Woods - The 50 greatest musical places of the world

It may only be the fifth largest city in the UK in terms of size and population, but Manchesters influence on the UKs culture scene is immense. As an important hub over many generations that has produced some of Europes finest musical artists across the genres, music has been at the heart of the city for several hundred years. In Elizabethan times, the finest musicians in the city were summoned to the Court Leet to play for royalty and noblemen. Before long, the reputation of Manchesters musical masters was well known in aristocratic circles far and wide. During the classical performances of the early 1800s, the public of Manchester soon became famous for their responsiveness and rapturous applause. This encouraged the composers of Europe, including Liszt and Brahms amongst others, to add the city to their European concert tours. The importance of musical pursuits in Manchester elevated to such a level that the role of music advisor for all Manchester schools was created in 1918. This ensured each school had a choir and orchestra and offered tuition in a variety of instruments. Popular ensembles began to spring up around the city, including the Gentlemens Glee Club, the Manchester Vocal Society and the Brodsky Quartet. Today Manchester has three symphony orchestras, a chamber orchestra and numerous centres for musical education, including the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) and Chethams School of Music.

In 1929 the 250-strong Manchester Childrens Choir recorded Henry Purcells Nymphs and Shepherds and the Evening Benediction from Hansel and Gretel with the citys Halle Orchestra at the Free Trade Hall. It followed a year of rehearsals by the 60 boys and 190 girls and was released by Columbia Records, selling a staggering 1 million copies. In 1989, 60 years after it was recorded, EMI awarded the choir a Gold Disc.

Since 1996, Manchester has had an ultra-modern, acoustically-balanced, high-tech 2,500 seat concert venue called the Bridgewater Hall in Lower Mosley Street, where the Halle Orchestra are in residence. Though the old Free Trade Hall has long gone, other historical venues remain, including the RNCM, the Royal Exchange Theatre and a wide variety of halls that are home to many of Northern Englands leading brass bands. In England in the early 1990s, the working-class industrialised communities each had a band, usually sponsored by the colliery, steam-powered mill or pit that was the main employer. Manchester has very little pre-industrialised history to speak of, having been powered by the industrial revolution when several of the tall, smoke-spewing chimneys of the areas large-scale cotton mills were visible for miles and miles.

Finally, of course, there is Manchesters richly-endowed pop music scene that played an integral role in every decade from the 1950s to the present day. From the Saints Jazz Band, Derek Atkins Dixielanders and Smoky City Stompers in the 1950s, Freddie and the Dreamers and Hermans Hermits in the 1960s, 10cc and the Buzzcocks in the 1970s, The Smiths and Joy Division in the 1980s and a whole slew of artists in the 1990s that formed part of the so-called Madchester Scene such as the Happy Mondays, Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets, The Charlatans, James and, arguably Manchesters most popular band, Oasis.

Manchesters main pop music venue is the award-winning Manchester Arena: a 21,000-capacity stadium that ranks as Europes largest. However, many bands prefer to play the more atmospheric venues, such as the Manchester Apollo and Manchester Academy as well as very smallest, the Band on the Wall, the Ruby Lounge and the Bierkeller. As a music city, Manchester is a location to rank alongside New Orleans with its unique sound, high standard of musicianship and innumerable musical outlets. The citys Factory Records, the legendary oh-so-hip Hacienda nightclub and the old stomping grounds of bands that range from Elbow, The Smiths and Oasis to The Hollies, The Chemical Brothers and the Bee Gees makes Manchester a great place for music-lovers to explore. Manchester tourist offices have a map of the top places to experience the best bands and sounds in the city. There are also musical tours that guide you around the Manchester urban landscape to point out the ordinary city buildings that became iconic once theyd appeared on album covers and posters. Meet the people that inspired Manchesters great musicians, walk in their footsteps and hear first-hand how Manchester has produced more pop-stars per capita of population than any other city in the world.