"Split – Mediterranean City of Music"
Historically and geographically, the most valluable part of eastern Adriatic coast can be and the second largest city in Croatia with a population of 200,000 and about 1700 years of its existance, and therefore is rich with numerous archaeological, historical and cultural monuments, from which the most significant is the residence of the famous Roman emperor Diocletian, called Diocletian's palace (UNESCO).
As a mediterranean city, Split also possesses the unusual attractions and warmth and as a result many visitors gladly return to visit it again. Like some poets say, it is because of the unusual mixture of sea, wine, music and sun. In that environment, music is the constituent part of the everyday life and therefore there is no doubt why so many extraordinary musicians, singers and composers of the worldwide music scene come from Split and Dalmatia itself.
In Dalmatia and the city of Split, the very beginnings of intense music life come after the Renaissance in Italy, 17th century, with the early baroque music and has a climax in the 20th century, with entertaining and grave music.
The beginnings of brass-orchestra are developing from the 18th century, when within the Venetian military garrison and certain regiments in Dalmatia worked permanent professional musicians, mostly drummers. But it wasn't until the first half of the 19th century when the music scene intensively took place in the dalmatian social clubs called the Casino.
The Casino was established and visited by respectable town members, mostly of italian origin. Each Casino had his own dance orchestra consisted of brass and string instruments. This way, most of the dalmatian towns, including Split, came in contact with brass music.
Between numerous music manifestations, which are held in Split during a year, we would like to emphasize few summer manifestations: The Festival of Fun Music Split, The Melodies of Croatian Adria, The traditional festival Summer of Split with operas, dramas and concerts on open stages.
Saturday's nights are dedicated to grave music and there are also held folk manifestations.
Last year the first grand international festival of brass music , Mitteleuropa Blasmusikfest, was initiated.
We hope that the suggested brass music manifestation will become a tradition, and also very useful for developement of brass music in Split, Croatia and wide european surroundings.
In that context, for many of the music lovers, especially brass music, the arrival to Split represents great joy and truly a musical challenge.
www.blasmusikfestival.net (Europa – Blasmusik Kamp 2012)
Email: event@blasmusikfestival.net
