CHRISTOPHER Morley gave his sixth presentation of recorded music for the society, which began as "The Italian Connection" but became "Pictures of Italy", representing music by composers who were inspired by that country.
Mendelssohn wrote his fourth symphony when visiting Naples, Elgar's In the South expresses his feelings on arrival in Italy in 1904, while Rachmaninov's The Isle of the Dead was inspired by a painting of a boat sailing in the Tyrannean Sea.
Many French composers were inspired by Italy, including Claude Debussy, whose Les Collines de Annacapri featured the tarantella rhythm of a Neapolitan song, and Francis Poulenc wrote the Napoli suite depicting urban scenes.
Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italienne was heard, the tone poem Aus Italien by Richard Strauss, and Funiculi, Funicul.
Wagner wrote the score for Parsifal in Italy, and after moving to Ischia, William Walton composed his cello concerto.
Sibelius's second symphony brought the programme to a close.
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