CRB Classical 99.5

CRB Classical 99.5 Great classical music for Boston and beyond.

We're aware of a problem with third-party streaming services (iHeart, TuneIn, and Alexa) playing the Bach Channel instead of the WCRB livestream, and are working on a fix. Our mobile app and streams on classical.org are functioning normally. Thank you for your patience!

Happy Friday! Our livestream seem to have taken off for the weekend a little early, and the Bach Channel has taken over in some cases. We're looking into it, and hope to have everything back to normal soon. Thanks for your patience, and in the meantime... um, enjoy the Bach? 😅

80s Mixtape, with the Rasa String Quartet at the BPL GBH Music welcomes the Rasa String Quartet to the Boston Public Library for a free show, hosted by CRB Classical 99.5 midday host Edyn-Mae Stevenson. Enjoy a “mixtape” of the greatest hits from the 19...

Will we see you at the BPL in Copley Square this evening?! Come hear the Rasa Quartet's '80s Mixtape live at the Newsfeed Cafe! https://www.wgbh.org/events/80s-mixtape-with-the-rasa-string-quartet-at-the-bpl

Dinnerstein on Bach's Inventions On The Bach Hour, pianist Simone Dinnerstein describes her childhood entry into the composer's music through his Two-Part Inventions, and why they remain continually fascinating.

On this week's episode of The Bach Hour with @bkmccreath.bsky.social, pianist Simone Dinnerstein describes her childhood entry into Bach's music through his Two-Part Inventions, and why they remain continually fascinating. Listen here: https://bit.ly/4qwLPBX

Esa-Pekka Salonen, the BSO and Bruckner’s “Romantic” Salonen leads the Boston Symphony in his own Horn Concerto, with soloist Stefan Dohr, a piece inspired by Bruckner’s soaring Symphony No. 4, the “Romantic” Symphony.

Saturday at 8pm, Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the @bostonsymphony.bsky.social in his own Horn Concerto with soloist Stefan Dohr, and Bruckner’s soaring Symphony No. 4: the “Romantic."

Listen on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/4qu8pLa

A Rich Tapestry in Bach's Art of the Fugue On The Bach Hour, the Academy for Ancient Music Berlin brings vibrant textures and colors to the composer's ultimate musical statement in counterpoint, and John Eliot Gardiner conducts the Cantata No. 181, confronting "light-minded, frivolous spirits."

On this week's episode of The Bach Hour with @bkmccreath.bsky.social, the Academy for Ancient Music Berlin brings vibrant textures and colors to Bach's ultimate musical statement in counterpoint. Listen here:

Instant Replay: 081 New year, new jams — and some old favorites — in this month's Instant Replay.

Looking for new music? Check out these newer jams — and some old favorites — in our latest Instant Replay. . https://bit.ly/4aA7rbD

Anna Handler Leads the BSO in Mozart and Tchaikovsky BSO Assistant Conductor Anna Handler leads the orchestra in Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante, with Concertmaster Nathan Cole and Principal Viola Steven Ansell as soloists, as well as Gabriella Smith’s "B...

Saturday at 8pm, BSO Assistant Conductor Anna Handler leads the @bostonsymphony.bsky.social in Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante with soloists Nathan Cole and Steven Ansell, followed by Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" Suite.

Listen on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/45MitYI

What "Bridgerton" Gets Wrong -- And Right -- About Classical Music The pop-classical soundtrack to Netflix's hit series "Bridgerton" isn't historically accurate, but that's the whole point.

Who else is still processing the first four episodes of #Bridgerton season 4?? 🥲

While we EAGERLY await the rest of the season, enjoy Edyn-Mae Stevenson's deep dive on the show's iconic music: https://bit.ly/4akizbA

Rysanov and Cultural Cross-Currents in Bach On The Bach Hour, violist Maxim Rysanov's interpretation of the composer's Cello Suite No. 1 is a merging of two musical approaches that mirror his own path through life.

On this week's episode of The Bach Hour with @bkmccreath.bsky.social, violist Maxim Rysanov's interpretation of Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 is a merging of two musical approaches that mirror his own path through life. Listen here:

Remember "Choose Your Own Adventure," the children's book series that puts you, the reader, in the driver's seat? Embark on a journey of your own making... through music!

🔗 https://bit.ly/4arSDMb

Schubert and Coleridge-Taylor, with Radius Ensemble On WCRB In Concert with Radius Ensemble, hear Radius perform Schubert's atmospheric, harmonically rich Octet in F major and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's rustic Quintet for clarinet and strings in F# mino...

Sunday at 7pm on WCRB In Concert with Radius Ensemble, hear Radius perform Schubert's atmospheric, harmonically rich Octet in F major and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's rustic Quintet for clarinet and strings in F# minor.

Tune in on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/4qOpZuD

Good news for challenging times: the Boston Symphony Orchestra announces its 2026 Tanglewood season. Check out my preview on @crbclassical.bsky.social

"A Nexus of Landscape and Musical Art": Tanglewood 2026 Works by Tchaikovsky, Yo-Yo Ma's "We the People," dance collaborations, and more are a few of the many highlights at the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2026.

The lineup for the 2026 Tanglewood season is here!

Hear @bkmccreath.bsky.social and @bostonsymphony.bsky.social's Tony Fogg discuss the myriad of artists coming to the Berkshires this summer: https://bit.ly/4qq7mMF

Carlos Simon’s “Good News Mass,” with Wilkins and the BSO BSO Conductor Thomas Wilkins leads the Boston premiere of Good News Mass, a new co-commission by Composer Chair Carlos Simon, and David Lang’s poor hymnal, featuring The Crossing.

Saturday at 8pm, @bostonsymphony.bsky.social Conductor Thomas Wilkins leads the Boston premiere of "Good News Mass," a new co-commission by Composer Chair Carlos Simon.

Before that, hear The Crossing perform David Lang’s "poor hymnal."

Listen on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/4sUKyqy

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Ólafsson and Bach, Co-Creators Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson brings a spirit of collaborative creation to the Bach's Aria and Variations in the Italian Manner, and Christoph Spering leads the Cantata No. 14 on The Bach Hour.

On this week's episode of The Bach Hour with @bkmccreath.bsky.social, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson brings a collaborative spirit to Bach's "Aria and Variations in the Italian Manner," and Apollo's Fire performs Brandenburg Concerto No. 6. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3NupnM0

The BSO Celebrates John Williams, with Emanuel Ax and Gil Shaham To celebrate one of America’s greatest and most expansive composers, Andris Nelsons leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in an all-John Williams program, with pianist Emanuel Ax performing the Boston p...

Saturday at 8pm, the @bostonsymphony.bsky.social celebrates one of America’s greatest and most expansive composers with pianist Emanuel Ax and violinist Gil Shaham!

Catch this all-John Williams program on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/4pK9dLE

Samuel Barber’s “Vanessa,” with the BSO Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra launch a multi-concert exploration of American music with Barber’s Pulitzer Prize-winning opera “Vanessa,” in collaboration with Boston Lyric Opera.

Tonight at 8pm, hear an encore @bostonsymphony.bsky.social broadcast of Samuel Barber’s Pulitzer Prize-winning opera “Vanessa,” in collaboration with Boston Lyric Opera!

Listen on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/4sGDa23

The Simplicity and Power of Four Notes by Bach In his Cantata No. 156, the composer infuses a particular sequence with the meaning of words of devotion to create a sonic symbol, part of a performance directed by Masaaki Suzuki on The Bach Hour.

In his Cantata No. 156, Bach infuses a particular sequence with words of devotion to create a sonic symbol, part of a performance directed by Masaaki Suzuki on this week's episode of The Bach Hour with @bkmccreath.bsky.social. Listen here:

Loggins-Hull with McGhee, Bernstein and Tchaikovsky with Cho from Boston - Schedule 18/1/2026 - www.worldconcerthall.com Lorna McGhee, flute, Seong-Jin Cho, piano, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andris Nelsons perform: Allison LOGGINS-HULL: Rhapsody on a Theme by Joni, for…

Right now, Loggins-Hull with McGhee #Bernstein and #Tchaikovsky with Cho from #Boston www.worldconcerthall.com/en/schedule/... #wch

ACRONYM and Constantinople, with BEMF On WCRB In Concert with the Boston Early Music Festival, the ensembles ACRONYM and Constantinople showcase the music of J.S. Bach, Omar Khayyam, and the Holy Roman Empire.

Sunday at 7pm, the American chamber ensemble ACRONYM and the Canadian early music group Constantinople showcase the music of J.S. Bach, Omar Khayyam, and the Holy Roman Empire.

Listen to WCRB In Concert with the Boston Early Music Festival on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/3LzCvi0

Seong-Jin Cho, the BSO, and Tchaikovsky Pianist Seong-Jin Cho returns to Symphony Hall as the soloist in Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in a program that also includes Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms and Allison Loggins-Hull’s Rhapsody on...

Saturday at 8pm, Seong-Jin Cho returns to Symphony Hall!

Hear him in Tchaikovsky’s 1st Piano Concerto alongside Bernstein’s "Chichester Psalms" and Loggins-Hull’s "Rhapsody on a Theme by Joni."

Listen to the @bostonsymphony.bsky.social LIVE on-air, on our app, or online:

A giant-footed bird showed up in a Massachusetts backyard. It didn’t belong there. The purple gallinule found its way north through unusual winds.

While you hear Riccardo Muti conduct Mozart's 40th Symphony on Tuesday night at 10:00 on @crbclassical.bsky.social, consider this wondrous, big-footed purple gallinule, blown to Massachusetts by unusual winds!
www.popsci.com/environment/...

The Subtle Elegance of Perahia's Bach On The Bach Hour, Murray Perahia is the soloist in the composer's Concerto in D, and Ton Koopman leads a cantata inspired by the transformation of water into wine.

This week on The Bach Hour with Brian McCreath, pianist Murray Perahia is the soloist in Bach's Concerto in D, and Ton Koopman leads a cantata inspired by the transformation of water into wine.

Listen on demand:
https://bit.ly/4qizdir

Enjoy!!

Samuel Barber’s “Vanessa,” with the BSO Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra launch a multi-concert exploration of American music with Barber’s Pulitzer Prize-winning opera “Vanessa,” in collaboration with Boston Lyric Opera.

Saturday at 8pm, kick off 2026 with Samuel Barber’s Pulitzer Prize-winning opera “Vanessa"!

Tune in to this live @bostonsymphony.bsky.social broadcast starring Jennifer Holloway, Samantha Hankey, Anne Sofie von Otter, and Boston Lyric Opera.

Listen on-air, on our app, or online:

The Radiant Hope of Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Part 6 On The Bach Hour, in the final chapter of the composer's narrative for the season, a clever deception heads off a potential disaster, laying the groundwork for a promising future.

On this week's episode of The Bach Hour with @bkmccreath.bsky.social, a clever deception heads off a potential disaster, laying the groundwork for a promising future. Listen to the final chapter of Bach's narrative for the season: https://bit.ly/3YkQ87x