CRB Classical 99.5
@crbclassical.bsky.social
Great classical music for Boston and beyond.
📻 99.5 FM in Boston
💻 Classical.org
📲 CRB Classical mobile app
🔊 "Alexa, open WCRB and listen live."
📻 99.5 FM in Boston
💻 Classical.org
📲 CRB Classical mobile app
🔊 "Alexa, open WCRB and listen live."
Pinned
"The main part of my job is to study, understand, and honor the past. But I think it's also equally important to make it speak to the people of today, and within the context of the world we live in." Alice Sara Ott: https://bit.ly/4pUux1Y
Past, Present, and Future Nostalgia in Alice Sara Ott's "John Field: Complete Nocturnes"
Pianist Alice Sara Ott's recording "John Field: Complete Nocturnes" dazzles, uplifts, and soothes. That's exactly what this music did for her.
bit.ly
January 4, 2026 at 8:47 PM
"The main part of my job is to study, understand, and honor the past. But I think it's also equally important to make it speak to the people of today, and within the context of the world we live in." Alice Sara Ott: https://bit.ly/4pUux1Y
"We produce these sounds from all kinds of whistles and musical instruments that imitate sounds of birds. I bought a big box of 20 different birds from a lovely couple in middle-of-nowhere France, in the countryside..."
Avi Avital on Song of the Birds: https://bit.ly/49cyb00
Avi Avital on Song of the Birds: https://bit.ly/49cyb00
Avi Avital Explores New Worlds with "Song of the Birds"
With his 2025 album "Song of the Birds," Avi Avital explores new worlds through the crossover between classical and folk music, with the help of his hand-picked group, Between Worlds.
www.classicalwcrb.org
January 4, 2026 at 5:55 PM
"We produce these sounds from all kinds of whistles and musical instruments that imitate sounds of birds. I bought a big box of 20 different birds from a lovely couple in middle-of-nowhere France, in the countryside..."
Avi Avital on Song of the Birds: https://bit.ly/49cyb00
Avi Avital on Song of the Birds: https://bit.ly/49cyb00
2025 was a great year for classical recordings. What's on your radar for 2026?
https://bit.ly/3KXLzgB
https://bit.ly/3KXLzgB
Our Top Classical Albums of 2025
From ethereal centuries-old motets to electrifying works recently composed for percussion and prepared piano, hear some of CRB's favorite classical albums of 2025!
www.classicalwcrb.org
January 2, 2026 at 2:14 PM
2025 was a great year for classical recordings. What's on your radar for 2026?
https://bit.ly/3KXLzgB
https://bit.ly/3KXLzgB
Pianist Alice Sara Ott's recording of the complete John Field nocturnes is among the best classical releases of the year. CRB's Kendall Todd asked her what these pieces mean to her:
Past, Present, and Future Nostalgia in Alice Sara Ott's "John Field: Complete Nocturnes"
Pianist Alice Sara Ott's recording "John Field: Complete Nocturnes" dazzles, uplifts, and soothes. That's exactly what this music did for her.
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 31, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Pianist Alice Sara Ott's recording of the complete John Field nocturnes is among the best classical releases of the year. CRB's Kendall Todd asked her what these pieces mean to her:
Saturday at 8pm, tune in to 99.5 WCRB to hear an encore broadcast of Mahler's Eighth Symphony, performed by the @bostonsymphony.bsky.social, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and a collection of stellar soloists!
Tune in on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/4qne2eR
Tune in on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/4qne2eR
Nelsons, the BSO, and Mahler’s “Symphony of a Thousand”
The Boston Symphony Orchestra, a collection of stellar soloists, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus joined by the Boys of the St. Paul’s Choir School perform Mahler’s spiritually optimistic Eighth Sym...
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 31, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Saturday at 8pm, tune in to 99.5 WCRB to hear an encore broadcast of Mahler's Eighth Symphony, performed by the @bostonsymphony.bsky.social, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and a collection of stellar soloists!
Tune in on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/4qne2eR
Tune in on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/4qne2eR
Now available to stream on demand: Beatrice Rana performs selections from Prokofiev’s "Romeo and Juliet," Tchaikovsky’s "Nutcracker" suite, and Debussy’s Études.
Listen to WCRB In Concert with the Celebrity Series of Boston on our app or online: https://bit.ly/44BbqRZ
Listen to WCRB In Concert with the Celebrity Series of Boston on our app or online: https://bit.ly/44BbqRZ
Pianist Beatrice Rana, from Celebrity Series of Boston
On WCRB In Concert with the Celebrity Series of Boston, Rana brings her storytelling prowess and expressive piano playing to two well-loved ballet suites: Prokofiev’s "Romeo and Juliet", and Tchaikovs...
bit.ly
December 30, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Now available to stream on demand: Beatrice Rana performs selections from Prokofiev’s "Romeo and Juliet," Tchaikovsky’s "Nutcracker" suite, and Debussy’s Études.
Listen to WCRB In Concert with the Celebrity Series of Boston on our app or online: https://bit.ly/44BbqRZ
Listen to WCRB In Concert with the Celebrity Series of Boston on our app or online: https://bit.ly/44BbqRZ
What's your favorite classical recording of the year?
Here are a few of ours:
Here are a few of ours:
Our Top Classical Albums of 2025
From ethereal centuries-old motets to electrifying works recently composed for percussion and prepared piano, hear some of CRB's favorite classical albums of 2025!
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 30, 2025 at 5:02 PM
What's your favorite classical recording of the year?
Here are a few of ours:
Here are a few of ours:
We're aware of service interruptions to WJMF in Providence, Rhode Island, and are working on a fix. Thank you for your patience!
December 29, 2025 at 6:26 PM
We're aware of service interruptions to WJMF in Providence, Rhode Island, and are working on a fix. Thank you for your patience!
On this week's episode of The Bach Hour with @bkmccreath.bsky.social, part five of Bach's six-part narrative for the season reveals a fearsome terror, and the calm radiance that counters that threat. Listen here: https://bit.ly/4aImlwW
The Sound of Light, in Part 5 of Bach's Christmas Oratorio
On The Bach Hour, the fifth of the composer's six-part narrative for the season reveals a fearsome terror and the calm radiance that counters that threat.
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 29, 2025 at 6:10 PM
On this week's episode of The Bach Hour with @bkmccreath.bsky.social, part five of Bach's six-part narrative for the season reveals a fearsome terror, and the calm radiance that counters that threat. Listen here: https://bit.ly/4aImlwW
Mandolinist Avi Avital goes global in his recent album, "Song of the Birds." CRB's Katie Ladrigan spoke with him about his inspirations:
https://bit.ly/4pl93ub
https://bit.ly/4pl93ub
Avi Avital Explores New Worlds with "Song of the Birds"
With his 2025 album "Song of the Birds," Avi Avital explores new worlds through the crossover between classical and folk music, with the help of his hand-picked group, Between Worlds.
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 29, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Mandolinist Avi Avital goes global in his recent album, "Song of the Birds." CRB's Katie Ladrigan spoke with him about his inspirations:
https://bit.ly/4pl93ub
https://bit.ly/4pl93ub
What a year for classical music! There were so many incredible recordings released in 2025 that it was a real struggle to narrow them down into one list.
But narrow them down we did. Here are some of our favorites: https://bit.ly/4sdr9Rc
But narrow them down we did. Here are some of our favorites: https://bit.ly/4sdr9Rc
Our Top Classical Albums of 2025
From ethereal centuries-old motets to electrifying works recently composed for percussion and prepared piano, hear some of CRB's favorite classical albums of 2025!
bit.ly
December 26, 2025 at 5:47 PM
What a year for classical music! There were so many incredible recordings released in 2025 that it was a real struggle to narrow them down into one list.
But narrow them down we did. Here are some of our favorites: https://bit.ly/4sdr9Rc
But narrow them down we did. Here are some of our favorites: https://bit.ly/4sdr9Rc
Sunday at 7pm on WCRB In Concert with @celebrityseries, @BeatriceRana brings her storytelling prowess to two well-loved ballet suites: Prokofiev’s "Romeo and Juliet," and Tchaikovsky’s "Nutcracker" suite.
Listen on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/44BbqRZ
Listen on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/44BbqRZ
Pianist Beatrice Rana, from Celebrity Series of Boston
On WCRB In Concert with the Celebrity Series of Boston, Rana brings her storytelling prowess and expressive piano playing to two well-loved ballet suites: Prokofiev’s "Romeo and Juliet", and Tchaikovs...
bit.ly
December 25, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Sunday at 7pm on WCRB In Concert with @celebrityseries, @BeatriceRana brings her storytelling prowess to two well-loved ballet suites: Prokofiev’s "Romeo and Juliet," and Tchaikovsky’s "Nutcracker" suite.
Listen on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/44BbqRZ
Listen on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/44BbqRZ
Saturday at 8pm on WCRB, hear Eun Sun Kim make her BSO debut with pianist Inon Barnatan performing Bartók’s Third Piano Concerto.
Catch this encore broadcast on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/3L21fiC
Catch this encore broadcast on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/3L21fiC
Rachmaninoff and Bartók with Eun Sun Kim and Inon Barnatan
Star pianist Inon Barnatan returns to Symphony Hall to take on one of Bartók’s final works, and Eun Sun Kim makes her BSO debut.
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 24, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Saturday at 8pm on WCRB, hear Eun Sun Kim make her BSO debut with pianist Inon Barnatan performing Bartók’s Third Piano Concerto.
Catch this encore broadcast on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/3L21fiC
Catch this encore broadcast on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/3L21fiC
Holiday music central! All of our streams, all of our on-demand concerts and episodes, and a whole bunch of fun holiday-themed blog posts to give you something interesting to talk about at Christmas dinner. Check it out! https://bit.ly/4pOTgEN
Illuminate the Holidays with Classical Radio Boston
Throughout December, make WCRB your home for holiday music!
bit.ly
December 24, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Holiday music central! All of our streams, all of our on-demand concerts and episodes, and a whole bunch of fun holiday-themed blog posts to give you something interesting to talk about at Christmas dinner. Check it out! https://bit.ly/4pOTgEN
"The Nutcracker" has become such a staple of the holiday season that it's hard to believe it originally flopped! WCRB's Greg Ferrisi tells the tale:
https://bit.ly/45iIy15
https://bit.ly/45iIy15
Tchaikovsky's Flop Finds Fame! (Plus, A Mini-Comic Just For You)
From lukewarm reception to much-loved holiday tradition, The Nutcracker continues to delight.
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 23, 2025 at 7:50 PM
"The Nutcracker" has become such a staple of the holiday season that it's hard to believe it originally flopped! WCRB's Greg Ferrisi tells the tale:
https://bit.ly/45iIy15
https://bit.ly/45iIy15
On this week's episode of The Bach Hour with @bkmccreath.bsky.social, the simple act of naming unlocks a transformation in part four of Bach's six-part narrative for the season. Listen here: https://bit.ly/44ijC9F
The Power of a Name in Part 4 of Bach's Christmas Oratorio
On The Bach Hour, the simple act of naming unlocks a transformation in the fourth of the composer's six-part narrative for the season.
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 22, 2025 at 6:05 PM
On this week's episode of The Bach Hour with @bkmccreath.bsky.social, the simple act of naming unlocks a transformation in part four of Bach's six-part narrative for the season. Listen here: https://bit.ly/44ijC9F
Watch "Illuminate Bach: A Holiday Celebration!" on demand now!
Emmanuel Music visited GBH Music's Fraser Performance Studio for a stunning seasonal concert showcasing the radiant joy of Bach's music for Christmas. Here's where to watch: https://bit.ly/4p7QKsk
Emmanuel Music visited GBH Music's Fraser Performance Studio for a stunning seasonal concert showcasing the radiant joy of Bach's music for Christmas. Here's where to watch: https://bit.ly/4p7QKsk
Illuminate Bach: A Holiday Celebration!
GBH Music and Emmanuel Music showcase the radiant spirit of J.S. Bach's music for the season, featuring his Christmas Oratorio.
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 22, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Watch "Illuminate Bach: A Holiday Celebration!" on demand now!
Emmanuel Music visited GBH Music's Fraser Performance Studio for a stunning seasonal concert showcasing the radiant joy of Bach's music for Christmas. Here's where to watch: https://bit.ly/4p7QKsk
Emmanuel Music visited GBH Music's Fraser Performance Studio for a stunning seasonal concert showcasing the radiant joy of Bach's music for Christmas. Here's where to watch: https://bit.ly/4p7QKsk
Reposted by CRB Classical 99.5
One of the joys of the season: The Boston Holiday Pops' amazing version of "The 12 Days of Christmas," thanks to @crbclassical.bsky.social. Replay available -- highly recommended, especially if you love "guess that tune" games. www.classicalwcrb.org/show/upcomin...
Holiday Pops 2025!
On WCRB In Concert with the Boston Pops, Keith Lockhart leads a celebration of the season, featuring a touching interpretation of Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol,” and a special appearance by a particula...
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 22, 2025 at 2:17 AM
One of the joys of the season: The Boston Holiday Pops' amazing version of "The 12 Days of Christmas," thanks to @crbclassical.bsky.social. Replay available -- highly recommended, especially if you love "guess that tune" games. www.classicalwcrb.org/show/upcomin...
We are aware of intermittent interruptions to our online streams and are working on a fix! We hope to be up and running again as soon as we possibly can. On demand programming, including In Concert with the Boston Pops, is working and available on classical.org & our app.
CRB Classical 99.5
Great classical music for Boston and beyond.
classical.org
December 22, 2025 at 12:29 AM
We are aware of intermittent interruptions to our online streams and are working on a fix! We hope to be up and running again as soon as we possibly can. On demand programming, including In Concert with the Boston Pops, is working and available on classical.org & our app.
What's a Christmas Concerto? Why is "Greensleeves" a yuletide classic? And why was the "Silent Night" so silent? Find out here: https://bit.ly/4j4DUtn
Classical Christmas Favorites, Explained
What's a Christmas Concerto? Why is "Greensleeves" a yuletide classic? Why was the "Silent Night" so silent? Read on.
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 21, 2025 at 5:25 PM
What's a Christmas Concerto? Why is "Greensleeves" a yuletide classic? And why was the "Silent Night" so silent? Find out here: https://bit.ly/4j4DUtn
The humble jingle bell, once a tool for herding livestock, is now the sonic signature of Christmas. How did it get here? Greg Ferrisi investigates: https://bit.ly/4j47UWp
Sleigh All Day! How the Jingle Bell Became the Sound of Christmas
The tiny sleigh bell, once a tool for herding livestock, jingles its merry way into the sonic signature of Christmas.
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 20, 2025 at 7:18 PM
The humble jingle bell, once a tool for herding livestock, is now the sonic signature of Christmas. How did it get here? Greg Ferrisi investigates: https://bit.ly/4j47UWp
Tonight at 9 on GBH 2: catch Illuminate Bach: A Holiday Celebration!
GBH Music and our friends at Emmanuel Music showcase the radiant spirit of Bach's music for the season. Here's a preview: Lobet den Herrn, or "Praise the Lord."
youtu.be/VzAly6s-jrI
GBH Music and our friends at Emmanuel Music showcase the radiant spirit of Bach's music for the season. Here's a preview: Lobet den Herrn, or "Praise the Lord."
youtu.be/VzAly6s-jrI
Emmanuel Music - J.S. Bach: Lobet den Herrn (Praise the Lord) BWV 230
YouTube video by GBH Music
youtu.be
December 19, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Tonight at 9 on GBH 2: catch Illuminate Bach: A Holiday Celebration!
GBH Music and our friends at Emmanuel Music showcase the radiant spirit of Bach's music for the season. Here's a preview: Lobet den Herrn, or "Praise the Lord."
youtu.be/VzAly6s-jrI
GBH Music and our friends at Emmanuel Music showcase the radiant spirit of Bach's music for the season. Here's a preview: Lobet den Herrn, or "Praise the Lord."
youtu.be/VzAly6s-jrI
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
Tune in to 99.5 WCRB on Sunday at 7pm to hear Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops in a program of holiday music, new and old!
Listen on WCRB In Concert with the Boston Pops, on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/44qylzu
Tune in to 99.5 WCRB on Sunday at 7pm to hear Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops in a program of holiday music, new and old!
Listen on WCRB In Concert with the Boston Pops, on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/44qylzu
Holiday Pops 2025!
On WCRB In Concert with the Boston Pops, Keith Lockhart leads a celebration of the season, featuring a touching interpretation of Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol,” and a special appearance by a particula...
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 18, 2025 at 4:06 PM
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
Tune in to 99.5 WCRB on Sunday at 7pm to hear Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops in a program of holiday music, new and old!
Listen on WCRB In Concert with the Boston Pops, on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/44qylzu
Tune in to 99.5 WCRB on Sunday at 7pm to hear Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops in a program of holiday music, new and old!
Listen on WCRB In Concert with the Boston Pops, on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/44qylzu
Saturday at 8pm, hear Isabelle Faust perform as the soloist in Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto, conducted by Alan Gilbert!
Tune in to this encore broadcast on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/4s1eEs1
Tune in to this encore broadcast on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/4s1eEs1
Isabelle Faust and Alan Gilbert join the BSO for Haydn and Stravinsky
Violinist Isabelle Faust is the soloist in Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto and Alan Gilbert conducts two Haydn Symphonies.
www.classicalwcrb.org
December 17, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Saturday at 8pm, hear Isabelle Faust perform as the soloist in Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto, conducted by Alan Gilbert!
Tune in to this encore broadcast on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/4s1eEs1
Tune in to this encore broadcast on-air, on our app, or online: https://bit.ly/4s1eEs1
Reposted by CRB Classical 99.5
Happy Beethoven's birthday to all who celebrate.
December 16, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Happy Beethoven's birthday to all who celebrate.