Compositora convidada a la 2023-24 temporada del Palau de la Musica Catalana
(extracto del articulo en el diario http://ara.cat del 13 de Mayo, 2023. [Elisenda Fábregas] “Tiene un catálogo que incluye composiciones para orquesta sinfónica, conciertos, formaciones de cámara, ciclos de canciones con piano, obras corales y obra para piano solista. Después de años en los Estados Unidos, vivió en Seúl una década, donde escribió varias obras orquestales, entre las cuales Accents catalans, que escucharemos en el Palau interpretada por lo OSV, formación con la cual también descubriremos su personal Oda a la joia, encargo del Palau, en un programa con la Novena de Beethoven.
Su retorno reciente en la tierra nativa nos permite descubrir el perfil de una compositora versátil, con una visión amplia del mundo, un bagaje humanístico muy rico gracias a su experiencia vital y con un largo currículum como profesora universitaria de las culturas musicales occidental y oriental.
Aun así, su música se adentra también en la tradición cultural y musical mediterránea y en el más profundo del alma catalana, como se podrá comprobar con Bonna Domna, escrita sobre un original texto trobadoresco. En el Palau escucharemos una elige selecta de su extenso catálogo para formaciones diversas que nos permitirá conocer más de cerca una catalana muy polifacética e internacional.”
La veu de Casals (The Voice of Casals), Roger Morelló Ros, cello (includes ‘Danses de la terra’)
Danses de la terra (2020) (Catalan dances) for solo cello was written for and dedicated to Catalan cellist Roger Morello Ros. He premiered this work at Palau Güell in Barcelona on October 28, 2021, and since then he has performed it dozens of times in Spain, Germany and other European countries. He recently recorded by SWR2 this work and was released on a CD titled “La Veu de Casals” on the label lbs Classical. Listen on spotify.
Danses de la terra consists of four dances:
- I. Ball d’entrada (Opening dance);
- II. Dansa de rondalla amorosa (Dance of amorous tale);
- III. Ball ceremonial de purificació (Ceremonial dance of purification);
- IV. Records de sardana (Memories of sardana).
Although not literally based on traditional Catalan music, this work is inspired by the composer’s childhood memories of Catalonian dances and folk music. As a Catalan living outside Catalonia since 1978, the author recreates a Catalan sound world of melodic and rhythmic folk idioms tinged with emotions from her childhood. This concert will also include other solo cello works by Catalan composers such as Albert Sardà, Josep Maria Guix, and Gaspar Cassadó.
Published by Hidden Oaks Music Co. score on sale on this web page.
Aires Catalans (2023) premiere by ‘Orchestra de Cambra Terrassa 48’ on April 23, 2023, Auditori Terrassa
Aires Catalans for string chamber orchestra was commissioned by Orquestra de Cambra Terrasa 48 and will be premiered on April 23, 2023 at the Auditori Municipal de Terrassa. The concert, titled ‘Cau de llunes’, is an homage to Catalan poet Merçe Marçal.
Aires Catalans is a one-movement composition based on six traditional Catalonian songs, including: La mala nova; El testament d’Amelia; El Rosinyol; La mare de deu; el Bon Caçador; i Ball de gitanes. Melodic and rhythmic motives from the songs are loosely developed and combined in various types of imitative textures with an often modal sound.
The introduction, permeated by chanting-like modal sounds is loosely based on the trad. song La mala nova which prepares the entrance to the well-known melody in major mode of El Rosinyol, accompanied by pizzicato lower strings.
The end of the composition is a dance featuring El Rosinyol with a sardana rhythm in the lower strings in pizzicato.
Five songs (1986), March 4, 17:30, at Festival Musika-Música de Bilbao, Palacio Euskaldunafestival – N. Intxausti sopr. & Aurelio Virabay, pno.
Five Songs based on poems by F. Garcia Lorca (1986) for soprano and piano will be performed at Festival Musika-Música de Bilbao, in Palacio Euskaldunafestival on March 4, 2023, 17:30, by soprano Naroa Intxausti and pianist Aurelio Viribay in a recital dedicated to songs based on poetry by Federico García Lorca.
Uphill: from Clara to Robert for cello & piano – Roger Morelló Ros, cello, & Anna Khomichkho, piano. Premiere and concerts in Germany & Spain, 2022-23
Uphill: from Clara to Robert for cello & piano (2021) was written for and dedicated to the Duo of cellist Roger Morelló Ros and pianist Anna Khomichkho. Uphill was inspired by a 16th century poem of Pedro Padilla, and also inspired by Clara’s feelings over her caring of Robert and the interruption of her composing activities.
My inspiration to write this one movement work came from two sources. I was inspired by a poem by Pedro Padilla (16th century Spain) entitled “Sierra áspera…” used by R. Schumann. I tied this poem with Clara and Robert Schumann’s relationship. I took the side of Clara as the wife/caregiver of Robert Schumann and imagined her struggles and feelings. Besides her duties as a wife and emotional support to Robert Schumann’s, Clara was also the mother of eight children, pursued her own career as a pianist/composer and left us 66 compositions. She was regarded as one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era, with over 61-years of concert career, changing the format and repertoire of the piano recital from displays of virtuosity to programs of serious works.
We know from her quotes that she felt insecure as a composer in a time when women were seen only as mothers and not fit to pursue creative endeavors such as writing music. There were no women composer models to be followed. A famous quote from Clara corroborates such feelings:
“I once believed that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea; a woman must not desire to composer – there has never yet been one able to do it. Should I expect to be the one?”
Clara Schumann was a super woman doing it all, like many others during her time. This music is my way of honoring Clara Schumann.
©2021 Elisenda Fábregas
Amalia Tortajada, flute, & Andrea Gonzalez, guitar (Identidade project CD) and performances of Goyescas in Valencia and Portugal
- Amalia Tortajada, flute and Andrea González, guitar, presented their first album ‘SERENATAS’ at the Serenades Festival – Centre Cultural Nau, Institut Valencia, University of Valencia (Spain) on June 29, and in Lisboa, Portugal. The program titled Women and Art included the performance of Goyescas for flute and guitar which is a premiere in Spain. Both performers join forces in this very personal project, giving life to IDENTIDADE, an inspiring project that, in addition to promoting music written and performed by women, has the purpose of promoting and giving value to the work of women from different cultures in various artistic fields. IDENTIDADE includes four premieres of works by composers Gabriela Ortiz (Mexico), Clarice Assad (Brazil), Elisenda Fábregas (Spain) and Johanny Navarro (Puerto Rico). More information on the concert. Listen to the recording.
Sonata for flute & piano (1995) released on Odradek, on June 3, 2022. Recorded by Roberto Alvarez and Kseniia Vokhmianina
Sonata for flute and piano was written in 1995 for the late Tallon Perkes, first flutist of the San Antonio Symphony. I had the pleasure to work and perform with him in various occasions. This sonata was written and dedicated to him. It is very exciting to finally have a recording that does justice to this virtuosic composition. Singapore based Spanish flutist Robert Alvarez and Ukranian pianist Kseniia Vokhmianina did a superb recording last year. In this challenging Sonata in which the piano is an equal partner with the flute, Roberto and Kseniia both exhibit a superlative musicianship and extraordinary technical mastery. The title of the CD is “The Whirldwind Whithin.”
This is my own review of their recording: “Both performers clearly understood the spirit of the music and were able to bring it out with extraordinary musical confidence and precise technique. They are both perfectly synchronized as an ensemble and demonstrated an amazing flexibility, changing quickly and convincingly among contrasting moods – from strong and energetic moods in the first and 4th movements, to a playful interaction in the Scherzo, and to the poetic, dreamy and mysterious 2nd movement. The ensemble dynamics are also perfectly well balanced, especially in passages where the flute and the piano are in a kind of dialogue, responding to each other. Alvarez plays with perfect intonation, tremendous clarity of articulation and control of dynamics. In the second ‘dreamy ‘movement, Alvarez shows his sensitivity and musicality in the beautiful quality of his tone and well-balanced phrasing. Kseniia is a great partner for Roberto, with absolute technical mastery of the keyboard, rhythmic and dynamic control, and showing an innate musicality. Her playing of the difficult last movement was most impressive, both technically and musically. In the last movement, both show their superlative technical mastery while always staying at the service of music and showing great musical understanding.”
Other works in this recording are also first time recordings and include works by Mike Mower, James Rae, Daniel Sánchez Velasco, José Elizondo, Gonzalo Casielles and Pablo Aguirre. The sonata has four movements and is published by Alphonse Leduc & Cie. The recording of this Sonata will be released on June 3, 2022 during “The Whirlwind Tour” in Europe, with concerts in Madrid, Italy, Mallorca, and Zurich among others.
Languages
