Playlist: 8 Works for Hanukkah

With Hanukkah right around the corner, it is a perfect time to plan your celebration. Include this music in your festivities.

The Most Wonderful Time: Chicago-Area Holiday Concerts, Events

The holiday season welcomes a plethora of performances from near and far, leaving Chicago-area audiences with a myriad of spectacles… and choices

Playlist: Music for All Souls Day

All Souls Day (November 2) is a day of prayer and remembrance for departed loved ones observed in many branches of Christianity.

9 Things To Know About Monteverdi’s Vespers

Even though his compositions were well known across Europe during his time, one of Claudio Monteverdi‘s most enduring works was likely not performed (in its entirety, at least) in his lifetime!

WFMT’s Classical Conversations: ‘Becoming Frederick Douglass’ & ‘Harriet Tubman Visions of Freedom’

Grammy-winning conductor, pianist, and composer Charles Floyd and award-winning baritone Robert Sims reflect on the importance that Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass placed on spirituals as a beacon for freedom.

Free Movie Honors Hildegard von Bingen, A Trailblazing Composer & Nun

A 12th-century abbess gifted with extraordinary skills in medicine, science, and music.

Jeremy Filsell on The Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys

The Director of Music at St. Thomas Church shares the history of the ensemble in advance of their October concert in Chicago.

Playlist: 2021’s Top 9 Classical Christmas Albums

2021 was a tumultuous year for us all, but one thing we could count on was some great music.

Religious leaders, artists honor George Floyd in concert

Religious leaders, musical guests, spoken word artists, and politicians gathered for a concert in Houston, the hometown of George Floyd, to commemorate the anniversary of his death.

Playlist: Celebrating the Blackness and Black Artistry of Gospel Music

Black people have used music and singing to tell the story of hope amid pain, promise amid peril, and immovable faith amid adversity. This playlist celebrates the uniqueness of Black thought and spirituality through the years.

What Are Shape Notes? Jeannette Sorrell of Apollo’s Fire Explains

Although shape notes were introduced in 18th-century England, this unique musical notation found popularity in the United States: first in New England and later in the American South. It’s recently experienced a renaissance of sorts…

2020’s 8 Best Classical Christmas Albums

Every year, the holiday season brings a new assortment of fabulous and festive Christmas albums.

Video: Was J.S. Bach Truly Religious? His Bible May Have Clues

Though J.S. Bach wrote many sacred works, some historians have questioned his faith. Notes Bach made in his own personal copy of the Bible may reveal whether or not the composer was truly religious.

From Ghetto to Palazzo: How a Jewish Composer in Renaissance Italy Harmonized Two Worlds

Salamone Rossi’s skill as a violinist and composer was highly valued at the Catholic court of Mantua. But as a Jew, he was still was seen as an interloper.

Hear the Mass Some Believe Saved Church Music

You may not be familiar with his music, but we all benefit from his work. Italian Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina is often called the “Savior of Church Music.”

Requiem Æternam: How a Fraternity Celebrates Death as an End and an Achievement with Music

Among religious observances, the liturgical text of the Requiem Mass as set to music has been one of the most potent means to express mourning, the most famous being those by Mozart, Verdi, and Fauré.

Riccardo Muti and CSO Present Haydn’s ‘Seven Last Words’ at Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral

Holy Name Cathedral is an architectural landmark in the heart of downtown Chicago. On February 17, 2017, the church opened its doors to another Chicago treasure, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

“High Priestess” or “Master of an Art of Singing”? Changing the Conversation about Mahalia Jackson

Mahalia Jackson is undoubtedly one of the most influential singers of the 20th century. Learn about how musicians and music historians are changing the conversation about the “Queen of Gospel.”

Chicago Composer Brings Recently Restored St. Stanislaus Kostka Church “Out of Darkness into Light”

“Restoration is an act of defiance against decay,” composer William Neil said. His new work, “Out of Darkness into Light,” celebrates the restoration of Chicago’s historic St. Stanislaus Kostka Church.

Here Are the Best Christmas Albums of 2016 to Get for the Classical Music Lover In Your Life

This holiday season has an especially rich and varied selection of new releases. If you’re looking for gift ideas, here’s a list of Lisa Flynn’s favorites from 2016.

Your Guide to WFMT’s 2016 Holiday Programming

All month long, you can enjoy WFMT’s special holiday broadcasts from all around the world.

Masaaki Suzuki’s 8 Tips to Better Your Bach

“There are all kinds of ways to play Bach, and that depends on your personality and how you want to deal with Bach’s music.”

Signifyin’ in Song: How the Sounds of Slavery Changed Music Forever

Music and dance provided an outlet for enslaved people to express their sorrow, though often their cries of pain sounded quite the opposite to slave owners.