All Seasons

Season 1

  • S01E01 Musical Phonology

    • January 11, 1976
    • PBS

    Explores the origins and development of music and language, with a performance of Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in g minor; K. 550

  • S01E02 Musical Syntax

    • January 18, 1976
    • PBS

    Compares the structures of music and speech, and discusses the multiple transformations of which both are capable, with examples from Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in g minor; K. 550

  • S01E03 Musical Semantics

    • January 25, 1976
    • PBS

    Demonstrates layers of meaning in Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 in F Major; op. 68

  • S01E04 The Delights and Dangers of Ambiguity

    • February 8, 1976
    • PBS

    Explorations of new tonal fields by composers of the Romantic era. Musical illustrations include: Berlioz's Romeo Alone and The Ball at the Capulets from Romeo & Juliet, Wagner's Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan & Isolde, and Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune.

  • S01E05 The Twentieth Century Crisis

    • February 15, 1976
    • PBS

    Arnold Schoenberg's movement toward atonality and Gustav Mahler's anticipation of the crisis in twentieth century music. Includes performances of Ives's The Unanswered Question, Ravel's 'Feria' from Rhapsodie espagnole and Mahler's Symphony No. 9 in D Major; Mvt. 4.

  • S01E06 The Poetry of Earth

    • February 22, 1976
    • PBS

    Examines how Igor Stravinsky kept tonality viable while experimenting freely with dissonance. Includes a complete performance of Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex.