PBS Releases New Season of "Great Performances: Now Hear This"

The fourth season sees host and conductor Scott Yoo travel to Argentina, Germany, Spain, and New York to explore the homes of diverse composers

 

A new season of PBS' critically acclaimed miniseries Great Performances: Now Hear This is available to watch online for a limited time. The fourth installment in the series, which is hosted by Mexico City Philharmonic Artistic Director Scott Yoo, covers four composers and explores the cities in which they lived and worked. The episodes "merge music, storytelling, travel, and culture, as he [Scott] chases the secret histories of some of the greatest music ever written."

The episodes have premiered every Friday on PBS since April 7, and the last episode will premiere tonight, April 28 at 9 PM ET.

The first episode, titled "Piazzolla's History with Tango," sees Yoo travel to the composer's home of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Alongside flutist Alice Dade, and tango musician and historian Ignacio Varchausky, Yoo traces the evolution of the tango from the beginning of the twentieth century, when it was the domain of backroom dance halls. Watch the full episode below, available until May 5. 

 

 

Next, Yoo travels to Germany, France, and Scotland for a closer look into the life of Robert Schumann. Joined by pianist, Schumann expert, and psychiatrist Dr. Richard Kogan, Yoo delves into the relationship between Schumann's creativity and his mental illness. "Schumann: Genius and Madness" also looks at other artists who struggled with their mental health, including Vincent Van Gogh and Robert Burns. Watch the full episode below, available until May 12. 

 

 

In "Andy Akiho Found (his) Sound," Yoo investigates the steel drums and other "found" instruments employed by the Japanese-American composer Andy Akiho. The episode includes footage of Akiho's collaboration with the percussion quartet Sandbox Percussion, as they prepare a performance that also includes dancers and a light show. Watch the full episode below, available until May 19. 

 

 

The final episode of the series, "Albéniz: Portraits of Spain", explores the relationship between Spain and the nearby Moorish culture through an examination of the works of Isaac Albéniz. Yoo is joined by guitarist Manuel Barrueco and pianist Juan Pérez Floristán for visits to some of Spain's most prominent cultural locations, including the Alhambra Palace. Watch the preview below, and tune in to the full episode at 9 PM ET on PBS.

 

 

In addition to serving as the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Mexico City Philharmonic, Scott Yoo is the Music Director of Festival Mozaic, conductor of the Colorado College Music Festival, and the Founder of the Medellín Festicámara — a chamber music program that brings together world-class artists with underprivileged young musicians.