Specific cities have inspired a huge amount of classical music over the years. Today, we’re looking at a selection of classical works explicitly connected to major cities, examining how each composer responded to each place. Some pieces reflect civic pride
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The Witches of the New Year
Jesús Arámbarri’s Gabon-zar sorgiñak December 29th, 2022Basque composer Jesús Arámbarri (1902-1960) used both his Spanish and Basque links in his music. On one hand, the Spanish tradition of composers such as Felipe Pedrell, and Isaac Albéniz were valuable, but the addition of the music of his -
On This Day
29 December: Pablo Casals Was Born December 29th, 2022It was almost a miracle that Pablo Casals survived his childhood. He was born on 29 December 1876 in Vendrell, a town near Barcelona, with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. Fortunately, “the village midwife was skilled enough to -
Melancholy Dancing Under the Stars: Finzi’s New Year Music December 28th, 2022 The arrival of the New Year is a time filled with a lot of emotion and questions. Will 2023 be better than 2022? Will I be able to achieve what I want in 2023? How do I change what I -
On This Day
28 December: Nigel Kennedy Was Born December 28th, 2022Born on 28 December 1967 in the town of Brighton, England, Nigel Kennedy is pejoratively known by his detractors as the “Liberace of the Nineties.” He wasn’t at all interested in the prevailing image of the straight-laced musician in a -
New Year’s Music Across Time and Space December 27th, 2022 Once you get away from the maudlin 19th-century songs such as Auld Lang Syne, that sing farewell to the old year, there’s a world of other traditions for the new year. Many involve street or home parties, fireworks, special foods, -
The Year 2022 in Review
Maestro Xu Zhong December 27th, 2022For Maestro Xu Zhong, 2022 has been an incredibly busy and fruitful year. With the Covid-19 pandemic still paralyzing much of the world, Xu has launched a number of initiatives to assure that music and the arts have not been -
Cellists and Their Composers
The Dvořák Cello Concerto December 26th, 2022The Cello Concerto of Antonín Dvořák Op. 104 is considered by most cellists as the ultimate masterpiece that displays the depth, emotion, versatility, and range of our beloved instrument. Composed for the cellist Hanuš Wihan during Dvořák’s term as Director -
The Music of Christmas Movies December 25th, 2022 What is your best way of getting in the mood for Christmas? One of my all-time favorite activities is to watch hours upon hours of Christmas movies. I understand that traditions and tastes are different from person to person, and