LWT.Leaving.Home.Orchestral.Music.in.the.20th.Century.7of7.Threads.XviD.AC3.MVGroup.org.avi

Written and presented by Sir Simon Rattle, the foremost British conductor of our day, this series forms a fascinating introduction to, and overview of, the music of the 20th century. Each of the seven programmes features over thirty minutes of specially-shot music in performance, with Rattle conducting the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Simon Rattle leads viewers on an exhilarating journey through the music of our time, explaining the chief musical developments from Mahler to the present day. Each programme is illustrated with evocative imagery, archive film and photographs and the featured music is set within the broader context of artistic and social change.

Why "Leaving Home"? The story of twentieth-century music is one of leave-takings in many ways. As a wealth of talented composers searched for new creative responses to the world around them, many made departures from the solid 'home' foundations of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century music - tonal harmony, melody, regular rhythm and metre. Many had to literally leave home, displaced by political upheavals. A remarkable diversity of expression developed - not all of the difficult or discordant variety commonly associated with modern music. The range is wide and this series samples the work of over thirty composers, discovering new and challenging sounds as well as some unexpectedly familiar music. It presents an extraordinary kaleidoscope of orchestral images, full of contrasts and surprises.

Winner of the British Academy of Film and Television Award (BAFTA) for Best Arts Programme

Directors : Peter West ; Barrie Gavin ; Deborah May
Executive Producer : Melvyn Bragg
Producers : Hilary Chadwick ; Sue Knussen

Produced by RM Arts / LWTP / Channel Four / ABC / NPS / Canal 22 Mexico / MTV Finland / RAISAT 1

Episode 7 : Threads
In Threads Sir Simon Rattle presents an ecclectic, and very personal selection of works by 20th century composers like Berio, Henze, Kurtag, Gubaidulina and Birtwistle to illustrate the rich variety of new musical trends he believes pave the way to the future.

With excerpts from: BERIO: Laborintus II; HENZE: Symphony No. 8; KURTAG: Grabstein fur Stefan; BIRTWISTLE: Ritual Fragment; TURNAGE: Drowned Out; KNUSSEN: Flourish of Fireworks; GUBAIDULINA: Zeitgestalten