Cultural Travels from Home: A Musical Journey through Spain

Thursday 13th May, 6.00 PM

In our series of online webinars, we visit artists, art historians and guides in cultural cities around the world and enjoy an hour’s guided tour, museum visit or demonstration. The visits are live and interactive, allowing you to ask questions. These webinars will enable you to gain special access to sites, studios and galleries which are either currently closed or difficult to visit whilst at the same time providing a wonderful opportunity to travel virtually from home, no matter your location. Our visits will also support galleries and individuals working in the cultural sector whose activities have been affected by the pandemic.

This week we are delighted to welcome the internationally renowned classical guitarist Morgan Szymanski who will be joining us live from Mexico. Morgan has established himself as one of the finest performers of his generation and can regularly be heard at major UK venues including Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room and Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Our specially created programme is designed to take you on a musical journey through Spain. We begin with Variations on a Theme by Mozart  by Fernando Sor, a Catalan composer who initiated his musical studies in the beautiful monastery of Montserrat near Barcelona. We stay on a Catalan theme with Miguel Llobet’s Catalan Folk Song arrangements and then travel to Andalucia with Tárrega’s Capricho Árabe and Recuerdos de la Alhambra, one of the most famous pieces written for the classical guitar. Finally we hear Albéniz’s Granada, inspired by the Andalucian city, and Asturias, also by Albéniz. Our recital includes an informal interview in which we discuss connections between Spanish music, art and architecture and themes such as the Arab influence in Spain and the development of the Spanish guitar. You will also learn about the guitar technique, for example, what is “tremolo”? How do harmonics work?  You will be invited to ask Morgan questions and plenty of time will be allowed to answer as many of these as possible.

Here is a testimonial following our last online collaboration in 2020, in which we explored the music of Mexico:  “That was incredible! There are no words to describe how wonderful it was .. It was one of the loveliest recitals I have heard for a long time and I can’t believe how well it worked on my computer. Thank you for bringing this special evening directly to my living room!”

This is a live event starting at 6.00PM (UK time) and will last approximately one hour.  Tune in from anywhere in the world to join or watch on catch up. For those who are unable to participate live, you will automatically be sent a recording soon after the end of the session enabling you to watch later that evening or the following day. Please note, the recording is only available to those who have not been able to participate live.

Booking closes the day before the event is streamed. Please refer to the Further Information panel below. Priority Booking for Friends of Art History in Focus runs until 28th February when general booking will open.

 

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