Classical Classroom

While we are cooking up new episodes for your enjoyment, please enjoy this delicious dish from our archives. Don’t miss Avi’s recent in-studio performances at WQXR, btw!  According to Deutsche Grammophonrecording artist Avi Avital, while the bass is not bad, it’s more about that mandolin. Which is also what this whole episode is about! Avi tells all: Where did the mandolin come from? Who composes for it? Why does he advocate for such a strange instrument? And how much did he play that one REM song in high school? Learn all of this and more right here! Audio production by Todd “Terrific” Hulslander with electric slides by Dacia Clay and editing by Mark DiClaudio. Music in this episode: The Music of Brazil / Jacob do Bandolim, Vol. 1 / Recordings 1949 – 1958. “Choro de varanda”. Mike Marshall and Chris Thile: “Fisher’s Hornpipe”. From Into the Cauldron. Hamilton ee Holanda: Choro Caprice for Caprichos. Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonatina for Mandolin and fortepiano in C Major. Diego Fasolis and Duilio Galfetti. Dom