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Journeys in Space-Time 3
Old School

Classical music was European World music. State Parliament, Hobart, TAS

Traditional "Western" classical music evolved across centuries and was a largely European affair. Leading trends followed power all around the continent, from the Netherlands, to Venice, Paris, London and Vienna. The final product is a thoroughly multicultural affair.

Nevertheless, within the universal sounds of classical music there were often regional influences that poked through. As a result, many classical composers from these core countries were have

On many occasions, the composer attempts to capture the regional feel by resorting to folk influences or national dances. Sometimes there are obvious cues, such as the sounds of castanets or guitars of the Spanish.

More often, however, the musical essence of a culture seems to pervade the music in a less tangible way. The amalgam of harmonies, the shape of the melodies, the rhythms, seems to evokes the feeling of another culture.

United Kingdom

  • Elgar – Enigma Variations – Variation IX (Nimrod): Adagio
  • Parry (Orchestrated Elgar) – Jerusalem
  • Grainger – Shepherd's Hey
  • Grainger – Country Gardens
  • Grainger – Irish Tune from County Derry, or Londonderry Air (“Danny Boy”)
  • Mendelssohn – Overture, ‘The Hebrides’ (Fingals Cave), op.26 (German composer)

    • France

  • Bizet – L'Arlésienne – Suite no. 2 –
    • 4. Farandole. Allegro deciso (Tempo di Marcia) – Allegro vivo e deciso
  • de Lisle (Arranged Berlioz) – La Marsellaise
  • Offenbach – Orphée aux enfers (Orpheus in the Underworld) – Overture

    • Germany/Austria

  • Haydn – String Quartet (no.77) in C major, op. 76, No. 3, “Emperor” – 2. Poco adagio: Cantabile
  • Mozart – Three German Dances, K605 – 3. Sleigh Ride
  • Strauss – Kaiser-Walzer, op.437 (Emperor Waltz)

    • Italy/Switzerland

  • Berlioz – Le Carnival Romaine, op.9 (Roman Carnival Overture)
  • Mendelssohn – Symphony No. 4 in A major, op.90, “Italian” – 1. Allegro vivace
  • Rossini – Il Barbieri del Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) – Sinfonia (Yes, a story set in Spain, but quintessential Italian-sounding music!)

    • Spain

  • Albéniz – Cantos de Espana – Asturias
  • Ravel – Rhapsodie Espagnole – 2. Malagueña
  • Tarrega – Recuerdos de la Alhambra

    • Eastern Europe

  • Chopin – Polonaise in A flat major, op.53 – “Heroic”
  • Brahms – Hungarian Dance No. 5 in g minor
  • Liszt – Hungarian Rhapsodie No. 2 in c sharp minor
  • Smetana – String Quartet No. 1 in e minor, “From My Life” – 2. Allegro moderato a la Polka
  • Smetana – Má Vlast (My Country) – Vltava (Die Moldau)
  • Dvořák – Slavonic Dances, op.46 – No. 7: Skočná. Allegro assai

    • Scandinavia

  • Sibelius – Finlandia
  • Grieg – Norwegian Dances, op.35 – 2. Allegretto tranquillo e grazioso
  • Alfven – Swedish Rhapsody No. 1, “Midsummer Vigil”, op.19

    • Russia

  • Borodin – Symphony No.2 in b minor – 1. Allegro
  • Prokofiev – Lieutenant Kijé - Suite, op.60 – 4. Troika
  • Rimsky-Korsakov – Russian Easter Festival Overture, op.36
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