World Cup Classics.

[teamsaint]

Footy fans and others will have noticed that the great game's greatest festival is about to begin.

So a musical thread might be good to get in the spirit, or as diversion for those overwhelmed by more footy than they can cope with.

I thought suggestions of great but perhaps under exposed works from the countries involved would help us though the gaps between matches, the interminable wait for the dreaded penalty shoot outs to begin, or whatever.

Plus I was listening to some Villa Lobos today, which kind of gave me the idea.

here's something ace from the host nation.

[Sir Velo]

Wake me up in a month!

'night all.

[Beef Oven!]

Italy, my team! Won it twice in my lifetime, this time will be an uphill struggle, methinks.

Premiata Forneria Marconi - Impressioni Di Settembre.

Nice bit of RPI (Rock Progressivo Italiano)

[teamsaint]

Brazil's opponents in the opening fixture are Croatia.

here is a piano Quintet from the highly regarded Croatian composer Dora Pejacevic.

little biog here:
Dora Pejačević (1885-1923), probably the greatest Croatian female composer. Born in Budapest, she belonged to a highly influential Croatian noble family, based in Našice (Slavonia). Her compositional style shows clear marks of Brahms, Schumann and also Fauré, and there are traces of impressionism and expressionism in her oeuvre, alongside the predominant late Romantic sound. She is considered as the composer of the first true piano concerto in Croatian music (1913) and of the first modern Croatian symphony (premiered by the Dresdner Philharmoniker in 1920). Dora died too early, giving birth to her son.

[Nick Armstrong]

Something for one of those TV-football suppers....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...2254062&sr=1-1

[Nick Armstrong]

And in this significant remembrance year....

'Is football playing
Along the river shore,
With lads to chase the leather,
Now I stand up no more?’

'Ay, the ball is flying,
The lads play heart and soul;
The goal stands up, the keeper
Stands up to keep the goal'

Is my Team Ploughing? (Shropshire Lad, Butterworth)

[antongould]

If an Austrian born French composer is allowed

Ignaz Joseph Pleyel - Cello Concerto Ben. 106

[EdgeleyRob]

Surely England,of all the countries in the finals,has the best musical pedigree,with Russia in second.
Can't think of that much great German,Austrian,French or Italian music.
Our own Elgar even penned the first football chant.

[Don Petter]

Can't think of that much great German, Austrian, French or Italian music.

Hmm. I suppose they all had their off sides ...

Our own Elgar even penned the first football chant.

As sung by a sanguine fan?

[Petrushka]

Franz von Suppe must cover half the European nations taking part

He was born in Split, now in Croatia, his father was Italian of Belgian ancestry and his mother was Viennese!

[EdgeleyRob]

Hmm. I suppose they all had their off sides ...



As sung by a sanguine fan?

Groan.

[Radio64]

Italy, my team! Won it twice in my lifetime, this time will be an uphill struggle, methinks.

Premiata Forneria Marconi - Impressioni Di Settembre.

Nice bit of RPI (Rock Progressivo Italiano)

aaarrghhhh! Well you can imagine what kind of a pickle I'm in right from the first kick-off ! Despite living in this country for nigh on 30 years I don't think I could ever "support" It*ly .. my loyalty lies with the Three Lions I have to say even though I know very little about the team and I'm pretty sure we'll lose the first match.

nice choice of Italian song though Beefs.

Here's mine (forgive me):

[Radio64]

Every 2014 World Cup national anthem reviewed by a pop star!

(c) Gruniad

[Hitch]

England supporters must surely plump for Dido's Lament.

[johncorrigan]

I know she's not Ghanaian, but Ghana are in there, so here is the wonderful 'Ghana' by Dorothy Masuka, a great favourite of the old Kershaw Show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDeaKNBj6Mc