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On any trip to Europe, enjoying music, especially that unique to a particular culture, can be a highlight. In each country, I like to find the most interesting examples of local music. Music that embodies the uniqueness of a country, celebrates its culture and heritage, music that makes the hearts of local residents flutter. This quick tour will cover half a dozen countries: Austria, Italy, Germany, Spain, England, and France, before we return to the United States. And at each minute stop, we will focus on music that tells the story of people and their stories. We will start in the heart of Europe, in Austria, with a waltz. Yes, this is Strauss's waltz " Tales of the Vienna
Woods." In this land of well-mannered people, white- gloved elegance, and natural beauty, joyful dancing means waltz. A waltz always sounds in three-quarter time. There is one strong accent for every three syllables. One, two, three. And so on. the Younger. He was called the king of the waltz. He was a favorite of Vienna in the late 1800s , and his music still has a magical influence. Vienna is the classical music capital of Europe. This is the number one hit of 1868. A Strauss waltz named after the Vienna Woods. Next, we pack our things and set off across the mighty Alps to sunny Italy for a
tarantella. Yes. This is a tarantella. She is fast, fiery, playful, almost breathtaking. It's like a waltz, but much faster. She embodies the spirit of Italians, known for their cheerfulness and emotionality. This piece is an Italian wedding dance, and if you happen to be at an Italian wedding today, it is still played. Oh, now we're traveling north, over the Alps to Germany, to listen to some Wagner. Yes, the dramatic music of Richard Wagner. It suits this land of mighty castles on hills, dark forests, and deep rivers. When the German people began to unite in the 1800s, they celebrated their common roots. They delved into their distant past.
Patriotic artists and composers found dramatic myths about heroic knights and beautiful maidens of the Middle Ages. Or, as this music suggests, of fierce female warriors who leap through the sky and speak German. Wagner still stirs the souls of his compatriots, and that is "The Flight of the Valkyries." It's like the Star Wars of the 19th century. Next, we musically travel to Spain, the homeland of flamenco and "ole!". Spain. This is the land where Europe meets Africa, a crossroads where Arab, Gypsy, and European cultures have blended. Deep passions and diverse cultural influences combine in the intense dance of flamenco. When I hear this kind of music, I see proud Spanish
riders on their prancing Andalusian stallions and their confident señoras sitting next to them in the saddle. This is music that disturbs the souls of Spaniards. Instead of wild passions, let's visit England, where greatness and decency reign. We may know this piece because we use it to celebrate educational achievements, but it is the anthem of the nation in its heyday, when it was the greatest empire of the era. At a time when Britain ruled a quarter of the planet, grand works such as Sir Edward Elgar's "Pomp and Occasion" embodied the confidence of the British Empire at the dawn of the 20th century. No tour of Europe, musical or otherwise, would be complete
without a stop in France. Yeah, really in French. Sweet, melodious, easy to sing, usually in three-quarter time. One, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three. This is a musette. This is a melody that you might hear in a Parisian cafe. The French are known for their love of communication. They love to gather in cafes for delicious food and pleasant conversations. If I were making a nostalgic film about the good life in France, this would be the soundtrack to it. And most French people would agree with that. After our musical blitz tour of Europe, I think it's time for a happy cultural return home to the USA. This piece is a march by John Philip Sousa, and it really brings us home. The United States may not have a long history to
draw on, but we certainly have the music of our own culture. Although there are many genres of American music, they are generally characterized by optimism, lively energy, and accessibility for everyone. Sousa, known as the "King of the Marches," wrote this piece in 1896 while abroad and homesick. He cherished fond memories of the American flag, those stars and stripes forever fluttering in the wind. I just love how every country has its own favorite music, music that touches the hearts of its people. It's natural for people to want to be proud of their homeland, support their culture, and march, dance, or dream to their own music. But it's also great to take this wonderful, albeit ethnocentric, musical emotion on a journey. Our trip took us through
Austria, Italy, Germany, Spain, England and France, and then back to the good old USA. Welcome home.
