Music Through the Night is a classical music radio program broadcast on many National Public Radio stations (as well as several classical music stations which may or may not be NPR member stations) through the overnight hours, which is a time period when radio stations traditionally went off the air.
According to a Time Magazine article first published in 1952, Music Through the Night got its original incarnation when Civil Defense authorities asked Ted Cott of Manhattan's WNBC radio to keep a radio tone signal playing all night so as to be immediately able to send out important public announcements. He elected to try an all-classical music program instead, and the program proved popular.
Today's incarnation is provided by Classical 24 and is hosted primarily by Minnesota Public Radio's Julie Amacher and Scott Blankenship, among others. According to promotional materials, "Seven days a week, this program offers a choice of music and style of presentation perfectly suited for through-the-night listening. The program mixes standard repertoire with the finest works by lesser-known composers to lend perspective to major musical figures."
The hosts sometimes read one or two brief news headlines in between selections, especially towards the top of the hour, and as the morning hours approach (in the Eastern time zone). While works from Modern and even a few contemporary composers are presented, most of the programming typically specializes in Classical and Romantic composition; while music from these periods is available on daytime programming in some markets, few shows specialize like Music Through the Night.