British actor Simon Callow explores the beautiful places where the romantic composers lived and worked.

Visiting towns and regions steeped with history, Simon mixes travel, music and philosophy while profiling romantic and baroque composers such as Chopin, Elgar, Liszt and Rachmaninov. Walking in their footsteps, sitting by their favourite fountains and visiting their former homes, Simon discovers the energy and beauty of the places where they lived out their often tumultuous lives, revealing the emotions, motivations and personalities behind some of the most enduring pieces of classical music.

Accompanied by the seasoned travellers of The Australian Chamber Orchestra, Simon’s journey takes him to France, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Germany and Serbia, where he discovers breathtaking scenery and charming answers to such questions as: why did Respighi love Rome’s fountains so much? What spurred Handel to write his famous Water Music? And what is the story behind Shostakovich’s agonised Leningrad Symphony?

Simon opens the series with George Frideric Handel, visiting his birthplace in Halle, Germany, where he spent the first 18 years of his life before travelling around Europe and finally settling in London. On the banks of the Thames, Simon discusses Handel’s famous Water Music before two movements of the masterpiece are performed by The Australian Chamber Orchestra.

Episode 1 – London and Halle: George Frederic Handel
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. Simons tells of Handel’s Water Music on the banks of the Thames and we feature Handel’s life up and to Messiah, visiting Westminster Abbey and the Australian Chamber Orchestra performs two movements from Handel’s Water Music.
   
Episode 2 – London and Dublin: George Frederic Handel
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 Simon closes in Westminster Abbey where the great man is buried. The Australian Chamber Orchestra performs Handel’s Concerto Grosso.
   
Episode 3 – Malvern, Worcester and Aldeburgh: Sir Edward Elgar & Benjamin Britten
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 to the beachside town of Aldeburgh, home to Benjamin Britten and the inspiration to many of his great compositions. Elgar’s Serenade for Strings first and second movements together with the classic Salut d’ Amour are performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra
   
Episode 4 - Paris: Claude Debussy & Maurice Ravel
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. The principal players of the Australian Chamber Orchestra perform Debussy’s String Quartet Opus 10.   

Episode 5 - Moscow and Switzerland: Sergei Rachmaninoff
Sergei Rachmaninoff spent his life in the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Kremlin and Red Square. Simon commences this captivating episode in the heart of Moscow overlooking the Kremlin and Red Square where we unfold the early life of Sergei Rachmaninoff. Highlights include a musical performance inside the Kremlin before travelling to Lake Lucerne, Switzerland where Rachmaninoff lived and wrote his masterpiece Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Richard Tognetti’s haunting solo violin features on Vocalise, performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
   
Episode 6 - Munich and Garmisch: Richard Strauss & Richard Wagner
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 he is buried. Strauss’s loved Morgen’ is performed by Sara Macliver with the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
   
Episode 7 – Budapest: Franz Liszt, Bella Bartok & Zoltan Kodaly
The picturesque city of Budapest is the home to three famous Hungarian composers, Liszt, Bartok 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 Bartok’s Romanian folk dances.   

Episode 8 - Rome and Naples: Rossini & Respighi
Discover the famous Italian cities of Rome and Naples as we explore the lives of Rossini and Respighi's. The famous Italian cities of Rome and Naples combine to provide an Italian masterpiece as we explore the lives of Rossini and Respighi's. The historic city of Rome with its majestic ruins is contrasted with the seaside port city of Naples. Featured works performed are Rossini’s The Silken Ladder and Respighi's Ancient Airs & Dances.   

Episode 9 - Warsaw & Krakow: Frederic Chopin & Karl Szymanowski
The intriguing historic city of Warsaw was home to Poland’s greatest piano player and composer, Frederic Chopin. We contrast the stark city of Warsaw with the beautiful country retreats where Chopin was born and baptized as a child, before finishing the episode in the southern city of Krakow, a city full of history and charm. The Australian Chamber Orchestra’s quartet performs the stunning Szymanowski’s String Quartet No. 2.

Episode 10 - London, Thaxted and Cheltenham: Gustav Holst & Ralph Vaughan Williams
Once again we return to London and the English countryside, exploring the lives of two great English composers, Gustav Holst & Ralph Vaughan Williams. We also travel to the delightful village of Thaxted where he spent many years. This episode is a true picture postcard of the traditional English countryside.   

Episode 11 - Paris and Versailles: George Bizet & Saint Saens
This episode features Paris as we explore the lives of Bizet and Saint Saens. Simon unfolds this episode within the Palace of Versailles, just outside of Paris undertaking a comprehensive tour of this magnificent iconic landmark. We again feature Paris in all its beauty and splendor as we explore the lives of Bizet and Saint Saens. Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra perform Saint Saens introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A Minor to sublime perfection.   

Episode 12 - Madrid: Manuel de Falla, Isaac Albeniz & Stephan Mokranjac
Travel to Spain’s Madrid and Serbia’s Belgrade to discover these two fascinating composers. The music of Albeniz and de Falla bring the Spanish city of Madrid to life before we travel to Belgrade to discover the life and music of Stephan Mokranjac a hero of the Serbian people and composer of nationalistic music that is at the heart of the Serbian culture. The famous Tango by Albeniz is a featured work performed by Richard Tognetti and several Mokranjac choral works are featured.   

Episode 13 - Moscow: Dimitri Shostakovich & Sergei Prokofiev
What finer way to finish Series II than by returning again to Moscow where Simon unfolds the music and lives of Prokofiev and Shostakovich. We visit again inside the Kremlin for a choral performance within the historic Cathedral of the Archangel. A stunning performance of the first and second movements of Prokofiev’s Sonata for Two Violins is featured within the episode performed by Artistic Director Richard Tognetti and Satu Vänskä, Assistant Leader of the ACO.