Podcast #15: DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH - The Symphonies

Podcast #15: DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH - The Symphonies

In their latest Classical Discoveries episode, Jens and Joe explore Dmitri Shostakovich’s symphonies — works of daring subversion masked as Soviet conformity. From the banned Fourth Symphony to the sardonic Ninth, they reveal how Shostakovich smuggled private rebellion into public music. Featuring the Gürzenich‑Orchester Köln’s powerhouse recordings, this is Soviet‑era genius at its most explosive: “Quiet in person, screaming in music.” 0:20   Introduction 1:20   Symphony No. 1 – One of the Best First Symphonies 4:30   Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 – To Please the State 9:14   Symphony No. 4 – “Muddle Instead of Music” 14:03  Overview and Categorisation 15:39  Symphony No. 5 – Well‑Behaved and Popular 16:38  Symphony No. 7 – And the Fireman 18:00  Symphony No. 9 – Light and Simple Classicism 21:28  Symphony No. 14 – The Russian Loreley 24:17  Symphony No. 15 – Why Wilhelm Tell? 26:56  Quiet in Person – Screaming in Music 28:12  Symphony No. 15 – The Wagner Quotes 29:25  Conclusion C7435  Shostakovich: The Symphonies BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C7435!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C7435!Podcast] * Gürzenich‑Orchester Köln * Dmitrji Kitajenko Kirill Kondrashin - Solomon Volkov - Serge Prokofiev With: Jens F. Laurson (Journalist) and Johannes Kernmayer (Producer) Follow Capriccio Records ► YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/c/CapriccioRecords] ► Facebook: facebook.com/capricciorecords/ ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capricciorec/ [https://www.instagram.com/capricciorec/] ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/CapriccioRec [https://twitter.com/CapriccioRec] ► Learn more: http://capriccio.at/ [http://capriccio.at/] ChaptersFeatured RecordingFeatured ArtistsRecommended Persons

Podcast #14: CHARLES KOECHLIN - France's Hidden Symphonist

In their latest episode of the Classical Discoveries podcast, Jens and Joe explore the scintillating music of Charles Koechlin, a fascinating yet overlooked French symphonist who defies easy categorisation. Neither purely an impressionist nor simply a romantic, dramatic, lyric, abstract, or “programmatic” composer, Koechlin combined revolutionary, academic, and eclectic traits. One moment his language recalls Debussy and Ravel, the next he sounds like Poulenc, Florent Schmitt, or even Olivier Messiaen. 0:20   Introduction 1:36   Koechlin – A little bit of everything? 4:51   Symphony No. 1 – Recording Session 9:01   Backgrounds – Jungle Book and the Symphony 10:56  A pupil of Fauré 11:27  The Seven Stars’ Symphony, Op. 132 12:16  The Movie Stars of the Symphony 14:33  Greta Garbo (Excerpt) 16:43  Charlie Chaplin (Excerpt) 17:45  Vers la voûte étoilée, Op. 129 (Excerpt) 19:27  Conclusion C5533  Charles Koechlin: Symphony No. 1 BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C5533!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C5533!Podcast] C5449  Charles Koechlin: The Seven Stars’ Symphony (Capriccio) BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C5449!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C5449!Podcast] Sinfonieorchester Basel * Website: https://www.sinfonieorchesterbasel.ch [https://www.sinfonieorchesterbasel.ch/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgllfsUfm3qWSsZQE7vTnJw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgllfsUfm3qWSsZQE7vTnJw] Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen * Website: https://www.wuerttembergische-philharmonie.de/musik/ [https://www.wuerttembergische-philharmonie.de/musik/] * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wuerttembergischephilharmonie/ [https://www.facebook.com/wuerttembergischephilharmonie/] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philharmonie.reutlingen/ [https://www.instagram.com/philharmonie.reutlingen/] Ariane Matiakh * Website: https://arianematiakh.com/ [https://arianematiakh.com/] * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matiakhariane [https://www.facebook.com/matiakhariane] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arianematiakh/ [https://www.instagram.com/arianematiakh/] Recommended Persons Claude Debussy - Gabriel Fauré - Albert Roussel - Olivier Messiaen - Charlie Chaplin - Clara Bow - Greta Garbo - Marlene Dietrich - Rudyard Kipling With: Jens F. Laurson (Journalist) and Johannes Kernmayer (Producer) Follow Capriccio Records ► YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/c/CapriccioRecords] ► Facebook: facebook.com/capricciorecords/ ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capricciorec/ [https://www.instagram.com/capricciorec/] ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/CapriccioRec [https://twitter.com/CapriccioRec] ► Learn more: http://capriccio.at/ [http://capriccio.at/]

Podcast #13: DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH - The Film Music Scores

In this episode, Jens & Joe dive into the forgotten reels of Dmitri Shostakovich’s film music, from Italian partisans to Austrian invaders — and ask why everyone knows Prokofiev’s Ivan the Terrible, but not The Fall of Berlin. A well‑earned shoutout, too, to Dave at @DavesClassicalGuide. 0:20   Introduction 1:32   Shostakovich and the Soviet Film Industry 4:30   The Gadfly (1955) – Bazar 7:04   The Gadfly (1955) – Romance 9:04   Dictates of the Soviet Regime 10:34  The New Babylon (1929) 13:45  Five Days – Five Nights (1961) 16:21  The Hidden Scores 17:50  King Lear – Incidental Music (1940) 20:06  Shostakovich vs. Prokofiev 20:50  The Fall of Berlin (1950) 22:54  The Film Music Recordings 23:46  Golden Mountains (1931) 26:03  King Lear – Film Music (1970) 28:14  Conclusion 8.573747  Shostakovich: The Gadfly (Naxos) BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/8573747!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/8573747!Podcast] C7450  Shostakovich: Film Music Edition (Capriccio) BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C7450!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C7450!Podcast] * Rundfunk‑Sinfonieorchester Berlin — https://www.instagram.com/rsb_orchester/ [https://www.instagram.com/rsb_orchester/] * Deutsches Symphonie‑Orchester Berlin — https://www.instagram.com/dsoberlin [https://www.instagram.com/dsoberlin] * Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland‑Pfalz — https://www.instagram.com/staatsphilharmonie/ [https://www.instagram.com/staatsphilharmonie/] * RIAS‑Kammerchor — https://www.instagram.com/rias_kammerchor/ [https://www.instagram.com/rias_kammerchor/] * James Judd — https://www.jamesjudd.net/ [https://www.jamesjudd.net/] * Michail Jurowski Serge Prokofiev - Alfred Schnittke - Jacques Offenbach - Ludwig van Beethoven With: Jens F. Laurson (Journalist) and Johannes Kernmayer (Producer) Follow Capriccio Records ► YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/c/CapriccioRecords] ► Facebook: facebook.com/capricciorecords/ ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capricciorec/ [https://www.instagram.com/capricciorec/] ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/CapriccioRec [https://twitter.com/CapriccioRec] ► Learn more: http://capriccio.at/ [http://capriccio.at/] ChaptersFeatured RecordingsFeatured ArtistsRecommended Persons

Podcast #12: EASTER CLASSICS beyond J. S. Bach

Easter marks the high point of the Christian year, and some of the greatest works in classical music were written for this feast. While today’s concert programs often revolve around Bach, Jens and Joe, in their latest podcast, explore other Easter-themed gems — from the Renaissance to the 19th century. 0:20   Introduction 1:10   The Bulk of Compositions 3:00   Anton Schweitzer – The Resurrection of Christ (1776) 6:48   Copy/Paste – how scripts survived 7:53   La Passione – the libretto by Pietro Metastasio 9:50   Antonio Salieri – La Passione (1776) 11:52   Josef Mysliveček – La Passione (c. 1770) 14:05   Alessandro Scarlatti – La Colpa, Il Pentimento, La Grazia (1708) 16:50   Claudio Monteverdi – Vespers for the Feast of the Ascension (c. 1620) 20:02   Jan Dismas Zelenka – Gesu al Calvario (1735) 21:53   The Kyiv Archive – Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach 23:09   C. P. E. Bach – St. John Passion (1772) 24:28   Telemann and the Hamburg Bach 25:31   Georg Philipp Telemann – The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus (1760) 27:13   20th-Century Passion Music 28:16   Joe’s Short Version of Parsifal 29:05   Conclusion Featured Recordings C5425  Anton Schweitzer: The Resurrection of Christ BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C5425!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C5425!Podcast] C60100  Antonio Salieri: La Passione di Nostro Signore Jesu Cristo BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C60100!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C60100!Podcast] C71025–26  Josef Mysliveček: La Passione di Nostro Signore Jesu Cristo BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C7102526!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C7102526!Podcast] C10411–12  Alessandro Scarlatti: La Colpa, Il Pentimento, La Grazia BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C1041112!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C1041112!Podcast] C10521  Claudio Monteverdi: Vespers for the Feast of the Ascension BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C10521!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C10521!Podcast] C10887–88  Jan Dismas Zelenka: Gesu al Calvario BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C1088788!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C1088788!Podcast] C60103  C. P. E. Bach: St. John Passion BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C60103!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C60103!Podcast] C60113  C. P. E. Bach: St. Matthew Passion BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C60113!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C60113!Podcast] C60132  C. P. E. Bach: St. Mark Passion BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C60132!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C60132!Podcast] C10596  Telemann: The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C10596!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C10596!Podcast] Recommended Persons * Thüringer Bach Collegium — https://www.bachland.de/en/ [https://www.bachland.de/en/] * Christoph Spering — YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC47cYSRk8X0hC6HOsutiI4Q] * Howard Arman — Biography on Naxos [https://www.naxos.com/Bio/Person/Howard_Arman/45185] * Michael Schneider — Biography on Naxos [https://www.naxos.com/Bio/Person/Michael_Schneider/32488] * La Stagione — https://www.lastagione.de/ [https://www.lastagione.de/] * Hermann Max — Biography on Naxos [https://www.naxos.com/Bio/Person/Hermann_Max/59264] * Rheinische Kantorei — Ensemble on Naxos [https://www.naxos.com/Bio/OrchestraEnsemble/Rheinische_Kantorei/59262] * Sing-Akademie zu Berlin — https://www.sing-akademie.de/ [https://www.sing-akademie.de/] Antonio Salieri - Georg Philipp Telemann - Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach - Pietro Metastasio - Josef Mysliveček - Claudio Monteverdi - Alessandro Scarlatti - Jan Dismas Zelenka - Arvo Pärt - Dan Tun - Edward Elgar - Herbert von Karajan With: Jens F. Laurson (Journalist) and Johannes Kernmayer (Producer) Follow Capriccio Records ► YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/c/CapriccioRecords] ► Facebook: facebook.com/capricciorecords/ ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capricciorec/ [https://www.instagram.com/capricciorec/] ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/CapriccioRec [https://twitter.com/CapriccioRec] ► Learn more: http://capriccio.at/ [http://capriccio.at/] ChaptersFeatured RecordingsFeatured ArtistsRecommended Persons

Podcast #11: FRANZ SCHMIDT - beyond the "Seven Seals"

Franz Schmidt may not be the most neglected composer among the grand romantics of the 20th century, but the gap between the greatness of his music and its absence from concert halls is staggering. Together with conductor Jonathan Berman, who recently recorded Schmidt’s four symphonies with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Jens and Joe explore the Schmidt phenomenon and the enduring appeal of his music. Chapters 0:20 Introduction 1:20 Special Guest: Jonathan Berman 2:24 The Symphonies Project 7:47 Karajan vs. Schmidt 9:04 "Intermezzo" – The One-Shot Hit 10:40 Notre Dame 14:24 Fantasia for Piano and Orchestra 16:17 Variations on a Hussar's Song 18:16 Nothing Like Bruckner 20:03 Franz Schmidt – Discography 21:36 Biographical Shadows 25:00 Conclusion Featured Recordings C10248–49 – Franz Schmidt: Notre Dame C5274 – Franz Schmidt: Orchestral Works BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C5274!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C5274ID] C67093 – Franz Schmidt: Organ Works C5526 – Franz Schmidt: Piano Works BUY/STREAM: https://Naxos.lnk.to/C5526!Podcast [https://naxos.lnk.to/C5526ID] Featured Artists Jonathan Berman: https://www.instagram.com/jonathanbermanconductor/ [https://www.instagram.com/jonathanbermanconductor/] Jasminka Stančul: https://www.instagram.com/jasminkastancul/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/jasminkastancul/?hl=en] Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz: https://www.staatsphilharmonie.de/de/ [https://www.staatsphilharmonie.de/de/] Alexander Rumpf Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin: https://www.dso-berlin.de/de/ [https://www.dso-berlin.de/de/] Christof Prick: http://www.christof-prick.de/ [http://www.christof-prick.de/] Recommended Persons Anton Bruckner Richard Wagner Gustav Mahler Herbert von Karajan Dimitri Mitropoulos With Jens F. Laurson (Journalist) and Johannes Kernmayer (Producer) ► Subscribe to Capriccio YOUTUBE Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/CapriccioRecords [https://www.youtube.com/c/CapriccioRecords] ► FACEBOOK Page: facebook.com/capricciorecords/ [https://www.perplexity.ai/search/facebook.com/capricciorecords/] ► INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/capricciorec/ [https://www.instagram.com/capricciorec/] ► TWITTER: https://twitter.com/CapriccioRec [https://twitter.com/CapriccioRec] ► Learn more about Capriccio: http://capriccio.at/ [http://capriccio.at/]