Meet Grammy-Winning Composer Jessie Montgomery!

Meet Grammy-Winning Composer Jessie Montgomery!

Author: WETA Classical February 3, 2026 Duration: 40:05
Jessie Montgomery and John Banther discuss her popular works, her time writing for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Blacknificent 7 composer group, and her early artistic influences.

Ever wondered what really goes into a symphony or what a composer was thinking when they wrote that haunting melody? Classical Breakdown is for anyone who loves the sound of an orchestra but craves a deeper connection to the music. Host John Banther, from the studios of WETA Classical in Washington, D.C., doesn't just play the great works; he opens them up, piece by piece. Each episode feels like a backstage pass, blending insightful interviews with musicians and experts alongside his own engaging analysis. You'll find yourself hearing familiar pieces in entirely new ways, discovering the stories, techniques, and historical contexts that bring the notes on the page to vivid life. This isn't a dry lecture, but a conversation about the passion and craft behind classical music. New installments of this insightful podcast arrive every other Tuesday, offering a regular dose of clarity and discovery. Whether you're a lifelong aficionado or just beginning to explore, Classical Breakdown provides the kind of rich, accessible understanding that makes every listening experience more meaningful.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Classical Breakdown
Podcast Episodes
Haydn's Trumpet Concerto: Revolutionary in ways you didn't know! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:32
There is so much more to this humble concerto than you realize, because the context of hearing a trumpet do something unheard of before has been lost. We show you what made this concerto possible, how Haydn was revolutio…
Leos Janacek: an original composer who found success late [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:20
Another listener request! John Banther and Bill Bukowski explore the life of Leos Janacek and look at 2 specific subjects to understand this composer's original sound, speech melodies and modality.
Bonus! John and James discuss Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and gigs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:49
John Banther and James Jacobs discuss Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and performing it at gigs, which for James reaches into the hundreds at weddings! Plus, we enjoy a full performance with the Berlin Philharmonic.
Also Sprach Zarathustra: Where Music and Philosophy Reach New Heights [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:08
You know the opening of this work through its countless use in movies, commercials, and even popular music. But do you know the underlying philosophy that inspired Strauss? John Banther and Evan Keely show you how themes…
Bonus! 2 Opera preludes by Richard Wagner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:06
Let's enjoy two iconic Wagner preludes in two larger-than-life recordings featuring the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and conductor Bernard Haitink!
Richard Wagner: The flawed man who changed opera [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:39
This composer's life was tumultuous and sometimes straight out of a soap opera. John Banther and Evan Keely explore what led him to opera, his initial success and failures, his bigoted "Judaism in Music" essay, and how h…
Brahms Symphony No. 3: Perfection in Orchestration and Form [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:04
The first symphonies came from a place of insecurity, but his 3rd exudes confidence from the first note to the last. John Banther and Evan Keely show you what to listen for in Brahms' orchestration, how he uses compositi…
3 Composers lost to Tyranny [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:15
A hallmark of tyranny is its desire to control and stifle creative expression. In this episode, in memory of Lubna Alyaan, John Banther and Evan Keely explore three 20th-century composers, what happened to them, and sele…