The story of the greatest art heist known to man, including how it was completed and incites on the affects of it today.

Di Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Works by Brahms and Beethoven performed by Daniel Lebhardt on March 12, 2017. Brahms, Johannes: Six Pieces, Op. 118 Beethoven, Ludwig van: Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3, "The Hunt" Hungarian pianist Daniel Lebhardt is one of a long line of Young Concert Artists competition winners to make their Boston debut at the Gardner, and on thi…

Works by Schumann performed by Miriam Fried, violin and Jonathan Biss, piano on January 15, 2017. Schumann, Robert: Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 121 Schumann, Robert: Gesange der Fruhe, Op. 133 For many years, musicologists and music-lovers have tried to understand what it was that led to Robert Schumann’s troubling symptoms and ultimate death at a…

Works by Webern and Brahms performed by A Far Cry and Stefan Jackiw, violin and Anna Polonsky, piano on December 11, 2016 and October 5, 2014. Webern, Anton: Langsamer Satz Brahms, Johannes: Sonata No. 1 in G Major, Op. 78 Hope you’re ready for a trip down memory lane: On this podcast, we hear two works tinged with the melancholy sweetness of youth…

Work by Korngold performed by Alexi Kenney, violin and Dina Vainshtein, piano on March 6, 2016. Korngold, Erich: Sonata for Violin and Piano in G Major, Op. 6 The piece we’ll hear on the podcast today was written when Erich Korngold was in his teens: his Violin Sonata in G Major, Op. 6. Why is this fascinating work, by such a promising composer, so…

Works by Bach and Bartók performed by the Borromeo String Quartet and Yoo Jin Jang, violin and Renana Gutman, piano on August 14, 2016 and March 8, 2015. Bach, Johann Sebastian: Preludes and Fugues from Well-Tempered Klavier Book 1 trans. Nicholas Kitchen: C Major, C Minor, E-flat Minor Bartók, Béla: Violin Sonata No. 1, Sz. 75 Today’s podcast feat…

Works by Mozart performed by Charlie Albright on February 14, 2016. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: 12 Variations on “Ah vous dirai-je, Maman” Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: 9 Variations on a Minuet by Duport, K. 575 Many of us think of “improvisation” as a modern concept, usually linked to jazz. But throughout the centuries, so-called “classical” keyboard pl…

Works by Vivaldi and Beethoven performed by the Gardner Chamber Orchestra and Musicians from Marlboro on September 11, 2004 and October 19, 2014. Vivaldi, Antonio: Concerto in C Major for Soprano Recorder and Orchestra Beethoven, Ludwig van: String Quintet in C Major, Op. 29 The two pieces on this podcast have many points of difference: different e…

Works by Bach and Brahms performed by the Borromeo String Quartet and Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute on August 7, 2016 and April 10, 2016. Bach: Preludes and Fugues from Well-Tempered Klavier Book 1 arr. Nicholas Kitchen: F Major, F Minor, B-flat Minor Brahms: String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 111 Both of the works on our podcast this week hav…

Works for string quartet by Bartók and Webern performed by the Omer Quartet on November 27, 2016. Bartók: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7 Webern: Six bagatelles for String Quartet, Op. 9 In this podcast, we’ll follow two 20th century composers on their quest for new directions and inspirations, in a musical landscape increasingly reaching beyond tradit…

Works for clarinet and piano by Berg and Weber performed by Raphaël Sévère, clarinet and Paul Montag, piano on October 23, 2016. Berg: Four Pieces, Op. 5 Weber: Grand Duo Concertant, Op. 48 On this podcast, number 253, we’ve got a couple great pieces that come in smaller packages than you might expect: a set of four miniatures by Berg and a duet ma…

Works for piano by Handel and Brahms performed by Charlie Albright, piano on October 2, 2016. Handel: Chaconne in G Major, HWV. 435 Brahms: Variations and Fugue on a theme by Handel, Op. 24 This podcast starts with the Baroque composer George Frideric Handel, in more ways than one. The first work on the podcast is, indeed, by Handel: his Chaconne i…

Works for solo piano by Falla and Albeniz performed by Alessio Bax, piano on May 17, 2015. Work for string quartet and guitar by Boccherini performed by Jason Vieaux, guitar with Escher String Quartet: Adam Barnett-Hart, violin, Aaron Boyd, violin, Pierre Lapointe, viola, and Dane Johansen cello on May 17, 2015. Falla: Danza del molinera from El so…

Works for solo piano by Beethoven, performed by Charlie Albright, piano on March 27, 2016. Beethoven: Sonata in E Major, Op. 109 Beethoven: 15 Variations and Fugue in E-flat Major on an original theme "Eroica Variations" Op 35 You know when you just can’t get a tune out of your head? Well, starting around 1800, Beethoven seems to have had the tune …

Work for voices by David Lang, performed by Lorelei Ensemble on January 10, 2016. Lang, David: Love Fail This month’s podcast tend towards the introspective: an hourlong work by contemporary composer David Lang for women’s voices, a timeless meditation on the allures and disappointments of love, titled Love Fail. Lang started with one of history’s …

Work for harp by Zabel performed by Emmanuel Ceysson, harp on January 6, 2008 and work for string orchestra by Sibelius, arranged by Frank Shaw, performed by A Far Cry on February 7, 2016. Zabel: Fantasy on Gounod's Faust Sibelius: String Quartet No. 2 "Voces Intimae" arr. Frank Shaw Chamber music is one of the most intimate forms of classical musi…

Work for string orchestra and voice by Olga Bell, performed by A Far Cry and Olga Bell on November 1, 2016. Bell, Olga: Krai arranged for A Far Cry Today, we’re going on a journey across the vast expanse of Russia: lush forests and blustery tundra, uninhabited landscapes and small villages. Our guide is composer Olga Bell, whose evening-length work…

Work for string orchestra by Phyllis Chen performed by A Far Cry on April 17, 2014 and works for clarinet and piano by Peter Sculthorpe and Richard Stoltzman performed by Richard Stoltzman, clarinet and David Deveau, piano on January 11, 2015. Chen, Phyllis: Three Lullabies Sculthorpe, Peter: Songs of Sea and Sky Traditional: Amazing Grace, arrange…

Works for chorus by various composers performed by Boston Children’s Chorus on November 17, 2015. Selections from 10th Anniversary concert For more than a decade, the Boston Children’s Chorus has brought together children of diverse backgrounds to discover the power of singing and transcend social barriers. In 2015, the chorus celebrated its tenth …

Work for harp by Salzedo performed by Catrin Finch, harp on April 14, 2001 and work for violin and piano by Ravel performed by Benjamin Beilman, violin and Alessio Bax, piano on May 17, 2015. Salzedo: Ballade Ravel: Sonata for Violin and Piano (1923) Harpist and educator Carlos Salzedo was born in France and trained at the Paris Conservatoire in pi…

Works for solo piano by Schubert performed by Charlie Albright, piano on March 24, 2013. Schubert: Impromptus, D. 899, Op. 90 Schubert: Sonata in B-Flat Major, D. 960 In the late 1820s, all of Franz Schubert’s hard work and struggle seemed finally to be paying off. His performances were increasingly well received, and he was at the height of his co…

Works for cello and piano by Schumann, Debussy, and Peter John performed by Cicely Parnas, cello and Noreen Cassidy-Polera, piano on April 5, 2015. Schumann: Fantasiestucke, Op. 73 Debussy: Sonata for Cello and Piano John, Peter: From the Zodiac (2014) Today, we’ll celebrate the beauty of the solo cello, with three works played by the fantastic you…

Works for string orchestra by Borodin and Frank performed by A Far Cry on April 21, 2013 and September 27, 2015. Borodin, Alexander: String Quartet No. 2, Mvt. 3 Notturno: Andante Frank, Gabriela Lena: Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout (2001) These days, many of us think of the gulf between classical and popular music as fairly wide and immovable, but …

Works by Vivaldi and Bach for orchestra and flute solo performed by Gardner Chamber Orchestra, Paula Robison, and Orlando Cela, flute, and John Gibbons, harpsichord on January 17, 1999. Vivaldi: Concerto (Sinfonia) in G Major "alla Rustica" RV 151 Vivaldi: Concerto in C Major RV 533 Vivaldi: Concerto in G Minor "La Notte" No. 5, F XII Vivaldi: Conc…

Works for solo piano by Griffes performed by Richard Masters on September 20, 2015 and by Debussy performed by Paavali Jumppanen on November 29, 2015. Griffes: Roman Sketches, Op. 7: Night fall Debussy: 12 Preludes, Book 2 On this podcast, we return to a pairing from several weeks ago: Debussy’s Preludes (Book 2, this time) and the Roman Sketches o…