Episode 1
Piano and Surroundings
An anthology of portraits, placed inside a new container, also enriched by films of great performers, taken from films and live recordings. Among the names are the violinist Uto Ughi (with his Stradivarius), the cellist Mario Brunello, the harpist Elena Zaniboni, the harpsichordist Enrico Baiano, the classical guitarist Emanuele Segre, the double bass player Franco Petracchi, as well as the musicians of the various sections of the orchestra symphony of Santa Cecilia in Rome. For jazz there will be great soloists such as Paolo Fresu, Gianni Basso, Franco Cerri, Francesco Cafiso, Andrea Dulbecco, Alberto Marsico. Renzo Arbore will also speak, with a curious mandolin player. Many will be accompanied on the piano by Piero Angela.
Episode 2
The Arches
The second episode is dedicated to string instruments such as violin, viola, cello, double bass. Also in the studio with Piero Angela for this episode are the two musical historians Adriano Mazzoletti for jazz and Giovanni Bietti for classical music. With them the answer to a question that many ask themselves: why do these instruments have such an unusual shape? Who invented it? And is there a reason why they are like this?
Episode 3
Brass Legends, From Armstrong to Miles Davis
The brass instruments, as we know, are a large family, which includes various types of trumpets, horns, trombones, basses, and which represents the most "shrill" part of music, so to speak. The trumpet, in particular, is one of the musical instruments that have most accompanied our history. Over the course of the evening, to get an idea of how present she was in all the circumstances of life, happy, sad, heroic, solemn, a small anthology of moments and situations. As in every episode, two great jazz musicians are guests: Paolo Fresu on trumpet and Dino Piana on trombone, accompanied on piano by Piero Angela. The guests in the studio, on this musical journey, are once again Giovanni Bietti for classical music and Adriano Mazzoletti for jazz. With them Piero Angela will take a musical journey between classical music and jazz, two different genres, but which also have many things in common.
Episode 4
The Reed, the Thin Blade That Creates the Notes
The reed is that thin blade that vibrates when a player blows into his instrument, and can produce very different sounds. This is precisely the secret of a large number of instruments: clarinets, saxophones, oboes, bassoons, contrabassoons. It is a slat that must be replaced periodically. It must be moistened and fixed very carefully in the mouth of the instrument. And then it can produce magical notes. In the studio the regular guests Giovanni Bietti and Adriano Mazzoletti for classical music and jazz, with them Piero Angela will show curious films, for example he will take viewers to the Camargue, where the reeds from which the most valuable reeds are obtained are grown. And then they will show recordings by great soloists such as Sidney Bechet, Benny Goodman and others. Piero Angela will duet on the piano with the flautist Andrea Griminelli and then with the saxophonist Francesco Cafiso.
Episode 5
The Strings
The fifth episode of the program on music, visited through instruments. This time we will enter the world of instruments where the vibration of the strings creates the sounds, such as the guitar, the lute, the mandolin and many others. As always Piero Angela will show films, live recordings and studio meetings with famous soloists, such as Franco Cerri, the harpist Elena Zamboni, the classical guitarist Emanuele Segre. We will also meet Renzo Arbore. Stringed instruments are very ancient. We will talk about the lyre, the harp and a very widespread "plucked" instrument, indeed the most widespread, especially among young people: the guitar. As in every episode, two great jazz musicians: Franco Cerri and Gianni Basso in duet and Piero Angela on piano. The guests in the studio on this musical journey are once again Giovanni Bietti for classical music and Adriano Mazzoletti for jazz.
