Songs and Dances: Nationalism in Music

Part of National Public Radio's Milestones of the Millennium series, Songs and Dances: Nationalism in Music surveys mostly 20th-century classical compositions -- from both America and Europe -- incorporating patriotic and nationalistic attitudes. Sometimes the music is simply an expression of the composer's feelings for his native country; other pieces borrow from folk traditions in order to glorify native musical forms, or even to explore the traditions of other countries. Composers present include Chopin, Wagner, Rimsky-Korsakov, Copland, Smetana, and more.