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New Nations and New Worlds

Episode 3 of 4

Simon Russell Beale discovers how nationalist voices such as Tchaikovsky and Dvorak brought the symphony to wider audiences in the late 19th century.

Simon Russell Beale continues his history of the symphony by taking a musical journey through the rise of nationalism in Europe into the New World. He discovers how nationalist voices such as Tchaikovsky, Dvorak and Sibelius brought the symphony to wider audiences and visits Dvorak's summer house as he left it at his death in 1904, a remarkable insight into the personal life of the great composer.

Simon follows the development of the symphony outside Europe and explores how growing urbanisation led to the construction and growing popularity of some of the world's greatest concert halls, visiting the Musikverein in Vienna, the Philharmonic Hall in St Petersburg and Carnegie Hall in New York.

The symphonies are played by the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Mark Elder.

1 hour

Last on

Fri 13 Feb 201520:00
BBC Four

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Music Played

  • Richard Wagner

    The Valkyrie 

    Conductor: Sir Mark Elder. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra.

  • Lidova Musika Z Tremosne & Zdenek Vejvoda

    Furiant 

  • Richard Wagner

    The Valkyrie 

    Conductor: Sir Mark Elder. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No 9, 4th Movement 

    Conductor: Sir Roger Norrington. Performer: London Classical Players.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No 9 - Choral - 4th movement

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Choir: BBC Symphony Chorus. Choir: Philharmonia Choir. Performer: Maria Haan. Performer: Patricia Bardon. Performer: Paul Groves. Performer: René Pape. Performer: Jiří Bělohlávek.

  • Richard Wagner

    Gotterdammerung - Trauermarsch 

    Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Bernard Haitink.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Symphony No 1 - 1st Movement 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Symphony No 1 - 1st Movement 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Symphony No 1 - 4th Movement 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Symphony No 1 - 4th Movement 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Richard Wagner

    Gotterdamerung - Prologue - Dawn 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Anton Bruckner

    Andante Aus Der 0 Symphonie

    Performer: Edwin Horn.

  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No 3, 1st Movement 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No 3, 1st Movement 

    Performer: Osmo Vänskä. Orchestra: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphony No 6 - 3rd Movement - Scherzo 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Lidova Musika Z Tremosne & Zdenek Vejvoda

    Furiant 

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphony No 6 - 3rd Movement - Scherzo 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphony No 8, 3rd Movement 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Furiant In G Minor 

    Performer: Helen Krizos. Performer: Peter Noke.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphony No 8, 4th Movement 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Kullervo - Introduction 

    Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Paavo Berglund.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Finlandia - Valse Triste - Symphony No 2 

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: James Levine.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Finlandia - Valse Triste - Sym No 2 

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: James Levine.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Kullervo Symphony 

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Choir: Universit of Helsinki Chorus. Performer: Soile Isokoski. Performer: Jorma Hynninen. Performer: Colin Davis.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony No 2 - 4th Movement 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No 3 - 1st Movement 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Dvorak - Symphony No 9 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphony No 9, 1st Movement 

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Zdeněk Mácal.

  • Wallace Willis

    Swing Low Sweet Chariot

    Performer: Michael Beckerman.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphony No 9 

    Performer: Michael Beckerman.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphony No 9 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Going Home 

    Performer: Paul Robeson. Performer: Alan Booth.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Symphony No 6, 3rd Movement 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Symphony No 6, 4th Movement "Pathetique" 

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.

Learn more with The Open University

Learn more with The Open University

Go deeper into the music and unravel the secrets of the Symphony with The Open University.


Go to The Open University's Symphony site

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Read and comment on Andy's post on the BBC TV blog

Credits

PresenterSimon Russell Beale
ProducerSimon Broughton
DirectorSimon Broughton
Series ProducerHelen Mansfield
ConductorSir Mark Elder
OrchestraBBC Symphony Orchestra

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