Poster Black-and-white headshot of Michael Tilson Thomas
This episode of 'Extra Eclectic' celebrates the life and career of Michael Tilson Thomas.
Brigette Lacombe
Extra Eclectic

A final bow for a maverick

Extra Eclectic - April 23, 2025

This Saturday, Michael Tilson Thomas — the highly acclaimed, 12-time Grammy-winning conductor, pianist, composer, and educator — will make his final public appearance when he conducts the San Francisco Symphony, the orchestra he led for 25 years. It will be an emotional night, as he recently announced the return of his aggressive brain cancer. Among many other things, Tilson Thomas is a longtime advocate for modern classical music, and on this episode of Extra Eclectic, we honor his life and career with two hours of recordings of his conducting, his piano playing, and his own compositions themselves. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Short Ride in a Fast Machine
John Adams
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
San Francisco Symphony
SFS 53

The Circus Band
Charles Ives
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
San Francisco Symphony
RCA 63703

Circus Polka
Igor Stravinsky
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
RCA 68865

Saxophone Concerto: Rondo
Ingolf Dahl
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
New World Symphony
John Harle, saxophone
Argo 444459

Street Song
Michael Tilson Thomas
Empire Brass
Telarc 80159

Promenade (Walking the Dog)
George Gershwin
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
Michael Tilson Thomas, piano
Sony 93018

Lope
Michael Tilson Thomas
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
New World Symphony
Pentatone 7355

Serenity
Charles Ives
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
San Francisco Symphony
Thomas Hampson, baritone
RCA 63703

You Come Here Often?
Michael Tilson Thomas
Yuja Wang, piano
DG 4864261

Portals
Carl Ruggles
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Other Minds 1020

Harmonielehre: Meister Eckhardt and Quackie
John Adams
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
San Francisco Symphony
SFS 53

Meditations on Rilke: Herbst (Autumn)
Michael Tilson Thomas
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
San Francisco Symphony
Sasha Cooke, mezzo-soprano
Pentatone 7355

The Unanswered Question
Charles Ives
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Adolph Herseth, trumpet
Sony 42381

Upon Further Reflection: Sunset Soliloquy
Michael Tilson Thomas
John Wilson, piano
Avie 2458

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