Tonight's program is a symphonic journey,
touching down in seven different countries,
and with the help of video and music,
we'll gain an appreciation for how 19th-century Europe
helped shape the beautiful world that we live in today.
The theme of the concert is romanticism and nationalism.
Nearly all the music we'll hear today
is from about the same generation,
from the late 1800s, from the Romantic Age,
and this music championed national causes
and it also supported this exciting notion
of common people finally taking the reins in their society.
From Norway to Italy, from England to the Czech Republic.
Now, let's travel north to Norway and a piece by Edvard Grieg.
In the 19th century, Norway was chafing
under the thumb of Sweden,
and you know Norwegians have a distinct need
to be Norwegian apart from Swede.
The cultural capital during this period was Bergen,
way out in the west in fjord country.
And the great writers and artists and musicians
gathered there to be inspired by the natural beauty.
Part of romanticism and a part of nationalism
is a love of nature,
and Norwegians seeking freedom found inspiration
in the awesome beauty of their homeland.
Grieg wrote this piece to accompany the play "Peer Gynt."
Peer Gynt was kind of a Norwegian Huck Finn
whose misadventures were set mostly in scenic Norway.
This piece evokes the beauty of Norwegian fjord country
and the pride Norwegians feel for their way of life
and for the beautiful corner of the world they call home.
Let's listen to "Morning" from Peer Gynt
by Edvard Grieg from Norway.