Updated Oct. 2, 2025: Nobody likes government shutdowns. As a musical antidote to closing up shop, try these tracks that sport fantastic openings. Hear a broad variety of bold beginnings, from Beethoven, Brahms and Chopin to John Adams, Silvestrov, Glass, Saariaho and many others.
Need a deep discovery experience? Try 1,000 years of music in this playlist from NPR Classical's Tom Huizenga, which explores everything from new releases to old favorites, and classics from the dawn of the recording era. Our mantra: Bach, Beethoven, before and beyond.
Stream: Spotify