Compact Discoveries

Series produced by Fred Flaxman

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One-hour unusual, audience-appealing, theme-driven classical music programs.

Compact Discoveries (R) is a series of one-hour, classical music radio programs, which, true to its title, introduces listeners to some of the most exciting and unusual compositions to be found on compact discs.

The approach is relaxed, informal and light. The presenter -- award-winning writer/producer Fred Flaxman -- shares his love of music and sense of discovery like one friend talking to another.

Fred sometimes uses humor, sound effects, personal essays, clips from old-time radio programs, and non-classical music to make his theme-based hours interesting and fun. The music is always carefully selected to appeal to the widest possible audience for classical music and to attract new listeners to the genre.

Fred's amusing themes range from "Brazilian Beats" and "Discs for Dishwashing" to "Musical Gardens" and "Best Music for Back Rubs." The programs often feature little-known composers who have written pieces that people will like on first hearing, such as Ernesto Nazareth, Kurt Atterberg, Rene Touzet, Clara Schumann, Cecile Chaminade, Tyzen Hsiao and Joaquin Nin.

Maximum scheduling flexibility is achieved by considering these programs as one-hour building blocks. They can be scheduled one or more times a week; they can be scheduled back to back to create two or three-hour blocks. Fred doesn't say "this program" when he's talking; he says "this hour," making stacking easy. Also, the program/hours are evergreens, except for those created for specific holidays and seasons of the year.

The series began as a local program on WXEL-FM, West Palm Beach, Florida. It was quickly picked up for national distribution via satellite by one of the nation's most prestigious radio syndicators. The series switched to less expensive, more convenient PRX distribution via the internet on Jan. 1, 2006.

Broadcast by stations from Manila in the Philippines to Eugene, Oregon, to West Palm Beach, Florida, the response of listeners has been 100 percent positive. For more information, including short descriptions and complete scripts for each program, go to www.compactdiscoveries.com.

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Compact Discoveries (R) is a series of one-hour, classical music radio programs, which, true to its title, introduces listeners to some of the most exciting and unusual compositions to be found on compact discs.The approach is relaxed, informal and light. The presenter -- award-winning writer/producer Fred Flaxman -- shares his love of music and sense of discovery like one friend talking to another.Fred sometimes uses humor, sound effects, personal essays, clips from old-time radio programs, and non-classical music to make his theme-based hours interesting and fun. The music is always carefully selected to appeal to the widest possible audience for classical music and to attract new listeners to the genre.Fred's amusing themes range from "Brazilian Beats" and "Discs for Dishwashing"... Show full description


253 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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Another hour of music by this unjustly neglected Austrian romantic.

Bought by Eclectic 89.1 WBCX, KUCO, KENW, KAMU, KENW and more


  • Added: Feb 07, 2007
  • Length: 57:30
  • Purchases: 16
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Two chamber music gems by an obscure Austrian composer.

Bought by Eclectic 89.1 WBCX, KUCO, KENW, KAMU, WQUB 90.3 FM and more


  • Added: Jan 30, 2007
  • Length: 58:15
  • Purchases: 19
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More romantic, tuneful music by Josef Suk.

Bought by Eclectic 89.1 WBCX, KUCO, KENW, KAMU, WQUB 90.3 FM and more


  • Added: Jan 17, 2007
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 17
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Gorgeous, romantic, but little known chamber music by Czech composer Josef Suk.

Bought by KUCO, KENW, KAMU, WQUB 90.3 FM, WSKG and more


  • Added: Jan 10, 2007
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 15
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The tuneful, original music of French composer Francis Poulenc.

Bought by WMNR, Eclectic 89.1 WBCX, KALW, WMRT, KAMU and more


  • Added: Jan 06, 2007
  • Length: 57:55
  • Purchases: 15
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Classical music as used in Bugs Bunny cartoons.

Bought by KPVL, Eclectic 89.1 WBCX, KUCO, KENW, KAMU and more


  • Added: Dec 29, 2006
  • Length: 57:00
  • Purchases: 20
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Variations on Auld Lang Syne and other familiar melodies for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day programming.

Bought by KUNM, WUAL, KENW, KAMU, 88.5 JAZZ FM Erie's Jazz Station and more


  • Added: Dec 24, 2006
  • Length: 57:30
  • Purchases: 16
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Fred Flaxman presents an hour of tuneful, jazzy symphonic music by the very American composer, Don Gillis.

Bought by KENW, KUCO, KAMU, WQUB 90.3 FM, WVRU and more


  • Added: Dec 18, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 19
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Fred Flaxman presents the delightful "Santa Claus Symphony" by William Henry Fry.

Bought by WUAL, WMNR, KENW, KRPS, KENW and more


  • Added: Dec 05, 2006
  • Length: 57:00
  • Purchases: 21

  • Added: Nov 06, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 12
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Fred Flaxman presents the delightful music of Eric Coates.

Bought by WMNR, WMRT, KAMU, 88.5 JAZZ FM Erie's Jazz Station, KWAX and more


  • Added: Nov 05, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 14
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Mini piano concertos written especially for the movies.

Bought by WMNR, KENW, KENW, KAMU, 88.5 JAZZ FM Erie's Jazz Station and more


  • Added: Oct 31, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 17
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Unusual but beautiful Christmas music performed by pianist Noel Lester.

Bought by WVRU, WUAL, KENW, KAMU, KISU and more


  • Added: Oct 30, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 19
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Music from the ballet "Dracula" by Anthony DeLorenzo, performed by Proteus 7.

Bought by KENW, Eclectic 89.1 WBCX, WMRT, KWAX, KENW and more


  • Added: Oct 19, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 19
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Beautiful, but rarely heard, music by the great French composer.

Bought by WMNR, KALW, WMRT, KAMU, WPVM 103.7 and more


  • Added: Oct 01, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 16
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There's lots of music for Christmas, but what music goes with Hanukkah? Host Fred Flaxman has some answers.

Bought by WTIP, WUAL, KRPS, NPR Illinois, KENW and more


  • Added: Sep 28, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 25
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Host Fred Flaxman explores classical music used as themes of radio and TV programs.

Bought by WUAL, KENW, WMRT, KAMU, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo. and more


  • Added: Sep 25, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 17
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Pianist/band leader Carmen Cavallaro jazzes up the classics.

Bought by WMRT, KAMU, KUCO, WSKG, KUCO and more


  • Added: Sep 24, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 14
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The music of French composer Charles Valentin Alkan is introduced.

Bought by WMNR, KAMU, 88.5 JAZZ FM Erie's Jazz Station, WSKG, KUCO and more


  • Added: Sep 18, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 14
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A pledge event program with local cutaways designed to trick and treat listeners into contributing to their local public radio station.

Bought by KAMU, KENW, WSKG, KUCO, WQUB 90.3 FM and more


  • Added: Sep 13, 2006
  • Length: 52:50
  • Purchases: 11