Winged serpent for clarinet and piano (2001)

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PROGRAM NOTES

Based on a Native American tale of the origination of the Milky Way. According to the tale, there was once a small serpent whose father was the best hunter in his tribe. No bigger than a worm, the serpent ate only the hearts of birds. The more it grew the more hearts the serpent needed until the forest was emptied of birds. The father then provided the serpent with jaguars’ hearts until there were no more jaguars in the forest. “I want human hearts”, said the serpent. The hunter emptied his village and its vicinity of people until one day in a far-off village he was spotted and killed. Driven by hunger and nostalgia the serpent went to look for his father. On finding him dead, the serpent in anger coiled his body around the guilty village so that no one could escape. The serpent then rescued his father’s body and grew upward. There he can still be seen undulating, bristling with luminous arrows, across the night sky. A sinuous melodic motif personifying the snake appears on and off in different registers and instruments. Throughout the piece this thematic material interacts with a bittersweet theme representing the father-son relationship.

Published by Hidden Oaks Music Co.

Portraits II for clarinet, violin, cello and piano (1999)

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Portraits II for clarinet, violin, cello and piano was commissioned and premiered by SOLI Chamber Ensemble at Ruth Taylor Concert Hall in San Antonio, TX, in January of 2000.

The title Portraits II comes from a piano solo work of the same title (Portraits I) and both share the first piece, Image. Portraits II includes four pieces representing a range of emotions: passion and lyricism in Image, unpredictability and playfulness in Capriccio, tenderness and lightheartedness in Cantilena and Dance, and vitality and decisiveness in the Finale.

Image (I) includes two themes which are characterized by the melodic ascending leap of a ninth. After their exposition these two themes collide in a dissonant manner in the Agitato and climax fortissimo in the high register of the Grandioso section. The piece finishes in pianissimo with the second theme gradually disintegrating itself in fragmented descending motives ending with a question mark.

The Capriccio /Lento (II) is unpredictable with constant changes of mood and tempo. There are twelve changes of tempo in this short piece. Two contrasting themes, one leggiero and fast first played by the piano, and one slow and lyrical first played by the clarinet and the violin are developed motivically throughout the piece.

The Cantilena and Dance (III) starts with a lyrical theme in the cello followed by another lyrical theme in the clarinet. The first theme is then developed using Baroque techniques such as canons and imitation techniques thickening the texture. Freedom comes back when all the instruments subsequently bring up a rhythmic variation of the head motif of the second theme in the Allegro ballabile e con spirito section. Repeated notes are added to gain insistence, rhythmic activity and a dance quality. Ascending subsequent sequences in each instrument create excitement. The atmosphere keeps gathering more excitement and momentum by the use of syncopations, repeated notes and changes of meter arriving to a climax with all the instruments in unison. The joyful atmosphere then calms down with a fermata before the piano features the lyrical second theme.

The Finale is brought about without interruption and brings back the main theme of Image with its characteristic leap of ninth. While the piano insistently repeats an ostinato rhythm, the violin, clarinet and cello alternate playing the first theme or parts of it. The exciting atmosphere is enhanced by going half a step up. The texture thickens and reaches a climactic point with the piano featuring ascending and descending scales and stopping in a short fermata. The atmosphere then becomes very rhythmic with a dissonant ostinato in the piano and the second theme from Image featured in the clarinet, then the violin and the cello. The texture continues to thicken toward the end with changes of meter in fortissimo.

 

Voces de mi tierra for flute, cello and piano (2003)

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Program notes by Elisenda Fábregas

Voces de mi tierra (Voices of my homeland) was written for the Meininger-Trio in occasion of an all- Spanish music concert in Meersburg, Germany, on May 25. Voces de mi tierra is a tribute to my native country and to the Spanish music that I love so much. Even though the melodies are distinctively Spanish I have not borrowed from Spanish music folklore.

I. El cortejo (The courtship) – Two contrasting themes interact and influence each other changing their characters as they become one at the end of the movement. A decisive and rhythmic first theme (A) is influenced by another highly contrasting theme (B) – evocative, fluid and lyrical. Theme B is introduced without great fanfare, almost as a transition, but towards the end transforms theme A into a slow-moving melodic line, ending in a passionate climax. Theme B nests itself into A becoming one.

II. Noche en la Alhambra (Night in the Alhambra) – During my student years, I spent two summers in Granada hearing many memorable concerts and flamenco music in la Alhambra and the Albaicin. This movement honors my memories of la Alhambra through the sounds of a flamenco song. This song, full of melismas and grace notes, is first introduced by the cello, and in subsequent variations the song is taken over by the flute and the piano.

III. La moza y el gitano (Scherzando) (The peasant and the gypsy) is full of folk-like melodies and dance rhythms. The melody in the flute introduces the first theme, full of happiness and energy but quite graceful (“la moza”). A few measures later, a new melody in minor full of syncopations (“the gypsy”), is introduced by the cello. Most of the movement is a representation of their interaction and games. The movement ends when the first theme (“la moza”) in the minor mode leading without a break to the fourth movement.

IV. Gigue consists of a variation of the first theme of the Scherzando (III). It is very driven and it can be imagined as the “la moza” trying to escape from “el gitano” in the third movement.

Mirage for solo piano

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Program Notes

Photograph, text, sheet music and audio sample 
© 2002 by Elisenda Fabregas 

mirage2The subtitle of Mirage comes from a fragment of one of my poems, setting the mood for the shimmering beginning of the piece:
“…I felt myself floating in a vast and magic space among tingling and shining stars…”.

Mirage may evoke images to the listener but in its conception is abstract in nature evoking various emotional states with shifting states of tension and relaxation, mood and tempo.

According to the San Antonio Express News:
“Mirage is a virtuosic work that makes equal demands on a pianist’s technique, lyricism and sense of form.”

It is a ‘colourful’ piece, requiring from the performer a wide variety of touch, as well as a fluid and sparkling technique; it also demands a sense of drama and a concept of line to bring forth the driving and forward looking nature of the piece. Mirage starts with a tension building theme which is released in the slow, lyrical and peaceful second section; the third section strives again to build tension culminating in the climactic point of the piece leading back to the modified recapitulation. The piece ends with a peaceful coda.

Mirage was commissioned for the 1997 San Antonio International Piano Competition in memory of Andrew Russell Gurwitz and it was premiered at the San Antonio International Piano Competition by Commissioned Composer Performance Award and Silver Medalist Roger Wright at Trinity University, San Antonio, TX. The New York premiere took place at Merkin Concert Hall in 1998 and was performed by San Antonio International Piano Competition Gold Medalist, Mi-Jung Im.

Album for the Young (Book Three)

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Program Notes

Photograph, text, sheet music and audio sample 
© 2002 by Elisenda Fabregas 

Album3testAlbum for the Young is a collection of thirty-four short pieces ranging from early to advanced intermediate level and organized in three books in order of difficulty. Each piece is one or two pages in length and cover a wide range of styles: from Renaissance to contemporary in the first two books, and Spanish & Latin American idioms in the third book. Fingering, pedaling articulation marks and other performance indications are provided for each piece. The writing is melodic and non-polyphonic making it more accessible to the early intermediate student.

I. Spanish fiesta is an energetic piece with colorful grace notes and exotic sounds of flamenco singing, guitar playing and ‘zapateado’ (feet stamping).

II. Nana (Spanish lullaby) is characterized by a haunting and sustained vocal line over long pedal points and three quarter notes ostinati in the left hand accompaniment. The stillness of the accompaniment provides a hypnotic and soothing quality to the music.

III. Sardana (Catalonian dance) is based on the Sardana, the vital and energetic dance from the Northeast Spanish region of Catalonia. The quarter and eighth note rhythmic figure in both right and left hands illustrate the leaps of the dance.

IV. Jota (Dance of Northeast Spain) is based on the jota, a robust dance in rapid triple time from Aragon (Northeast Spain). The left hand illustrates the energetic leaps characteristic of this dance.

V. Habanera (Cuban/Spanish dance) is a sensual and lyrical song over the typical habanera rhythm. The melody should be played legato and with a projecting singing tone. The rhythm should be steady but with certain degree of freedom, especially in the right hand.

VI.Tango is based on the tango, a passionate Argentinian dance. The fiercely rhythmic outer sections are built around a lyrical and expressive middle section. The accompanying chords of the outer sections should be performed with an incisive staccato. The rhythm must be steady but should allow for some freedom (or slight rubato) in order to exude the sensuality that the tango is best known for.

VII. Homage to Ginastera is a study in fourths that uses some of the characteristic meters, syncopations, and harmonies of the Argentinian composer Alberto Ginastera. This piece should be performed with a ‘martellato’ or percussive style.

Spanish Fiesta (audio)

Homage to Ginastera (audio)

Album for the Young (Book Two)

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Program Notes

Photograph, text, sheet music and audio sample 
© 2002 by Elisenda Fabregas 

Album2Album for the Young is a collection of thirty-four short pieces ranging from early to advanced intermediate level organized in three books in order of difficulty. They are one or two pages in length and cover a wide range of styles: from Renaissance to contemporary in the first two books, and Spanish and Latin American idioms in the third book. Fingering, pedaling articulation marks and other performance indications are provided for each piece. The writing is melodic and non-polyphonic making it more accessible to the early intermediate student.

I. Enchanted Mesa (A Native-American landscape) is characterized by the hypnotic and repetitive two-measure ostinato figure of the left hand.

II. Merry-go-round illustrates the circular motion of the merry-go-round with two measure phrases that revolve around themselves. These phrases consist of a fast alternation of single notes between right and left hands. It is important to be able to shape these phrases properly, showing their melodic contour and circular tendencies.

III. Ragtime is a piece written in a ragtime style. The left hand eighth notes should be performed staccato throughout the piece with a very steady rhythm. The melodic line in the right hand is highly syncopated.

IV. Sicilienne is inspired by the traditional Italian dance Sicilienne, which is characterized by a quarter/eighth note rhythmic accompaniment. All grace notes should be played before the main beat.

V. Jogging (Homage to Czerny) is an excellent workout for the left hand, consisting of a five finger ascending and descending figure transposed to different keys. The right hand joins the left in several occasions, sometimes in unison, parallel or contrary motion. The general direction of the piece is of an upward chromatic motion, going from D major, to E-flat, E, F, G-flat, G and finally concluding in C major. The piece rises dynamically from mezzoforte at the beginning to the climactic finale in fortissimo.

VI. Daydreams is a subjective and introspective piece with a dreaming quality. The melody should be played legato and with a clear sense of line and direction.

VII. Toccata is a vital, energetic and fast-paced piece consisting of one melodic line divided among right and left hands. Rhythmic challenges include frequent changes of meter, changing phrase lengths, and syncopated irregular accents. This piece should be performed without pedal.

VIII. The soldier’s ghost is a leggero and light style piece with very active dialogue between right and left hands. The middle section is more grounded and has some military undertones.

IX. Woodpeckers at work is an energetic and spirited piece with passages containing repeated notes in the right hand (woodpecker). Observance of articulation marks are essential to the performance of this piece. The sostenuto pedal should not be used.

X. Cloudy day is in three very distinctive parts (ABA): A in f minor (the cloudy part), B in D-flat major (the sun comes out see “luminoso” instruction in the score).

XI. The runaway clock illustrates the precision of the ticking of a clock by means of the left hand staccato eighth note accompaniment. The right hand illustrates the free and erratic travels of the runaway clock.

XII. A breezy afternoon is an excellent rhythmic study of three against two. It should be performed with a fluid and legato style, and with a far reaching sense of direction.

XIII. Dance of the chipmunks is an extroverted, bright and ebullient dance that emulates the frenetic movements of the chipmunks. Use incisive staccato in all the eighth notes and bring out the marcato accents in the last beat of the first five measures.

Woodpeckers at work (audio)

Dance of the chipmunks (audio)

 

Album for the Young (Book One)

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Program Notes

Photograph, text, sheet music and audio sample 
© 2002 by Elisenda Fabregas 

Album1Album for the Young is a collection of thirty-four short pieces ranging from early to advanced intermediate level organized in three books in order of difficulty. These pieces are one or two pages in length and cover a wide range of styles: from Renaissance to contemporary in the first two volumes, and Spanish and Latin American idioms in the third volume. Fingering, pedaling articulation marks and other performance indications are provided for each piece. The writing is melodic and non-polyphonic making it more accessible to the early intermediate student.

I. The puppy dog is a playful opening piece inspired by my eight-week Australian shepherd puppy named Teddy. The outer sections built on the rhythmic motif ( ) contrast with the syncopated staccato eighth note middle section.

II. At the monastery is a two-voice strict canon in the Dorian mode. The second voice follows the first one measure later. At the monastery is an excellent piece to develop a legato singing tone in both hands.

III. Games is a playful workout for both right and left hands. All the eighth notes should be performed with an incisive and short staccato touch.

IV. March of the tortoises is a heavy, ‘Pesante’ march that should be played without pedal to emphasize the sixteenth note rests. The left hand should be played with a heavy but incisive staccato.

V. Waltz of the peacocks is a majestic and colorful waltz with a characteristic chromatic ascending motion in the bass and harmonic changes in every measure.

VI. Medieval monk’s chant is a vocal style piece that should be played with a projecting singing tone and in a recitative type of style. It is an excellent rhythm exercise since it contains frequent changes of meter and phrases of different length.

VII. Elizabethan dance is a stately Renaissance style dance with syncopated rhythms and harmonies characteristic of the style. It is one of the few chordal pieces of the set. The student should listen to Renaissance music to familiarize himself with the style.

VIII. Hide and seek is a playful and cunning piece with a characteristic syncopated off-the beat staccato left hand.

IX. Echoes from the past is a waltz with descending and ascending chromatic legato passages that glide through the keys just like an ice-skater. Staccato, tenuto and other articulation marks should be observed meticulously.

X. Drifting clouds (Homage to Debussy) has a contemplative and floating character imparted by the use of the whole tone scale. The melodic leaps of descending sixths and ascending sevenths are the most important melodic characteristic of this piece. The melody and accompaniment should be played legato with abundant pedal (as marked) for an impressionistic effect.

XI. A little goat consists of a circular melodic eighth-note passage, first in the left hand and then in the right hand, and an accompanying jumping figure consisting of a repeated octave figure ( ) alternating among both hands. This jumping rhythmic figure illustrates the little goat jumping on a rocky mountainside. This piece should be performed without pedal for clarity.

XII. Song of the boatman is a nostalgic song that portrays the long days and nights of the boatman. The song is accompanied by a rhythmic figure ( ) that illustrates the rocking motion of the song. All the slurred notes should be performed legato.

XIII. Platero, the baby donkey is inspired by Platero, a beloved animal character in Juan Ramon Jimenez’s Spanish play “Platero y yo”. The back-and-forth ostinato figure of the left hand illustrate the gentle rocking of Platero.

XIV. Gigue (Homage to J.S. Bach) is an energetic dance in the baroque style that should be performed in a detached and non-legato manner.

Waltz of the peacocks (audio)

Platero, the baby donkey (audio)

Hommage à Mozart

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Program notes by Elisenda Fábregas

Hommage à Mozart was written for concert pianist Eric Himy to be performed in a worldwide concert tour in 2006 – the year of the 250th anniversary of Mozart¹s birth. Some of these performances are sponsored by the American Composers Forum through its Encore Program, supporting repeat performances of new works. 

In Hommage à Mozart I wanted to honor Mozart’s gift for melody and his love for the vocal line, and the incredible feeling of spontaneity and improvisation of his music, in spite of being highly structured, and Mozart¹s wide emotional range. This work is not a theme and variations: Mozart¹s themes are integrated within the music so they seem to grow out of the musical fabric. Two characteristics of the selected Mozart themes (a rhythmic motif and repeated notes) are an integral part of the work. 

Hommage à Mozart has three distinct sections organized in a modified rondo form that flows without interruption. The main theme of this work is always varied every time it returns, sometimes with Mozart motifs embedded in it and undistinguishable. The contrasting sections are based on Mozart’s themes. 

The first section laments the death of Mozart, his sudden and untimely death and the sad circumstances of his burial. The main theme is a slow poignantly lyrical melody based on the descending interval of minor second, perfect fourth and repeated notes (referencing the dark side of the Queen of the Night Aria), surrounded by colorful and mysterious cascading passages. This section introduces three Mozart quotations: a brief partial quotation of the dramatic orchestral theme of the beginning of the first movement. of Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, the theme from the first movement of Piano Concerto #19, and Aria #20 (Ein Madehen oder Weibehem). The end of this first section is the climax and the center of gravity of the whole work, and the dramatic silence that leads into the second section is a resigned and painful breath. 
The atmosphere of the second section is full of resigned acceptance but it eventually brings warmth and hope by introducing and developing the theme of the second movement (Larghetto) of Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor. 

The third section celebrates Mozart¹s humor and lightheartedness by introducing Aria #14 (Königin der Nacht) from the Magic Flute and the rhythmic theme in F major from the first movement ofPiano Concerto #19. The work stops suddenly at the end of a mad Queen of the Night laughing passage, then a brief slow passage (Sostenuto e con dolore) brings us back to the reality of death, and then the mad neurotic laugh starts again and ends with a whimsical Mozart laugh! 
© 2005 by Elisenda Fábregas

VOCES DE MI TIERRA

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(Voices of my homeland) 

was written for the Meininger-Trio in occasion of an all- Spanish music concert in Meersburg, Germany, on May 25. Voces de mi tierra is a tribute to my native country and to the Spanish music that I love so much. Even though the melodies are distinctively Spanish I have not borrowed from Spanish music folklore.

I. El cortejo (The courtship) – Two contrasting themes interact and influence each other changing their characters as they become one at the end of the movement. A decisive and rhythmic first theme (A) is influenced by another highly contrasting theme (B) – evocative, fluid and lyrical. Theme B is introduced without great fanfare, almost as a transition, but towards the end transforms theme A into a slow-moving melodic line, ending in a passionate climax. Theme B nests itself into A becoming one.

II. Noche en la Alhambra (Night in the Alhambra) – During my student years, I spent two summers in Granada hearing many memorable concerts and flamenco music in la Alhambra and the Albaicin. This movement honors my memories of la Alhambra through the sounds of a flamenco song. This song, full of melismas and grace notes, is first introduced by the cello, and in subsequent variations the song is taken over by the flute and the piano.

III. La moza y el gitano (Scherzando) (The peasant and the gypsy) is full of folk-like melodies and dance rhythms. The melody in the flute introduces the first theme, full of happiness and energy but quite graceful (“la moza”). A few measures later, a new melody in minor full of syncopations (“the gypsy”), is introduced by the cello. Most of the movement is a representation of their interaction and games. The movement ends when the first theme (“la moza”) in the minor mode leading without a break to the fourth movement.

IV. Gigue consists of a variation of the first theme of the Scherzando (III). It is very driven and it can be imagined as the “la moza” trying to escape from “el gitano” in the third movement.