Classics of the Phonograph with John Frayne

John Frayne's weekly exploration of memorable recordings from the 20th century

saturdays at 11 am on fm 90.9 and 101.1

A man in a studio with a bunch of vinyl records.

Photo by Mike Thomas

June 23, 2017

John Frayne’s News-Gazette column

Each week, John Frayne shares his love for classical music and opera with you on WILL-FM. Did you know he also shares his knowledge via the News-Gazette?


Bernstein conducting the New York City Symphony (1945)

By Fred Palumbo, World Telegram staff photographer - Library of Congress. New York World-Telegram & Sun Collection. Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

August 18, 2018

Making headlines

On November 14, 1943, Leonard Bernstein became famous.


Upright piano hammers and dampers.

Wikimedia Commons

August 11, 2018

Clara Haskil

The pianist was especially known for her performances of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert.


Igor Oistrakh (right) in 1957, with his father David (left) and conductor Franz Konwitschny (middle).

By Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-45930-0004 / Zimontkowski. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

August 04, 2018

King David and Prince Igor

The famous father and son duo.


George Antheil in 1922

Door Onbekend. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

July 28, 2018

The Bad Boy of Music

George Antheil, whose cacophonic "Ballet Mechanique" caused a riot in Paris, earned him this title.


Sergei Rachmaninoff

public domain via Wikimedia Commons

July 21, 2018

Original vs. revised

Sergei Rachmaninoff's piano concerts enjoyed a revised revival, but which versions are better?


National Museum of Cinema, Turin, Italy.

By Carmelo Speltino from Torre del Greco, public domain via Wikimedia Commons

July 14, 2018

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

In 1946, the famous Hollywood studio decided to sell records.


The composer Hugo Alfvén

By Peder Severin Krøyer - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Oxxo. 2007-10-22 (original upload date). Original uploader was Ilja.nieuwland at en.wikipedia, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3390363

July 07, 2018

Hugo Alfven

He is regarded by many as Sweden's most famous composer.


Composer Arnold Schönberg sitting on ground

By Austrian photographer(Life time: fl. 1900) - Original publication: 1903Immediate source: http://www.viennareview.net/on-the-town/on-display/the-young-schonberg http://www.lexm.uni-hamburg.de/object/lexm_lexmperson_00002371?wcmsID=0003&XSL.lexm

June 23, 2018

Who’s afraid of Arnold Schoenberg?

He’s probably the most famous and avoided composer of the 20th Century.


George Enescu in 1930

By E. Joaillier, Paris (photographer) - Bibliothèque nationale de France, Public Domain

June 16, 2018

Famous violinist

Back in 1949, Georges Enescu played at the University of Illinois.


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