A madrigal setting of a poem.

A secular song in the everyday language of the people.

A famous Renaissance motet.

An expressive aria marking the transition to the Baroque period.

Music for spatially separated ensembles at San Marco.

The first great opera in history.

The famous 'Concerto per la notte di Natale'.

An example of imitative polyphonic writing.

A serene melody from Suite n. 3.

Music for festivities on the Thames.

A famous chorus from the oratorio Messiah.

Solo concerto and descriptive music.

The flute imitates the bird's song.

A brilliant sonata for harpsichord.

A late Baroque oratorio.

The birth of comic opera.

A collection of instrumental dances.

The father of the symphony and of musical humour.

The quintessential Classical symphony.

A serenade in sonata form.

A brilliant example of comic opera.

Cherubino's aria from the opera Le nozze di Figaro: a mezzo-soprano voice with an elegant, flowing melody.

Tolomeo's aria from the opera Giulio Cesare in Egitto: agitated, insinuating music, with the vocal ornaments typical of opera seria.

The famous Largo from the opera Serse: in the repeat, the singer (Andreas Scholl) adds ornaments, following eighteenth-century singing practice.

Serpina's aria from the comic opera La serva padrona: lively and playful, with the very cunning maid pretending to be indignant.

Figaro's aria from Le nozze di Figaro: Mozart pokes fun at the mischievous, lively Cherubino, with a brilliant march-like ending.

A piano sonata.

From the finale of the Ninth Symphony: freedom, peace and solidarity. The European anthem has no official lyrics.

The reform of opera.

An 1826 Lied setting of verses by Shakespeare: a delicate melody with repeated notes on the piano.

Figaro introduces himself: extremely fast syllabic singing and an irresistible rhythm.

A drinking song for Alfredo, Violetta and the chorus in Act I: a festive waltz that conceals the tragedy.

The Duke of Mantua's aria in Act III: a carefree melody in a tragic story.

1842: the chorus of exiles remembers their homeland; shared phrasing, nostalgia, hope and solidarity.

1847: a marching rhythm and collective singing; unity and participation, to be compared with the constitutional principles of equality and peace.

A-B-A form: a dreamy melody over a repeated note that recalls the rain; in the middle, a storm in C-sharp minor.

Wagner's symphonic orchestral writing.

Exotic influences and Puccini's melodic style.

Musical Impressionism.

A hypnotic orchestral crescendo.

Italian Verismo.

The national schools.