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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Musicians and Artists – de Meij and Venetian Art August 14th, 2022 Johan de Meij: The Venetian Collection Dutch composer Johann de Meij (b. 1954) was inspired by four paintings in the Peggy Guggenheim collection in Venice to create his own Venetian Collection. The paintings he chose come from some of the -
On This Day
14 August: Richard Strauss’ Die Liebe der Danae Was Premiered August 14th, 2022The first public performance of Richard Strauss’ opera Die Liebe der Danae (The Love of Danae) took place as part of the Salzburg Festival on 14 August 1952. At that time, the composer had already been dead for three years. -
Opera Doctors – The 19th Century, Part I August 13th, 2022 Doctors in the 19th century in opera began to reflect the change in the field – now fewer are allied with the black arts and there are more specialties. Doctors can be heroes in the opera, they can be the -
Pianists and Their Composers: J.S. Bach August 13th, 2022 Why is it that some pianists have become so closely associated with specific composers? Is it due to personal preference, that they feel a particular affinity with certain composers, or simply like their music? Or is the association one which -
On This Day
13 August: Kathleen Battle Was Born August 13th, 2022Kathleen Battle, born on 13 August 1948 in Portsmouth, Ohio, has been called “one of the very few most beautiful voices in the world.” Possessing a distinctive, light, and nimble voice, Battle has won international acclaim for soubrette opera roles, -
Princess and Composer: Anna Amalia of Prussia August 12th, 2022 Anna Amalia (1723-1787) of Prussia was the younger sister of Frederick II of Prussia. Eleven years younger, she benefitted from the new musical focus he brought to the court. Anna Amalia played the harpsichord, flute, and violin, with her first -
On This Day
12 August: Leoš Janáček Died August 12th, 2022On the occasion of his 70th birthday, Leoš Janáček received his first honorary doctorate from the Masaryk University in Brno. The composer was predictably proud and signed his correspondence and all his compositions as “Dr. Ph. Leoš Janáček” thereafter. It -
The Unsung Hero of Music Making
Collaborative Pianist: An Interview With Leona Cheung August 10th, 2022For this month, I would like to shift your focus towards one of the unsung heroes of music making that are vital in concerts — collaborative pianists. As a Boston-based professional collaborative pianist, Leona Cheung is an acclaimed musician who