ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The recital is divided into two parts: the first, gives to audience a panoramic view of Spanish music, from the vihuela to the guitar; in the second, the artist presents, like a musical rainbow, some of the most representative composers of Latin American classic and popular guitar.

The program begins with two pieces of old music: the “Fantasia X” (Fancy) by Alonso Mudarra (1508-1580), originally composed for Vihuela, in which the composer tries to imitate the playing style of Ludovicus, harpist of the court, and from Gaspar Sanz (1640-1710), the true representative of the Baroque Spanish guitar, we will hear a selection of popular Spanish dances by his “Suite de Danzas Cervantinas”.

Then, another group: Ferran Sors with his “Variaciones Opus 9”, which draws its inspiration from the aria “O Cara Armonia” from Mozart's Magic Flute; following “Sueño” (Dream), by Francisco Tárrega (1852-1909), where he uses the difficult trémolo technique; this composition is one of the best examples of Tárrega's Romantic aesthetics.

This part continues with three dances: the first is the “Muñeira” from “Suite Compostelana” by the pianist and composer Frederic Mompou (1893-1987); was inspired in Santiago de Compostela (Galicia, Spain) and this Suite, dedicated to Andrés Segovia, is the only composition that Mompou devoted to the guitar; the second is the “Passepied Nº II” by Salvador Bacarisse (1898-1963) and the last, in popular Spanish style, is the “Danza” (Dance) by Antonio Ruiz-Pipó (1934-1997), from his “Canción y Danza nº 1”.

Maestro Soler, presents some works of himself: Singing the Saltarello, piece based on the Saltarello by Vincenzo Galilei (1520-1591), father of Galileo, where the composer presents the guitar like small coral, singing the Saltarello. The next, “Recuerdos de Aranjuez” (Memories of Aranjuez), is and special revision by Maestro Soler of the famous Adagio & Cadenza from “Concierto de Aranjuez”, by the great composer Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-1999), and the last, the “Mozartiana Nº 1” (Opus 5) which draws its inspiration from Mozart's, Ave Verum Corpus and the city of Salzburg.

This first part ends with another piece by Maestro Soler: Lady M, Little Rolling Stone, where the composer combines the classic stereotypes of the Blues and Rock, with the newest and most surprising effects that can be drawn from the guitar.

The second part starts with the warm nana (lullaby) “Drume Negrita” by Eliseo Grenet (1893-1950)) and continuing with “El Colibrí” by Julio Salvador Sagreras (1879-1942), where the composer tries to imitate the flight of this small and nervous bird from Latin America (can you imagine his flight?); then, “Seis por Derecho” (Six for right) by Antonio Lauro (1917-1986), a joropo where the guitar imitates the sound of the harp, with the typical aesthetics of Lauro's well-known waltzes. Ends this first group one personal version of one of most known tangos by Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992): “Adiós Nonino” (Goodbye Nonino), originally written for the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla and dedicated to his father Nonino.

The next section opens with the popular dance, of Incan origin from the Bolivian altiplano, “Huayno”, where sometimes the guitar sounds like the charango. Then, the rhythmic “Brejeiro” by Ernesto Nazareth (1863-1934), a sort of tango with a peculiar “flavor” of samba following the popular Paraguayan polka “Pájaro Campana” (Bellbird), by Ampelio Villalba (1890-1937), ending this group the popular Paraguayan dance “Chopí”, from the Suite Las Tres Palomas by Pablo Escobar (1900-19??), a striking combination of music for harp.

Opens the last part, the sensitive piece by Manuel María Ponce (1882-1948), “Scherzino Mexicano” continuing with the famous Berimbau, popular “bossa” by the Brazilian Baden Powell (1937-2000), with recollections of the carnival music. The program ends with the festive and rhythmic “Batucada” by Isaías Savio (1900-1977).

 

 

GUITARS:

"The Golden Polyphemus" by Ignacio Fleta, Spain

Maestro Soler, "The Redneck Girl" by Estruch Luthiers, Spain

"The Drag Queen" (10 strings) by De Latorre, Spain

Strings: GHS La Classique & Boomers, US

 

 

Riddle of the Guitar

In the round
crossways,
Six maidens
are dancing.
Three of flesh
and three of silver.
Yesterday´s dreams haunt them
but they are held embraced
by a Golden Polyphemus:

The Guitar!

  Federico García Lorca

García Lorca, attributes to the guitar
occult powers,
and returns again and again
in his poems
to the image of its strings
spread out like the arms
of Polyphemus,
waiting to trap our souls …