Archive for the 'music' Category

SOMETHING NEW: CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMANCES FOR AHA TRAVELERS

February 22nd, 2012

Gregorian Chants at Abbey Sant'Antimo, Tuscany

“. . . a true knowledge of the object of our affections gives greater love of it; if our knowledge is slight our love will be little or nothing . . .” Leonardo DaVinci

The object of my affection is Italy, and for twenty years I have been building a true knowledge of it. This knowledge, and subsequent love, is what I will share with you on an AHA trip, it is as simple as that.

For sometime, AHA has been trying to include more music in its travel, and now we will. We are so pleased to announce that beginning in the 2012 travel season, your chosen  itinerary will  include an optional classical music performance! With music being a huge component of any culture, what a perfect fit for AHA guests that are seeking cultural immersion. Your itinerary might include a night at the Opera in Florence, a chamber music recital in a baroque church in Paris, or Gregorian Chants in an ancient Abbey in Tuscany.  Europe is rich with the arts, and we will select something wonderful for every one of our upcoming European trips.

We are launching this new aspect of AHA travel with Musica in Tuscany, July 2012. This itinerary includes a one day music festival, four days in Tuscany and two days in Rome. While in Tuscany, we will stay at Castello di Proceno, host to the annual Convivio in Musica. As Italian music enthusiasts gather in the stone courtyard of Castello di Proceno, we, who are actually staying at the castle, will join the group for a performance of favorite opera arias, followed by a delicious buffet, complete with cold bubbling Prosecco.

Join our Musica in Tuscany group, get to know a bit of beautiful Tuscany, and top it off by spending two wonderful days in amazing Rome.

 

TRIP #2 – ITALY’S SARDEGNA: ANCIENT, WILD, SPECTACULAR, by Gillian Seely

August 30th, 2011

 

May 22 – 28, 2012 ~ 7 Days ~ Group Size: 6

Price: $3,100.00

AHA is so pleased to have Gillian Seely on board to guide this deeply cultural adventure to her loved Sardegna.  An effervescent and bright young woman who loves AHA as I do, whomever travels with her to Italy will have a wonderful and rich time.  I will be joining this trip, my first to Sardegna, so am looking forward to learning all about this island right along side of you.

Why Sardegna?  By Gillian Seely

In 2006, I went with a friend to the French island of Corsica for a long weekend.  It was stunning, peaceful, and vibrant in a bizarre and serene way that is unique to the Mediterranean, but it was missing something.  Admittedly an Italophile, I wasn’t really satisfied.  “I want my seafood mixed in with al dente linguine”, and “Why aren’t people yelling at each other in heated conversation over dinner?” I whined (in my head, of course).  The island immediately to the south beckoned.  I wanted to go to Sardegna—to see the same kind of island, but, in my mind, the improved version.  Improved simply by virtue of having been inhabited by the fiery and beautiful Italians with whom I am so obsessed.  We didn’t have time.

In the summer of 2010, several years after moving stateside, I did go back to the Mediterranean, and finally, to Sardegna.  It exceeded my expectations, and now I have been honored with the opportunity to lead an Art History Alive trip to this incredible and unforgettable island.

What can you expect to experience on an AHA trip to Sardegna?  Without paraphrasing the itinerary, here’s a look at the cultural highlights that make this one of my favorite destinations:
The Language: “Lingua Sarda”, “Sardu”, or “Limba Sarda”.  A beautiful and musical language that is Italian in essence, but is completely different– as any Italian will readily admit.  The language is said to “feature archaic phonetic features when compared to other Romance languages”.  It is believed to have been influenced by Illyrian, Etruscan, and even the Basque language.   The root of “sard” is said to have come from the “Sherden”, one of the so-called “Peoples of the Sea”.  I’m not a linguist, but it is noticeably different from the Italian I have studied, and for me, listening to Sardu makes me feel like I’m eavesdropping on something ancient and mysterious.

Sardinian “Music Bread”

The Food: Expect to taste authentically-regional island cuisine that comes straight from the sea and the land…really!  You’ll find very few gimmicky “spaghetti Bolognese” set menus here.  Save for a few major grocery chains that import from the continent, the island heavily utilizes its own resources– from seafood to locally-grown produce, and grapes that make unique and flavorful wines.  And the locals are very proud of this point, as you might imagine.  Some delicacies of the island include “pane carasu” or “music bread”, a flat, tortilla-like accompaniment to many main courses; and “fregula”, a pasta of Moorish origin that resembles couscous.  Everything is unique and flavorful!

The Music: Cantu a Tenore is an ancient form of polyphonic “throat singing” that has put the island on the map, musically.  According to some historians, the practice of singing in this style dates back to the Nuragic civilization (we’ll learn all about them on this trip).  Some speculate that the deeply-primitive and almost Moorish sounds were intended to mimic the sounds of the sheep.  The Nuragic people were shepherds.

Nuraghe Dwelling

The Sites: We will see the Nuraghe dwellings, and the Domus de Janas (literally, “houses of the fairies”).  These are strange, prehistoric, beehive-like structures, believed to have been inhabited by the semi-nomadic Sardegnan people.  We will also see the breathtaking Grotto di Nettuno (Neptune’s Grotto), a massive system of coastal caverns filled with intense geological features.  This is one of the most visually-appealing stalactite caves in Europe, and the approach by boat is dramatic to say the least.

Coast of Sardinia

The Beaches: White sands, blue water with excellent visibility, and countless opportunities for snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming in refreshing waters.  Sure, this isn’t the main thrust of the trip, but these beaches are to die for.

Tempted yet?  Sardegna isn’t for everyone.  It does not offer bustling urban nightlife, well-managed museums, high-end shopping districts, or high-profile Roman ruins.  It can be challenging to get around, the residents are uncommonly conservative, and tourism is relatively new to the island.  It is, however, a wonderful place for an authentic Mediterranean adventure and deeply cultural experience.   Think of Sardegna as Italy’s unruly, wild, but stunningly-beautiful cousin.

D.H. Lawrence said it best:

“Sardinia, which is like nowhere. Sardinia, which has no history, no date, no race, no offering. Let it be Sardinia. They say neither Romans nor Phoenicians, Greeks nor Arabs ever subdued Sardinia. It lies out- side; outside the circuit of civilisation. Like the Basque lands. Sure enough, it is Italian now, with its railways and its motor-omnibuses. But there is an uncaptured Sardinia still. It lies within the net of this European civilisation, but it isn’t landed yet…Let it be Sardinia.”

Flag of Sardegna

TRIP #5 – GERMANY AND THE ROMANTIC ROAD, by Gillian Seely

August 30th, 2011

 

Beautiful Nurnburg, Germany

 CASTLES, CATHEDRALS AND A CONCENTRATION CAMP

This beautiful 8 day itinerary is available for purchase as your own personal tour. Call for price and travel at your convenience.

On this trip, we will stop at various points along the fabled Romantic Road of Germany.  We will begin at the northern end of the road, in the medieval city of Wurzburg, which is situated along the Main River and was once an important stop along the Spice Road.  In fact, the name Wurzburg means “Spice City”, and the influence of this mercantile history upon the region is felt in the quaint marketplaces and cobbled streets. We will visit the Wurzburg Residenz, a large and elaborate Rococo palace that is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and its accompanying gardens.  We will enjoy a white wine tasting at the city’s stately wine cellar (northern Bavaria, known as Franconia, boasts some of the world’s best white wines). Still in Wurzburg, we will go to a medieval fortress on a hill that overlooks the city and explore its grounds and the nearby monastery, staying at the beautiful Hotel Maritim on the Main River through rolling vineyard country.

Wuerzburg Residenz

Moving south, we will enjoy some time in Rothenburg, a world-famous medieval fortress town in northern Bavaria, renowned for its city walls (which can be traversed, and from which you can see the rolling hills for miles around), and for its quaint central square, historical artisan shops, and restaurants—this is a great place for picking up Bavarian souvenirs skillfully made from wood and glass.

Later we will visit Nurnberg, seeing the beautiful central square of the city.  We will explore the Toy Museum (Nurnberg is known for its toy manufacturing,  particularly around Christmas time), and visiting the Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelände (Germans aren’t known for linguistic brevity), a somber, but enlightening World War II museum at the site of the Nazi Party’s rallying grounds.

Fairytale Castle, Neuschwanstein

Moving south from Nurnberg, we will visit Munich—site of the world-famous Hofbrauhaus, and the Marienplatz—home of the dancing glockenspiel.  There will be an optional excursion from Munich to the nearby site of the Dachau concentration camp. While this excursion isn’t for everybody, a trip to the site gives unparalleled insight into the lives and deaths of the millions of prisoners who fell victim to the Nazi mentality, and provides a good way to come to terms with the contrasts between the Germany of then and of now.

Leaving Munich, we will visit Neuschwanstein Castle—the “Cindarella Castle” that has come to be a symbol of Bavaria.  Nestled at the foot of the German Alps, a tour of this massive  and iconic castle lets you learn about “Mad King Ludwig” and soak up some regional history.

Our last stop will be in Garmisch Partenkirchen, a stunning mountain town on the Austrian border, and at the end of the Romantic Road.  GAP, as it’s

Munich, Germany

known by locals, is a high-end ski resort in the winter, and a quaint place for hiking and Bavarian-style outdoor activities in the summer.  The views in GAP alone make it perhaps the most beautiful part of the trip.  The trip will end here, and direct trains to Munich run every hour from the GAP station, making airport access very convenient, or alternative transportation can easily be arranged.

This trip will give you an appreciation of the culture of Germany, and specifically of Bavaria.  We will eat delicious and hearty German cuisine, travel along the high-speed and world-famous autobahns, see the stunning countryside, and learn all about the culture of Germany in the middle ages, during the European Renaissance, and World War II…and, importantly, we will come to love and understand the Germany of today!