Gramophone Classical Music Podcast

Gramophone

Classical Music

Wigmore Hall

Mozart

Schubert

Handel

Brahms

Baroque Music

Gramophone Classical Music Awards

Beethoven

Opera

Leonard Bernstein

Bach

Sony Classical

BBC Proms

Winterreise

Maurice Ravel

BIS

Franz Liszt

Charles Villiers Stanford

Mahler

Weekly conversations about classical music with leading musicians and writers

280 ratings

Publishes	Weekly	Episodes	568	Founded	12 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	Music InterviewsMusic

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Latest Episodes

Roxanna Panufnik on 'Love Songs & Lullabies'

Roxanna Panufnik talks to Editor Martin Cullingford about her fascinating and moving new album of Love Songs and Lullabies, released on the Signum label, as well as about her approach to composing and creativity more widely.

See omnystudio.com/list... more

11 Sep 2026 • 31 min

Conductor Philipp von Steinaecker on historically informed Mahler performance

The conductor Philipp von Steinaecker and the Mahler Academy Orchestra recorded Mahler’s Ninth Symphony in 2024 for Alpha Classics using instruments contemporary with the composer and employing historically informed performance practices. The recordi... more

4 Sep 2026 • 33 min

The Gramophone Listening Room – Episode 4, with Freddie De Tommaso & Charlie Lovell-Jones

In this week's episode of The Gramophone Listening Room, presented in partnership with dCS Audio, host Charlotte Gardner welcomes tenor Freddie De Tommaso and violinist Charlie Lovell-Jones to the studio to share two of their personal favourite recor... more

28 Aug 2026 • 53 min • Most popular

YouTube

Joby Talbot and Craig Hella Johnson on setting Octavio Paz’s poem ‘Piedra de sol’

In the latest edition of the Gramophone Podcast, composer Joby Talbot and the conductor of vocal ensemble Conspirare Craig Hella Johnson join Editor Martin Cullingford to talk about their fascinating collaboration: a setting of Mexican poet Octavio P... more

21 Aug 2026 • 41 min

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Number of Listeners

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Similar Podcasts

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Sticky Notes: The Classical Music PodcastJoshua Weilerstein

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In Our TimeBBC Radio 4

Recent Guests

Philipp von Steinaecker

Conductor, Mahler Academy Orchestra artistic director

Mahler Academy Orchestra

Episode: Conductor Philipp von Steinaecker on historically informed Mahler performance

Freddie De Tommaso

Tenor, known for verismo roles and Covent Garden appearances

Decca Classics

Episode: The Gramophone Listening Room – Episode 4, with Freddie De Tommaso & Charlie Lovell-Jones

Charlie Lovell-Jones

Violinist and concertmaster with John Wilson's Sinfonia of London

John Wilson

Episode: The Gramophone Listening Room – Episode 4, with Freddie De Tommaso & Charlie Lovell-Jones

Joby Talbot

Composer of Piedra de Sol

Composer

Episode: Joby Talbot and Craig Hella Johnson on setting Octavio Paz’s poem ‘Piedra de sol’

Craig Hella Johnson

Conspirare conductor

Conspirare

Episode: Joby Talbot and Craig Hella Johnson on setting Octavio Paz’s poem ‘Piedra de sol’

Jeremy Dibble

Gramophone contributor and professor of music at Durham University

Durham University

Episode: From the Archive: Charles Villiers Stanford – Exploring the composer's music with Jeremy Dibble

Bruce Liu

Pianist and subject of Lunaris project

Deutsche Grammophon (album Lunaris)

Episode: Pianist Bruce Liu on his moon-themes recital 'Lunaris'

Gavin Higgins

Composer, Associate Composer for Three Choirs

Three Choirs Festival (Associate Composer)

Episode: Gavin Higgins and Grace-Evangeline Mason on the Three Choirs Festival

Grace-Evangeline Mason

Composer, Associate Composer for Three Choirs

Three Choirs Festival (Associate Composer)

Episode: Gavin Higgins and Grace-Evangeline Mason on the Three Choirs Festival

Hosts

James Jolly

Host with a long-running association to a leading classical music publication; frequent interviewer and contributor across multiple Gramophone outlets.

Hattie Butterworth

Co-host with a focus on contemporary and historically informed performance; appears across episodes as interviewer and commentator.

Charlotte Gardner

Contributor and host with emphasis on listening-room style conversations and artist-centered discussions.

Martin Cullingford

Senior editor/host; often guides conversations and provides editorial framing for contemporary music topics.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 280 ratings

Sound quality during interviews
While I Write below several years ago complaining about sound quality and see that others have done the same, I’m astonished that this still hasn’t been addressed. It’s not rocket science, use clip on microphones or hanging from above, just closer to the people. The echo is terrible and the whole experience of the podcast negatively influenced. Please, Gramophone, address this.
These podcasts are often interesting but severely let down by really bad sound quality during the interviews with art... more
Apple Podcasts
3
Gromit123
United Kingdom10 months ago
The one indispensable
I can’t imagine my musical life without this wonderful journal
Apple Podcasts
5
Laurencewjames
Canadaa year ago
Audio volume problem
On the John Rutter episode (the only one I’ve listened to so far), the volume of the conversation was quite low, but the music excerpts were way too loud. How about equalizing those aspects?
Apple Podcasts
3
ArtTom
United Statesa year ago
Illuminating
Love the insights offered New York musicians on their recordings
Apple Podcasts
5
James_jazzy
United Statesa year ago
Absolutely brilliant
I’m not a newcomer to Classical music, but these podcasts and the Gramophone magazine have educated me. Just listened to the one on Schubert, and to think that I knew little of his music…so informative!
Apple Podcasts
5
jamaisdelavie
Australiaa year ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the depth and range of conversations with leading musicians and writers.

Fans value the scholarly and performance-focused insights that go beyond surface-level interviews.

Recurring feedback notes uneven audio quality in some episodes; improvements in recent releases are appreciated.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#83	United States/Music/Music Interviews
Apple Podcasts	#89	United Kingdom/Music/Music Interviews
Apple Podcasts	#118	Canada/Music/Music Interviews
Apple Podcasts	#31	Australia/Music/Music Interviews
Apple Podcasts	#81	France/Music/Music Interviews
Apple Podcasts	#94	Italy/Music/Music Interviews

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Joby Talbot and Craig Hella Johnson on setting Octavio Paz’s poem ‘Piedra de sol’

Q: And when deciding to set that, what was your approach, Joby, to thinking, how much of it is this mystical whole? How much are you almost depicting imagery that's described in a very sort of almost granular way at times?

The approach was to balance the epic scale with intimate, granular musical scenes; grounding the text in Spanish while allowing a wide array of textures and voices to convey both the grandeur and the intimate moments, so the poetry's flow could guide the musical decisions.

Joby Talbot and Craig Hella Johnson on setting Octavio Paz’s poem ‘Piedra de sol’

Q: So Craig, you obviously therefore had known the work for a long time. And then you were turning into it now. Did it, is it one of those works that evolves in your understanding and appreciation of it, the more you reflect on it as time goes by?

Yes, it evolves and continues to develop; the piece acts as a container that reveals more with time, and the more I engage with it, the more its vast, oceanic qualities deepen, especially as the performance and recording processes unfold.

Gavin Higgins and Grace-Evangeline Mason on the Three Choirs Festival

Q: What have you found rewarding about moving from brass to choral writing, and how do you approach composing for choir and orchestra?

Gavin discusses following opportunities and drawing inspiration from British choral tradition, noting similarities between writing for brass and voice, while acknowledging the unique challenges of writing for voices and the importance of personal voice within the established canon.

Gavin Higgins and Grace-Evangeline Mason on the Three Choirs Festival

Q: How is the structure of the residency designed to build familiarity and ongoing presence for the composer in the festival.

The structure is three years long, with each year introducing a new composer who engages with different ensembles and venues, ensuring continuity and visibility across the festival rather than a single premiere.

Gavin Higgins and Grace-Evangeline Mason on the Three Choirs Festival

Q: To start with, Gavin, why don't you tell us a bit about what your understanding of what it means to be the Three Choirs Associate Composer.

Gavin explains that the three-year cycle introduces a new composer each year who works with all three choirs and cathedrals, with a plan to embed the composer in the festival, build audience relationships, and culminate in a large-scale commission by year three.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Gramophone Classical Music Podcast

What is Gramophone Classical Music Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show features in-depth conversations with leading musicians, composers, conductors, critics, and authors in the classical music world. Episodes frequently explore repertoire, performance practice, festival and commissioning ecosystems, and the personal journeys behind acclaimed recordings and projects. A notable strength is its ability to pair intimate artist interviews with broader cultural and institutional contexts (like major festivals, venues, and recording projects), often weaving historical perspective with contemporary practice. This combination makes it a strong fit for listeners who want not just a recital of achievements, but insight into creative process, programming decisions, and the evolving classical music landscape.

Where can I find podcast stats for Gramophone Classical Music Podcast?

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How many listeners does Gramophone Classical Music Podcast get?

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Which podcasts are similar to Gramophone Classical Music Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Gramophone Classical Music Podcast:

1. Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast
2. The LRB Podcast
3. Past Present Future
4. Philosophy Bites
5. In Our Time

How many episodes of Gramophone Classical Music Podcast are there?

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast launched 12 years ago and published 568 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Gramophone Classical Music Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Gramophone Classical Music Podcast?

Recent guests on Gramophone Classical Music Podcast include:

1. Philipp von Steinaecker
2. Freddie De Tommaso
3. Charlie Lovell-Jones
4. Joby Talbot
5. Craig Hella Johnson
6. Jeremy Dibble
7. Bruce Liu
8. Gavin Higgins

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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