Guerrero left a fairly considerable output mainly consisting
of chamber works of which the backbone is the substantial cycle
Zayin composed between 1983 and 1997. There’s
also a handful of impressive orchestral works among which Coma
Berenices (1996) may be singled-out as one of his most
inventive and gripping. Incidentally I reviewed a recording
of his orchestral music some time ago (Col
Legno WWE 1CD 20044). At the time of his death he was seemingly
going through some existential crisis that had led him to complete
his orchestration of Iberia. His output is of
substantial quality in spite both of the rather small number
of works and their generally short duration.
The disc under review presents his complete chamber output with
one exception. Zayin - the entire cycle - has
been recorded by the Arditti String Quartet on Almaviva DS-0127
and is well worth the search. The only work that is missing
here is Op.1 Manual (1976) for piano that might
have been included here at least for completeness’ sake. As
can be seen from the above details all the works recorded are
fairly short, but each is packed with substance. Another characteristic
of Guerrero’s music is to be found in the often unusual instrumental
combinations used. From this point of view, the compact and
relatively unproblematic Concierto de cámara (“Chamber
Concerto”) is scored for almost conventional instrumental forces:
flute, bass clarinet and string quartet. It may also be one
of his most readily accessible works were it only because the
composer briefly alludes to cante jondo although filtered
through the composer’s own lens. Another source of inspiration
is reflected in the astronomical titles of some of his works:
Coma Berenices, Delta Cepheis and
Hyades.
Delta Cepheis is for two clarinets and string
trio. In his excellent insert notes Stefano Russomanno rightly
remarks that this piece may be regarded as a transitory work
in Guerrero’s late output. Certain features heard in the music
point towards characteristics found in his final works such
as the orchestral work Sáhara (1991) and to Hyades
(1994). The music, however, sounds to me as vintage Guerrero.
As such, it is redolent of Xenakis or Birtwistle without being
imitative.
Vâda for two sopranos and ensemble (flute, oboe,
bass clarinet, percussion/two players and string quartet) was
written as part of a commission by the City of Valladolid to
celebrate the poet Jorge Guillén. Guerrero’s work must surely
have surprised more than one in the audience for, although he
used a poem by Guillén, his setting completely deconstructs
the text beyond recognition. This short work displays an extraordinary
energy within its short time-span and leaves one with a deep
feeling of unease redeemed by the sheer exuberance of the music.
Compared to this rather enigmatic work, Ars Combinatoria
is almost straightforward. It is scored for a somewhat unusual
wind sextet (piccolo, oboe, contrabassoon, horn, trumpet in
D and trombone) in which trumpet and trombone play muted and
the horn stopped. The music perfectly reflects the implication
of the title in that it moves from the simple to the most complex.
So, the work opens with an oboe solo followed by an astonishing
duo shared by contrabassoon and trombone, later a trio for horn,
trumpet and trombone and the whole group eventually joins for
the final section. The global effect may – to some extent –
be compared to what Michael Tippett did in the first movement
of his Concerto for Orchestra; but the most remarkable
thing about it is how well the instrumental sounds blend.
The comparatively early Anemos C of 1976 is scored
for a fairly traditional wind ensemble (two flutes, two oboes,
two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns) and percussion. This
is the sort of ensemble that Varèse might have used and the
music of this early piece is certainly indebted to Varèse and
– again maybe – to Xenakis. The impact is much the same with
massive blocks of sounds in the outer sections and heavy punctuation
from the percussion framing a more flowing central section.
Anemos C is undoubtedly one of Guerrero’s finest
achievements and a work that already displays most of his music’s
characteristics.
In the early 1990s Guerrero showed some interest in electro-acoustic
music and apparently composed an electro-acoustic work Rigel
in 1992. The otherwise well-informed insert notes do not tell
us whether Rigel was integrated into Hyades
or whether the electronic part of Hyades was composed
especially for this work. This, however, is of marginal importance
when considering the end result. Again, Guerrero’s liking for
unusual instrumental combinations is much to the fore here in
that Hyades is for bass flute, trombone, double
bass and electronics. The work opens with soft electro-acoustic
music suggesting some wide-open space. About halfway into the
piece the instruments come in, their dark sounds in full opposition
to the soft, almost ethereal electro-acoustics creating a remarkable
‘soundscape’ that may suggest some far-off constellation. In
my earlier review of the Col Legno disc of Guerrero’s orchestral
music I mentioned that Coma Berenices was really
“Music of the Spheres”, if such a thing ever existed. Now, the
same might be said of Hyades; it achieves the
same impact of mysterious, wide-open space thanks to the composer’s
acute ear for arresting sonorities.
Guerrero’s music is no easy listen. It demands repeated hearings
to make its full impact but the rewards are plentiful. The composer’s
inventiveness and aural imagination are such that one is carried
along through the music’s sheer energy and exuberance. These
performances by the Grup Instrumental de València are just superb
and are very well recorded. Joan Cerveró and his colleagues
offer immaculate, well prepared and committed readings of these
demanding, but ultimately highly rewarding scores. I also want
to single out the excellent and detailed insert notes by Stefano
Russomano.
This is a magnificent release that definitely deserves wider
exposure. Guerrero’s powerful, gripping and often beautiful
music is far too good to pass ignored.
Hubert Culot
Pilar Jurado (soprano)a; Jacqueline Squarcia (soprano)a; Vicente Sabater (electronics)b; Grup Instrumental de València/Joan Cerveró
