Classical Cake

In this episode, you’ll:Discover why he isn’t better known in the 21st centuryLearn about Michael Haydn’s relationships with both Wolfgang Amadé Mozart and his father Leopold MozartHear about his strong influence on church music.

In this episode, you’ll:Discover the reasons behind Haydn’s decision to temporarily relocate from Austria to England.Hear how he was received by London society and the influence of its concert cultureUnderstand how these trips culminated into one of Haydn’s greatest works, The Creation.

In this episode, you’ll:Learn about the Age of Enlightenment’s ideals and how they affect the OAEDiscover the power of creating innovative educational programs to reach new audiencesUnderstand the importance of modern and period instrument musicians learning from each other

In this episode, you’ll:Discover how Maria Anna and Wolfgang influenced each other throughout their lives.Identify why societal expectations cut short Maria Anna's careerLearn how she championed her brother, impacting our understanding of his life and works.

In this episode, you’ll: learn about the background and discoveries of the early music movement; listen to Beethoven come alive on period instruments in the original spaces in which he performed his works; and understand the philosophy to balance research with artistic interpretation in historical performance practice.

In this episode, you’ll: learn about the discovery and listen to the new piece: Ländlerischer Tanz; listen to a Ländler, a type of dance related to this newly-found Beethoven work; understand the difference between opus numbers vs WoO numbers; question if there are other pieces by Beethoven left to be discovered.

Get rare insights about an often-neglected genre of Beethoven’s output, question why Beethoven’s songs are not as often-performed as other songs, and hear three of Beethoven’s Lieder performed by Stephanie Houtzeel and Daniel Adam Maltz.

In this episode, you’ll: Hear about Armin’s experience after leaving the Vienna Boys Choir; Understand why Chorus Viennensis and its related group Choralscola der Wiener Hofkapelle were created; Discover how Michael Haydn, Schubert, and Austrian culture impact their repertoire choices; Listen to samples of the group singing

“That was such a success — that people were totally wild about it — they had to do a second, a third, and a fourth concert.” In this episode, you’ll: Get an overview of the choir’s history from the past 520+ years; Learn about Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert’s time in the choir; Hear recording excerpts of the Vienna Boys’ Choir; and learn what their daily life is like today and what they look for in new members.

“…during Mozart's lifetime, the main focus was to keep the lightness of the key touch of the harpsichord and combine it with a hammer action which reacts like in the clavichord. The pianists expected the lightness of the action.” In this episode, you’ll: Learn about Viennese fortepianos from the leader of the restoration workshop at Vienna's Collection of Historic Musical Instruments; Discover what classical composers and pianists expected from their instruments — and what these instruments can teach modern pianists; Understand what fueled the evolution from the Viennese fortepiano to the modern piano; and Hear an excerpt of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata on a Schantz fortepiano.

“The song was so simple in tuning, and they could just join in. That's why it's translated into so many dialects.” In this podcast, you’ll: Discover the humble Austrian beginnings of the world's best-known Christmas song; Learn how life in the region inspired the lyrics and music by Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber; Understand the elements that fueled the song's international success ; and Hear the Silent Night song performed on a piano of the song's era.

“When I go and give a master class, I’m almost never telling anybody what to do. I’m always telling them what to read.” In this episode, you’ll: Encounter surprising contradictions between historical and modern practices; Learn new concepts about interpreting classical-era music; Understand the importance of experimentation; and Get resources to learn more about historical performance practice.

“It’s the idiomatic use of the instrument which is so charming with Schubert or any of these composers.” In this episode, you’ll learn: Why pianists must experience the fortepianos used by Classical and Romantic era composers; The details and philosophies of building fortepiano replicas; and Why listening to the unique sound world of a fortepiano enhances the enjoyment of classical music.

“We can see in the Mozart sonatas, in the Haydn sonatas how they really took a maximum from this instrument. Beethoven goes one step further.” In this episode, you’ll: Encounter the keyboard Instruments used in the time of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven; Hear pieces performed on harpsichord, fortepiano, and pianoforte (modern piano) to better appreciate their differences; Understand how the unique characteristics of each instrument influenced classical music composers; and Learn what techniques pianists should keep in mind to inform their playing on modern instruments.

“It was not too complicated to have a conversation for Haydn together with the Prince of Wales or the king and queen.” In this episode, you’ll: Explore the relationship between Haydn and Beethoven; Realize why Napoleon posted a “guard of honor” at Haydn’s house; Appreciate the impact of Haydn's celebrated time in London; and Hear the shocking story of why it took 145 years to properly bury Haydn.

“Haydn had this kind of wit and also humor. You can feel it in his compositions when you hear the music.” In this episode, you’ll: Understand how creative freedom lead him to become the “father of the symphony” and the “father of the string quartet”; Explore the relationship between Haydn and Mozart; Learn the meaning behind the “Farewell Symphony”; and Be surprised by Haydn’s mischief as a member of the Vienna Boys’ Choir

“The letter itself was one of the most passionate letters ever written.” In this episode, you'll: Solve the long-disputed mystery of Beethoven's "Immortal Beloved"; Unearth details of this woman's life and her irresistible charm; Understand why Beethoven never sent the letter; and Be shocked by the surprising end result of this romance.