GROFE: Grand Canyon

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This DVD-Audio title demonstrates the modern Russian symphonic composer Dmitri Shostakovich's professed love for all kinds of music. The DVD includes such pieces as his two Jazz Suites, "The Bolt" (which includes an orchestration of the standard "Tea for Two"), and his second waltz, which became known for its use in Stanley Kubrick's final film, Eyes Wide Shut.

FALLA: Amor Brujo (El) / El Sombrero de Tres Picos

The tour of Norway takes US to the countryside, with it's mountains, lakes, fjords, rivers, and waterfall. We see Edvard Grieg's house at Troldhaugen, and then Bergen, Grieg's birthplace, with it's colorful traditional houses. Included is music by Grieg.

This tour of Finland concentrates on the capital, Helsinki, and the work of the Finnish artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela. Finland found it's musical identity largely through the work of Jean Sibelius. He established himself as one of the most considerable of the late Romantic symphonists, and in his tone-poems created a national music that has defied imitation.

Laura Polverelli, Maria Pia Piscitelli, Giovanna Lanza, Roberto de Biasio, Simone Alberghini, and Mario Cassi star in this 2007 Sferisterio Opera Festival production of the Donizetti opera conducted by Riccardo Frizza.

The tour starts in northern Italy in Mantua and moves to Cremona and Milan, as well as Sicily. Included is music by Mozart.

The principal place visited is Cordoba, with it's historical records of it's Moorish past and of the reconquest. The music includes works by Russian and French composers, with only two pieces by Spanish composers. Nevertheless all the music breathes the very spirit of Spain.

From Caserta and Naples in southern Italy, travel to Sicily. The music included is by Mozart.

The music chosen for this tour of Guilin is played on traditional Chinese instruments. Performing the music are wind and string ensembles known as "silk and bamboo," from their silk strings and bamboo pipes, and ensembles that also include percussion.

The music chosen for this tour of Shanghai is played on traditional Chinese instruments. Performing the music are the wind and string ensembles known as "silk and bamboo," from their silk strings and bamboo pipes.

This travelogue starts at the great Cathedral of Chartres, and moves to Brittany and Normandy in northern France, as well as Franche Comte and Burgundy. Included is music by Faure.

The journey starts in Switzerland, in the canton of Thurgau, leading from Steckborn and the Bodensee to the Rhine Falls. From Styria, in Austria, comes Hockosterwitz Castle and from Bavaria Weikersheim Castle, the latter intercut with wild life.

The Places - Potsdam owes it's development as a garrison town to the soldier king of Prussia, Frederick William I. The park and palaces of Sanssouci, however, largely reflect the very different taste of his son, Frederick the Great, who reigned from 1740 to 1786. The park of Sanssouci, established first in 1725, includes later changes in a number of distinct horticultural styles, with lay-out in Dutch, French and English taste. The Music - Bach's set of six concertos known as the Brandenburg Concertos was completed in 1721 at C+�then, where Bach was director of court music, possibly using some compositions written during earlier years at the court of Weimar. Bach presented the set to the Margrave of Brandenburg, prefaced by a dedication in French, from which it seems that the prince had asked Bach for something of his at a meeting some two years earlier in Berlin. There is no indication that the works were performed, and at the Margrave's death in 1734 the manuscripts were sold, apparently in a lot of 77 concertos 'by different masters'. The fame and wide popularity of the Brandenburg Concertos was to come later. Included here are the first three concertos and a Siciliano.

Scenes of Italy range from the bay of Sestri Levante in Liguria to the Tuscan vineyards of Montepulciano, Florence and Venice. The music chosen for this tour of Italy is chiefly from foreign composers who drew inspiration from Italy.