Xpose
Purcell
Handel
Holst
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"A foggy day in London Town, Had
me low and had me down..." Ira Gershwin
wrote in a famous song 'A Foggy Day' from
1937. But London is a cornerstone in the history of Western music and a
global center for architecture and art, full of museums and concert halls,
a place for great classical
and Rock & Roll
music.
Westminster
Abbey
is the crowning and burial place of most British Monarchs. Composers Henry
Purcell
and George Friederic Handel
used to live in London and are buried
here. The latter's visit to London was a great success, a fact that encouraged
him to stay here for the rest of his life. Joseph
Haydn
also traveled to London twice in his life. His last 12 symphonies
and many other works were written for London and first performed here.
Another great composer who moved to London was the British Gustav
Holst.
He studied at the Royal College of Music
and became head of the music department at St. Paul's
Girl's School.
Several composers are buried in St.Paul's Cathedral,
the most famous amongst them is Sir Arthur Sullivan.
Abbey
Road studios,
London's world famous recording venue of The Beatles
is one of the most important places for pop
music lovers. The most prominent rock band recorded here masterpiece albums
like 'Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'
and 'Abbey Road'. Although the studios are
closed to the public, you might dare to have a picture taken in the middle
of the famous crossing where the Beatles' picture for the 'Abbey
Road' album cover was taken.
The Royal Albert Hall
with its oval plan and 8000 seats is one of the most famous concert halls
in London. It is most famous for the classical music concerts that it holds
(including the BBC Proms) but also for rock concerts. The
Big Ben
chimes are quoted in the Vaughan Williams's
Symphony no. 2 ('London' Symphony)
London's musicals
are most famous and with great Londoners musicals' writers such as Andrew
Lloyd Webber and the Elton John and
Tim Rice team, you must go to one of the great
hits, such as 'Cats', 'Phantom
of the Opera' or 'Miss Saigon'.
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