Richard Strauss began the 20th century as a radical Modernist and ended his carreer as a Romanticist in full bloom. "Veir letze Lieder" is a beautiful farewell to a world torn apart by WWII.

While Stravinsky was doing his thing in Paris, Schoenberg, Berg and Webern were toning their brand of ultra-modernism in Vienna. Berg's Violin Concerto is severe, but expressive.

Bartok drew upon Eastern European folk-songs to create another kind of ultra-modernism; wondefully unique.

Berio's Sinfonia, like the Fourth by Ives is also an wild adventure for those who wish to explore the outer limits of imagination.

For a more melodic experience, Elgar's Cello Concerto pays sad tribute to the devastation caused by WWI.

Prokofiev's Violin Concerto is a mysterious, cosmic, dazzling experience.

The chamber works of Shostakovich present his more introspective side. Schnittke also taps deep into the Russian soul.

Brooklyn born; Paris educated; Aaron Copland's imaginings of the countryside and the American west remain vividly colorful.

Gershwin's musical portrait of New York City reveals that had he lived longer he would have undoubtedly been a composer worthy of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky.

Villa-Lobos was a fine composer of music that reflected the tropical and exotic flavor of his native Brazil.

As opposed to the utterly relaxing Rodrigo, de Falla presents a more dissonant, if not more interesting, image of Spain.

Had he lived longer, Revueltas would have been Mexico's answer to Stravinsky. His music taps into a naked, intense, sometimes disturbing image of ancient Mexico.

Here, Sibelius leaves the late-Romantic fashion for something austere, mysterious and ultra-modern.