Three Italian Songs (arr. Robison): Amarilli, O cessate di piagarmi, La Serenata (December 10, 2006)Brahms: String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 51 (December 17, 2006)This week, we’ll listen to music from Italy and Germany, pieces that really encapsulate the sounds of these two countries. Songs have always been a tremendously important part of Italian culture. We’ll be listening today to orchestral music, but the pieces on the program are actually transcriptions of Italian songs. Next, we take a trip to Germany, and hear one of the genres that country is famed for: chamber music. The Germans have a rich tradition of song, too, but Brahms’ chamber music is about as “German” as it gets: full of romance and passion, while always technically precise and structural.