Classical music has a serious PR problem. People think it’s stuffy. They think you need a PhD and a tuxedo just to understand a cello suite. Honestly? That’s total garbage. Scott Yoo knows it, too. As the host of the Great Performances series on PBS, Yoo has spent several seasons basically dismantling the idea that "old" music is boring. When you sit down to watch Now Hear This episodes, you aren't getting a dry lecture. You’re getting a travelogue, a detective story, and a masterclass all rolled into one. It’s about the sweat, the dirt, the heartbreak, and the weirdly specific inspirations that led to the world’s greatest masterpieces.
It works.
Most music documentaries are just talking heads in front of bookshelves. Yoo does the opposite. He’s out in the world. He’s in a kitchen in Spain talking about Scarlatti while someone fries an egg. He’s in a freezing cathedral or a sunny vineyard. He treats the composers—Vivaldi, Bach, Beethoven—like they’re living, breathing people who had rent to pay and egos to manage.
The Scarlatti Mystery and Why It Hooked Me
Take the episode "The Spanish Guitar." It’s technically about Domenico Scarlatti, but it’s really about how a guy born in Italy ended up becoming the soul of Spanish music. Yoo tracks how Scarlatti moved to Portugal and then Spain to teach a princess. You see the connection between the harpsichord and the flamenco guitar in a way that just clicks. It’s visceral.
The show excels because it bridges the gap between the technical and the emotional.
I remember watching the segment where Yoo explores how Scarlatti mimicked the "clack" of Spanish dance in his keyboard sonatas. He doesn't just say it. He brings in flamenco dancers. You hear the shoes hit the floor, then you hear the keys hit the instrument. Boom. The connection is made. That’s the magic of these Now Hear This episodes. They make the invisible visible. Or, well, audible.
Vivaldi Was Way More Than Just "The Four Seasons"
Everyone knows The Four Seasons. It’s in every elevator and insurance commercial on the planet. But did you know Vivaldi was a priest who worked at an orphanage for girls?
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In the episode "Vivaldi: Something Completely Different," Yoo dives into the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice. This wasn't just a charity; it was a freaking powerhouse of musical talent. Vivaldi wrote these insanely difficult concertos for these young women, who performed behind screens so the public wouldn't be "distracted" by their faces. It’s a bit dark, honestly. But the music that came out of that environment changed everything.
Breaking Down the Virtuosity
What’s cool is how the show handles the technical stuff. Yoo is a world-class violinist and conductor (he leads the Mexico City Philharmonic). He isn't faking it. When he picks up a period instrument or debates a fingering with a guest artist, you’re seeing real-time shop talk.
- You see the physical struggle of playing a Baroque violin with no chin rest.
- You learn why gut strings sound "earthy" compared to modern steel.
- You realize that 18th-century musicians were basically the rock stars of their era.
The episode on Vivaldi’s "L’Estro Armonico" is a standout. It shows how Vivaldi influenced Bach—literally, Bach was such a fanboy that he transcribed Vivaldi’s stuff just to learn how he did it. It’s like finding out your favorite modern indie artist learned to play by covering Radiohead.
Why the "Becoming" Specials Changed the Game
In the most recent seasons, the series pivoted slightly to "Becoming" episodes. These focus on the formative years of composers like Haydn, Schubert, and Beethoven.
"Becoming Haydn" is a riot because Haydn was kind of a prankster. He spent decades working for the Esterházy family in a remote palace. He was essentially "cut off from the world," as he put it, which forced him to become original. Yoo goes to the actual palace. He shows you the tiny rooms where the musicians lived. It puts the music in a physical context. You realize Haydn wasn't writing for "eternity"; he was writing to keep his boss from getting bored on a Tuesday night.
The Reality of Filming a Musical Journey
The production value is insane. This isn't a low-budget public access show. The cinematography captures the textures of Europe—the crumbling stone, the light on the Mediterranean, the varnish on a 300-year-old cello.
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But it isn't all perfect sunsets.
There’s an authenticity to the interactions. When Scott Yoo sits down with a guest like pianist Stewart Goodyear or violinist Bomsori Kim, the rehearsals look like actual rehearsals. They argue. They try things and fail. They laugh when a note goes sour. It humanizes the process of making art. So many people are intimidated by classical music because they think it has to be perfect. Now Hear This episodes show that perfection is a myth; it’s the effort that matters.
Beethoven and the Architecture of Sound
You can’t talk about this show without mentioning the Beethoven coverage. Most people focus on the deafness, which is obviously a huge part of the story. But Yoo looks at the "How."
In the episode "Beethoven’s Ghost," they explore how Beethoven’s loss of hearing forced him to hear music through vibrations and internal logic. They use modern technology to show the frequencies. It’s fascinating. But more than that, the show looks at how Beethoven’s music reflected the political chaos of his time. He was a revolutionary. He was the guy who took the polite, powdered-wig music of the aristocracy and smashed it.
How to Watch and Where to Start
If you’re new to the series, don't feel like you have to watch them in order. Each episode is a standalone journey.
If you like travel and food, start with the Scarlatti or Vivaldi episodes. If you’re a gearhead who loves instruments, the "Riddle of Bach" is essential. It looks at the sheer mathematical genius of Bach’s work while wandering through the German towns where he lived and worked.
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Currently, you can find these episodes on the PBS website, the PBS app, and often on YouTube via the Great Performances channel. If you have a Passport membership (the PBS streaming service), you can binge the whole library.
Why This Matters for the Future of Music
We live in a world of 15-second TikTok clips. The idea of sitting down for 50 minutes to learn about a guy who died in 1750 feels like a big ask. But the show works because it respects your intelligence. It doesn't dumb things down. It just makes them accessible.
By the end of a single episode, you’ll find yourself listening to a piece of music you used to think was "background noise" and suddenly hearing the dialogue between the violas and the cellos. You’ll hear the influence of a folk dance in a symphony. You’ll see the human behind the marble bust.
Actionable Steps for New Listeners
Don't just watch the show; use it as a springboard. Here is how to actually get the most out of it:
- Create a "Now Hear This" Playlist: Every time Yoo mentions a specific piece—like Vivaldi's La Stravaganza or Haydn's Sun Quartets—add it to a playlist on Spotify or Apple Music. Listen to the full work after the episode ends. The show gives you the context; the listening gives you the experience.
- Follow the Guest Artists: The show features some of the best musicians working today. Look up Bomsori Kim, Augustin Hadelich, or the various ensembles Yoo visits. Supporting the living artists featured in the show keeps the tradition alive.
- Visit Your Local Chamber Music Series: The intimacy Scott Yoo highlights is best experienced live. You don't need to go to Carnegie Hall. Check out a local university or a small "music in the park" series.
- Explore the "Great Performances" Archives: PBS has been doing this for decades. While Now Hear This is the crown jewel of their current music programming, there is a massive back catalog of concerts and documentaries that provide even more depth to what you see in the episodes.
The real takeaway from these episodes is that classical music isn't a museum piece. It’s a living language. Whether it's the fiery rhythms of Spain or the structural perfection of Germany, this music was written by people who felt exactly what we feel today—ambition, grief, joy, and the need to create something that lasts. Scott Yoo is just the guy holding the map.