#ClassicsaDay Revisits #NAFTAclassics - Week 2

The Classics a Day team is made up of Americans and Canadians. The month of July has important national holidays for both countries. And so the theme for July is the music of North America. (Mexico doesn't have a major holiday in July, but we decided to be inclusive). 

In my posts for #ClassicsaDay I alternated between the three countries. Of course, July 1 featured a Canadian composer, and July 4 an American. Here are my posts for the second week of #NAFTAclassics.

7/8/19 Kelly-Marie Murphy (Canadian) - Curiosity, Genius, and the Search for Petula Clark

Murphy's work was commissioned for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's Glen Gould tribute. It reference's Gould's tracking a Petula Clark song from station to station as he drove across Canada.

7/9/19 Silvestre Revueltas (Mexican) - Sensemayá

Revueltas' most popular work is based on a poem by Nicolás Guillén. The subject is a ritual Afro-Caribbean chant, used during a sacrifice to the god Babalu Aye.

7/10/19 Alexina Louie (Canadian) - Changes

Louie is both a composer and pianist. "Changes" is the second of a four-part work, "Music for Piano." It presents contemporary music concepts in music playable by young students.

7/11/19 Amy Beach (American) - Variations on Balkan Themes, Op. 60

Beach premiered her Variations in one of her own recitals. The work was written to show support for the unsuccessful 1903 Ilinden Uprising against their Ottoman rulers.

7/12/19 Healey Willan (Canadian) - Piano Concerto in C minor, Op. 76

Willan was organist/choir director of Toronto's largest church from 1921 until his death in 1968. Though most of his 800 compositions were liturgical, he also wrote chamber and orchestral music, like this concerto.