Repertoire & Performances
****
Whether he’s performing a classical piano piece,
or hearing folk music for the first time,
Visby delights in sharing all kinds of music
with fellow cruisers….and readers.
****
Now you can join Visby
as he presents a colorful repertoire ~
from Portuguese Fado, Spanish Flamenco,
Greek Dance, and Israeli Klezmer,
to the pianistic soundscape of Mozart, Beethoven,
Chopin, Liszt, Debussy and Mendelssohn (among others).
****
Scroll down to hear such powerhouses as
Martha Argerich, Lang Lang, and Sergej Rachmaninoff,
and immerse yourself in music from the story !
****
HAPPY LISTENING !!
~Repertoire
Ch.3 **** FADO
‘Barco Negro’ (Black boat)
‘Uma Casa Portuguesa’ (A Portuguese house)
Ch.6 **** José VIANNA DA MOTTA
3 Cenas Portuguesas (3 Portuguese scenes) Op. 9:
No. 2 ‘Chula,’ & No.3 ‘Valsa Caprichosa’ (Capricious waltz)
Ch.8 **** FLAMENCO
Flamenco Dance by Spanish Gypsies
Ch.9 **** Claude DEBUSSY
Estampes (Prints) II. La soirée dans Grenade (The evening in Granada)
Ch.10 **** Frédéric CHOPIN
‘Raindrop’ Prelude in D flat Major, Op.28 No.15
Ch.16 **** Franz LISZT
‘Les jeux d’eau de la villa d’Este’ (The water games of the Villa d’Este)
Ch.17 **** Antonio VIVALDI
Four Seasons: Spring (arranged for four pianos)
Ch.21 **** GREEK FOLK DANCE
Zorba the Greek Dance
Ch.22 **** Manolis KALOMIRIS
Sonata for Violin and Piano, Mvt III: Vivo
Ch.28 **** Turkish Marches by W. A. MOZART & Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
Mozart, Turkish March
Beethoven, Turkish March (from The Ruins of Athens op.113)
Ch.32 **** KLEZMER DANCING
Klezmer Wedding Hora Madness!
Ch.33 **** Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY
Concert Paraphrase on ‘Wedding March’
Mendelssohn / Liszt / Horowitz
~Performances
Ch.3 **** FADO
‘Barco Negro’ (Black boat)
‘Uma Casa Portuguesa’ (A Portuguese house)
performed by Amália Rodrigues
Ch.6 **** José VIANNA DA MOTTA
‘Cenas Portuguesas’ (Portuguese scenes) Op. 9, No. 2 ‘Chula’
performed by Sequeira Costa
‘Cenas Portuguesas’ (Portuguese scenes) Op. 9, No. 3
‘Valsa caprichosa’ (Capricious waltz)
performed by José Vianna da Motta (recorded in 1928)
Ch.8 **** FLAMENCO
Flamenco Dance by Spanish Gypsies (Part 1)
Ch.9 **** Claude DEBUSSY
Estampes (Prints) II. La soirée dans Grenade (The evening in Granada)
performed by Giuseppe Albanese
Ch.10 **** Frédéric CHOPIN
‘Raindrop’ Prelude in D flat Major, Op.28 No.15
performed by Martha Argerich
Ch.16 **** Franz LISZT
‘Les jeux d’eau de la villa d’Este’ (The water games of the Villa d’Este)
performed by Anne Queffelec
Ch.17 **** Antonio VIVALDI
Four Seasons: Spring (arranged for four pianos)
performed by Yuja Wang, Emanuel Ax, Nelson Goerner, Julien Quentin
Ch.21 **** GREEK FOLK DANCE
Zorba the Greek Dance
Ch.22 **** Manolis KALOMIRIS
Sonata for Violin and Piano, Mvt III: Vivo
performed by Tatsis Apostolidis, vln. and Aris Garoufalis, piano
Ch.28 ****Turkish Marches by W. A. MOZART & Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
Mozart, Turkish March
performed by Sergej Rachmaninoff
Beethoven, Turkish March (from The Ruins of Athens op.113)
performed by Lang Lang and Clayton Stephenson
Ch.32 **** KLEZMER DANCING
Klezmer Wedding Hora Madness!
performed by Kugelplex Klezmer
Ch.33 **** Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY
Concert Paraphrase on ‘Wedding March’
Mendelssohn / Liszt / Horowitz
performed by Alexander Gavrylyuk
Visby the Virtuoso: Voyages on the Mediterranean

Repertoire & Performances
****
Whether he’s performing a classical piano piece,
or hearing folk music for the first time,
Visby delights in sharing all kinds of music
with fellow cruisers….and readers.
****
Now you can join Visby
as he presents a colorful repertoire ~
from Portuguese Fado, Spanish Flamenco,
Greek Dance, and Israeli Klezmer,
to the pianistic soundscape of Mozart, Beethoven,
Chopin, Liszt, Debussy and Mendelssohn (among others).
****
Scroll down to hear such powerhouses as
Martha Argerich, Lang Lang, and Sergej Rachmaninoff,
and immerse yourself in music from the story !
****
HAPPY LISTENING !!
~Repertoire
Ch.3 **** FADO
‘Barco Negro’ (Black boat)
‘Uma Casa Portuguesa’ (A Portuguese house)
Ch.6 **** José VIANNA DA MOTTA
3 Cenas Portuguesas (3 Portuguese scenes) Op. 9:
No. 2 ‘Chula,’ & No.3 ‘Valsa Caprichosa’ (Capricious waltz)
Ch.8 **** FLAMENCO
Flamenco Dance by Spanish Gypsies
Ch.9 **** Claude DEBUSSY
Estampes (Prints) II. La soirée dans Grenade (The evening in Granada)
Ch.10 **** Frédéric CHOPIN
‘Raindrop’ Prelude in D flat Major, Op.28 No.15
Ch.16 **** Franz LISZT
‘Les jeux d’eau de la villa d’Este’ (The water games of the Villa d’Este)
Ch.17 **** Antonio VIVALDI
Four Seasons: Spring (arranged for four pianos)
Ch.21 **** GREEK FOLK DANCE
Zorba the Greek Dance
Ch.22 **** Manolis KALOMIRIS
Sonata for Violin and Piano, Mvt III: Vivo
Ch.28 **** Turkish Marches by W. A. MOZART & Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
Mozart, Turkish March
Beethoven, Turkish March (from The Ruins of Athens op.113)
Ch.32 **** KLEZMER DANCING
Klezmer Wedding Hora Madness!
Ch.33 **** Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY
Concert Paraphrase on ‘Wedding March’
Mendelssohn / Liszt / Horowitz
~Performances
Ch.3 **** FADO
‘Barco Negro’ (Black boat)
‘Uma Casa Portuguesa’ (A Portuguese house)
performed by Amália Rodrigues
Ch.6 **** José VIANNA DA MOTTA
‘Cenas Portuguesas’ (Portuguese scenes) Op. 9, No. 2 ‘Chula’
performed by Sequeira Costa
‘Cenas Portuguesas’ (Portuguese scenes) Op. 9, No. 3
‘Valsa caprichosa’ (Capricious waltz)
performed by José Vianna da Motta (recorded in 1928)
Ch.8 **** FLAMENCO
Flamenco Dance by Spanish Gypsies (Part 1)
Ch.9 **** Claude DEBUSSY
Estampes (Prints) II. La soirée dans Grenade (The evening in Granada)
performed by Giuseppe Albanese
Ch.10 **** Frédéric CHOPIN
‘Raindrop’ Prelude in D flat Major, Op.28 No.15
performed by Martha Argerich
Ch.16 **** Franz LISZT
‘Les jeux d’eau de la villa d’Este’ (The water games of the Villa d’Este)
performed by Anne Queffelec
Ch.17 **** Antonio VIVALDI
Four Seasons: Spring (arranged for four pianos)
performed by Yuja Wang, Emanuel Ax, Nelson Goerner, Julien Quentin
Ch.21 **** GREEK FOLK DANCE
Zorba the Greek Dance
Ch.22 **** Manolis KALOMIRIS
Sonata for Violin and Piano, Mvt III: Vivo
performed by Tatsis Apostolidis, vln. and Aris Garoufalis, piano
Ch.28 ****Turkish Marches by W. A. MOZART & Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
Mozart, Turkish March
performed by Sergej Rachmaninoff
Beethoven, Turkish March (from The Ruins of Athens op.113)
performed by Lang Lang and Clayton Stephenson
Ch.32 **** KLEZMER DANCING
Klezmer Wedding Hora Madness!
performed by Kugelplex Klezmer
Ch.33 **** Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY
Concert Paraphrase on
Testimonies & Reviews
“Children hold a natural affinity for animals and they will fall in love with this adventurous and curious cat, opening the door to learning about music, travel, emotions, and diverse cultures. As Visby experiences the world and its challenges—overcoming fear of flying, forging new friendships and reuniting with old friends, trying new foods, exploring nature and the arts, and ultimately being of service to others—readers will delight in hearing and seeing the world through the perspective of this insightful and talented feline. By blending music and imagination, Visby the Virtuoso brings the world alive to young and old readers alike.”
— Liz Grauerholz, PhD, Professor of Sociology, University of Central Florida, USA

“This book is a must for all lovers of children’s adventures! Author, Liane Alitowski, brilliantly takes the reader on a fantastic cultural, musical and feline journey through a host of colorful Mediterranean countries. Visby, a phenomenal pianist, enchants as he performs classical pieces and is introduced to world music. Woven throughout the story is love, drama, very touching moments and lots of humor. Beware – after reading this charming book to your kids, they will insist you book a cruise to search for this renowned, virtuoso cat!”
— Roglit Ishay, Pianist & Professor of Chamber Music , Hochschule für Musik, Freiburg, Germany

“An excellent book. Just as we find in her first book, Visby the Virtuoso: The Classical, Cruising Cat, Liane Alitowski continues to create magic in her sequel, Visby the Virtuoso: Voyages on the Mediterranean. Visby is a fantastic character who finds himself in interesting adventures. By combining fantasy, humor, exotic and real places, and classical music, Alitowski has created a colorful collage, with the result being beautiful literature. Visby has especially captivated my eight years old grandson: “Grampa, Visby and I became friends as soon as I started reading his first adventure. I always carry his book in my school backpack.” I have no doubt this great story will have the same effect for many readers around the world.”
— Octavio Leon, Florida, USA

“Visby the feline piano virtuoso sets sail across the Mediterranean in Alitowski’s music-filled children’s middle-grade sequel. Visby thought one seafaring adventure was enough until Captain Nilsen pleaded with him to entertain his passengers once again on a cruise through the Mediterranean. Joining the ship in Lisbon, Portugal, Visby picks classical pieces with a special connection to each port on the voyage, entertaining the guests with his piano playing and intimate knowledge of the compositions. He also goes ashore and explores ancient cities, discovering that many share an intimate connection with their feline residents. In Rome, he finds a Cat Sanctuary thriving in ruins that shelter the many strays and are a popular tourist attraction. In Turkey, the residents are especially kind toward the thousands of strays. So when Visby witnesses the horrific conditions of the cats in Caesarea, Israel, he is compelled to leave the cruise and help establish a similar shelter. Thus the Caesarea Center for Cat Conservancy is born with an inclusive goal: “No more hunger and darkness….All cats are welcomed here.” Taking a leap of faith and leaving the cruise for a worthy cause befits Visby’s credo: “Sometimes you just have to do scary things…the worrying part is probably scarier than the actual thing.” Visby’s story is heavy on educational content with a secondary message of kindness toward animals, both laudable topics for a children’s book…Pianist, Alitowski, infuses musical passion into the storyline…”
— Kirkus Reviews

Coming soon



