Tag: <span>music</span>

Published December 27, 2019

An African festival in Berlin

One of the places you have to visit is Alexanderplatz. It is the site of so much history, in particular the Alexanderplatz demonstration on 1989, just before the wall came down. Over 1.5 million protesters gathered in what was the biggest protest ever in East Germany, so of course it was somewhere we had to visit.

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But we were somewhat startled to find that we had stepped into a very large African market. We (purely by chance) selected Africa week to visit Alex, so the square was fulled with African goods for sale (think Greenmarket square or Long Street in Cape Town), and African bands playing on the stages. It was fun and entertaining, but not quote what we expected in the middle of Germany.

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Published April 15, 2019

Busking in Italy

An Italian busker entertains us in the streets of Rome.

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Published February 15, 2019

Busking in Gorlitz

One of the nice things about Gorlitz is that there are very few tourists, and hence very few people trying to separate you from your cash as every opportunity. During our few days there we only saw two groups of buskers. The first group were working the outdoor seating at the restaurants; very typical gypsy-style buskers.

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The second group weren’t busing for money; they were playing outside one of the university buildings – I think! At least they were running all their over from the building. They were really good…an loud. In the narrow streets I’m sure the whole town could easily hear them busking!

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Published October 10, 2018

Music on the square

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We spend a lovely afternoon on the square in Avignon, just below the castle walls, drinking a glass of the local rosé while being entertained by these two buckers.

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Published June 5, 2018

The Strauss composers

The final resting places of Johann Strauss I (dad), Johann Strauss II (son), and Josef Strauss (other son). All three were musicians and composers.

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Johan I – dad

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Johann II – he wrote what is probably the most famous waltz in the world, The Blue Danube

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Josef

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Published January 10, 2018

Busking

While wondering around Aegina Town we bumped into this busker, and he was fantastic. He was one of the few buskers in Greece not trying to make a hash of traditional Greek music, but he was just playing his own thing. I first noticed him when he was playing the Rain Song by Led Zeppelin. A well-known band, but not their most famous song. We chatted to him for a bit, and he says that he makes his living wondering around the island busking.

Just before we moved on, he played an even more obscure Led Zeppelin Song – Bron yr aur, named after the cottage owned by Robert Plant’s family (that was your trivia for the day), and written by Jimmy Page (the song that is – not the cottage. Jimmy Page could hardly have written the cottage).

I’ve also just realised that he was using a sieve as a hat to collect his tips – now that is a little bizarre!

Anyway, if you get hold of a copy of Physical Graffiti you can listen to the Led Zep song.
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Published March 10, 2017

Chopin concert in Warsaw

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There are two composers that (in my opinion) are the the best ever piano composers. The first is Beethoven (a while ago I visited his grave in Vienna), and the other of course is Frédéric Chopin. Every single piece of music that Chopin wrote contains the piano.

They day we arrived in Warsaw there was a free Chopin concert at the Chopin memorial in the Royal Baths Park in the South of Warsaw, so as soon as we found our apartment we dropped our bags and dashed out to head off to the park.

The concert reminded me a lot of the Kirstenbosch concerts in Cape Town (except this one was free), but there were at least a thousand people sitting on benches and the lawns.

While I don’t know the pianist, he is (at least according to the announcer) one of the top Polish Pianists, and judging by his playing he clearly was! It was amazing to sit for an hour and just relax after a crazy long flight and listen to some Chopin.

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Published May 30, 2016

Classical guitar on Krakow Square

It is a blanket statement to say that most street musicians are awful, but in my experience most buskers can play one or two tunes badly, simply using their instruments to get cash from the tourists.

But not all; in Krakow they have a great system. There are specific places where the musicians are allowed to play and they have a roster. Every hour or so all the musicians get up and move away, to be shortly replaces by another musician. They are also (mostly) very good.

Once such muso was this guy. He was playing classical guitar; most of which he was improvising on the spot. He was exceptionally good; clearly classically trained. We ended up sitting for quite a while listening to his guitar singing.

The system is Krakow is great (Prague has a similar setup). It lets you can sit on Krakow Square and enjoy the music without being harassed by buskers. Well except for the unofficial buskers that disappear at the vaguest sign of authority.

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Published February 18, 2016

Vienna State Opera

Here is some of the detail in the magnicifant Vienna Opera House. While I did not manage to see a show, I did have the opportunity to visit the auditorium and entertainment rooms.

Every night they put on a different production, which includes all costumes and sets. This means that if you are in Vienna, you can see a different opera every night.

Here is just a sample of the wonderful interior.
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The balconies

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The balconies with the royal box in the middle

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The royal box

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Published December 17, 2015

Beethoven – 245 years ago

Today we celebrate one of the greatest composers to ever live, Ludwig van Beethoven. He was born 245 years ago today. I play several of his pieces, and have even sung to Ode to Joy (in German) while being conducted by the Ben Zander, the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. I am sure you know his music, but if not look out for the Moonlight Sonata, or Symphany #5 or #9.

When we were in Vienna last year I made a pilgrimage to visit his grave in the Central Cemetery in Vienna.
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