Best of the BSO

Series produced by WMNR

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Boston Symphony and Pops recordings

The Best of the BSO is a series of 9 two hour programs, devoted to one of the finest American orchestras, the Boston Symphony. Hosted and produced by Brian Bell, the Best of the BSO brings the Grammy winning recordings by their current Music Director Andris Nelsons, his many predecessors including Seiji Ozawa and Charles Munch as well as acclaimed guest conductors, going back decades to the legendary Serge Koussevitzky. The Best of the BSO also offers the best-selling discs of the Boston Pops, as conducted by Keith Lockhart, John Williams and Arthur Fiedler.

The program is designed to sound local and has no production credits.


Additional Files

9 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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Seiji Ozawa is celebrated with a number of choice samples from his vast BSO discography. There’s also the full BSO string section under Serge Kouss...

Bought by KWAX, WXXI Rochester, WDPR, WQED, WUKY and more


  • Added: Aug 17, 2021
  • Length: 01:57:59
  • Purchases: 6
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Any assessment of the Boston Symphony’s last half century would not be complete without acknowledging two principal guest conductors, Sir Colin Dav...

Bought by KWAX, WXXI Rochester, WDPR, WQED, WUKY and more


  • Added: Aug 02, 2021
  • Length: 01:57:59
  • Purchases: 6
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With the Boston Symphony and Pops performing during the summer, RCA Victor would record the orchestra shortly after a Tanglewood concert. We’ll hea...

Bought by KWAX, WXXI Rochester, WDPR, WQED, WUKY and more


  • Added: Aug 02, 2021
  • Length: 01:57:59
  • Purchases: 6
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We take the wayback machine to the summer of 1946, 75 years ago, and enjoy the repertoire, and a couple of the recordings that took place at Tangle...

Bought by KWAX, WXXI Rochester, WDPR, WQED, WUKY and more


  • Added: Jul 27, 2021
  • Length: 01:57:59
  • Purchases: 6
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We explore music of four composers that the Boston Symphony has a special affinity for: Berlioz, Prokofiev, Sibelius and Ravel.

Bought by KWAX, WXXI Rochester, WDPR, WQED, WAMC Northeast Public Radio and more


  • Added: Jun 10, 2021
  • Length: 01:57:59
  • Purchases: 6
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Beginning in 1955, the Soviet Union allowed some of their greatest musicians to perform and record in the United States. We hear three who came to ...

Bought by KWAX, WXXI Rochester, WDPR, WQED, WAMC Northeast Public Radio and more


  • Added: Jun 09, 2021
  • Length: 01:57:59
  • Purchases: 6
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April 1959 was a feast of great recordings, Copland conducting his Appalachian Spring and the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony with Charles Munch. The pr...

Bought by KWAX, WXXI Rochester, WQED, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, and WUKY


  • Added: Aug 21, 2023
  • Length: 01:57:59
  • Purchases: 5
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We listen to some of the music that the BSO played during their first concerts in 1881, as well as enjoy one of their most recent Grammy award winn...

Bought by WXXI Rochester, KWAX, WDPR, WCNY, WQED and more


  • Added: May 31, 2021
  • Length: 01:57:59
  • Purchases: 7
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A program suitable for the 4th of July, with a large serving of favorites as well as a few pieces that deserve to be better known.

Bought by WVIA, WXXI Rochester, KWAX, WDPR, WQED and more


  • Added: May 31, 2021
  • Length: 01:57:59
  • Purchases: 8