TURINA
Danzas Gitanas (Granada City Orchestra/Udaeta)
Rapsodia Sinfonica (Ricardo Requejo, piano)
Theme & Variations (Gabriella Dall'Olio,
harp)
Serenata Op. 87; Oracion del Torero; String Quartet Op4;
Las Musas de Andalucia op 93 (Quartet Sine Nomine with Ricardo
Requejo & Maria
Bayo)
Claves CD 50-9215 [55.44]
& 9320 [73.57] (PGW)
Amazon
UK
Amazon
UK
These two CDs, supplied together for review, are linked by having the early
string quartet and the better-known Bullfighter's prayer in both original
and orchestrated versions. Albeniz advised Joaquin Turina (1882-1949)
to introduce more of a traditional Spanish flavour into his music; thereafter
he never looked back! These releases show him as the Andalucian composer
par excellence. The music is always euphonious and expertly crafted,
with Spanish rhythms and colouring, sometimes over-sweet for modern tastes;
contemporary Spanish composers had a hard time kicking over the traces of
this legacy!
Of particular interest is the collection of Andalucian Muses for various
instrumental combinations, two with voice. The performances and recordings
which date from 1992/93 are good and these CDs will give pleasure to those
who have enjoyed Turina's music for piano (see review of the Nimbus collection
of Spanish Piano Music previously reviewed - Martin Jones
NI
5619/23).
Peter Grahame Woolf
