Scott Yoo Chases the Stories Behind Great Music in ‘Now Hear This’ (VIDEO)
From Vienna to Montreal, Berlin to Philadelphia, London to New York City and beyond, celebrated violinist and chief conductor of the Mexico City Philharmonic Scott Yoo discovers the secret stories behind some of the greatest classical music ever composed in the second season of Great Performances: Now Hear This, premiering Friday, September 18 on PBS.
This season of the critically acclaimed documentary miniseries that merges music, storytelling, travel and culture uncovers the fascinating histories and modern reverberations of composers from the Classical era.”
Arcos Film + Music
On the premiere episode, Haydn: King of Strings, when Joseph Haydn visited England, he was so taken with “God Save the King” that he wanted to write an anthem for Austria’s monarch. Host Scott Yoo discovers how the composer borrowed folk music from Scotland, Hungary and Austria to create his “Emperor Quartet.”
On the September 25 episode, The Schubert Generation, although Franz Schubert composed 1,500 works, his genius wasn’t recognized until after his tragic death at 31. The Vienna native never found success in his hometown, which was the musical capital of the time.
Host Scott Yoo goes to today’s musical capitals to meet tomorrow’s most promising artists, all around Schubert’s age, to play the Austrian composer’s catalog, understand his life and learn what it takes for a young classical artist to make it in the 21st century.
Arcos Film + Music
On the October 2 episode, Becoming Mozart, host Scott Yoo invites piano phenomenon Stewart Goodyear to his Festival Mozaic to play Mozart’s titanic 20th piano concerto as the Salzburg composer would have done: directing the orchestra himself from the piano while improvising the solos.
To do that, Yoo must teach Goodyear to conduct.
As one of the only living classical pianists with this improvisational skill, Goodyear has to find the inspiration to become Mozart.
Great Performances: Now Hear This, Season Premiere, Friday, September 18, 9/8c, PBS (Check your local listings)
