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

281 ratings

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

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Latest Episodes

Apollo 5 on their new album 'Crossings'

Gus and Lily from Apollo 5 join Hattie in the Gramophone studio to discuss their new album, Crossings, out now on the Voces8 label. Mapping a musical journey across the centuries and ancient pilgrimage trail the Via Francigena, the album takes us fro... more

Yesterday • 32 min

The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

In a special edition of the Gramophone Podcast, Editor Martin Cullingford travelled to Bergen to spend time with our current Orchestra of the Year, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, as they come to end of their year as holder of that title. He talks... more

30 Sep 2026 • 51 min

Lukáš Vasilek on Honegger's Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher

For this week's Gramophone Podcast, conductor Lukáš Vasilek joins Editor Martin Cullingford to talk about his fascinating new recording with the Czech Philharmonic of Honegger's Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher - Joan of Arc at the Stake – newly released on th... more

25 Sep 2026 • 20 min • Most popular

Cellist Ben Michaels on commissioning music for cello

Cellist Ben Michaels speaks to Hattie Butterworth about his new album on Delphian, 'for cello, by cellists'. Michaels speaks about commissioning cellist-composers, carving out a less typical career as a musician and the versatile identity of the cell... more

18 Sep 2026 • 28 min • Popular

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Recent Guests

Lukáš Vasilek

Conductor

Czech Philharmonic

Episode: Lukáš Vasilek on Honegger's Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher

Roxanna Panufnik

Composer of Love Songs & Lullabies

Episode: Roxanna Panufnik on 'Love Songs & Lullabies'

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'

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 281 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 Kingdoma year 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	#122	United States/Music/Music Interviews
Apple Podcasts	#24	United Kingdom/Music/Music Interviews
Apple Podcasts	#164	Canada/Music/Music Interviews
Apple Podcasts	#223	United Kingdom/Music
Apple Podcasts	#52	Australia/Music/Music Interviews
Apple Podcasts	#56	Italy/Music/Music Interviews

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Lukáš Vasilek on Honegger's Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher

Q: What challenges did balancing the Ons Martino pose in the Prague Rudolfinum?

Balancing the Martino with the orchestra and chorus required careful dynamics planning and awareness of the hall's acoustics to ensure the instrument's distinctive waves were present without overpowering other textures.

Lukáš Vasilek on Honegger's Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher

Q: How did the collaboration with Audrey Bonnet influence the recording?

Audrey Bonnet's preparation and consistency in embodying the role provided a reliable dramatic center, allowing the conductor to shape the performance with confidence and deep mutual understanding.

Lukáš Vasilek on Honegger's Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher

Q: What kind of work is Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher, and how does its structure shape performance?

It's an intense, nearly hybrid oratorio with substantial spoken text; understanding the narrative and text is crucial to guiding the musical flow and aligning the singers with the dramatic action.

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.

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.

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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. Classical Breakdown
3. The LRB Podcast
4. In Our Time
5. This Cultural Life

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?

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What guests have appeared on Gramophone Classical Music Podcast?

Recent guests on Gramophone Classical Music Podcast include:

1. Lukáš Vasilek
2. Roxanna Panufnik
3. Philipp von Steinaecker
4. Freddie De Tommaso
5. Charlie Lovell-Jones
6. Joby Talbot
7. Craig Hella Johnson
8. Jeremy Dibble

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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