is a piece off of Xuefei Yang’s debut album.

LISTEN — Xuefei Yang: Romance de Amor

Xuefei ...

The modern guitar is a popular instrument, but did you know there are many different types of guitars? Join host Liz Lyon as we take a trip around the world to listen to the sounds of different guitars throughout history.

Issam Rafea and Gao Hong: From Our World to Yours — This piece showcases the oud, which is a pear-shaped, stringed instrument popular in countries such as Egypt, Syria, Armenia and Turkey.

LISTE...

Working and collaborating together is a great way to build a friendship. Join two friends, host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate, as they explore friendship in classical music.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Haydn Quartets — Not much is documented about their friendship, but what we do know is that Mozart and Franz Joseph Haydn enjoyed spending time together and that they respected and inspired one another.

LISTEN ...

When you are learning any subject, is it helpful to have small assignments to work on in order to practice your skills? Join host Liz Lyon as we explore pieces of music that are helpful for learning an instrument.

György Ligeti: Etude No.13 “The Devil’s Staircase” — Etudes are short pieces of music that are written to practice a specific technical skill. Composer György Ligeti wrote a very difficult etude for ...

Which classical pieces go with big things that happen in your life such as moving or living with quarantines? Join host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate and listen to music that deals with change.

Claude Debussy: Arabesque No. 1 — Debussy moved when he was a child to live with his aunt, who discovered his musical talent. This is one of his popular pieces.

How do musicians know when to play loud? Join host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate as we explore classical music that loves using the loud dynamic called "forte."

Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 5 —This entire piece is being played at a loud, or forte level.

LISTEN — Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 5

Gustav Holst: The Planets - Mars, Th...

Carnivals are a celebration of culture and community. Join host Liz Lyon as we share some classical music inspired by carnivals from around the world.

Camille Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals — The Carnival of the Animals is a comedic musical suite. It contains 14 movements that introduce a variety of animals including lions, hens and roosters, wild donkeys, tortoises, an elephant, kangaroos, sea animals, lo...

Just like classical music, water can be found in many different forms. When in its liquid form water can be smooth flowing and calm or it can be fast-moving and rough. Join host Melanie Renate as we navigate water in classical music.

Claude Debussy: En Bateau — Can you hear the waves gently flowing back and forth, or hear them rocking up against a boat? Performed by the Lyon National Orchestra.

What do classical music pieces sound like when they include a mandolin? Join host Liz Lyon as we explore a bit of the history of the mandolin and listen to examples of it being used within classical music.

Zequinha de Abreu: Nao Me Toques — Zequinha de Abreu was a Brazilian composer who wrote this fun piece. It has been played by many different instruments, but here is an example of how the mandolin can really s...

Classical music and dancing have been dance floor partners for hundreds of years. Join host Liz Lyon as we explore different forms of dance and the classical music that pairs with them.

Peter Tchaikovsky: Waltz of the Flowers  — This waltz may sound familiar. Tchaikovsky wrote it the first act of his ballet Sleeping Beauty. To dance the waltz you can move side to side and back and forth like you’re flowing and f...

Music can still be music without a melody or harmony, but you can’t really have music without some sort of rhythm. Join host Liz Lyon as we explore the musical concept of rhythm.

George Gershwin: I’ve Got Rhythm — Gershwin worked with his older brother on this piece. He composed the music, and his older brother, Ira Gershwin, wrote the lyrics. This rhythm can really help to put you in a good mood.

LISTEN  — Geor...

The percussion instrument family is massive. In a previous episode, we shared pieces of music featuring a few different percussion instruments including the xylophone. Did you know that the xylophone has siblings? Join host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate as we explore pieces of classical music that feature more mallet instruments.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Schnelle Füße, rascher Mut Glockenspiel — The Magi...

Fireworks have been used in many cultures for hundreds of years as a way to celebrate. Join host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate as we explore pieces of music inspired by fireworks.

Claude Debussy: Feux d’Artifice — This piece is the last of Debussy’s 24 preludes. It is a challenging piece to play and can help you imagine a spectacular fireworks display over Paris.

LISTEN — Claude Debussy: Feux d’Artifice

Harmony in music is when more than one note or chord is layered on top of one another. It creates an often pleasing and sometimes interesting sound. Join host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate as we explore the concept of harmony.

Thomas Tallis: If Ye Love Me — A great example of harmony is a madrigal, which is a vocal piece of music that includes a number of voices ranging from two to eight, but usually thre...

The viola often plays a supporting role in the orchestra, but these three viola players bring the instrument into the spotlight. Join Host Liz Lyon as we talk about how these musicians found their way to the viola.

Kim Kashkashian: In Nomine  — Along with being a successful viola player, Kashkashian also teaches the instrument. She also founded Music for Food, a musician-led hunger relief initiative that has p...