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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Three Minute Symphonies: Milhaud’s Chamber Symphonies January 30th, 2022 Written in an unusual small format, and with only three movements, the Chamber Symphonies of Darius Milhaud (1892-1974) are perfect pocket symphonies. Begun while he was in Brazil in 1917, while he was serving as the secretary to Paul Claudel, -
Musical River Journeys January 30th, 2022 We had such exciting plans for the summer of 2021. Together with some of my best friends, we decided to take part in a musical river cruise. We had always heard that gliding along the world’s most exciting waterways was -
Satie Discovers Ragtime January 30th, 2022 Although we associate ragtime music with composers such as Scott Joplin and Joseph Lamb, we rarely consider what effect this new musical style might have had internationally. Through performers such as Jelly Roll Morton and band leaders such as W.C. -
On This Day
30 January: Gerald Finley Was Born January 30th, 2022Canadian bass-baritone Gerald Finley is widely acclaimed as “one of the classical music world’s great communicators.” Having exceptional control and command over a wide variety of repertoire, Finley is one of the premiere dramatic interpreters of our time. In fact, -
Composers and their Poets: Christopher Ludwig and William Carlos Williams January 29th, 2022 In 1962, the American poet William Carlos Williams (1883-1963) published his last book of poetry, Pictures from Brueghel and Other Poems. The book opens with a ten-poem cycle based on paintings by the Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder (ca. -
On This Day
29 January: Fritz Kreisler Died January 29th, 2022Remembered as one of the best and most refined violinists of all time, Fritz Kreisler died at the age of 86 on 29 January 1962. Old age and a persistent heart condition had finally taken its toll, but Kreisler had -
Welcome to the Year of the Water Tiger
Gong Hei Fat Choy January 28th, 2022In the twelve-year cycle of animals that appear in the Chinese zodiac, the mighty tiger surprisingly only comes in as number three. When the Jade Emperor invited all the animals of the world to take part in a race, the -
Hello CelloBello – Paul Katz and Everything Cello and More January 28th, 2022 Cellists are known to be a genial and collaborative bunch. In fact, cellists love to share information, anecdotes, news, and even fingerings. There are several websites geared towards cellists but CelloBello is a top destination not only because it’s an