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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A fun-filled hour of familiar and unfamiliar tangos by classical and popular composers from Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Denmark, England and the Unit...

Bought by WMNR, Eclectic 89.1 WBCX, WMRT, WQUB 90.3 FM, WPVM 103.7 and more


  • Added: May 01, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 20
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A personal look at melodious memories from an imaginary radio series.

Bought by KTRL, KENW, WMRT, 88.5 JAZZ FM Erie's Jazz Station, KUCO and more


  • Added: Apr 25, 2006
  • Length: 57:31
  • Purchases: 20
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Fred Flaxman presents music which begins with a number.

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


  • Added: Mar 18, 2006
  • Length: 57:56
  • Purchases: 18
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The music of Edvard Grieg as turned into the Broadway musical "Song of Norway."

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


  • Added: Mar 15, 2006
  • Length: 57:56
  • Purchases: 18
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Fred Flaxman presents the jazz-classical suites of Claude Bolling.

Bought by Eclectic 89.1 WBCX, KAMU, 88.5 JAZZ FM Erie's Jazz Station, WSKG, KUCO and more


  • Added: Mar 12, 2006
  • Length: 57:56
  • Purchases: 17
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Coupling Borodin's original music with its Broadway treatment in "Kismet."

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


  • Added: Mar 09, 2006
  • Length: 57:56
  • Purchases: 16
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Fred Flaxman presents the music to Igor Stravinsky's ballets "Pulcinella" and "The Fairy's Kiss."

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


  • Added: Mar 09, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 15
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Classical music inspired by Scotland and Scottish folk-music.

Bought by KTRL, KUCO, KAMU, KWAX, 88.5 JAZZ FM Erie's Jazz Station and more


  • Added: Mar 05, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 19
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More variations on Paganini's famous theme, including that of Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Bought by KAMU, WSKG, KUCO, WQUB 90.3 FM, 88.5 JAZZ FM Erie's Jazz Station and more


  • Added: Feb 27, 2006
  • Length: 56:58
  • Purchases: 11
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Niccolo Paganini's Caprice No. 24 and its variations by Liszt, Brahms, Szymanowski and Rachmaninov.

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


  • Added: Feb 25, 2006
  • Length: 57:58
  • Purchases: 12
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The melodious music of Swedish composer Kurt Atterberg.

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


  • Added: Feb 22, 2006
  • Length: 57:53
  • Purchases: 13
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Irish folk tunes turned into orchestral music by Leroy Anderson, Victor Herbert, Frank Bridge and Hamilton Harty.

Bought by KUFM - Montana Public Radio, WNMU-FM, KENW, KTRL, KUCO and more


  • Added: Feb 21, 2006
  • Length: 58:56
  • Purchases: 28
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Music inspired by nature's tallest living creatures.

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


  • Added: Feb 12, 2006
  • Length: 57:40
  • Purchases: 21
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Happy music by Brahms, Haydn, Rimsky-Korsakov, George Gershwin, Scot Joplin, Victor Herbert, Gilbert and Sullivan, and the Six Brown Brothers.

Bought by KENW, KTRL, KENW, KUCO, KAMU and more


  • Added: Feb 07, 2006
  • Length: 57:56
  • Purchases: 17
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More tuneful gems from the Brazilian composer Ernesto Nazareth.

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


  • Added: Jan 18, 2006
  • Length: 56:56
  • Purchases: 14
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Religion inspired some great music, but food fed the creative juices of several composers who are featured on this program.

Bought by KUCO, WXEL, WQUB 90.3 FM, KAMU, WXEL and more


  • Added: Jan 17, 2006
  • Length: 58:53
  • Purchases: 15
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Tuneful, rhythmic, appealing music from Cuba, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru and Argentina.

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


  • Added: Jan 16, 2006
  • Length: 57:00
  • Purchases: 11
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Pieces by Gershwin, Copland, Gould and Bernstein.

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


  • Added: Jan 13, 2006
  • Length: 57:00
  • Purchases: 12
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Fred Flaxman presents his favorite Leonard Bernstein pieces for orchestra.

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


  • Added: Jan 11, 2006
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 18
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Classic popular love music for Valentine's Day -- or any day!

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


  • Added: Jan 06, 2006
  • Length: 57:56
  • Purchases: 17