In Volume 8 of his
important series of the complete piano
music of Enrique Granados, Douglas Riva
offers early Granados having little
resemblance to the composer's more inspired
and mature works for piano. Lacking
are an effective use of Spanish rhythms
and flourishes, compelling thematic
development, and the intensity of exuberance
and melancholy so prevalent in the best
Granados piano works such as Goyescas
and the Spanish Dances.
Yet this 8th Volume
cannot easily be dismissed. The music
may be formative and rather generic,
but it gives us the opportunity to hear
and understand the building-blocks that
Granados used to advance his craft.
Also, even his earliest pieces often
possess fine melodies and the ability
to beguile and grip the listener.
Most of the captivating
music resides in the first eight pieces
on the program, five of them being first
recordings. "Carezza-Vals" is a deliciously
elegant and buoyant waltz, although
the musical material is slim for a 6½
minute duration. The gem of the program
is the slow-paced "Dolora" where Granados
conveys intense sadness within a cocoon
of gorgeous melodic lines, definitely
one of his most rewarding piano miniatures
with a perfect symmetry among the grief-stricken
voices. High exuberance from a halting
and syncopated rhythmic pattern then
comes from "Clotilde" which represents
the best of salon-type music. "La sirena"
is a lilting waltz of graceful proportions
that makes one want to grab a partner
and dance the night away.
We owe the premiere
recording of "Dans le bois" to its inclusion
in a letter Granados wrote to the composer
Amadeu Vives in June, 1888; the piece
is distinctive for an early Granados
composition through its rather dark
and pensive mood painting. "Marcha Real"
is a harmonization of the Spanish National
Anthem and recalls Schumann's many march-like
piano miniatures. Sharply-etched rhythms
and bold accenting inform "Soldados
de cartón" which evokes a sinister
and demonstrative personality. Next
is "Elvira" with its irresistible and
exuberant dance rhythms. Overall, these
first eight pieces are very enjoyable
with "Dolora" being an especially compelling
miniature.
I wish I could be equally
enthusiastic concerning the 43 minute
"Album of Melodies", but these 22 pieces
of music are significantly inferior
to the previous works on the program.
This music consists of student efforts
and workshop sketches that become tedious
when listening to the whole cycle. The
melodies are entirely forgettable and
generally involve minimal thematic development.
The sole exception is the five minute
Allegro vivace that closes the sequence
and possesses some trace of personality
and seriousness of purpose; the other
pieces are either innocuous or merely
pleasant.
Through it all, Douglas
Riva does his best to bring this music
to life. Riva's series has been a model
of extensive research, idiomatic interpretation,
and superb recorded sound. In preparation
for the project, Riva collaborated with
the legendary Spanish pianist Alicia
de Larrocha to complete the critical
edition of the Complete Works for Piano
of Granados. His performances tend to
be of a more serious nature than de
Larrocha's, but I have been thoroughly
enchanted by his recordings.
In summary, the Riva
series is essential for anyone interested
in Spanish piano music. Those who have
collected the previous volumes need
no prodding from this reviewer to acquire
Volume 8 as well. However, those new
to Granados are advised to begin with
one of the earlier volumes that contains
his more inspired compositions. The
primary value of Volume 8 is as part
of the overall series; on its own, the
disc has limited appeal.
Don Satz
see also review
by John Leeman
Douglas Riva, piano 
