Ecos de Sefarad Joaquin Rodrigo – volume 2

 15,00

Description

« Ecos de Sefarad » was composed in 1987 for the American guitarist Sherry Rottersman. It is the last piece that Rodrigo wrote for a solo guitar. Its title refers to the Sephardic Jews of Iberia, whose music had a deep
effect on flamenco¹s cante jondo, a style reserved to reflect sadness, conflict, mourning, and other such unfortunate but inevitable occasions in life. The melodic material Rodrigo uses in this piece comes from a Sephardic love song called « Los Bilbilicos », or « The Nightingales ». This melody probably comes from an earlier version to which the « tsur mishelo », a Hebrew prayer, is sung.

« Que buen caminito » was composed for the tribute “130 years of Classical Guitar”, and was the compulsory work in the International Guitar Contest organized at the Conservatory of Music in Sevilla. The rhythm is reminiscent of a flamenco sevillanas , but its slow tempo leaves with us only a reminder of it, and nothing more.

The dedication, “a la vihuela de Luis Milan”, of « Zarabanda lejana » is not only a tribute to Milan the vihuelist, but to Rodrigo¹s life-long love of early music. “Zarabanda lejana” means “distant sarabande”, distant not only because of its quiet nature, but also of its almost haunting reflection of music long past. The
cadence one hears again and again throughout this piece is a plagal cadence, which is the cadence most commonly attached to the “amen” at the end of a hymn. It was first composed for the guitar in 1926, then arranged for the piano and followed in 1927 by a string orchestra version.

Probably best known in its orchestral incarnation as one of the « Tres viejos aires de danza », « Pastorale » was originally written in 1926 for the piano. It was first arranged by the famous Spanish guitarist Emilio Pujol,
and has become a staple in the solo guitar repertoire.

The « Sonata giocosa » written in 1960 is one of two complete sonatas Rodrigo composed for the guitar (the other is the Sonata a la Espanola which is also performed on this recording). Although it requires a great deal of digital dexterity to perform, it shows a lighter and more humorous side to a composer whose creations can sometimes be dark and cloudy. The outer movements display the humor; the first movement primarily alternates a quirky little melody in the higher register and stated in parallel thirds and sixths with unexpected exclamatory responses in the bass. The result is an effect almost of laughter. Contrasting a solemn but heavenly second movement, the final movement seems to be a takeoff on a “zapateado”, a virtuosic dance with, in this case, some slide whistle effects thrown in for laughs.

The « Fandango » from the « Tres piezas españolas » composed in 1954 is not a new spin on the flamenco “fandangos”, but rather is inspired by the stately fandango that was widely enjoyed in the parlors of the Spanish aristocracy a few hundred years ago. However, here the composer chooses to insert a long, expressive melodic section which wonderfully balances the strict and often dissonant sound of the fandango rhythm. This is undoubtedly one of Rodrigo¹s most beloved and widely-played pieces. A « Passacaglia » is a piece of music that is built upon a (usually ostinato) bass line. Here he sets up this bass line at the beginning, which also serves as the grave but beautiful theme. He continues developing the theme with a series of progressively difficult variations, until it all culminates in a brilliantly crafted fugue. The piece ends with an exhalation; a sigh of relief as it were. The « Zapateado », like its more cheerful sibling flamenco counterpart, is a highly rhythmic dance whose purpose is to show off the dancer¹s virtuosic foot and heel work. The forward-moving energy this dance creates is almost tangible. It is safe to say that two of the most devilish scales in the whole guitar repertoire are contained in this piece.

« Romance de Durandarte » is not originally for the guitar. It is a song taken from Rodrigo¹s ballet “Pavana Real”, the ballad of Durandarte — a legendary knight of the Round Table — arranged for the guitar by Pepe Romero.

Written in December of 1968, and published in 1969, the « Sonata a la Española » was premiered at the « Incontri Musicali Romani » on 30 May 1969 by Ernesto Bitetti, to whom it is dedicated. It is composed in a light but very articulate Spanish style. The first movement openly displays this, utilizing single staccato lines for the primary theme, answered rhythmically by Rodrigo¹s signature dissonant minor second in the treble. The second movement begins with its theme in the bass, but this time ascending a minor third, in contrast to the first movement¹s major third. The third movement is a spritely Bolero. Graham Wade sums up the work well in his book, The Solo Guitar Works of Joaquin Rodrigo: « This sonata is a walk through a Spanish village, a light-hearted stroll with the merest glances at the picturesque graveyard illuminated by the bright sun. The adagio may offer a hint of pathos but its lyrical song dispels too intense a melancholy ».

Samples

No
Composer
Title
Comments
Duration
Sample
1
Joaquin Rodrigo

Dos pequeñas fantasias
Ecos de Sefarad

05:10
 
2
Joaquin Rodrigo

Dos pequeñas fantasias
Que buen caminito

04:39
 
3
Joaquin Rodrigo

Tres piezas españolas
Fandango

03:53
 
4
Joaquin Rodrigo

Tres piezas españolas
Passacaglia

05:07
 
5
Joaquin Rodrigo

Tres piezas españolas
Zapateado

03:14
 
6
Joaquin Rodrigo

Pastoral

03:21
 
7
Joaquin Rodrigo

Sonata giocosa
Allegro modearto

03:47
 
8
Joaquin Rodrigo

Sonata giocosa
Andante moderato

04:11
 
9
Joaquin Rodrigo

Sonata giocosa
Allegro

02:55
 
10
Joaquin Rodrigo

Sarabande lejana

06:12
 
11
Joaquin Rodrigo

Sonata española
Allegro assai

02:54
 
12
Joaquin Rodrigo

Sonata española
Adagio

03:45
 
13
Joaquin Rodrigo

Sonata española
Tempo de bolero

02:16
 
14
Joaquin Rodrigo

Romance de Durandarte

04:22
 

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