Emmanuel Chabrier is a composer from whom we hear only very rarely in concert, though his admirers included Gustav Mahler, Manuel de Falla, Maurice Ravel and Francis Poulenc. Come and learn about his most popular composition, the ever-sunny España of 1883.
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This session introduces Emmanuel Chabrier’s wildly popular España, composed in 1883 after Chabrier had taken an extended trip to Spain the previous year. We will explore the details of Chabrier’s Spanish journey and the contemporary French fascination with Spanish dance styles. Through guided listening and discussion, we will dive into the details of España’s distinctive rhythms, harmonic colour and vivid orchestration, and consider its position within French musical culture and its influence on composers such as Debussy and Ravel.
What will we cover?
Chabrier’s biography to the 1880s
The 1882 trip to Spanish and Chabrier’s musical impressions
Popular Spanish dance forms (e.g. jota, malagueña, seguidilla) and their adaptation in this piece
Orchestration, rhythm, and harmonic language in España
Reception history and early performances
Chabrier’s influence on later composers
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Summarise the historical background of España
Identify key musical features, including the ways in which Chabrier incorporates Spanish musical elements into his work
Appreciate the work’s impact on later composers
Suggest why España remains a staple of the orchestral repertoire today
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
No previous musical knowledge is required. The session is open to learners at all levels. An interest in orchestral music, 19th‑century culture, or French music will be helpful but not essential. Enthusiastic newcomers are warmly welcome.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The session will comprise combinations of lecture, discussion, quizzes, guided listening, video and score study. Course materials (handouts, scores, links to online videos) will be shared via Google Classroom. You will be encouraged to do extra reading and listening outside class.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You may also wish to purchase some of the music books or recordings discussed in class, links to these materials will be available online in Google Classroom after each session.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
To find out more about music history classes please visit Music history: your guide to our programme, which lists our full programme of classes ordered by term, and by day of the week. You may then click on each title to read the full course outline.
Dr Katy Hamilton is a freelance researcher, writer and presenter on music. She is fast becoming one of the UK’s most sought-after speakers on music, providing talks for a host of organisations including the Wigmore Hall, Southbank Centre, BBC Proms, Ryedale Festival and Oxford Lieder Festival. In addition, she regularly writes programme notes for the Salzburg Festival, North Norfolk Festival and the Philharmonia Orchestra, and is a frequent contributor to BBC Radio 3’s Record Review. Katy worked as Graham Johnson’s research assistant for his monumental Franz Schubert: The Songs and their Poets (Yale University Press, 2014) and is co-editor of Brahms in the Home and the Concert Hall (Cambridge University Press, 2014) and Brahms in Context (Cambridge University Press, 2019). In addition to her research and presentation work, Katy has taught at the Royal College of Music, City Lit, the University of Nottingham and Middlesex University, working with students in performance workshops and music history classes. She has been teaching Music History courses at City Lit since 2015. She is also Public Events Programmer at the Foundling Museum in central London.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/great-works-chabrier-s-espa-a3034510Great works: Chabrier's Españahttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/Musicianship_for_singers-1024.jpg3939GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Performing arts/Courses/Performing arts/Music/Courses/Performing arts/Music/Music history/Courses/Online courses/Courses/New courses2285131413511363173117431228513141351<p>Emmanuel Chabrier is a composer from whom we hear only very rarely in concert, though his admirers included Gustav Mahler, Manuel de Falla, Maurice Ravel and Francis Poulenc. Come and learn about his most popular composition, the ever-sunny <em>España</em> of 1883.</p>003034354Great works: Chabrier's España3939https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/Musicianship_for_singers-1024.jpgInStockDaytimeWedOnlineAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekday2027-04-14T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allApr 2027Performing artsMD039B3939Great works: Chabrier's España393939Katy Hamiltongreat-works-chabrier-s-espa-a/md039b-2627<p>Emmanuel Chabrier is a composer from whom we hear only very rarely in concert, though his admirers included Gustav Mahler, Manuel de Falla, Maurice Ravel and Francis Poulenc. Come and learn about his most popular composition, the ever-sunny <em>España</em> of 1883.</p>0000-Available|2027-04-14 00:00:00<p>This session introduces Emmanuel Chabrier’s wildly popular <em>España</em>, composed in 1883 after Chabrier had taken an extended trip to Spain the previous year. We will explore the details of Chabrier’s Spanish journey and the contemporary French fascination with Spanish dance styles. Through guided listening and discussion, we will dive into the details of <em>España</em>’s distinctive rhythms, harmonic colour and vivid orchestration, and consider its position within French musical culture and its influence on composers such as Debussy and Ravel. </p><p>Emmanuel Chabrier is a composer from whom we hear only very rarely in concert, though his admirers included Gustav Mahler, Manuel de Falla, Maurice Ravel and Francis Poulenc. Come and learn about his most popular composition, the ever-sunny <em>España</em> of 1883.</p><ul><li>Chabrier’s biography to the 1880s</li><li>The 1882 trip to Spanish and Chabrier’s musical impressions</li><li>Popular Spanish dance forms (e.g. jota, malagueña, seguidilla) and their adaptation in this piece</li><li>Orchestration, rhythm, and harmonic language in <em>España</em></li><li>Reception history and early performances</li><li>Chabrier’s influence on later composers</li></ul><ul><li>Summarise the historical background of <em>España</em></li><li>Identify key musical features, including the ways in which Chabrier incorporates Spanish musical elements into his work</li><li>Appreciate the work’s impact on later composers</li><li>Suggest why <em>España</em> remains a staple of the orchestral repertoire today </li></ul><p>No previous musical knowledge is required. The session is open to learners at all levels. An interest in orchestral music, 19th‑century culture, or French music will be helpful but not essential. Enthusiastic newcomers are warmly welcome. </p><p>The session will comprise combinations of lecture, discussion, quizzes, guided listening, video and score study.<br>Course materials (handouts, scores, links to online videos) will be shared via Google Classroom.<br>You will be encouraged to do extra reading and listening outside class.</p><p>You may also wish to purchase some of the music books or recordings discussed in class, links to these materials will be available online in Google Classroom after each session.</p><p>To find out more about music history classes please visit <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/blog/music-history-your-guide-our-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Music history: your guide to our programme</a>, which lists our full programme of classes ordered by term, and by day of the week. You may then click on each title to read the full course outline.</p>MusicMusic historyvirtual393939MD039BNONEWed14/04/2710:30 - 12:3010:3012:301 session1One-off onlyDaytimeWeekdayONLOnlineKaty HamiltonBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2027-04-14T00:00:00+00:00Apr 2027Performing arts3939Great works: Chabrier's Españagreat-works-chabrier-s-espa-a/md039b-2627<p>Emmanuel Chabrier is a composer from whom we hear only very rarely in concert, though his admirers included Gustav Mahler, Manuel de Falla, Maurice Ravel and Francis Poulenc. Come and learn about his most popular composition, the ever-sunny <em>España</em> of 1883.</p>0000-Available|2027-04-14 00:00:00<p>This session introduces Emmanuel Chabrier’s wildly popular <em>España</em>, composed in 1883 after Chabrier had taken an extended trip to Spain the previous year. We will explore the details of Chabrier’s Spanish journey and the contemporary French fascination with Spanish dance styles. Through guided listening and discussion, we will dive into the details of <em>España</em>’s distinctive rhythms, harmonic colour and vivid orchestration, and consider its position within French musical culture and its influence on composers such as Debussy and Ravel. </p><p>Emmanuel Chabrier is a composer from whom we hear only very rarely in concert, though his admirers included Gustav Mahler, Manuel de Falla, Maurice Ravel and Francis Poulenc. Come and learn about his most popular composition, the ever-sunny <em>España</em> of 1883.</p><ul><li>Chabrier’s biography to the 1880s</li><li>The 1882 trip to Spanish and Chabrier’s musical impressions</li><li>Popular Spanish dance forms (e.g. jota, malagueña, seguidilla) and their adaptation in this piece</li><li>Orchestration, rhythm, and harmonic language in <em>España</em></li><li>Reception history and early performances</li><li>Chabrier’s influence on later composers</li></ul><ul><li>Summarise the historical background of <em>España</em></li><li>Identify key musical features, including the ways in which Chabrier incorporates Spanish musical elements into his work</li><li>Appreciate the work’s impact on later composers</li><li>Suggest why <em>España</em> remains a staple of the orchestral repertoire today </li></ul><p>No previous musical knowledge is required. The session is open to learners at all levels. An interest in orchestral music, 19th‑century culture, or French music will be helpful but not essential. Enthusiastic newcomers are warmly welcome. </p><p>The session will comprise combinations of lecture, discussion, quizzes, guided listening, video and score study.<br>Course materials (handouts, scores, links to online videos) will be shared via Google Classroom.<br>You will be encouraged to do extra reading and listening outside class.</p><p>You may also wish to purchase some of the music books or recordings discussed in class, links to these materials will be available online in Google Classroom after each session.</p><p>To find out more about music history classes please visit <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/blog/music-history-your-guide-our-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Music history: your guide to our programme</a>, which lists our full programme of classes ordered by term, and by day of the week. You may then click on each title to read the full course outline.</p>MusicMusic historyconfigurable
13631351Music historyhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/performing-arts/music/music-history1/2/285/1314/1351/13631/Courses/Performing arts/Music/Music history
