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On Sept. 12, 1910, Gustav Mahler introduced his Symphony No. 8 -- a massive, hulking work featuring an enormous double chorus and the largest orchestra ever put on stage at the time. Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas says he thought it was the most "grotesque assemblage of noises" he had ever heard. But many years later, he has recorded a Grammy-winning version of the symphony.

When Spain invaded the Americas in the 15th century, the cultural collision caused reverberations on both sides of the Atlantic. A new recording by Jordi Savall and Tembembe Ensamble Continuo turns an ear to the musical results of that clash.

O'Neal's Whirling Mantis is named for a defensive move in karate. The martial-arts reference suggests one way to look at how O'Neal's music operates: The players react to each other's moves, deflecting one another in stylized interaction.

The young composer has been called "Brooklyn's post-millennial Mozart," so it's no surprise who she picks as her dinner date. Wolfgang Amadeus would come well-dressed and in good humor.

If Wyclef Jean is the best-known Haitian artist in the U.S., then Jowee Omicil would likely qualify as the most eclectic. Omicil's mastery of just about every wind instrument turns his latest album into a musical world journey from Afro-jazz to Haitian kompa to soul.

Pianist Shai Wosner has been performing to critical acclaim for years, but has just made his debut recording. Music critic Tom Manoff has been looking forward to the CD, having recently heard Wosner in recital.

Bird is on the brain at NPR music, so the blog editor and his boss listen to an uptempo bebop classic from 1947. It features Max Roach, Bud Powell, Tommy Potter and a young trumpeter named Miles Davis.

Reacting to the vocal acrobatics of 19th-century opera, Monk's vocal music draws inspiration from the clarity of medieval and folk traditions. The result is a sound that feels both ancient and new.

Alan Held makes an impression as the mysterious title character in Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, at the Washington National Opera.

Conductor James Levine is known for bringing out the best in musicians and ensembles. Here, he reflects on his 40-year tenure with the Metropolitan Opera, his life in music and the back troubles that recently led him to step down as the musical director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.