Marking the 500th anniversary of the arrival in America of Christopher Columbus in 1492, Pete Myers takes us on a fascinating tour of the classical music that was created and inspired by the Americas. At the center of this programme is the greatest figure in 20th-century Brazilian music and the most famous of all South American composers, Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959). Among his many achievements was some of the greatest modern music created for the guitar. Enriched by the music of two hemispheres, his “Bachianas Brasileiras” (Brazilian Bachian-pieces), written between 1930 and 1945, adapts Baroque elements to Brazilian music.
Produced and presented by Pete Myers
First Broadcast 18 January, 1992