Best Saint Saens Podcasts (2024)

1
Where Music Lives Reprise: Violin and Banjo 31:54

1d ago31:54

31:54

A 15-year-old violinist introduces us to his charming coastal community of Damariscotta, Maine and a talented young banjo player ensconced in the blue grass music scene brings us into her musical home in the foothills of Leicester, North Carolina. Co-host/violinist Tessa Lark draws on her own childhood in Kentucky as she reflects with Peter Dugan o…

1
Where Music Lives Reprise 45:01

10d ago45:01

45:01

We're on a musical journey in small town and rural America. We meet a teen violinist down by the bayou in Monroe, Louisiana, travel to the rolling farmland of Redlands, California to the home of a driven young guitarist, and hear from a young composer who enjoys the support of his community in Fargo, North Dakota. Co-host/violinist Tessa Lark speak…

1
Earth Day Special: Trees and Swans 22:15

4h ago22:15

22:15

We're paying homage to our beautiful planet and the works of art it inspires! A teen harpist from rural California performs Gary Schocker's Memory of Trees, a contemplation of the effects of climate change. Finally, a 17-year-old cellist will play The Swan and speak of her work in environmental advocacy. Learn more about sponsor message choices: po…

1
Jules Verne - France's Great Adventure 45:57

30m ago45:57

45:57

Jules Verne is one of the most influential authors who ever lived, from every country and genre. He is the most translated author in the world after Agatha Christie and is by far the most translated French author. Verne's vision, stories and characters still resonate with us today, whether as part of new fictional storylines, or as cultural beacons…

1
Earth Day Special: Clouds and Beetles 38:17

1h ago38:17

38:17

We're celebrating Earth Day with performances that celebrate our natural world. Up first, a young oboist performs a piece inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings of jimson weed and speaks about volunteering in a community garden. We also meet a teen pianist who performs Tan Dun's colorful homage to the Chinese countryside and a composer who connec…

1
Sonatas! Saint Saëns and Frank 33:00

24d ago33:00

33:00

We continue our exploration of the sonata with two teens from Southern California. We hear a bassoonist performing Saint Saëns and a pianist performing an exciting work by American composer Gabriela Lena Frank. Finally, we are treated to a flashback finale of an outstanding flutist playing Dorff's Salmon Lake. Learn more about sponsor message choic…

1
Sonatas! Bach, Beethoven, Brahms 42:44

1M ago42:44

42:44

We hear a range of sonatas including Bach performed on marimba, a late Beethoven work for cello and piano, and a Brahms viola sonata. Performed by teens from Arizona and Texas! Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

1
Liszt and Brahms with Guest Host Orli Shaham 30:58

2M ago30:58

30:58

A 17-year-old violist performs a moving Brahms Sonata with guest host Orli Shaham and we meet a talented teenage pianist who plays one of Liszt's great works for piano. More at: https://fromthetop.org/show/show-450/ Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy…

1
Classics with Guest Host Orli Shaham 43:12

2M ago43:12

43:12

Pianist Orli Shaham meets an 11-year-old violinist who moved from Sydney to New York to pursue music and collaborates with a gifted teen on Rebecca Clarke's viola sonata. Finally, we meet a pianist who tells us about Chopin's mazurkas and life at his New England boarding school. More at: https://fromthetop.org/show/show-450/ Learn more about sponso…

1
The French Wars of Religion - Faith in Destruction 55:32

1M ago55:32

55:32

On one side, the Catholic majority, unwavering in their devotion to Rome. On the other, the Huguenots, French Protestants inspired by the teachings of Jean Calvin. Caught in the crossfire of this religious divide was the monarchy, struggling to maintain order amidst growing tension. But their efforts often only fuelled the flames of conflict. And s…

1
Musical Feast: Teen Composer and Erhu 45:25

2M ago45:25

45:25

We meet a teen composer who performs her own work on cello, learn about the beauty of the erhu, and discover the joy of marching bands through the experiences of a teen flutist. Learn more about the musicians and repertoire featured on this episode: https://fromthetop.org/show/show-449/ Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/a…

1
Musical Feast: Cassadó to Schumann 31:00

2M ago31:00

31:00

We talk about the healing nature of music with a violist who performs Schumann. We hear a vibrant performance inspired by Las Vegas from a teen pianist and join a young cellist as she performs and reflects on Cassadó's imaginative Dance of the Green Devil. Learn more about the musicians and repertoire featured on this episode: https://fromthetop.or…

1
Victor Wooten, Bach, & Gospel Marching Band 42:51

3M ago42:51

42:51

Grammy Award-winning bass player Victor Wooten joins us for our exciting musical journey out of Nashville. A talented teen flutist plays an elegant Bach Sonata and then improvises on that same work with Victor Wooten and Peter Dugan. We meet the drum major from Tennessee State University's Aristocrat of Bands and hear selections from their Grammy A…

1
Program Notes: Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony 6:38

3M ago6:38

6:38

Mahler knew how to think big. For his Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” he stuffed the stage with 270 musicians, including 10 trumpets and 10 horns in the original score. It took Mahler five years to complete the symphony, which stretches more than 80 minutes and holds a special place among musicians and audiences. Today, millions of people have hear…

1
Beethoven to Bluegrass and Special Guest Victor Wooten 47:25

3M ago47:25

47:25

Grammy Award-winning bass player Victor Wooten joins us this week as we celebrate great music out of Nashville! We hear an electric performance on violin, imitating sounds from Jimi Hendrix's guitar, by a teen musician who already holds a real job in an orchestra. We meet a talented pianist who performs Beethoven. And a teen bluegrass mandolin play…

1
Program Notes: Elgar’s Enigma Variations 8:16

3M ago8:16

8:16

The power of friendship. Edward Elgar’s most popular work, Enigma Variations, was dedicated to 14 friends portrayed in the pieces – from his wife to an Oxford professor, a bulldog and even Elgar himself. Like the Elgar, each section of Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin (The Grave of Couperin) is dedicated to someone the composer knew, but this time th…

1
Secret Lives: Listening to Sunsets 23:32

3M ago23:32

23:32

All in the family. From a tiny apartment around the world to a chance audition at The Florida Orchestra, family has been a driving force for Principal Cellist Yoni Draiblate. Is he bringing up the next Yo-Yo Ma? Time will tell. Even Brahms’ Double Concerto, which Yoni performs this weekend, cannot escape family drama.…

1
Musicians from Rural America: Violin and Banjo 31:54

3M ago31:54

31:54

A 15-year-old violinist introduces us to his charming coastal community of Damariscotta, Maine and a talented young banjo player brings us into her musical home in the foothills of Leicester, North Carolina. Co-host/violinist Tessa Lark draws on her own childhood in Kentucky as she reflects with Peter Dugan on the stories and performances of these …

1
Napoléon : the Man and his Books, with Louis Sarkozy 1:10:28

2M ago1:10:28

1:10:28

When we talk about Napoléon, we often talk about battles or politics, but we don't talk nearly enough about the man. Some dismiss him as a proto-Hitler, others adore him as they would a god. But few actually try to crack open the mysteries of the Napoleonic mind. Author Louis Sarkozy did just that, by studying Napoléon Bonaparte and his most import…

1
Musicians from Rural America: Louisiana to California 45:01

3M ago45:01

45:01

We meet a teen violinist down by the bayou in Monroe, Louisiana, travel to the rolling farmland of Redlands, California to the home of a driven young guitarist, and hear from a young composer who enjoys the support of his community in Fargo, North Dakota. Co-host/violinist Tessa Lark speaks about her own upbringing in Eastern Kentucky as she reflec…

1
Program Notes: Saint-Saens’ Organ Symphony 7:31

4M ago7:31

7:31

We’re taking a tour of France in the spring. Magnifique! Saint-Saens’ Organ Symphony – used so effectively in the 1995 movie Babe – is a lush masterpiece that builds and builds until … wait for it … the organ is let loose in the finale. Fauré’s Requiem creates a place of peace and serenity with rich, soulful melodies, featuring The Master Chorale o…

1
Let's Get Together: Texas Youth Orchestra & More 30:02

4M ago30:02

30:02

Peter collaborates with a 16-year-old violinist on an elegant rag. We hear Poulenc's trio for oboe, bassoon, and piano and meet one of Texas' premier high school orchestras who perform Shostakovich. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

1
Camille Saint-Saëns and France's Music 36:46

3M ago36:46

36:46

We often see history as a succession of dates, events, wars and political machinations. But we should not forget that history is also forged by culture and by art. Art reflects society's values and aspirations, but also helps create them and move people forward. It also elevates us and makes us better in many ways. Among the many art forms availabl…

1
Let's Get Together: Rachmaninoff to Barber 29:16

4M ago29:16

29:16

How does ensemble size and instrumentation shape the listening experience? We hear from a 14-year-old violinist who feels passionately about music-making, meet a teen pianist who takes on Rachmaninoff, and hear Peter play Barber with a young cellist who speaks about the importance of a local music program in his life. Learn more about sponsor messa…

1
Program Notes: Dvorak’s New World Symphony 8:54

4M ago8:54

8:54

Antonin Dvorak’s Ninth Symphony is as big a deal today as it was in 1893, when it premiered with huge fanfare at Carnegie Hall in New York. The Ninth was special. Major composer. Written in America. Inspired by African-American spirituals. No wonder it prompted one of the most elaborate music reviews in the history of newspapers, a 3,000-word essay…

1
Program Notes: Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony 9:01

5M ago9:01

9:01

This is the symphony that changed all symphonies, Beethoven’s monumental Third. No one had heard anything like it before. The work was originally called “Bonaparte” after Napoleon, but a disgruntled Beethoven hastily changed the title to “Eroica,” meaning heroic. Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 breaks free from oppression after the death of Sta…

1
The Swan & More from Michigan: Part II 31:30

5M ago31:30

31:30

We meet a violist with a love for Formula One racing who gives an evocative performance of Schumann. We hear a conversation between a teen clarinetist and his mentor, the principal clarinetist of the Minnesota Orchestra, who share much in common including leaving their homes in Costa Rica to study at Interlochen Arts Academy. Learn more about spons…

1
The Swan & More from Michigan: Part I 36:12

5M ago36:12

36:12

A talented 12-year-old cellist performs The Swan by Saint-Saëns, a flutist with a passion for marine biology plays a dreamy Fantasie by Hüe, and the winner of Interlochen Arts Academy's Concerto Competition performs a difficult but rewarding work by Ysaÿe. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy…

1
Celebrating Musicians with Disabilities: Encore 1:01:37

5M ago1:01:37

1:01:37

18-year-old violinist and From the Top alum Julia LaGrand co-hosts this special episode dedicated to celebrating the stories and performances of disabled and neurodivergent musicians. Julia, who is blind, also interviews special guest Itzhak Perlman. We meet a 16-year-old double bassist who began studying music when spina bifida made it difficult t…

1
Chopin, Guitar Quartet & More from Minnesota: Part II 48:20

6M ago48:20

48:20

We hear from a teenage guitar quartet playing a lively Brazilian piece, an oboist playing a new work by composer Reena Esmail, and a violinist who imagines herself in Brahms' world when she performs. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

1
Secret Lives: Robin Hood of Fried Chicken 33:06

6M ago33:06

33:06

Cellist, conductor, Robin Hood of Fried Chicken For TFO Associate Principal Cello Victor Minke Huls, his life in music started way before he was born. And it keeps getting better. From homework in the concert hall to conducting, salsa dancing, an Irish family band and his secret career as a counter tenor, the Florida native keeps adding to an amazi…

1
Chopin, Guitar Quartet & More from Minnesota: Part I 38:43

6M ago38:43

38:43

We meet a 14-year-old pianist playing a Chopin Scherzo, a classical cellist who also plays rock covers, and a young trumpeter who gives insight into the physicality of playing his instrument. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

1
Program Notes: Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto 6:42

6M ago6:42

6:42

A heroic concert indeed. Beethoven’s famed Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor,” composed when he was deaf, is a stunning example of Beethoven’s stubborn nature. He overcame his liability to create a work of unprecedented depth and expression. The adagio is simply sublime. “The concerto encapsulates the heroic struggle of the individual,’’ says TFO Musi…

1
Program Notes: Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue 11:18

6M ago11:18

11:18

This program is packed with American greats in honor of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, a smash hit since its debut 100 years ago. “I wanted to put it on a pedestal because it deserves to be there,” says TFO Music Director Michael Francis. The concert starts with jazzy fanfare Herald, Holler & Hallelujah composed by Wynton Marsalis before launching in…

1
Black History Month Special Encore 59:19

6M ago59:19

59:19

In recognition of Black History Month, this highlight program celebrates outstanding performances by Black musicians on From the Top through the years. Hosted by Peter Dugan and David Norville, an alumnus, oboist, and former Assistant Producer at From the Top. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy…

1
The First World War. The French Experience 52:33

6M ago52:33

52:33

For France, the Great War is a serious and deep wound that she partially inflicted on herself. It is painful and has never fully healed. It is something personal, felt by all strata of the nation. From the humblest peasant to the richest industrialist, no layer of French society was spared in the great slaughter that the trenches were. The country …

1
A Celebration of Sphinx Encore 59:37

6M ago59:37

59:37

An encore episode dedicated to the 25th Anniversary of the Sphinx Organization.We feature musical excerpts from a live performance by critically-acclaimed chamber orchestra, the Sphinx Virtuosi. We hear from musicians and educators whose lives have been changed by Sphinx and explore the pivotal role it has played in expanding diversity in the arts.…

1
Mozart, Kreisler, and Schubert: Part II 35:37

7M ago35:37

35:37

We meet a percussionist from the famous LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts who gives a tour of the marimba to Peter Dugan, a 13-year-old cellist who loves both ballet and music, and a pianist who relates with the emotions of Schubert. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy…

1
Mozart, Kreisler, and Schubert: Part I 36:48

7M ago36:48

36:48

A teen quartet plays Mozart, a 15-year-old flutist shares why her instrument is a dependable friend, and a violinist plays a Kreisler arrangement and draws connections between science and art. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

1
Program Notes: Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 8:09

7M ago8:09

8:09

Tchaikovsky packs a lot of emotion into his Sixth: “Without exaggeration, I have put my entire soul into this symphony.” Less than 10 days after its premiere, Tchaikovsky died. This symphony would become his requiem, a last will and testament of a composer whose music comes so directly from the heart. Barber’s Violin Concerto starts out lush and ly…

1
Cassadó, Grant Still, & a Unique Trio: Part II 36:38

7M ago36:38

36:38

A 17-year-old pianist plays the work of a lesser-known Russian romantic pianist/composer and describes his interest in robotics. A violinist with a passion for musical suites performs a contemporary work. An exciting trio comprised of bass, flute, and bassoon play Piazzola. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR …

1
Nathanael Greene and La Fayette, Partners in Freedom. With Salina B. Baker. 42:25

7M ago42:25

42:25

In this unique episode, we engage in a conversation with Salina B. Baker, an accomplished author of historical fiction, who has received multiple awards for her work. Additionally, she is a historian specializing in the American Revolution and Victorian America. She has just released an outstanding novel titled "The Line of Splendor: A Novel of Nat…

1
Cassadó, Grant Still, & a Unique Trio: Part I 35:24

7M ago35:24

35:24

A 17-year-old violinist shares how he deals with performance anxiety and plays William Grant Still. A teen guitarist speaks of his family connection with Colombia and the vibrant piece that was written for him to perform. A 12-year-old cellist gives an exuberant performance of Cassadó's Requiebros and shares how she sneaks in some time for bluegras…

1
Program Notes: Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4 10:48

8M ago10:48

10:48

The word of the day is hurdy-gurdy. Which, in case you don’t know, is a medieval stringed instrument with an attached keyboard. And an inspiration for two pieces on this program written 200 years apart – Missy Mazzoli’s contemporary Sinfonia (For Orbiting Spheres) and Mozart’s charming Violin Concerto No. 4 – though in very different styles. The co…

1
The Dreyfus Affair. France's Shame 48:16

8M ago48:16

48:16

Liberté, égalité, fraternité. This is the French Republic’s motto. Liberty and equality are also in the first article of the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" of 1789. The French are very proud of that heritage, of France’s struggle during and after the Revolution. They think of their homeland as the cradle of liberty in Europe,…

1
50 Years of Walnut Hill 59:19

8M ago59:19

59:19

We're meeting some phenomenal musicians from the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, Massachusetts. The school is celebrating 50 years as an arts high school and sharing their talented teens with Guest Host Orli Shaham. Enjoy performances of Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Schubert, and more. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com…

1
Sensational Youth Chamber Music with Fischoff 59:19

9M ago59:19

59:19

We're celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Over the years, From the Top has featured the sensational winning youth ensembles of this renowned competition, and we're going to revisit some of these incredible performances. We'll also reveal the most recent grand prize winners who have yet to be featured…

1
The Seven Years' War. The Great French Disaster 44:14

9M ago44:14

44:14

This particular conflict goes by multiple names and definitions. While it is globally recognized as the Seven Years' War, it is more commonly referred to in America as the French and Indian War, and in Canada as the War of Conquest. These wars are all interconnected and are part of a vast global struggle between the two superpowers of the mid-eight…

1
Dvořák, Winds, & a Young Composer 59:18

9M ago59:18

59:18

A young violinist explores the connection between powerlifting and music. A teen bassoonist plays a stirring piece, a trombonist shows off the range of his instrument and shares his passion for nutrition. And a young composer presents their exciting work for an eclectic grouping of instruments! Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoic…

1
Program Notes: Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 9:36

9M ago9:36

9:36

Brahms was incredibly hard on himself. Plus, he couldn’t seem to shake the shadow of Beethoven and his incredible success. That’s why Brahms struggled for more than 14 years to complete his first symphony, which premiered when he was 43 years old. It was worth the wait –widely considered to be one of the most significant symphonies ever written. In…

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