Schedule
HostsWays to Give
HomePlaylistSchedule
HostsEventsOn DemandOur StoryOur TeamWays to Give Become a Sponsor
How to ListenVisit Help CenterContact Us

Find Us on Social Media:

Logo image

Find Us on Social Media:

Download Our Mobile App:

google play icon

About

HomePlaylistSchedule
HostsOn DemandOur StoryOur Team

Community

EventsWays to Give Become a SponsorPressDiversity StatementCareersAnnual EEO ReportDigital Accessibility

Help

Visit Help CenterContact UsHow to Listen

©2025 Classical California

Sweepstakes RulesFCC ComplianceLocal Public FilesCPB ComplianceAnnual EEO ReportPrivacy PolicyCode of Integrity

Beethoven

Beethoven’s Quartet of ‘Thanksgiving’

Beethoven’s Quartet of ‘Thanksgiving’

Beethoven's String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 132, features a movement expressing gratitude for recovery from illness. It alternates between prayerful chorales and lively sections, reflecting his mortality.

11/25/2025
Saturday Morning Car Tunes: Ludwig van Beethoven, Pt. III

Saturday Morning Car Tunes: Ludwig van Beethoven, Pt. III

In his later years, Beethoven had a lot of problems, including complete deafness and stressful family issues, which only deepened the emotion in his music. This week, we’ll explore his third and final period, filled with great sorrow and great joy.

05/17/2025
Saturday Morning Car Tunes: Ludwig van Beethoven, Pt. II

Saturday Morning Car Tunes: Ludwig van Beethoven, Pt. II

Dun dun dun DUNN! This week, Beethoven's middle period takes center stage, where he truly starts sounding like, well, Beethoven. Heroes, symphonies, and most of the orchestral music are spotlighted.

04/19/2025
Saturday Morning Car Tunes: Ludwig van Beethoven, Pt. I

Saturday Morning Car Tunes: Ludwig van Beethoven, Pt. I

Before Beethoven became a wild-haired, world-changing composer, he was a rebellious piano prodigy shaking up Vienna. He wasn’t just the next Mozart—he was out to prove he was something new. From his pianos sonatas to his very first symphony, hear how Beethoven’s journey kicked off!

04/05/2025
A Heroic Piece in Hard Times: Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto

A Heroic Piece in Hard Times: Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto

Explore the history of Beethoven's Fifth Piano Concerto, nicknamed "Emperor", composed during Napoleon's invasion of Vienna in 1809, reflecting the composer's resilience amidst chaos.

09/21/2024
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at 200

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at 200

Explore the history behind this masterpiece of Western classical music.

08/28/2024
Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony

Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony

A celebration and appreciation of Beethoven’s 9th. Together we’ll explore the question of how this symphony changed music forever and why we still connect with it so deeply today. Following this exploration: a complete performance of Beethoven’s 9th on the exact 200th anniversary of its first performance.

05/07/2024

RELATED TOPICS

Pop CultureThe State of the ArtsPianoSaturday Morning Car TunesMusic History

MORE TO DISCOVER

The Story Behind “Appalachian Spring,” the Ballet

The Story Behind “Appalachian Spring,” the Ballet

Explore the history of Appalachian Spring, a ballet commissioned by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, composed by Aaron Copland, and choreographed by Martha Graham.

11/22/2025
The Mystery Behind Scriabin’s Mystic Chord

The Mystery Behind Scriabin’s Mystic Chord

Explore the life of Russian composer Alexander Scriabin, his obsession with the occult, and his creation of the "mystic chord" used in his compositions.

11/17/2025
Elgar’s “Enigma Variations”

Elgar’s “Enigma Variations”

Explore the intriguing history of Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations, composed in 1898-99. Discover how this piece, inspired by Elgar's friends and personal experiences, established his fame.

11/15/2025
Saturday Morning Car Tunes: Fanny Hensel

Saturday Morning Car Tunes: Fanny Hensel

This week, meet Fanny Hensel! She wrote over 450 works, including one of the first string quartets by a woman. She only published her music a year before she died, and now it's finally getting the attention it deserves.

11/15/2025
A Playlist to Celebrate All Things Fall

A Playlist to Celebrate All Things Fall

Explore the beauty of autumn through music with this curated list of compositions inspired by the season's warm colors, chilly weather, and melancholic mood.

11/12/2025
Saturday Morning Car Tunes: Felix Mendelssohn, Pt. II

Saturday Morning Car Tunes: Felix Mendelssohn, Pt. II

Symphonies, overtures, Songs Without Words, oratorios with words, and one of the greatest violin concertos ever written—tune in this week for Felix Mendelssohn, Part Two!

11/01/2025