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
15 June: Edvard Grieg Was Born June 15th, 2022Bergen is Norway’s second-largest city, picturesquely located on the west coast of the country. It is known as “the city of seven mountains,” and the birthplace of Edvard Hagerup Grieg. He was born on 15 June 1843 to Alexander Grieg -
Sixty Years of Weeping: Dowland’s Flow My Tears June 14th, 2022 The English composer John Dowland (1563-1626) wanted to be lutenist to the English court. Unfortunately, the difficulties in England between Protestants (the court) and Catholics, made Dowland’s desire difficult to achieve, as he had converted to Catholicism while traveling in -
On This Day
14 June: Lang Lang Was Born June 14th, 2022There can be no denying the fact that Lang Lang is China’s first crossover classical superstar pianist. He has conquered the classical world with dazzling technique and charisma, “displaying flair and great communicative power.” He has played for presidents, on -
An Interview With Samantha Ege June 13th, 2022 Dr. Ege discusses her life, her work, and her wonderful new album which reintroduces audiences to the works of women whose artistic genius and beauty has suffered undue neglect for too long. Dr. Samantha Ege is a pianist, scholar, and -
On This Day
13 June: Weber’s Clarinet Concerto No. 1 Was Premiered June 13th, 2022Carl Maria von Weber garnered international fame by composing Der Freischütz (The Marksman), the first German Romantic opera in 1821. However, his compositional acumen had long been established before he made his name as an opera composer. In fact, his -
The Violin in Your Pocket June 12th, 2022 One of the most exquisite of the stringed instruments were the little violins that were designed, it is thought, to fit in a pocket. Its name, pochette, is French for ‘small pocket.’ Intended for adults, despite their compact size, these -
Show Me the Money
Johann Strauss Jr. June 12th, 2022The American showman and businessman P.T. Barnum famously quipped, “Every crowd has a silver lining.” As the founder of the Barnum & Bailey Circus, an entertainment institution that ran for almost 150 years, he certainly knew how to draw in -
Pelléas and Mélisande June 11th, 2022 These days, when we hear of the doomed lovers Pelléas and Mélisande, we most often think of Claude Debussy’s opera, but there were other composers who took up the story by Maurice Maeterlinck. In Maeterlinck’s 1893 play, Golaud finds Mélisande