If you’re a classical music or public television fan, you may be familiar with the PBS series Classical Destinations, which takes viewers all over Europe, visiting the cities, towns and villages touched and influenced by the likes of Verdi, Beethoven, Bach, Strauss and Schubert. In February 2007, a hardcover book based on the series was released in the US. Classical Destinations: An Armchair Guide to Classical Music features over 200 glossy photos and detailed descriptions of the historical locations where the great composers lived, worked and practiced their artistic talents.
Of course, a book can’t capture the essence of the musical genius of these performers like a TV show can, so the smart marketing team at Classical Destinations created a double CD and double DVD of the entire series as well — for your listening enjoyment. You can journey along with British host Simon Callow (not to be confused with that other UK musical idol, Simon Cowell) to places like Salzberg, Bonn, St. Petersburg and Prague, on a melodious guided tour through the history and geography of the world’s great classical composers. In addition to the classical music capitals of Europe featured in the book, there are also chapters (based on episodes) devoted to the music of Norway and Finland.