Composers who loved football: a comprehensive XI
mainThe composer James MacMillan feels an empathy with others in his vocation who cannot stay off the pitch.
Did you know, for instance, that Edward Elgar was ‘mad about Wolverhampton Wanderers’ or that a living Finnish composer is obsessed by Everton (poor chap).
Read the full lineup in this month’s Standpoint.
Comprehesive? Partial, more like..
Add Graham Firkin for starters
One composer missing is Kalevi Aho. He has written an anthem for the FC Lahti football club.
Embarrassing…..
There’s a work by Enrico Chapela from 2003 called Inguesu that details a 1999 match between Mexico and Brazil. The winds and percussion each represent a player (i.e. Trumpet 1 is Ronaldhino). Towards the end of the work, the conductor give a red card to the bass trombone player.
Coincidentally, it was performed by LA Phil with its music director just a couple of weeks ago.
And let’s not overlook David Golightly’s Middlesbrough Symphony.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-14745220
I believe that part of Ronald Binge’s Saturday Symphony is a reference to a football match. I’d get out more but I’m waiting for my cup final tickets to arrive:)