Composer of the Month: Ralph Vaughan Williams

One of the most prolific and original composers of the 20th century, Ralph Vaughan Williams is featured on WFMT throughout August. As always, Jon Tolansky has provided some excellent commentary along with Vaughan Williams experts Lewis Foreman and Graham Muncy. And here's some magnificent video to accompany RVW's Sea Symphony.

Composer(s) of the Month: Les Six

It's a slightly different spin on WFMT's composer of the month feature as we celebrate the group of 20th Century European composers known as Les Six - Georges Auric, Louid Durey, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud, Francis Poulenc and Germaine Tailleferre. Producer Jon Tolansky did the heavy lifting as usual, providing fascinating commentary for this group of well-known and obscure composers. Jon spoke with author Roger Nichols, author of The Harlequin Years, Music in Paris 1917-1929.

Nichols shares his thoughts on the origin of Les Six.

Composer of the Month - Tchaikovsky

We're well into May and so by now you've probably heard quite a bit from WFMT's co-composer of the month. We've also featured the insightful commentary of Dr. Marina-Frolova Walker of Cambridge University. Here are a few of her comments on Tchaikovsky that you may not have caught on 98.7 yet.

Frolova-Walker discusses her recent work, Russian Music and Nationalism: From Glinka to Stalin.

Composer of the Month: Johannes Brahms

Along with Tchaikovsky, Brahms is one of the highlights of May on WFMT. We'll hear a great deal of his music throughout May, plus commentary from Jan Swafford, author of Johannes Brahms: A Biography. Producer Jon Tolansky gathered many interview segments and readings of Jan Swafford from his book. More later on Tchaikovsky. Here's some of Jon and Jan's work on Brahms:

On Brahms' four symphonies

On Brahms' background

A condescending letter from Brahms to Clara Schumann following Robert Schumann's death

Statement from Brahms about his own compositional process