Scandalous Overtures

Episode 2

Peter Tchaikovsky: Fear and Loathing in St. Petersburg

Tragic story of this Russian who lived with shame and fear in a time when his sexual orientation could mean ruin or death. As a world-renowned "national treasure", death by cholera was a lie. Here the facts and the evidence are examined.

Episode 3

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: How Did Mozart Really Die? Rate

Mozart has long been rumored to have written his own requiem to be played at his funeral, just a few months before his supposed poisoning. The professor explores the real facts and provides evidence to the contrary.

Episode 4

Ludwig Van Beethoven: Beethoven's Death Wish

Beethoven was devastated by his increasing deafness, to the point where he considered suicide. This is the story of how the famous composer finally came to terms with his affliction.

Episode 5

Carlo Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa: Murderer at Large

Calling Gesualdo a "nasty" man, the professor describes a superb and innovative composer who's personal life was certainly worthy of being called "scandalous". He was indeed a known murderer and guilty of much more.

Episode 6

Johann Sebastian Bach: Bach the Jailbird

Professor Robert Greenberg tells the story of this great composer, who spent nearly a month in jail after losing his temper. For speaking his mind to Prince Wilhelm Ernst of Weimar and trying to resign from his position at court, the prince had Bach tossed in jail on November 6, 1717.

Episode 7

Jean-Baptiste Lully: The Gnarly Demise of a Nasty Man

A wealthy noble and confidante of King Louis XIV, a divinely gifted composer. Parlaying his connections and fame into a monopoly over operas produced in France, he was allowed to behave abominably and cruelly- until his shocking death.

Episode 8

Franz Schubert: One Too Many Nights Out

Dying of syphilis at age 31, he spent more than half his life creating an astounding body of work. Contains graphic details of the effects of untreated Syphilis, and the resulting pain and despair.

Episode 9

Giuseppe Verdi: The Conspiracy to Get Him Back to Work

Amusing history of a long but loving conspiracy to tempt this gifted 19th century composer back to work after retirement. And yes--engineered by his wife with grateful cooperation by his agent, his fans, and eventually the composer himself.

Episode 10

Johannes Brahms & Clara Schumann: Did They or Didn't They?

A tragic love story: As Schumann the husband, wasted away from illness did the relationship between his wife and Brahms remain platonic? Their own words tell us how they loved and supported each other. Most shocking is how this story ended.

Episode 11

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Reborn Through Hypnosis

Out of desperation this 19th C Russian composer when suffering from depression and "writer's block" sought treatment from a doctor plying the new fields of psychotherapy and hypnosis. This is his inspirational story.

Episode 12

Hector Berlioz: Dressed to Kill

Thwarted from marrying the woman he loved, instead of wishing her well he plotted to kill her and her entire family. You can't make this stuff up.

Episode 13

Richard Wagner: What Ever Happened to Wagner's Manuscripts? S1, Ep13 17 Feb. 2015 Richard Wagner: What Ever Happened to Wagner's Manuscripts?

Tragedy of a different sort--the probable ironical fate of Wagner's original annotated scores. This story relates to Nazi Germany's plundering of European art and their final desperate attempts to cover up their crimes.

Episode 14

Louis Moreau Gottschalk: High Times in Oakland, California

19th century Pianist and composer far ahead of his time--even in his rock star life style. Scandal (and fear for his life!) drove him to take drastic measures.

Episode 15

Johannes Brahms: Brahms, the Ladies, and the Trick Rocking Chair

So scandalous, Brahms gets 2 episodes--as a child prodigy sexually victimized at a tender age it left him emotionally scarred and by all accounts, a difficult man to deal with. Find out how the infamous rocking chair fits in.