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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On This Day
10 October: Evgeny Kissin Was Born October 10th, 2022Evgeny Kissin, born on 10 October 1971, was undoubtedly one of the most astonishing child prodigies in the second half of the 20th century. But even more remarkable is the fact that Kissin has matured into one of the most -
Opera Doctors – the 20th century, Part III October 9th, 2022 Doctors in the 20th century continue their more complex and complicated paths. Tennessee Williams’ play Summer and Smoke, about a repressed minister’s daughter and the doctor who lives next door. She cannot accept his advances until, too late, when he’s -
Vaughan Williams’ Anniversary and a New Lark October 8th, 2022 Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) took British music out of its German mindset and gave it its own voice. His 150th anniversary will occur on 12 October and a new version of one of his most famous pieces lets us hear -
Dance, Dance, Dance: The Canario October 8th, 2022 The Canario (Italian), or Canarie (French), or Canary (English) dance was inspired, as you tell from the name by a dance from the Canarie Islands. It was popular in Europe in the late 16th and early 17th centuries and appeared -
On This Day
8 October: Tōru Takemitsu Was Born October 8th, 2022When Emperor Hirohito ascended to the throne in 1927, he initiated a period known as the “Showa Restoration.” It advocated the revival of Shinto, and the so-called “State Shinto,” which had been developing over a period of time, came to -
Musicians and Artists: Zimmermann and Klein October 7th, 2022 Bernd Alois Zimmermann: Photoptosis (Incidence of Light) Created for the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Gelsenkirchen town bank, Bernd Alois Zimmerman’s 1968 work Photoptosis (Incidence of Light) looked to the gigantic paintings created by French artist Yves Klein -
On This Day
7 October: Yo-Yo Ma Was Born October 7th, 2022When it comes to famous classical musicians, Yo-Yo Ma is at the head of the class. For many years he has carried a celebrity status that rivals rock stars or famous athletes. He is a superstar, for sure, but you -
The Musical Honeymoon
Jacques Ibert’s Escales October 6th, 2022Seen by his contemporaries as an ‘authentically French’ composer, Jacques Ibert (1890-1962) brought not only artistry but also humour to the orchestra. His 1924 work Escales (Ports of Call) was a product of his Rome residency as winner of the