# Spanish Music through the Ages



## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

My love for Spanish music starts with the splendid polyphony of the golden Age of the Spanish Renaissance and momentarily ends with fascinating contemporary music. It has been infused with many influences from Arabic melodies and rhythms to popular flamenco and lately to broad international currents in contemporary music.
Spain is often considered as a minor classical music country and this thread featuring 35 composers will aim to prove the contrary. Each day i will feature a work by a different composer and add recommendations about other works in his repertoire.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Cristobal de Morales (1500-1551) 's major work is his "Officium defunctorum and Missa pro defunctis, spiritual music that is full of depth and offers one of the greatest examples of splendid polyphony.
Other remarkable works are:
Missa si bona suscepimus
Missa mille regretz
O magnum mysterium
Lamentabatur Iacob
Magnificat primi toni


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Antonio de Cabezon (1510-1566) is the first Iberian keyboard composer. He was blind since childhood but his performances attracted attention and the favours of the Spanish royal family. The splendid organ recital featured is a good example of his skills.
He composed for keyboard (organ and harpsichord), harp and vihuela (string instrument, similar to lute and early guitars). His tientos are short inspired pieces destined for liturgical use, while his glosas are similar to a set of variations.
His son Hernando published most of his compositions posthumously in "Obras de Musica para tecla, arpa y vihuela in 1578.Cabezon's noble and solemn polyphonic instrumental music made him a worthy predecessor of JS Bach.
Recommended recorded works are:
Pane Lingua IV Hesperion XX
Complete Works Baciero (piano)-Astronio (organ and harpsichord)
Complete Tientos and Variations for harpsichord G.Wilson
La Tecla de l'Alma for harpsichord, P.Erdas
Music for harpsichord E.Baiano


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Diego Ortiz (1510-1576) has composed elegant and sophisticated instrumental and vocal music.His "Trattado de Glosas" is famous pioneering repertoire for viola da gamba and harpsichord. The featured version performed by the grandmaster Jordi Savall is one of its kind.These pieces, "recercadas" are intended to discover new compositional material.
Ortiz has also published a "Musices liber primus" dedicated to sacred vocal music. His Magnificats, Ave Maris Stella, Ave Regina and Dixit Dominus are all remarkable pieces.
I recommend Savall's record of the Trattado de Glosas and Ad Vesperas a record by Cantar Lontano that contains the main pieces of the Musices liber Primus.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Juan Crisóstomo Jacobo Antonio de Arriaga y Balzola (27 January 1806 – 17 January 1826) was a Spanish Basque composer. He was nicknamed "the Spanish Mozart" after he died, because, like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, he was both a child prodigy and an accomplished composer who died young. They also shared the same first and second baptismal names; and they shared the same birthday, 27 January (fifty years apart).




The Arriaga string quartets were composed in 1823, when the composer was only sixteen years old. They can be considered the most outstanding works of its production. The Quartets would be the only work that the author would see published during his life, which is why his follow-up is particularly relevant.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Francisco Guerrero (1528-1599) was an adventurous catholic priest who was a pupil of Cristobal de Morales. His music shows marked differences with that of his teacher as he preferred homophonic textures (one melody with accompanying voices) versus the traditional polyphony. He also composed sacred and secular music, including instrumental pieces.
His masterpiece is the featured Missa pro defunctis and the conductor Noone tried to reconstruct the piece as he believed it sounded in Seville at Guerrero's funeral. There are instrumental parts, polyphony and Gregorian sequences.
Other recommended works are:
Missa super Flumina Babylonis
Missa de la Batalla escoutez


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Tomas Luis de Victoria (1548-1611) is probably the most famous composer of the Spanish Renaissance. He was a catholic priest, an organist and a singer besides his intense composing activities.His Requiem Officium Defunctorum interpreted here by the Tallis Scholars was composed for Empress Maria's burial Mass.
De Victoria's surviving works consist nearly exclusively of sacred polyphonic music.
The Requiem and some motets, like the Lamentations of Jeremiah are classics of the late Renaissance.
Other recommended works are:
Missa Gaudeamus
Missa de Laetatus sum
Tenebrae Responsories.
O magnum Mysterium.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Like de Victoria, Sebastian de Vivanco (1551-1622) was born in Avila and probably befriended the former. He was also ordained as a priest.
His surviving body of works consists of:
Liber magnificarum with 18 versions of the Magnificat
Libro de Misas with 10 Masses
Libro de Motetes with about 70 motets
The lovely featured "Missa in manus tuas" is the most ambitious work of the Libro de Misas.
Other recommended works are:
Missa assumpsit Jesus
Magnificat
Versa est in luctum


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Alonso Lobo (1555-1617) was Francisco Guerrero's pupil and combined the contrapunctal technique of Palestrina with the intensity of De Victoria. He is one of the composers who proves the link of the Spanish Renaissance composers with Palestrina. Only his vocal music, including masses, motets, lamentations and a miserere are known to survive today.
His featured work "Missa Maria Magdalene" is inspired by his teacher's motet, which he develops, extends and enhances into a mass.
Further recommended works are:
Misa Beata Dei Genitrix
Misa Prudentes Virgines
Versa est in Luctum


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Juan Bautista Jose Cabanilles (1644-1712) is considered to be the greatest Spanish baroque composer. He was a famous organist and composed many tientos and passacalles in the Spanish tradition. Very little is known about his life but many organ pieces survive.
The featured work is the Batalla Imperial which you can find on the CD that Jordi Savall devoted to Cabanilles.
Other recommended recordings are:
Tientos, Pasacalles y Gallardos Berben
Obras de Organo John Butt


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Santiago de Murcia (1679-1737) is a baroque composer whose main interest lies in the cross-cultural dance rhythms. Spanish and Italian dances are ubiquitous, while West African rhythms are incorporated to give an exotic touch.
Lislevand plays the guitar in the featured "Codex 4" while the Ensemble Kapsberger add some fascinating instrumental ornamentations.
Other recommended recordings are:
Cifras selectas by Gutierrez
Passacalles y obras by Walters
Jacaras by Paul O'Dette


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## Dirge (Apr 10, 2012)

Tomás Luis de VICTORIA (1548–1611): Tenebrae Responsories (from «Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae» 1585)
:: Malcolm/Westminster Cathedral Choir [Argo ’59]

These are solemn, austere, starkly dramatic motet settings of 18 texts recounting the Passion of Christ—the suffering, crucifixion, and death. They are used in Tenebrae (“darkness”) services held in the pre-dawn (or preceding evening) darkness of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Responsories are sung responses to lections (sacred lessons) and are in ABCB or ABCBAB form, with the C section sung with one or two fewer voice parts. If you have a soft spot for the _Lamentations of Jeremiah_ (which are also used in the Tenebrae services), you might like these responsories as well. In fact, they’re my favorite works by Victoria, with too many highlights to highlight—and the rightly famous _O vos omnes_ doesn’t disappoint. Victoria is ultra-responsive to the meaning of the texts, with words and music reinforcing each other to an uncanny extent, so the listening experience is greatly enhanced by reading along with the text/translation.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Sebastian de Albero (1722-1757) belongs to the Spanish keyboard school of the 18 th century.
Most of his pieces are sentimental and melancholic, anticipating Romantic composers like Chopin.
Scarlatti was living in Spain at the time and his influence is evident in de Albero's harpsichord pieces with the brusque leaps to another tonality.
His oeuvre survives in two manuscripts:
-Treinta sonatas para clavicordio
-Obras para clavicordio o piano-forte. There are 18 pieces arranged in a tripartite structure: ricercare, fugue and sonata.
The featured pieces are the first half of the treinta sonatas.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

"Padre" Antonio Soler (1729-1783) is another major Spanish keyboard composers of the late baroque. He is most famous for his 120 harpsichord sonatas, of which one of the best no 60 is played by the legendary Bob Van Asperen.
Do yourself a favour and also listen to the exhilarating Fandango played by my favourite harpsichordist Scott Ross. The authorship of the Fandango is contested but the music is splendid.


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## Dirge (Apr 10, 2012)

Francisco GUERRERO (1528–1599): _Ave virgo sanctissima_ (p. 1566)
:: Turner/Pro Cantione Antiqua [Teldec/Das Alte Werk ’78] (28:00–32:20)

This fervently expressive Marian motet gives the impression of being more emotionally wrought than structurally wrought, but it has at its core a strict canon between the two uppermost voices that runs the length of it and around which the work is fleshed out—the work’s apparent freedom is something of an illusion. Although there are poignant little touches to be found here and there throughout, I’m most impressed with the general rhetorical savvy of it all: there doesn’t seem to be anything all that special about the musical material used, and there’s a fair amount of repetition involved, yet the result is pretty compelling—certainly more compelling than you’d think it would be. The motet was very popular in its day, epitomizing to many the spiritual ardor of Spanish music of the time.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Marianna Martines (1744-1812) is one among the outstanding early female composers.
She lived in Vienna as her father moved there while at the service of the pope.
Martines wrote sacred music, keyboard sonatas and concertos as well as a symphony. 
She wrote in the Italian style typical for the classical period in Vienna and her featured keyboard concerto is in the style of CPE Bach.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Fernando Sor (1778-1839) composed mainly for classical guitar and straddled the late baroque and romantic eras.
Sublime economy and nascent romanticism are evident in his writing, which includes a great number of successful works.
Sor's favourite technique eschews modern one as he advised to use only the flesh of the fingertips and not the nails.
Julia Trintschuk is the outstanding soloist in the Grand Solo op 14.
I also recommend The Fantaisie Elégiaque played by Marcin Dylla and the Variations on a theme by Mozart played by Ana Vidovic.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Juan Cristoforo Arriaga (1806-1826) was a child prodigy who impressed by his sophisticated harmonies, counterpoint and fugue despite his lack of formal instruction.
Only the overture and some fragments of his opera "The happy Slaves" have survived.
He also wrote a fine symphony and more importantly three exquisite string quartets of which the second is performed here by La Ritirata on period instruments.
They are fresh and interesting throughout and are set in the Romantic Era with their captivating melodies and harmonies.


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## Dirge (Apr 10, 2012)

Joaquín RODRIGO (1901–1999): *Invocación y danza* (Homenaje a Manuel de Falla) (1961)
:: Pepe Romero, guitar [Philips, ’92]

The quasi-religious Invocation builds in tension throughout, and the release—if not quite total release—of that tension at the segue to the Dance is a downright magical little moment. Romero gives an evocative and keenly dramatic performance that’s impressively focused and precise yet wide-ranging and spirited, and it’s accomplished with a certain flinty flamenco flair to boot. He screws up tension gradually but purposefully in the intricately atmospheric Invocation (bringing out the tolling of the bells especially well) and releases it with a just-tempered joy at the dawning of the ambivalent Dance, which is at once joyful and nostalgic. All in all, this is the most well-rounded and catholic performance of this work that I know.

_A nifty little bonus …_

Gaspar SANZ (1640–1710): *“Canarios”* (p. 1674)
:: Julian Bream, guitar [RCA ’65]
This catchy little ditty has been a popular favorite with guitarists since day one, and Bream gives it a wonderfully spirited and stylish performance that’s over before you know it.


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## Dirge (Apr 10, 2012)

Roberto GERHARD (1896–1970): *Concerto for Orchestra* (1965)
:: Del Mar/BBC SO [Argo LP ’67]

Arnold Schoenberg’s Variations for Orchestra meets Edgard Varèse’s _Arcana_ in 1965 Technicolor. I tend to resist works that beat me over the head with striking effects and sonorities, but Gerhard beats me into submission and wins me over with the onslaught of effects and sonorities that he unleashes in his Concerto for Orchestra. The key is that nothing sounds arbitrary … every effect and sonority somehow seems to be part and parcel of the structure (even when I can’t explain how, which is most of the time). The less busy/dense music sometimes has a tense nocturnal atmosphere akin to Bartók’s “night music,” while the slightly busier/denser music sometimes takes on a mechanical timepiece quality that makes me think ahead to Birtwistle’s works of the ’70s—I’m thinking especially of _Carmen Arcadiæ Mechanicæ Perpetuum_. The music is constantly morphing as it moves along, however, so those are just passing impressions … like two attractions along Route 66. While solo honors are spread throughout the orchestra in true concerto-for-orchestra fashion, the percussion section manages to stand out (thanks in part to the spotlighting of the recording), even when playing a sort of continuo role. Of the less brazen contributions, I find that of the harp to be strangely alluring/engaging.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908) was a violin virtuoso from the Romantic era who composed various striking pieces to show off his talents.
The Carmen Suite is based on themes from Bizet's opera: L'oiseau rebelle is omnipresent.
The divine Julia Fischer gives us a splendid performance.
Other recommended pieces are the Gypsy Airs and the Spanish Dances.


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen and Spanische Tãnze appear on my "Journey" listing for this coming week. Looking forward to those.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Francisco Tarrega (1852-1909) was a legendary romantic guitar virtuoso and composer. His early meeting with Antonio de Torres, a famous guitar master allowed him to acquire a new generation guitar. It enabled him to reach higher timbres as well as long and full resonance of the sound.
He also perfected the classical technique of Sor and Giuliani who advocated to play the guitar without using the fingernails.
Tarrega laid the foundations for modern guitar playing.
A visit to Granada inspired the "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" a piece in which he makes full use of the tremolo technique, where the thumb plays a bass note and the fingers plays the higher notes. It is one of the most beautiful techniques of the classical guitar and gives the impression of a sustained, shimmering note and mesmerises the audience as you can see in the video.
I have listened to so many interpretations including those by Yepes, Bream, Williams and Ana Vidovic. All of them have their qualities, but my favourite is by Pepe Romero whose speed is perfect and who captures the soul of the score.
Tarrega has quite an extended repertoire and i can recommend David Russell's recording of the complete works.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Isaac Albeniz (1860-1909) was a post-romantic piano virtuoso and composer. His masterpiece "Iberia" consists of 4 books of challenging music.
The piece selected here is the brilliant "La Vega" which was meant to be part of the Alhambra Suite, a never-finished piano cycle. This impressive jewel was inspired by a poem on the beauty of the landscape around Granada. It is an impressionistic work which was highly regarded by Debussy and Messiaen.
De Larrocha's version is magical, full of poetry and power.
I also highly recommend Azulejos which is in the same vein.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Enrique Granados (1867-1916) was a composer and concert pianist who studied with Spanish masters like Ricardo Vines and Felipe Pedrell. He had a deep passion for Goya's works with their depictions of reality and ethical messages. One Goya painting "Love and Death" and one tapestry cartoon "The Straw Man" are associated with the piano score of Goyescas, a large piano suite.
Overall the work is very ornamental and requires high pianistic skills.The fifth piece "Love and Death" is a perfect example of a strong improvisational style. The "Straw Man" is a separate piece, subtitled Escena Goyesca which is usually played as a part of the suite.
Alicia de Larrocha brilliantly plays the fifth piece of Goyescas.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) is a wonderful composer whose works mix impressionism, neo-classicism with a dose of Spanish folklore.
Nights in the Spanish Gardens is arguably his best orchestral work.
de Falla composed a set of nocturnes for solo piano and orchestrated them afterwards following a suggestion from the famous pianist Ricardo Vines.
The work refers to the Hispano-Arabic past of Andalusia and depicts three gardens: the Generalife surrounding the Alhambra, a non-identified distant one and the gardens of the Sierra Cordoba.
Bareboim gives us a vivid, lively, colourful performance and is superbly supported by the Chicago orchestra conducted by Placido Domingo.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Joaquin Turina (1882-1949) studied in France and his style was influenced by Debussy, Ravel and Fauré. Together with De Falla and Granados he revived Spanish music in the first part of the 20th century.
"La Oracion del Torero" (1925) mixed the sacred Spanish themes of bull-fighting and religion. The torero prays in a chapel near the arena moments before entering it.
Initialy it was composed for lute quartet but Turina added orchestral and string quartet versions. You hear the string quartet version played by Quatuor Tana
The music is quiet in the beginning and at the end befitting the serious theme.On the other hand there is some lush impressionistic writing in between with a distinct Spanish flavour.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Federico Mompou (1893-1987) was a celebrated composer and pianist mainly remembered for his piano compositions. His works are mostly miniatures and there is an improvisational feel while his pieces are delicate and intimate, consisting of few notes.
His music is the voice of silence, without gaps or adornments. In the words of Arcadi Volodos his oeuvre is nostalgic and minimalistic in the style of Ravel. Other French impressionists like Satie, Fauré and Poulenc have also influenced him with their concentrated style of writing.
Mompou encountered his esthetical ideal in the spiritual canticle by San Juan de la Cruz, a mystic and poet from the Spanish renaissance. It describes the amorous experience of the night, which excludes any language, as "musica callada".
An ideal interpreter is Javier Perianes who performs the complete cycle. Arcadi Volodos is also exceptional in his traversal of Mompou's music.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Despite being born to a German-Swiss father and an Alsatian mother, Roberto Gerhard (1896-1970) was a true Catalan who even had to flee Spain in 1939 for France due to his sympathy for the republican cause and later settled in England.
He spent several years studying with Schoenberg in Vienna and Berlin in the twenties, but returned to Spain in 1928. 
It showed in the fifties as his music became increasingly radical and culminated in orchestral masterpieces like the concerto for orchestra and the fourth symphony, which deliberately avoided traditional methods of musical organisation in true serial fashion. Together with his string quartets, his other chamber music and some vocal pieces they constitute an impressive body of work.
Colin Davis conducts the Boston SO in the fourth symphony (1967).


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Joaquin Rodrigo (1901-1999) lost his eyesight at the age of three but managed to become a piano virtuoso and a major composer for the guitar.
His Concierto de Aranjuez with the famous interplay between guitar and English horn in the second movement is one of the most popular works of the 20 th century. The guitarist Andres Segovia requested a special work and Rodrigo obliged by expanding several dances for solo guitar composed by Gaspar Sanz into the beautiful Fantasia para un gentilhombre.
I chose a shorter work Invocacion y danza for solo guitar wherein Rodrigo quotes several passages from de Falla.
The invocation opens with a quote from Falla's Le Tombeau de Debussy and hints of El Sombrero de tres Picos and Amor brujo are heard later on.
Invocation and dances alternate in a piece that is much darker than his guitar concertos. It is a miraculous piece played here by Artyom Dervoed.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

De Pablo is an important figure in the history of Spanish music of the second half of the 20 th century. He was first of all an organiser of festivals, concerts and musical conferences.
His encyclopedic cultural knowledge allowed him to borrow from many composers, writers and cultures. His aim was to discover similitudes between art forms and at the same time to preserve their differences.
As a composer he was inventive, poetic and unconventional which enabled him to create in different genres.
The shortlisted work Las Orillas (The Shores) from 1990 is one of his few important purely orchestral works.
It starts with a nocturn and finishes with twilight thus creating an arch overhanging daytime, which is the second movement.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Cristobal Halffter (1930-2021) was the scion of a musical family with German roots and together with de Pablo a major figure after the second world war.
Humanity and creation based on the spur of the moment were his credo.
During the 60 and 70 he created a number of works related to human rights.
Another highlight of his long career was the creation of three operas in the 21 st century, including the brilliant Don Quijote.
His style mixed atonality, dodecaphony, serialism, concrete and electronic music in a personal synthesis.
Rostropovich created the modern cello repertoire practically on his own and is the distinguished soloist in the very accessible Cello Concerto no 2 (1985).


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Tomas Marco (1942) is a famous composer and essayist who has built an impressive repertoire, including symphonies, orchestral, chamber and piano music. The voice is also important in his oeuvre, which boasts several operas.
His style is very eclectic and he is not afraid of citations provided they are converted in his personal language.
His remarkable concerto for guitar "Concierto del Agua" is performed by soloist Gabriel Estarellas with the Oviedo SO conducted by Gregorio Gutierrez.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Francisco Guerrero (1951-1997) soon developed a passion for electro-acoustic music and as his compositional process was derived from mathematics it is not surprising he sticked to a strictly formal and rigorous work method.
His chamber works really stand out in his ouput, particularly the "Zayin Cycle" which took him 14 years to complete, from 1983 to 1997.
The cycle consists of 7 pieces in total (Zayin=7 in Hebrew), 4 for string trio, 2 for SQ and one for solo violin and perfectly reflects his radical, fiery and proud personality.
The first work is written with a technique of combinations, while the others are composed with fractal techniques.
The music is full of organic shapes featuring glissandi that create a phenomenal energy.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Jose Manuel Lopez Lopez (1956) studied piano, composition and orchestration. He reflects on the scientific ad philosophical nature of sound in the tradition of Xenakis, Grisey, Nono, Sciarrino and has a particular interest in nanotechnology.
In his Piano Concerto (2005) he abandons traditional notions and relies upon today's knowledge of sound technique, of acoustic instruments, spatialisation, as well as form and micro-form.
The handling and preparation of the piano which are both fixed and mobile are important.
The fixed preparation eliminates all resonance, which results in percussive sounds similar to plucking by string players while the mobile preparation allows for the exploitation of sound.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Alberto Posadas (1967) was a student of Francisco Guerrero who taught him combinatorics (a branch of mathematics) and fractals.
In order to achieve more control over the aesthetic characteristics of composition, he researched the transposition of architectural designs in music, the techniques related to perspective associated with painting and topography, as well as the exploration of acoustic phenomena regarding musical instruments.
Kerguelen (2013) is scored for flute, oboe, clarinet and orchestra.
The work refers to Kerguelen a volcanic plateau that is practically totally submerged in the Southern Indian Ocean. It symbolises the relationship between the soloists and the orchestra.
Posadas did not want to write a traditional concertante work, avoided conflict or dialog between orchestra and soloists and conceived the trio as a unique instrument, treated multi-phonically, so that the dimensions of the trio are multiplied.
In order to achieve this he collaborated with the very experienced Trio Recherche, which guaranteed a homogeneous sound and the required virtuosity.
The soloists emerge from the materials appearing within the orchestra.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Jose Maria Sanchez-Verdu (1968) studied composition, conducting and musicology at the Madrid Royal Conservatory and later took composition courses with Franco Donatoni and Hans Zender.
Most of his compositions are short (except for his operas and vocal music) and Kitab 1 is a fine example of his production with exquisite precise sounds, beautifully performed by the Polish virtuoso Marcin Dylla.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Gustavo Diaz-Jerez (1970) is a pianist and composer, who merges elements of spectral music with processes derived from mathematical disciplines. He first produces electronic music with the help of a computer and then transcribes the results to be played with traditional instruments.
His artistic objective is to evocate nature through its scientific description.
Diaz-Jerez's main orchestral cycle "Maghek" is precisely an evocation of the natural environment of the Canary Islands where he was born.
There are seven symphonic poems and the second one, Ymarxa (2010) refers to a place in what is now La Esperanza Forest.
A constant modulation of light is realised through orchestral colours.
The piece exploits the nature of timbre, spectral techniques and algorithmic processes which give unity and coherence to the piece.
His excellent piano cycle "Metaludios" is also recommended listening.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Octavio Vasquez (1972) 's neo-romantic music is full of melodicism and rhythmic buoyancy.
His homages to Mahler ( ewiges blaues Licht and ewiges Licht II) are superb pieces that transport the master's music into the 21 st century.
Today's feature "Memento" (1998) is an older work, dominated by the string parts, but the rest of the orchestra contributes some welcome dynamics.
The composer's catalog includes nice piano and violin concertos and excellent chamber works.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Elena Mendoza (1973) is an atypical composer interested in timbre and drama in instrumental and vocal music.
Music theatre is her universe and Niebla (2007) is a seminal piece in the genre.
Nebelsplitter (2008) a quartet for piano, violin, viola and cello is a kind of instrumental postlude to Niebla.
Parts of it are based on material from Niebla and a selection of concise forms reappear in all four movements of the quartet.
Sounds created by wiping and rasping, obtained with mallets, glasses and brushes, transform the piano into a stringed instrument. While the four movements are conceived as reciprocal comments, they continually correct one another.
The reality of play seems to matter more to the composer than the real reality.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Francisco Coll (1985) is Thomas Ades' only pupil and has developed at an astonishing pace since his early works.
In his oeuvre the present and the past converge, which means that he achieves a contemporary sound world while still using traditional forms and influences.
His recent violin concerto (2019) is one of the best concertante works of the century and presents extremes of expression. One is reminded of modern masters like Castelnuovo-Tedesco but the music also has enormous drive and dramatic passages that are perfectly performed by Kopatchinskaja.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Joan Magrane Figuera (1988) is one of the most promising composers out of the breeding ground of young Spanish composers; his body of works is already large and most of his works are impressive; that being said it is too early to tell if we are dealing with a major master; anyway i have done my part of listening to all his extant works and i feel his second SQ is really good


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

1 De Morales : Officium Defunctorum
2 De Cabezon : Various Organ Music
3 C.Ortiz : Recercados del Tratado de Glosas
4 F. Guerrero the elder : Requiem, Ave virgissima sanctisssima
5 De Victoria: Requiem Officium, Defunctorum
6 Gaspar Sanz: Canarios
7 De Vivanco: In Manus tuas
8 Lobo : Missa Maria Magdalena
9 Cabanilles : Batalla Imperial
10 Santiago de Murcia : Codex no 4
11 De Albero : Sonatas for harpsichord
12 Soler: Sonata 60 b
13 M.Martines : Concerto for harpsichord
14 F.Sor: Grand Solo
15 Arriaga: SQ 1, 2
16 Rodrigo: Invocacion y danza
17 De Sarasate : Carmen Fantasy
18 Tarrega : Recuerdos de la Alhambra
19 Albeniz : La Vega
20 Granados : Goyescas
21 De Falla : Nights in the Spanish Gardens
22 Turina: La Oracion del Torrero
23 Mompou : Musica callada
24 R.Gerhard : Symphony 4, Concerto for orchestra
25 Rodrigo: Invocazion y Danza
26 De Pablo: Las Orillas
27 Halffter : Cello Concerto no 2
28 T.Marco: Concierto del Agua
29 F.Guerrero: Zayin
30: J.M. Lopez-Lopez: Piano concerto
31 Posadas: Kerguelen
32: Sanchez-Verdu: Kitab 1
33 Diaz-Jerez: Ymarxa
34 O.Vasquez: Memento
35 E.Mendoza: Nebelsplitter
36 F.Coll: Violin Concerto
37 Joan Magrane Figuera: SQ 2

As usual i like to take stock and post an overview of the thread i devoted to the glory of Spanish music. My aim is always to identify the key composers and to feature a great work. The thread is also meant to prove the high quality of Spanish music through the ages. I hope you will pay special attention to the present generation which is at the vanguard of contemporary classical. I am aware there are several other contemporary composers of high value but at the moment i do not have access to enough material to validate this point. Anyway it means that the thread has additional potential and i encourage our members to contribute to it. JK


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## abrygida (5 mo ago)

J.Rodrigo - Concerto "Aranjuez", Adagio


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

abrygida said:


> J.Rodrigo - Concerto "Aranjuez", Adagio


i have not featured aranjuez in the thread, because it is too famous in the guitar version; but i really enjoyed your short accordion version and totally symphatize with the ukrainian cause; thks so much for posting


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

La Liberta se levanto llorando (2017) for violin and cello by Andrea Casarrubios, a promising young Spanish composer.


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## PeterKC (Dec 30, 2016)

justekaia said:


> Isaac Albeniz (1860-1909) was a post-romantic piano virtuoso and composer. His masterpiece "Iberia" consists of 4 books of challenging music.
> The piece selected here is the brilliant "La Vega" which was meant to be part of the Alhambra Suite, a never-finished piano cycle. This impressive jewel was inspired by a poem on the beauty of the landscape around Granada. It is an impressionistic work which was highly regarded by Debussy and Messiaen.
> De Larrocha's version is magical, full of poetry and power.
> I also highly recommend Azulejos which is in the same vein.


His Piano Concerto is very nice as well.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

PeterKC said:


> His Piano Concerto is very nice as well.


Yes, i agree. Of course just in the piano repertoire you could add following masterpieces:
-Suite Espanola no 1
-Rumores de la Caliba (from Recuerdos de Viaje)
-Cantos de Espana
-Mallorca
-Azulejos
-Iberia
The way i structure my threads is by mentioning just one piece per composer and hope members will come up with their own choices. You have done just that.


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## PeterKC (Dec 30, 2016)

justekaia said:


> Yes, i agree. Of course just in the piano repertoire you could add following masterpieces:
> -Suite Espanola no 1
> -Rumores de la Caliba (from Recuerdos de Viaje)
> -Cantos de Espana
> ...


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## PeterKC (Dec 30, 2016)

PeterKC said:


> I really appreciated the breadth of your list. Spain is truly enduring in its own musical culture. Perhaps as a minor augmentation to your list I would add Pedrell, Cassado. Montsalvatge and Casals. Thanks so much for your wonderful post.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

justekaia --

I, too, am enjoying this thread. Thank you.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Lula Romero (1976) was born in Palma de Mallorca and is developing fast as one of he top female Spanish composers. Parallax is certainly one of her best efforts to date, but she has a lot of new pieces planned for 2023, so we can expect a lot of new compositions from her in the future.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Tp Peter KC
I love Pedrell and Cassado, whom i both collect. My decision not to feature them is linked to the lack of width in their production. All my threads have a clear concept from the beginning and I welcome fresh ideas but only consider those that are in line with my concept. Regarding Casals in am i awe of the musician, but less so of the composer. In Montsalvage's case i must admit i am not very familiar with his oeuvre, so i will listen to his available works. Thks so much for yr comments.


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## PeterKC (Dec 30, 2016)

Le plaisir est por moi. Meilleur de la saison.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Estructura I ...eros sur le bleu (2016) from David Moliner (1991) played by the Plural Ensemble and the composer on percussion.


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## Mister Meow (10 mo ago)

Here is one of my early music favorites:


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