Chopin and the Polish Soul
At the end of the 17th century Poland was the largest state in Europe, but within a hundred years it had been partitioned by its powerful neighbours and partly absorbed into the Russian empire. The Poles reacted to Russia’s brutal suppression of their 1830 Uprising by developing a strong cultural identity in which artists played a key role. This lecture shows how Chopin and his revolutionary Polonaises and Mazurkas came to be seen as an indispensable symbol of the Polish nation, both during his lifetime, and in the years before Poland regained its independence in 1918.
Born of the Landscape: Grieg and the Music of Norway From the elaborate carvings on ancient wooden churches to the ultra-modern design of Oslo-based architectural practice Snøhetta, the Norwegian arts have always had a close relationship with nature. This lecture explores how Norway's dramatic scenery has inspired its music, focusing in particular on the music of Edvard Grieg, which will be discussed in the context of contemporary art and poetry.
Sibelius and the Birth of Finland This lecture explores the crucial role played by the music of Sibelius in forging Finnish cultural identity prior to the country's independence in 1917. As with so many Finnish artists, including the painters Eero Järnefelt and Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Sibelius found inspiration in the ancient runes of the Kalevala, the national epic. Iconic works such as Finlandia will be discussed in the context of the emergence of a National Romantic style in Helsinki's architecture.
