We were very pleased to have you with us on Tuesday 20 June. As a thank you note, we invite you to immerse yourself in the work of artists who themselves ventured far from their homeland to achieve success with our exclusive playlist.
Did you know that at age 21, Handel left his hometown of Halle, Germany to find success in Italy and then London? He first accepted an invitation from a member of the Medici family, which led him to meet and follow ambassadors travelling to London. After settling in the music capital of Europe, he launched his own opera house with the support of wealthy patrons, and ended his career as the composer of George I and George II of Great Britain.
Perhaps Camille Saint-Saens was also amenable to accepting invitations and arranging musical programmes himself. Unlike his French contemporary Gounod, Saint-Saens was more receptive to work and had fewer commitments. In 1885, he promptly accepted an invitation to play Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 for the Royal Philharmonic Society in London. He even insisted that his rarely performed 2nd Symphony be included in the performance, which led to the Society commissioning him to compose a new symphony. This ultimately resulted in the creation of his famous Third Symphony.
Some composers such as Stravinsky and Rachmaninoff travelled even further to other continents. As early as 1906, the latter played in the United States, which followed many more lucrative tours in the country. The success of his performances there afforded him to take a sabbatical year in 1925 to complete his Piano Concerto No. 4. We hope you enjoy listening to it. Be sure to take note of the jazzy elements the Russian composer discovered while he was in the US, as well as the nods to Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.
On the subject of Gershwin, our playlist concludes with his world famous American in Paris, a piece he wrote in Paris as yearned to meet and learn from the French composer Maurice Ravel. Captivated by his music and quite shocked by his meager earnings (unlike Gershwin who became a millionaire at 20-years-old thanks to his catchy Broadway tunes), he invited Ravel to tour the United States, and managed to raise a fee of $10 000 for him, which is equivalent to $150 000 in today’s money.
These are many examples of remarkable accomplishments from artists who ventured far from their homeland. We look forward to meeting you to explore how your institution can leverage the multitude of opportunities available worldwide!
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This playlist is offered by our partner Vialma, the digital arm of cultural institutions.
Since 2015, Vialma has helped European cultural organisations engage with their audiences online. From the biggest institutions like Opera de Paris to local jazz festivals, our passionate and dedicated team has successfully guided institutions of all sizes in their digital transition. Our comprehensive and simple solutions align with their objectives, whether they require a meaningful way to connect with their sponsors, raise funds, incentivize subscribers, or engage with their corporate donors in support of their mission.
Photo: Birthday party honoring Maurice Ravel, New York City, March 8, 1928. From left: Oscar Fried, conductor; Eva Gauthier, singer; Ravel at piano; Manoah Leide-Tedesco, composer-conductor; and composer George Gershwin.
