couple slight errors in translation in the titles: "la reja" literally means "the grill", i.e., the bars you see in front of Spanish windows; "candil" means "oil lamp"; the correct translation makes the titles even more evocative (dancers swirling in flickering light from the oil lamps; two lovers conversing through a window grill, not able to touch)
No need to say how much your channel and your distinct knowledge is appreciated by me and luckily by many others! What interests me is if you are a pianist/amateur-pianist too. Respectively, do you find it important to play all those great pieces by yourself for knowing them better? What is your general opinion over this? Thanks a lot in advance, and also for your regular uploads and all the work it brings with it!!
I consider myself a terrible pianist, but I play mostly for the physical fun of it -- if I want to listen to great music there's recordings for that, heh. Re: does playing a piece let you know it better? Almost certainly, yes. I never noticed that the interval of a minor 9th was a big structural feature of Chopin's first ballade until I actually played it, for instance. When you've actually got to peer at a score and put notes under the fingers harmonies and counterpoints tend to clarify. That being said, I know quite a number of people who play reasonably difficult pieces without really knowing anything much about their structure or harmony. So playing helps, but you've also got to be attentive enough to notes to know what's going on.
@@AshishXiangyiKumar yeah sure... A "terrible pianist" but you play chopins 1st ballade. I feel like really untalented now...*whimpers in Debussys Arabesque 1* Edit: goodness this reads like a guilt Trip im so sorry
I can't describe to you how much a masterpiece the first is. Do you know how many painstaking hours of work that would have taken to compose? Listening to it for the first time is like realising their is an infinite universe when you had thought the earth was flat.
Granados' "Goyescas" as played by Perez extends beyond the limits of ordinary experience. It soars, touches heaven, and returns to earth. Having heard it, we know in our hearts that we will never be as we were before. "The Ballad of Love and Death" is the ground on which we stand gazing upward in remembrance of what was exquisite, transcendent, but not meant to last. It opens to us the vision of truly great art---that, though we are creatures of this earth, our souls must reside in the sublime. We will never be satisfied until we are one with it in eternity.
These are epic pieces… exquisitely rendered-a struggle between joy and despair full of fragmented dances, dark descents and explosions of passion. It’s as if I’m dreaming under the fullest, brightest moon of all that was and could’ve been. I can’t get enough!👍👍
If you really want to hear the full (Spanish) fire and grandeur of these master works, you might like to listen to Alicia de Larrocha's insights on this matter. Hot blood and fire the likes of which no French composer even attained. Let me know (in the years to come) what you think. Sincerely.
I think he actually got a very important price for his interpretation of Goyescas, and particularly for Ballad of Love and Death. Here is Spain he's quite recognized and one of the most amazing pianists and teachers of our era.
That's really cool! I'm guessing you had masterclasses with him? If so, how were these classes? What did you play and what were some of the things he said?
Yes, that's it! I played Aragonesa from Cuatro piezas españolas by Falla, and since spanish music is one of Pérez's specialities, he really gave some very useful pieces of advice. Like for example he was very concerned about how each chord has to be attacked and how to use the central pedal. If somehow you've the opportunity of listening to him, do not hesitate!
From 1:23 to 1:35 is absolute bliss. In my opinion: Pérez is a great pianist. I love his Goyescas, No. 1 in particular. It is such a powerful piece... I'm a huge fan of our Spanish music, and with no hesitation I would say that some of the most impressive and strongest Spanish piano pieces are inspired by Aragón: this Goyescas, Albéniz's 'Aragón' (from the Suite Española), 'Zaragoza' (from Suite Española No. 2) and Falla's 'Aragonesa'... And I'm sure there are a few more
Absolutely stunning! This performance by L.F. Perez is spot on. His rubato is MORE authentic to the Composer's wishes as well as the HISTORICAL rubato of his time. Some might find it "Too Smaltsy," but that is the style of this wondrous music and the period. Thank you, Ashish Xiangyi Kumar. You are so kind to share such jewels with us!
RUBATO OF RHYTMIC ALTERATIONS WERE A NECESSARY PART OF ANTIQUE EXPRESSION, ELIMINATED IN TH 20TH CENTURY BY THE DAMN INVENTION OF RECORDING MACHINES. THROW YOUR RECORDING MACHINE OUT THE WINDOW AND LIVE TROUGH YOUR SENSES WHICH NO RECORDING MACHINE CAN BE CONNECTED TO.
AT "HIS TIME" RUBATO WAS IN CONSTANT REFLECTION OF THE PHRASE STRUCTURE CALLED PORTAMENTO. WE HAVE STERILIZED MUSIC TODAY. THE PRINTED NOTES IS ONLY A GUIDE FROM WHICH THE MUSICIAN MUST COMMUNICATE THE MEANING AND THIS REQUIRES CONSTANT RUBAT.
I think I might like this even better than De Larrocha's iconic recording. The Fandango really *swings* in Pérez's recording; you can almost hear the dancers swirl across the floor in the flickering light. La Maya y el ruiseñor is one of the most beautiful melodies ever written for piano.
For me, this expresses the very heart.of Spain... and like much of Chopin's music makes me see pictures... of ladies in dark Spanish gowns and great combs in their hair... oranges and blood red wine., warm summer nights and candles everywhere.
Not that this masterwork needs any numerical figures to prop it up, but I can’t help but wonder how many notes are in this thing. Google didn’t come up with anything; does anyone know how to figure this type of thing out? (There’s an often-quoted figure that Rachmaninoff’s third piano concerto has around 30,000 and the value is known exactly, so clearly *someone* knows - I doubt they counted one by one 😂)
Agreed with so many others that this is a top-notch Goyescas! The playing of Los Requiebros is incredible. I was a little disappointed that Pérez took the Frank Marshall cut in El Fandango de Candil; I don't understand the rationale of cutting 20 measures of great material.
Dear Sir, very please you include my Goyescas in your collection. Disappointed with you anyway as I once announced you where not allowed to have publicity with it. Today, publicity with it. What to do? Many thanks
I’m not sure I understand - if you are referring to advertisements, RU-vid puts them in there, and there is nothing I can do about it. The ad revenue goes back to the recording company - I don’t see a cent of it, and I’m happy for it to stay that way.
Ragnvald David would you write to me in spanish, not beeing your mother language, and would never be so rude with you, opposite, I would congratulate and encourage you. Probably my english is poor, but your politeness is simply disgusting.
Ashish Xiangyi Kumar So then, please excuse me. As far as I know, in a personal channel, one decides if advertisements or not, and please excuse me, as many people use the work of others to profit. Thank you for you answer and please accept my apologies again. Greetings
I wonder if the Goyescas are the only masterpiece of Granados. I love them but I hardly know his other works. My heart hesitate between Iberia and the Goyescas. I have just passed hours with this channel to listen all the sonatas of Beethoven, which generated passion in me. But Spanish music is so generous that it is sometimes unbearable. By the way, I did not know that the gender of the word "valse" was masculine in Spanish. (Valses poéticos). I am not surprised to recognize French music in the Spanish one (the one of the "quintette" as Wikipédia says). Indeed, some passages could have been written by Saint-Saëns at his very best). A lot of great Spanish composers went to Paris as the Provinciaux in my country want to do so. ("Monter à Paris"). Could this music been make without Debussy, even if this pioneer one bores my hears, except when he writes... Spanish music :-)
Dear Nicolas, you have many marvelous pieces of Granados... Valses Poéticos, Allegro de Concierto, Escenas Románticas, Seis piezas sobre cantos populares españoles .... I encourage you to search for his catalogue as you love his Goyescas. Sure you will enjoy very much! As for Goyescas/Iberia... why should one be the winner? They are so different and both marvelous. 😀 Greetings
The bit from 57:45 to 58:02 is so epic that I'm just so disappointed how it ends. I really love this piece and I think it has almost an infinite amount of original ideas but sometimes I'm let down a bit by the short phrases.
There's an interesting note in the score about the ending of Epilogo, translated, it says, "The ghost disappears plucking the strings of his guitar". That tells you how the ending is supposed to sound.
The first has such a childish delight and light hearted freedom to it. It has, by its nature, the power to make any feelings of seriousness, of depression, of sadness, or anger disappear - and such is the beauty of music.
Que alegría me da haber descubierto esta coleccion de composiciones.... y que pena me da que no sea más conocido en nuestro país. Saludos a todos los paisanos, y a los que no son españoles también. La música une.
It's strange how in "El Fandango de Candil" at around 26:26 Perez suddenly skips 17 bars and jumps into the bar before "plus calme espress.". You can even see in the video that the last two bars on the page aren't played (at around 26:25) but 15 other bars were skipped as well. Does anyone have a possible reasons for this? BTW Happy World Piano Day 2022 everyone!!
I know de Larrocha did the same thing there -- I imagine it's just to cut the piece down a bit. For some reason pianists take a lot of liberties with goyescas (e.g. Perez doubling octaves in the bass, which I think works pretty well)
@@brycehm I was thinking that might be the reason as well, although I think the piece works better with those more rambling sections. It could also have to do with the editions they have in Spain, since other Spanish pianist I've heard make that cut. Interestingly, in the Granados piano roll recording of Goyescas on RU-vid, he plays their missing page in the Fandango. I think there's taking liberties in Goyescas and then there's skipping a full page lol.
I've wondered that myself. He doesn't notate it, even though it spends more time in E-flat maj. than any other tonality. He does use a key signature for Maiden (f# min)
Yes, especially the "Ballad of Love and Death" - so extremely romantic, the quintessence of life itself squeezed to the last langorous drop, with all facades stripped bare.
Beautiful interpretation, very authentic and nice way of playing (rubato, voicing, way of "inducing" passion in the sound, etc) ! I love when someone is being more authentic and isn't trying to get a conventional sound that seems the same for a vast majority of pianists, but really search in their own inner universe...
Фантастика! Бесконечные чудесные музыкальные узоры словно нанизываются на волшебное веретено и создают сказочное призрачное музыкальное кружево из цветочков, колокольчиков, бабочек, певчих птичек, матыльков, стрекоз, кузнечиков. Музыкальные переливы словно ручеек, спокойная река, или небольшой водопад. В этой необыкновенной музыке можно услышать все. Или всю природу или душевную задумчивость в ней! Игра бесподобная! Все это сливаясь воедино доставляет нам слушателям необычайную радость, удовольствие, наслаждение! За что благодарю, большое спасибо!!!
This edition has indications in French, Spanish and Italian. I saw the word "Capricious" spelled three different ways, and two of them were a line apart. Caprizioso, Capricioso, and Capriccioso.
Indeed. Maybe the publisher has respected the indications of the composer, inspired by different countries. However the translation of capriccio in French is "Caprice".
For a Spanish composer, he puts tons of directions in French in the pieces, all the way to the end (with the direction that means something like "the ghost disappears playing the strings of his guitar", with the last bars of #6)
That's because they are not being played correctly. Early twentieth century Spanish music is not early twentieth century French music. If you would like to hear these master works played correctly, listen to Alicia de Larrocha interpretations. You'll get it. It's like sticking you finger in a light socket and flipping the switch. zzzzZZZZap !
Ashish Xiangyi Kumar, parabéns pelo seu maravilhoso trabalho. Ele vai além do tradicional, da simples postagem. Temos os comentários técnicos das obras, o que faz justiça à grandeza da obra. Essa leitura enriquece a apreciação das apresentações, temos o alcance artístico do que ela representa. O visual das partituras está magnífico. Fica à altura da alta cultura musical, além de que temos o luxo da sincronização, acompanhar passo a passo a apresentação das obras. Por último, mais importante, temos uma ótima seleção das peças musicais e com os seu virtuosos intérpretes. Estávamos precisando desse trabalho como o seu: beleza, técnica, arte.
O jovem pianista mineiro LEONI WERNER é um grande intérprete das obras de Enrique Granados. Há poucos dias tive o prazer de ver a sua performance interpretando GOYESCAS: Los Requiebros; Que jas ó la Maja y el Ruiseñor; El Fandango de Candil; El Amor y La Muerte. Para melhor entender esses obras de Granados, há que se fazer um passeio pelas pinturas de Goya.
That's exactly the problem. These master works windup sounding French. I like my Goyescas with blood, hot blood, fire and the smell of sweat. Not all this lavender sentimentality. A-le-thee-a de Larrocha use to burn the 'house' down after each performance. If you ever want to hear what Spanish fire really sounds like, try Alicia's insights on these great Spanish works.
One of the most magical suites ever written for the piano: One can just imagine Goya´s exquisite paintings, all laid out in front of one´s very eyes. What opulence, beauty and splendor.
To read this music the pianist has to be cross eyed. Or become cross eyed reading it! Why doesn't Granados use a key signature? The first part of this could be in D flat or G flat major
The pointing of the details at 2.47 onwards is really marked, and the subsequent passage is more lyrical and bathed in golden sunlight than previously thought possible. Love the rubato and flexibility in this performance.
I have heard some of these played on the classical guitar This is how I became interested in them. I have since been exploring all of the Granados and Albeniz piano music. Simply sublime.
