The Great Composers
The Great Composers dives deep into the lives behind some of the greatest music ever written. Host Karla Walker and conductor Scott O'Neil look at the world through the eyes of these gifted artists. Learn about obstacles they overcame, and their loves, losses, successes and failures. You'll feel you know Mozart, Rachmaninov and others as friends.
Episodes
November 3, 2018 • 33 mins
When the urge to compose finally struck again, Rachmaninoff took a little theme by Nicolo Paganini and turned it into a tour de force for the piano and orchestra, called Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. In this final episode of the Great Composers series on Rachmaninoff, we also explore Rachmaninoff’s final masterpiece -- the Symphonic Dances. Rachmaninoff reaches back to the debilitating early failure of Symphony No. 1 and...
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October 26, 2018 • 24 mins
After four long years living outside of Russia due to political instability, Rachmaninoff was finally able to bring his family home. He returned with a determination to write a Russian sacred piece that would be a lasting contribution to the orthodox repertoire. The composer ultimately found success with his "All-Night Vigil," considered the crowning achievement in Russian sacred music. But the world around Rachma...
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October 19, 2018 • 24 mins
Clickety clack. That’s all Sergei Rachmaninoff heard as he practiced his new Piano Concerto No. 3 in advance of his big American tour, during which he would debut the piece. That’s because he finished the piece just before departing for the U.S. and didn't leave himself time to practice. He had to make do with practicing on a silent keyboard on the ship. When you hear how fiendishly difficult the piece is, it makes thi...
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October 2, 2018 • 22 mins
Sergei Rachmaninoff just wasn't hungry -- literally and figuratively. So, after the success of his Piano Concerto No. 2, he took the less obvious route for a composer and dedicated himself to conducting and teaching. He just wasn't craving that next big hit. It was rising political unrest that forced him into composing again.
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September 29, 2018 • 20 mins
Sergei Rachmaninoff finds himself in a funk. It’s been three years since the disastrous premiere of his Symphony No. 1 and the composer has barely written a note since then. His confidence is crushed. Self-doubt has crippled him. And it looks like his muse has left him. Enter the family intervention. In what becomes a persistent theme in Rachmaninoff’s life, his family insists that it’s time to get off the couch and back to...
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September 22, 2018 • 17 mins
Crouched low. Hiding in a fire escape backstage with his fingers plugging his ears. This is how Sergei Rachmaninoff experienced the premiere of his Symphony No. 1. What should have been a triumphant night for Rachmaninoff turned into a nightmare which only worsened once the review appeared in the newspaper. "Diseased and perverted harmonizations." "Morbid atmosphere." Fit for the "inhabitants of Hel...
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September 15, 2018 • 19 mins
We all need a little help from friends, and one of Sergei Rachmaninoff's most supportive friends was none other than the great Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky. Tchaikovsky cheered for Rachmaninoff from his box seat at concerts and paired their works together in concert. But just as Rachmaninoff started to find his footing as a composer, Tchaikovsky died unexpectedly. Tchaikovsky had come to play the role of mentor a...
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September 8, 2018 • 12 mins
Why do we love Rachmaninoff's music so much? Is it the romantic themes? The dark, brooding undercurrents? Whatever it is, it's hooked listeners for more than a century. Our new miniseries on The Great Composers opens with a look at Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-sharp minor.
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August 15, 2018 • 38 mins
An intimate look at the life and legacy of a singular musical figure, featuring insights from conductor Marin Alsop. Bernstein was born Aug. 25, 1918, and classical music lovers across the world are marking the 100th anniversary of his birth this year. It's a chance to rediscover his most indelible compositions, connect with his lesser-known pieces and appreciate what a singular musical figure he was.
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October 7, 2017 • 43 mins
Mozart's "The Magic Flute" marries high art with catchy tunes, and makes us wonder what the composer would have written if he had lived longer. It's the final of five episodes on Mozart, kicking off our new podcast The Great Composers. The series, hosted by Karla Walker and Scott O'Neil, offers an intimate look at some of history's greatest musical minds. Subscribe so you don't miss an epi...
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September 30, 2017 • 42 mins
Mozart's popularity as a piano soloist begins to wane, so he adapts. In this fourth installment of The Great Composers, Mozart happily turns his focus to his first, true love: opera. Mozart writes “The Marriage of Figaro” and “Don Giovanni.” He also writes his three great, final symphonies in one summer. Listen and subscribe for more episodes hosted by Karla Walker and Scott O'Neil.
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September 21, 2017 • 31 mins
After years of frustration, Mozart enjoys great success on the operatic stage and a meteoric rise in the Viennese artistic scene. He essentially reinvents the keyboard concerto in the process. He also breaks free from his Salzburg employer and his family -- and he marries Constanze Weber. It's the third of five episodes on Mozart, kicking off our new podcast The Great Composers. The series, hosted by Karla Walker and S...
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September 14, 2017 • 29 mins
Mozart blossoms as an artist but struggles to fulfill the full measure of his potential. He’s already composed numerous symphonies and concertos. And his mother tirelessly supports his career, even as their travels around Europe cause her health to deteriorate. It's the second of five episodes on Mozart, kicking off our new podcast The Great Composers. The series, hosted by Karla Walker and Scott O'Neil, offers an...
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September 8, 2017 • 33 mins
A child is born in Salzburg with indescribable, incomprehensible talent for music and composition. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart travels the world and rubs shoulders with the greatest composers in Europe, all by the age of 12. It's the first of five episodes on Mozart, kicking off our new podcast The Great Composers. The series, hosted by Karla Walker and Scott O'Neil, offers an intimate look at some of history's g...
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August 25, 2017 • 5 mins
It’s an intimate look at the people who wrote some of the greatest music ever. Subscribe and hear a preview.
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