# Enrique Granados



## Sid James

Enrique Granados y Campiña (27 July 1867 - 24 March 1916) was a Spanish Catalan pianist and composer of classical music. His music is in a uniquely Spanish style and, as such, representative of musical nationalism. Enrique Granados was also a talented painter in the style of Francisco Goya.

(from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrique_Granados)

I've just began enjoying the music of Granados, on a recent Naxos release of some of his chamber works: the _Piano Trio_, the _Piano Quintet_, and the _Intermezzo_ from _Goyescas_. I'd say it's quite artful & elegant music, a mix of Spanish, salon and Moorish influences. There's a Brahmsian 'Romantic' quality as well, but I can also hear the influence of Debussy, which is no surprise as Granados spent many years as a student in Paris.

Granados drowned in the English channel following his boat being torpedoed by the Germans during the First World War. This was a great tragedy, not only for music but for his family as well (he left behind six children). At this time, Granados was at the height of his career, with his new opera Goyescas having been premiered to great acclaim in New York. He even gave a private recital to the President.

I am interested in hearing some of his piano works, especially _Goyescas_, which were apparently recorded by a student of the academy in Spain which he set up - Alicia de Larrocha. From what I've read, Granados was one of the greatest composers (and players) of the piano of his generation. The fluidity and colours heard in his chamber works certainly bears this out.

So what pieces by Granados have you heard & liked? My being acquainted with his music can be described as quite incidental; I saw that Australian pianist Kathryn Selby would be performing his trio in mid-May, and this piqued my interest. Needless to say, I will definitely be going to see this work performed live...


----------



## Tapkaara

I love Granados. One of the best kept secrets of the late romantic repertoire. Well, I guess members of the intelligentia know his name, but he's not yet made his way into the general consciousness.

His piano music is superb. He was a true and eloquent poet on those keys. His music lack pretension, an aspect I admire. Elegant, tuneful and direct.

One of my favorite Granados discs: http://www.amazon.com/Granados-Span...r_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1272435720&sr=8-11

This Naxos release contains very artful and tasteful orchestrations of his guitar music. Highly recommended.


----------



## Tarantella

As far as I know Goyescas is a mastework but personally it says little to me. For my liking Spanish nationalism gets interesting with Falla's Harpsichord Concerto.


----------



## Aramis

I just got his piano music set in eight volumes (Naxos). First thing I've listened to is Escenas Poeticas and it sounds very basic harmonically and isn't too fascinating. Goyescas are considered his best piano works so I'll try not to give up on him and listen to them carefully.


----------



## TWhite

An extremely elegant piano composer, IMO. He was often referred to as the "Spanish Chopin" during his lifetime. 

"Goyescas" is considered his piano solo masterpiece. I find them rather diffuse, but beautifully laid out for the piano--extremely difficult, but grateful for the hand. Of the suite, my favorites are "The Maiden and the Nightengale" and "El Fandango di Candil." 

The "12 Danzas Espanolas" look rather easy in print, but they do have some tricky technical pitfalls to them. Alicia de la Roccha's recording of them sound as if there have been some revisions between the printed work and the recorded performance. I don't know if these are de la Roccha's 'additions' to the music, or whether she has a 'revised' score of the set, but the recording is beautiful. 

Granados is often paired with Albeniz as the major two Spanish piano composers of the early 20th Century, but for me the two are almost total opposites. For me, Granados has more elegance and polish, but also a little less visceral excitement. Albeniz is more 'spiky' (compare the elegance of "Goyescas" with the almost blunt rhythmic excitement of Albeniz "Iberia"). Of course, Granados' Spain is influenced by the more northern Madrid, while Albeniz Spain is the southern climes of Moorish-inspired Andalucia. 

I like them both. Had Granados' life not been terminated so tragically early, it would have been fascinating to see his further evolving as an important early 20th Century composer.

Tom


----------



## Tapkaara

Aramis said:


> I just got his piano music set in eight volumes (Naxos). First thing I've listened to is Escenas Poeticas and it sounds very basic harmonically and isn't too fascinating. Goyescas are considered his best piano works so I'll try not to give up on him and listen to them carefully.


Must harmonies be uber-exotic to constitute a good piece of music? I don't think so.


----------



## Aramis

Tapkaara said:


> Must harmonies be uber-exotic to constitute a good piece of music? I don't think so.


I don't think so either, but this time it made whole work a bit monotonous and boring.


----------



## Taneyev

Same happens to me about many of Schumann piano pieces.


----------



## Sid James

I just got a cd of the guitar arrangements of Granados' _12 Spanish Dances_. Some of the pieces are for solo guitar, a few are for two guitars. The first thing that (again) strikes me about this music is it's elegance, polish, and courtliness. They also remind me somewhat of Greig's _Norwegian Dances_, which is appropriate for Grieg approved of Granados' work (and Granados performed the Spanish premiere of the Norwegian's own _Piano Concerto_). The coupling on the disc, de Falla's _7 Popular Spanish Songs_ (here in an arrangement for soprano & guitar), can be no more different. They have this rough, almost edgy (dissonant?) quality to them, which is worlds away from the refinement of Granados. I like them both, especially given these differences, they were both great...


----------



## Tapkaara

Aramis said:


> I don't think so either, but this time it made whole work a bit monotonous and boring.


Well, I suppose the problem here is not the harmonies but the music itself as a whole. Fair enough.


----------



## christomacin

One of my favorite pieces by Granados from his 12 Spanish Dances:


----------



## vamei

I really love Granados for lyricism and poetry. I like "12 Danzas Espanolas" and especially "Oriental". A good performance ...


----------

