Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast

There are many reasons why Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony remains a mystery to this day. It’s unfinished form, it’s unusual way of coming into public consciousness, and probably most importantly, the character of the music itself, which seems to inhabit a different realm altogether. This week, on the Season 5 Finale, we’ll explore the two existing movements of the symphony, and take a look at the attempted completions of the piece. All along, we’ll marvel at Schubert’s lyricism and his endless

A couple of weeks ago I promised you a Thanksgiving show on American music. I also realized that this will be my second Thanksgiving NOT living in the US, and it got me thinking about the immigration story of my family. How does this all relate to classical music? Well, there is an extremely significant set of composers who immigrated to the US, and today we're going to spend time exploring their stories, and understanding the music they wrote once they arrived here. I'm really proud of this episode.

This week we have a Patreon-sponsored episode looking at the Brahms Violin Concerto. This is a piece inextricably linked with the great violinist Joseph Joachim. We'll talk all about the genesis of the concerto, and the lively back and forth Brahms and Joachim shared over the more difficult parts of the piece. Along with the structure of this masterpiece, we'll also compare 3 recordings from Heifetz, Oistrakh, and Ferras, exploring how great violinists of the past tackled this monumental challenge.

It was over 100 episodes ago when I took you through a list of 10 great living composers. We’re going to be doing a similar thing this week, with a brand new, fresh list of 6 great living composers. Once again, I’m following the same rules I did last time - 3 male composers, 3 female composers, and a mix of names you might recognize along with newer names. My hope is that lists like these will help to demystify New Music for the listener, as we jump into these fascinating new worlds of music together.

Imagine writing a concerto that prompted Beethoven to remark to a friend: “we’ll never be able to write anything like that." That's what you get with Mozart's C Minor concerto, a piece that could be said without hyperbole to be one of the greatest ever written. This week we'll go through all of the revolutionary touches of this concerto, from its harmonic daring to its formal upheavals. In addition, we'll talk about the stormy emotional character of this music, a side of Mozart that is too often ignored

This week we explore Haydn's most famous symphony, the "Surprise." We'll also compare "Historically Informed" and "old-school" performance practice. Often Haydn is thought of as someone who is not taken as seriously as Mozart or Beethoven. But I continue to think he's incredibly underrated. Next time you listen to a Haydn symphony, don’t take it as a chance to relax. Instead, take it as an opportunity to listen with total engagement, listening out for all the jokes, joy, and fun all along the way.

Garrett hosts the nationally syndicated radio show Music Through the Night, is a bassoonist, and also hosts his own podcast, called Trilloquy. If you’ve ever wondered how radio playlists are created, this is the episode for you. In this conversation we also discuss Garrett’s tireless advocacy on behalf of diversity in classical music. We also gently debated Garrett’s disdain for Brahms and Gershwin, two of my favorite composers. I hope you find this conversation as fulfilling and thought-provoking as

This week, I'm interviewing 3 people who are making real change in the classical music business. Today, I talk with Aubrey Bergauer, the former Executive Director of the California Symphony, and Lorenzo Brewer, the founder of Nkoda, the Spotify of sheet music. We'll talk about the simple yet radical changes Bergauer made during her tenure, and Brewer's belief in the accessibility of sheet music. I think these interviews will appeal to anyone interested in change, the future, and music itself. Enjoy!

There is perhaps no more iconic musical than West Side Story. The team of Bernstein, Sondheim, Laurents, and Robbins collaborated on a show that combined humor and menace and love and violence in a way that revolutionized the stage. The film adaptation of the musical won 11 Academy Awards. But, in my opinion, what drives West Side Story is the scintillating score from Leonard Bernstein. Today we explore the Symphonic Dances, a suite put together for the concert stage. We'll talk shofars, tritones, and more!

Due to family reasons, Sticky Notes is off this week, but don't worry, we'll be back next week! In the meantime, enjoy this look back at Stravinsky's magical Firebird, the piece that rocketed Stravinsky to celebrity and is still a favorite of audiences around the world today. We talk about all of the myths behind the story of the Firebird, including a character I like to call the Russian Voldemort! Plus, Sticky Notes answers your questions! Thanks for listening, and look out for West Side Story next week!

Throughout the centuries since Bach's death, composers have grappled with the mastery and the mystery of his music. Many composers have tried their hands at arranging or transcribing Bach's music, so this week we'll discuss works like Brahms' reimagining of the Bach Chaconne, Stokowski's grandiose Toccata and Fugue, Webern's 6 part fugue, and many more. Bach's music calls out to be reworked and reimagined. Learning about these transcriptions helps to deepen our understanding of this superlative genius.

The classical music world was rocked this week by the passing of the American composer Christopher Rouse. Rouse was one of the most powerful voices of our time, writing music that combined visceral energy with deep emotional intensity. Chris was also a friend of mine, and as an homage, I wanted to give you a tour of his music this week. There are very few composers who could write convincing music about topics as diverse as tragedy, violence, spiritual bliss, and Led Zeppelin, and Chris was one of them.

It can be difficult to separate Shostakovich's 5th from his political situation, but focusing only on the politics can lead us to ignore some of the most searingly powerful music of the 20th century in favor focusing only on the extra-musical forces behind the piece. This week, we'll look at the 3rd and 4th movements from a musical point of view, discussing how Shostakovich creates his musical palette. Then, we will discuss the controversy over the ending of the piece. What WAS Shostakovich trying to say?

Shostakovich's 5th symphony has always been indelibly associated with politics and Shostakovich's traumatic experiences with Joseph Stalin. But what about the music itself? This week, we'll look at the first two movements of this symphony, including the massive and innovative first, and the sardonic scherzo. This is a piece that is as interesting musically as it is for the harrowing story of its creation. Shostakovich's music is not only about politics. It is about love, life, and the human experience.

Robert Schumann called Beethoven's 4th symphony “a slender Grecian maiden between two Nordic giants.” It's true that the 4th is a much lighter and brighter piece than the 3rd and 5th symphonies that surround it, but its charm, wit, and expressions of pure joy make it one of Beethoven's most enjoyable works, and one the most underrated works in his entire catalogue. This week we'll explore the joy that Beethoven infuses into this symphony, as well as the mysterious introduction that precedes all the fu