Classical Music Happy Hour

By WNYC, WQXR

Join renowned pianist and host Emanuel Ax for Classical Music Happy Hour: a new podcast full of music, merriment, and conversation. Manny (Emanuel) talks with an eclectic lineup of composers, performe... more

4.8

238238 ratings

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FAQs about Classical Music Happy Hour:

How many episodes does Classical Music Happy Hour have?

The podcast currently has 24 episodes available.

Classical Music Happy Hour episodes:

May 27, 2026 Ray Chen - superstar violinist wants you to practice
Violinist and social media guru Ray Chen wraps up this season of Classical Music Happy Hour with an in-studio live performance. He chats with Manny about video games, performance anxiety, and his practice app Tonic. In our game, he joins Manny in our game called Is It a Composer or Is it Cheese?
Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax.
Ray Chen performed an excerpt from JS Bach’s Chaconne from Partitat No. 2 for Solo Violin, BWV 1004.
Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64, MWV O14: III. Allegro molto vivace
Felix Mendelssohn
Mariko Honda & Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra & Keith Clark
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Intermezzo in A major, Op. 118, No. 2 Andante teneramente
Brahms
Performed live in-studio by our host, Emanuel Ax
Le sorcier: Overture
François-André Danican Philidor
Prague Sinfonia Orchestra & Christian Benda
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts.
Credits
Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson.
Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim.
Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon.
Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
36min
May 20, 2026 Paquito D’Rivera -Beef, Beans and Benny (Goodman)
Paquito D’Rivera is composer, saxophonist and clarinetist whose work spans classical, jazz and latin music. Born in Havana, Cuba, D’Rivera started his career playing with the National Theater Orchestra at the age of 10 and has been on stage for seven decades. During their chat, Paquito and Manny discuss what beef and beans have to do with Benny Goodman playing Carnegie Hall, what kind of music teacher his father was, and all things clarinet. He also joins Manny for an in-studio performance of one of his compositions. In our game, Manny and Paquito decide if a sound is made by a musical instrument or an animal.
Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax.
The piece Paquito D’Rivera and Emanuel Ax perform is Contradanza for Bb Clarinet and Piano, composed by our guest, Paquito D’Rivera.
3 Movements from Petrushka: No. 3, La Semaine grasse
Stravinsky
Antonii Baryshevskyi, piano
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Symphonie Fantastique Op. 14, H.48, Ronde du Sabbat
Berlioz
Orchestre National de Lyon & Leonard Slatkin
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts.
Credits
Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson.
Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim.
Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon.
Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
29min
May 13, 2026 Yefim Bronfman - master of the keyboard
Pianist Yefim Bronfman, “Fima,” chats with Manny about their decades-long friendship, their love of sports, their surprising anxiety around live broadcast performances. They’ll answer listeners’ questions about recovering from injuries and picking repertoire, even the stuff no one heard of! Fima and Manny work together in our Newly Dead game to identify odd ways composers have died.
Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax.
Piano Sonata No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8: II. Adagio
Szymanowski
Martin Roscoe, piano
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Sinfonia avanti il Barcheggio for Trumpet, 2 Violins and Continuo
Stradella
Niklas Eklund & Wasa Baroque Ensemble & Edward Tarr
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Armide, Act III Scene 4: Je responds a tes voeux
Lully
Stephanie Houtzeel & William Sharp
Opera Lafayette Chorus & Opera Lafayette Orchestra & Ryan Brown
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Solomon, HWV 67: Pt. III: Air. Ev’ry sight these eyes behold
Handel
Nicola Wemyss & Barockorchester Frankfurt & Joachim Carlos Martini
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc

Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts.
Credits
Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson.
Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim.
Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon.
Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall.
Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax.
The piece Paquito D’Rivera and Emanuel Ax perform is Contradanza for Bb Clarinet and Piano, composed by our guest, Paquito D’Rivera.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
34min
May 06, 2026 Isabel Hagen - likes a good viola joke
Comedian Isabel Hagen is a classically trained violist, and a filmmaker. As a comedian, she has been featured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and was a New Face of Comedy at the Just for Laughs festival in Montréal. She talks to Manny about how the viola can be funny and make people love classical music by making them laugh!
Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax.

Harold en Italie, S. 472/R. 138: I. Harold aux montagnes
Berlioz
Philip Dukes & Piers Lane
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.

Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 83: I. Allegro non troppo
Brahms
Jenő Jandó & Brussels Philharmonic & Ali Rahbari
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67: I. Allegro con brio
Beethoven
Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra & Richard Edlinger
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
The Star-Spangled Banner
John Stafford Smith
Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy & Keith Brion
Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts.
Credits
Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson.
Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim.
Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon.
Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
33min
April 29, 2026 Nicholas Britell - more than that one viral theme song!
The New York Times has called Nicholas Britell: “The composer at the frontier of film music.” Britell has written scores for Hollywood movies including:The Big Short, Moonlight and If Beale Street Could talk. Listeners might best recognize his work from the theme of the HBO series “Succession” for which he’s won the Emmy for the iconic theme song. He’ll talk about writing for the big screen and he’ll play one of his most recognizable pieces live-in studio.
Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax.
Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 "Enigma": Var. I (C.A.E.)
Elgar
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra & George Hurst
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
The Planets, Op. 32: I. Mars, the Bringer of War
Holst
CSR Symphony Orchestra, Bratislava & Adrian Leaper
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30, TrV 176: Introduction
Strauss
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra & Zdeněk Košler
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor Op. 13, Pathetique”
Beethoven
Alessio Bax, piano
Live recording at The Greene Space

Fantasia in C minor, K. 475
Mozart
Péter Nagy, piano
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.

Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, L. 86
Debussy
The Knights
Live recording at the Naumburg Bandshell
Symphony No. 64 in A Major, Hob. 1:64 (Tempora mutantur)
Haydn
The Knights
Live recording at the Naumburg Bandshell
Le Sacre du Printemps
Stravinsky
Brussels Philharmonic, Ali Rahbari
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.

Symphony No. 7 in E Major, WAB 107; II. Adagio. Sehr feierlich und sehr langsam
Bruckner
Linz Bruckner Orchestra & Mark Poschner
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts.
Credits
Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson.
Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim.
Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon.
Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
35min
April 22, 2026 David Hyde Pierce - a.k.a. Niles Crane
Actor David Hyde Pierce has had a long career in film, television and the theater. He’s best known to listeners for his portrayal of Niles Crane on the sitcom "Frasier." He joins Manny to talk about his life and love of classical music and listen to some of their favorite recordings. They also play a game called “Animal or Instrument.”
Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax.
Fantasia in C Minor, Op. 80 "Choral Fantasy": Fantasia in C Minor, Op. 80
Beethoven
Leon McCawley, piano
City of London Choir
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Piano Trio No. 7 in B-Flat Major, Op. 97 "Archduke": III. Andante cantabile
Beethoven
Xyrion Trio
Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor": I. Allegro
Beethoven
Boris Giltburg, piano
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra & Vasily Petrenko
Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts.
Credits
Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson.
Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim.
Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon.
Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
34min
April 15, 2026 Jeanine Tesori - from “Fun Home” to the Met Opera
Composer Jeanine Tesori is a two time Tony Award winner, a two time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and in 2024, she became the first woman composer to open the Metropolitan Opera Opera season in its 139 year history. On this edition of CMHH she tells Manny about her time living in a lighthouse, about her love of Stravinsky, and why she decided not to be a doctor.
Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax.
3 Movements from Petrushka: No. 1, Danse russe
Stravinsky
Antonii Baryshevskyi, piano
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Carmen, Habanera
Bizet
Graciela Alperyn, mezzo-soprano
Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Rahbari, conductor
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Turandot, SC 91: Nessun dorma (Live)
Puccini
Mario Malagnini
Genoa Carlo Felice Theatre Orchestra & Donato Renzetti
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Carmen: Act I: Habañera: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle
Bizet
Marjana Lipovšek, mezzo-soprano
Munich Radio Orchestra
Giuseppe Patanè, conductor
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Boléro, M. 81
Ravel
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Adrian Leaper
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.

Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts.
Credits
Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson.
Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim.
Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon.
Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
37min
April 08, 2026 Yo-Yo Ma - 53 years of friendship and duets
Live from Tanglewood, cellist Yo-Yo Ma chats with Manny about their long musical relationship and friendship. The two treat the live audience to a few musical performances, and they take questions from the audience about their burning musical questions, like “why does a piano have three pedals?”
Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax.
Music Performed in Today’s Episode:
Lieder ohne Worte (Song without Words)
Mendelssohn
Yo-Yo Ma, Cello
Emanuel Ax, Piano
Ave Maria
Schubert
Yo-Yo Ma, Cello
Emanuel Ax, Piano
Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts.
Credits
Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson.
Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim.
Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon.
Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
34min
April 01, 2026 John McWhorter - Lover of Language
Columbia University Professor of Linguistics John McWhorter, chats with Manny about swear words, Broadway, and tackles the conundrums of musical etymology. McWhorter also makes the case for the brilliant first movement of Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet in B minor. The two then square off in a game about famous classical pieces that bombed at their premieres.
Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax.
Music used in today’s episode includes:
Strike Up the Band: The Man I Love (Arr. For orchestra)
George Gershwin
Richard Hayman Symphony Orchestra & Richard Hayman
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115, I. Allegro
Brahms
József Balogh, clarinet and Danubius Quartet
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3 “The Hunt”
Beethoven
Joyce Yang, Piano
Live Recording at The Greene Space
Herzgewächse
Arnold Schoenberg
Alumni Musicians of the Bang on a Can Summer Festival
Live Recording
Symphony No. 5 in D Major, I. Preludio. Moderato. Allegro
Vaughan Williams
Kees Bakels and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Piano Sonata in B minor, S. 178
Liszt
Juan Pérez Floristán, piano
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.

Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53, B. 108: I. Allegro ma non troppo
Dvorak
Ilya Kaler, violin and Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra & Camilla Kolchinsky
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts.
Credits
Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson.
Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim.
Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon.
Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
32min
March 25, 2026 John Adams - not the President
Renowned American composer John Adams joins Manny to discuss his approach to opera composition, the stories behind his intriguingly titled works, and the time he was once mistaken for John Cage. Adams answers listener questions on the evolution of music and the emotional pull of minor keys. He also shares his love of Stravinsky and Handel. For our game segment, Adams puts his knowledge to the test as Manny quizzes him on outrageous performance directions.
Our theme song is Schumann’s Arabeske in C Major, Op. 18 performed by our host, Emanuel Ax.
Music used in today’s episode includes:
Italian Concerto in F Major BWV 971, III: Presto
Bach
András Schiff, Piano
Live Recording at The Greene Space
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 25
Bach
Anne-Catherine Bucher, Harpsichord
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 25
Bach
Simone Dinnerstein, Piano
Live Recording at The Greene Space
Violin Sonata No. 21 in E minor, K. 304
Mozart
Takako Nishizaki,
Violin
Jeno Jando, Piano
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor, Op. 38, I. Allegro non troppo
Brahms
Johannes Moser, Cello
Michael Brown, Piano
Liver Recording at The Greene Space
Symphony No. 5, I. Trauermarsch
Mahler
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, IV. Finale–Adagio lamentoso
Tchaikovsky
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.

Tu Del Ciel
Il Trionfo Del Tempo E Del Disinganno
Handel
Claron McFadden, Elisabeth Scholl, Joachim Carlos Martini, Junge Kantorei, Barockorchester Frankfurt, Nicholas Hariades & Peer Abilgaard
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Gnossienne No. 3
Satie
Klara Kormendi, Piano
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.
Horn Concert No. 2 in E-Flat Major, K. 417, III. Rondo Allegro
Mozart
Bournemouth Sinfonietta, Michael Thompson
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.

Listen and Subscribe to Classical Music Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts.
Credits
Classical Music Happy Hour is supported in part by the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation and by Linda Nelson.
Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Eileen Delahunty, Laura Boyman, Elizabeth Nonamaker, David Norville, Christine Herskovits, and Ed Yim.
Our engineering team includes George Wellington, Irene Trudel, and Chase Culpon.
Classical Music Happy Hour is produced by WQXR in partnership with Carnegie Hall.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
38min

FAQs about Classical Music Happy Hour:

How many episodes does Classical Music Happy Hour have?

The podcast currently has 24 episodes available.

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