La Generación del '27

[Popov]

There's a topic about the 1951 generation of Spanish composers, so how about a thread on the 1927 one?

It was quite a truncated generation because of the Spanish Civil War and the subsequent dictatorship. Those who supported Franco's regime (Rodrigo, Esplà, Mompou, E. Halffter...) were the leading composers in the 1940s, but those who didn't had to go into exile or were completely marginalized. Regarding their musical language, I'd say it was mainly a neoclassical, de Falla-rooted group of composers influenced by the non atonal interwars composers, Ravel and Stravinsky mainly. Though others, Blancafort for instance, were closer to impressionism and Toldrà was an old school nationalist composer. Gerhard was the one who had a most advanced style, and I'd say he was the most important composer of this generation.

These were the two main circles, though of course there are many more composers:

- Madrid Group ("The Eight")
Salvador Bacarisse (Madrid, 1898 - Paris, 1963)
Julián Bautista (Madrid, 1901 - Buenos Aires, 1961)
Rosa García Ascot (Madrid, 1902 - 2002)
Ernesto Halffter (Madrid, 1905 - 1989)
Rodolfo Halffter (Madrid, 1900 - Mexico, 1987)
Juan José Mantecón (Vigo, 1895 - Madrid, 1964)
Gustavo Pittaluga (Madrid, 1906 - 1975)
Fernando Remacha (Pamplona, 1898 - 1984)
+ Jesús Bal y Gay (Lugo, 1905 - Madrid, 1993) -married to Rosa García-

::: Barcelona Group ("Group of Independent Catalonian Artists")
Manuel Blancafort (Barcelona, 1897 - 1986)
Roberto Gerhard (Tarragona, 1896 - Cambridge, 1970)
Ricard Lamote de Grignon (Barcelona, 1899 - 1962)
Federico Mompou (Barcelona, 1893 - 1987)
Baltasar Samper (Mallorca, 1888 - Mexico City, 1966)
Eduard Toldrà (Barcelona, 1895 - 1962)

[bhodges]

Very interesting groups of composers! Most of them are new to me, but I am a huge fan of Roberto Gerhard, and recently got the Halffter CD below by pianist Adam Kent--and it's excellent.

On February 25, the American Symphony Orchestra is doing this program below, and I'm really looking forward to it, especially the Gerhard 4th Symphony. (I have the Chandos recording, and love it.)

Joaquín Turina: Sinfonía sevillana, Op. 23
Roberto Gerhard: Don Quixote
Roberto Gerhard: Symphony No. 4, "New York"
Manuel de Falla: Homages

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--Bruce

[Popov]

Evaristo Fernández Blanco is one of lesser known composers of that generation whose music is being gradually recovered. A disciple of Schreker in Berlin, he was a rather successful composer in the II Republic's musical scene but after the war he was completely marginalized and decided to retire; he lived until 1993, but after his 1940 Dramatic Overture he didn't compose anything until 1982.

The Dramatic Overture is something of a memorial reflecting Fdez. Blanco's grief over the horrors of the war and the brutal post-war repression. It consists of three episodes: Desolation - Action - Hommage to the heroes, and was definitely not intended for performance in Franco's Spain since the third one quotes The Internationale and other socialist chants.

It's a rather bombastic but deeply felt work, and contains music that is definitely unusual in Spanish classical music. Specially the second episode, a frenetic, Sviridov-like march. What do you think of it?

http://www.youtube.com/v/ytqMEpwTkQM http://www.youtube.com/v/BxkV8ksdGF8

If you like it, his complete orchestral works were recently recorded with this same conductor and a good Spanish orchestra:



And then there's his instrumental music. There's a 2002 CD with his piano works and songs, and his 1927 Trio in C was recorded toghether with works by Toldrà, Bautista and Montsalvatge:



Here's his carefree 1938 Perpetuum Mobile for piano, which is quite different in spirit from the Overture. I recorded it myself so the performance sucks, sorry xD I hope you enjoy it anyway; if you like Poulenc I think you will definitely like it, I think.

http://www.youtube.com/v/7jd48PBQdVg

[bhodges]

Actually listening right now to your piano performance--very good, actually!    And like the piece...has a sort of "bravura encore" feeling about it. I suspect someone like Hamelin would love this, if he doesn't know it already. (PS, love that you can hear the page turns!)

--Bruce

[Popov]

And like the piece...has a sort of "bravura encore" feeling about it. I suspect someone like Hamelin would love this, if he doesn't know it already

Good point, someone has to make him know! Glad you liked it.

[snyprrr]

That's a lot of Unknowns.

I am curious about the two Halffters. Honestly, I appear to be prejudiced against Spanish Composers before Gerhard: I just don't trust that they're not going to sound, well, Spanish.

I would be interested in some piano music, but the Spanish Piano Music Thread hasn't really been going anywhere lately.

[Popov]

Gerhard's 1934 ballet for children Ariel was premiered two weeks ago in Valls, a town in Tarragona. Ariel (a rejected commission from the Ballets Russes) was actually premiered under Scherchen in the first orchestral concert of the Barcelona'36 ISCM festival - the same concert where Berg's Violin Concerto was given its posthumous premiere. That edition of the festival, where music by Gerhard, R. Halffter, Blancafort or R. Lamote de Grignon was performed, was the 1927 Generation's swan song, since just three months later the Civil War broke out. Like many of his colleagues Gerhard had to flee into exile in 1939, and while he made himself a name in the UK, Ariel was never staged until now.

http://www.youtube.com/v/CiHDc4EXMmU

The complete work is in youtube in case you're interested. I'd dare to say it's one of the masterworks of the Spanish 1930s music.

http://www.youtube.com/v/A57Oh21rcKA http://www.youtube.com/v/KeNVp87mK0E
http://www.youtube.com/v/qv6hpaV1bUI

[San Antone]

Rodolfo Halffter and Grupo de los Ocho

Rodolfo Halffter Escriche (October 20, 1900 – October 14, 1987) was a Spanish composer;  he was the brother of Ernesto Halffter and uncle of Cristóbal Halffter, also composers.  Hallfter was self-taught and in the 1930s took part in the intellectual environment of Madrid, particularly in the composers' society "Grupo de los Ocho".

The Group of Eight or Group of Madrid is the name given to a group of musicians and musicologists Spaniards , considered the musical equivalent of the Generation of '27 and composed of Ernesto Halffter and his brother Rodolfo, Juan José Mantecon, Julian Bautista, Fernando Remacha, Rosa Garcia Ascot, Salvador Bacarisse and Gustavo Pittaluga . Also associated with this group were Jesús Bal y Gay and Adolfo Salazar, who encouraged them to innovate and introduced them to the avant-garde music of the time, including the works of Debussy, Schoenberg, Ravel and Bartók.

His Violin Concerto is considered by many to be his major work.  Naxos Records has released three volumes of his chamber music and he also wrote for solo piano, voice and opera.

[snyprrr]

That's a lot of Unknowns.

I am curious about the two Halffters. Honestly, I appear to be prejudiced against Spanish Composers before Gerhard: I just don't trust that they're not going to sound, well, Spanish.

I would be interested in some piano music, but the Spanish Piano Music Thread hasn't really been going anywhere lately.

Again I'll ask what are the essential works of the two brothers Hallfter???

[San Antone]

Again I'll ask what are the essential works of the two brothers Hallfter???

There is a link in my previous post which will go into more detail at least about Rodolfo Hallfter, and list some of his major works and offer a few audio clips.

[Roy Bland]

https://cilam.ucr.edu/diagonal/issues/2011/Campos.pdf

[Symphonic Addict]

https://cilam.ucr.edu/diagonal/issues/2011/Campos.pdf

And...?

[Roy Bland]

And...?

maybe placing it here is questionable but I haven't found a topic about Spanish composers in general or on female composers