The history of opera is traced from its beginning in the early 17th century to around 1924. The lectures examine landmark operas; musical, cultural, and social developments that influenced opera's growth; and the influence of national languages and cultures on opera.

Discusses the life of Tchaikovsky, the influence he had on the development of the symphony, and his popular appeal. Presents his Symphony no. 6, the Pathétique.

Dr. Greenberg examines eighteenth and nineteenth century music through the examples of works by Mozart, Beethoven, Antonín Dvorák, Richard Strauss, Brahms, Felix Mendelssohn, and Franz Liszt.

"Ranging from tender sentiment to savage chaos, the music of early 20th-century composer Charles Ives explores an essentially American riddle: how can we survive the relentless assault of our own success? It was an enigma Ives embodied himself. He believed that we should all be brave enough to go it alone--yet he earned his living in insurance! In this DVD, Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony unwrap the layers of Ives' to reveal a...

In the 20th century, music in the West freed itself from the dominance of melody and explored the richness of musical pulse for its own sake. Starting with the driving power of Stravinsky's Sacre du printemps, Sir Simon Rattle takes viewers on a vibrant sensory journey.

San Francisco Symphony's music director, Michael Tilson Thomas, retraces Beethoven's steps through Vienna's aristocratic ballrooms and Austria's rustic villages, exploring how Beethoven channeled his fears of deafness, his admiration for Napoleon, and his obsession to prove himself the greatest composer of his time and to write the Eroica. Includes a live performance of Beethoven's Eroica by the San Franciso Symphony conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas....

André Previn tells the story behind Berlioz's Symphony fantastique inspired by his obsessive love for an actress he had seen in a play. Key themes and passages are then examined and analyzed before the Royal Philharmonic plays the entire symphony.

Includes a documentary hosted by the San Francisco Symphony's music director Michael Tilson Thomas, who discusses the drama, pathos, elation, and despair embodied in Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony; the documentary features interviews with musicians as it takes the viewer behind the scenes to experience the preparation that goes into a performance of the piece. Also includes a live performance of the complete Tchaikovsky 4th by the San Francisco Symphony,...

"Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Franciso Symphony explore the music of Copland and the cityscapes, landscapes, and social and political developments that shaped it"--Container.

Sir Simon Rattle describes the musical revolution that erupted in turn-of-the-nineteenth-century Vienna and the generation of ground-breaking composers that left tradition behind.