Performance Today®

On Tuesday's Performance Today conductor, pianist and candid commentator Bill Eddins joins host Fred Child in the studio to take listeners on a tour of his favorite pieces of classical music. He talks about the unappreciated humor in Beethoven's symphonies, the sly keyboard prowess of Alicia de Larrocha, and reveals what he calls "the sexiest piece of classical music ever written."

In 2011, composer Clarice Assad wove together a dozen tunes by Bach. The violas and cellos play the melodies, so it's called the "Suite for Lower Strings, based on themes of Bach." On Monday's Performance Today, we'll hear this 18th century-inspired modern music from a concert in San Francisco.

On this weekend's Performance Today, Camerata Pacifica plays a witty trio by 20th century English composer Madeleine Dring. Never heard of her? Join us to explore great music by composers whose work deserves to be heard more often.

On Friday's Performance Today, we'll hear highlights from around the world. Pianist Stephen Hough plays a soulful Chopin waltz in concert in London; the Vienna Philharmonic plays a lively Strauss polka in concert in their hometown; and Michael Tilson Thomas conducts a cast of 500 in a symphony by Mahler in San Francisco.

Pianist Lydia Artymiw says that playing well with other musicians takes more than practice. On Thursday's Performance Today, Artymiw and the Miami String Quartet join us in the studio for a more in depth conversation, plus a performance of music by Ernst von Dohnanyi.

What does it take to play well with other musicians? The answer is revealed as Lydia Artymiw and the Miami String Quartet join Fred in the studio for music and conversation.

Robert Schumann wrote a piece that features four horns playing flat out over an orchestra. It's not played very often, because you need four super-talented horn players to pull it off. On Wednesday's Performance Today, we'll hear a performance of Schumann's horn-heavy concertstuck from an all-star concert in Aspen, Colorado.

Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 might be the most popular piece of classical music from the last century and a half. And on Tuesday's Performance Today, we'll hear it played by a gentleman who might be today's most popular classical pianist - Lang Lang.

On Monday's Performance Today, Camerata Pacifica plays a witty trio by 20th century English composer Madeleine Dring. Never heard of her? Join us to explore great music by composers whose work deserves to be heard more often.