Classical Destinations - Season 2

Simon Callow opens our new series in London before travelling to Halle, Germany. Halle was Handel's birthplace and where he spent the first 18 years of his life before he ventured throughout Europe, finally settling in London. Simon tells of Handel's Water Music on the banks of the Thames and we feature Handel's life up to Messiah. Our cameras enter Westminster Abbey and the Australian Chamber Orchestra performs two movements from Handel's Water Music.

Simon takes us through Handel's house in London where he wrote Messiah and other masterpieces before taking a side trip to Dublin to explore the premiere of Messiah in the Irish capital. Returning to London we hear of his charitable work with the Foundling Hospital before ending in Westminster Abbey where the great man is buried. The Australian Chamber Orchestra performs the Finale from Handel's Concerto Grosso No.10.

The English countryside surrounding Worcester, Malvern and the Malvern Hills is where we explore the music of Sir Edward Elgar. We also visit the Royal Albert Hall before a sojourn in to the beachside town of Aldeburgh, home to Benjamin Britten and the inspiration for many of his great compositions. Elgar's Serenade for Strings (first and second movements) and his touching Salut d' Amour performed by Helena Rathbone, together with the 'Playful Pizzicato' from Britten's A Simple Symphony are performed by the ACO2.

The great city of light and love is the perfect backdrop to the life, music and times of Claude Debussy. Simon shows us the highlights of this sensational city. We then travel west, just outside of Paris, to the historic village of Montfort-l'Amaury where the pioneering French composer Maurice Ravel lived and worked for the last sixteen years of his life. Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra perform Ravel's Kaddisch, and the ACO's principals perform the scherzo from Debussy's String Quartet.

Simon commences this captivating episode in the heart of Moscow overlooking the Kremlin and Red Square where we unfold with the early life of Sergei Rachmaninov. Highlights include a choral performance inside the Kremlin before we travel to Lake Lucerne, Switzerland where Rachmaninov lived and wrote his masterpiece Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Richard Tognetti's haunting solo violin features in Vocalise, performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

The great German city of Munich with its famous Opera Houses provides the perfect destination to showcase Richard Strauss, Munich's favourite son. We finish in Garmisch and the beautiful Bavarian Alps where Strauss lived the latter part of his life and where his grave is. Strauss's beloved Morgen is performed by soprano Sara Macliver with the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

The picturesque city of Budapest is the home to three famous Hungarian composers: Liszt, Bartók and Kodaly. Our episode takes you on a tour through this magnificent city showcasing the memorable legacy and music of Liszt. The Australian Chamber Orchestra provides a stirring rendition of Bartók's Roumanian Folk Dances.

The famous Italian cities of Rome and Naples together provide a ravishing Italian backdrop as we explore the lives of Rossini and Respighi. The historic city of Rome with its majestic ruins is contrasted with the seaside port city of Naples. Featured works are the famous overture to Rossini's The Silken Ladder and the 'Aria di Corte' from Respighi's Ancient Airs & Dances Suite No.3.

The intriguing historic city of Warsaw was home to Poland's greatest composer and pianist, Frédéric Chopin. We contrast the modern city of Warsaw with the beautiful country retreats where Chopin was born and baptized. The Australian Chamber Orchestra's principals perform a ferocious movement from Szymanowski's String Quartet No. 2.

We revisit London and explore Cheltenham, the birthplace of Gustav Holst, as we learn about these two great English composers. We spend time in Holst's beloved English countryside, especially the Cotswolds, and travel to the delightful village of Thaxted where he wrote some of his greatest works. This episode is a true picture postcard of the traditional English countryside. ACO2 perform two movements from Holst's St Paul Suite.

Simon takes us on a breathtaking tour of the magnificent Palace of Versailles, just outside of the French capital. We return to a Paris of an earlier period as we explore the lives of Bizet and Saint-Saëns. Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra perform Saint-Saëns' dazzling Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso to sublime perfection.

In this episode Simon travels to two contrasting countries, Spain and Serbia. The colourful music of Albéniz and de Falla bring Madrid to vividly to life, then we travel to Belgrade where we discover the composer Stevan Mokranjac, a hero of the Serbian people whose own music was inspired by his deep love of Serbian folk and church music. Several Mokranjac choral works are featured, and the celebrated 'Tango' by Albéniz receives a suave performance by Richard Tognetti.

What finer way to finish Series II than by returning to Moscow where we look at the politics's impact on the life and music of Shostakovich and Prokofiev. We are treated to a mesmerizing choral performance inside the Kremlin's grand Cathedral of the Archangel. A stunning performance of two movements from Prokofiev's Sonata for Two Violins is given by Richard Tognetti and Satu Vänskä, the Australian Chamber Orchestra's Artistic Director and Assistant Leader respectively.