<\/p>
With Wimbledon 2024 getting underway, our thoughts have turned to the links between classical music and tennis<\/a><\/strong>. And there are quite a few of them, as it turns out. <\/p> An all-round sportsman who played cricket, football and croquet, this British composer was particularly fond of a spot of tennis. But he wasn’t an opponent to be messed with. \u2018Ben<\/strong><\/a> was intensely, remorselessly competitive in an almost sadistic way,\u2019 remembers author Jonathan Gathorne-Hardy. \u2018When you were beaten by him at squash or tennis\u2026 you literally felt that he\u2019d been \u201cbeating\u201d you.’<\/p> Not quite French Open material, but Debussy<\/strong><\/a> did enjoy an occasional game of tennis with fellow composer Maurice Ravel<\/a><\/strong>. More than this: his ballet Jeux<\/a><\/strong><\/em> is even based on tennis, albeit rather loosely. \u2018In the park at twilight, a tennis ball has got lost\u2026\u2019 begins the scenario. And apart from the tennis court setting and the costumes, that’s pretty much it for the tennis theme. After that, any references to ‘love’ are more to do with affairs of the heart than the current score of the match.<\/p>Tennis-playing composers<\/strong><\/h2>
Benjamin Britten<\/strong><\/h3>
Claude Debussy<\/strong> <\/h3>