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su mensaje estético. Nace en 1973 por encargo del XXII continuo cambiante y expresivo. Resonancia armónica Festival Internacional de Música y Danza de y tonal y contrapunto serial se pueden dar así la mano en SPANISH CLASSICS fue estrenada el 2 de Julio de 1973 en el Patio de los una obra que es cambiante, sugerente y de enorme Leones de la Alhambra por un ocasional cuarteto expresividad, además de un evidente logro formal. formado por prestigiosos profesores de los Cursos Ninguno de los ocho tientos lleva títulos y además Manuel de Falla. Los violinistas Agustín León Ara y deberían interpretarse sin solución de continuidad. El Antonio Gorostiaga, el viola Enrique de Santiago y el primero estudia disonancias paralelas en los violines RODOLFO HALFFTER violonchelista Pedro Corostola. Sería editada en 1975 mientras el segundo es rítmico y el tercero refleja esa por Ediciones Mexicanas de Música. ironía que es connatural al autor. El cuarto cruza los La obra no se atiene a la forma habitual del cuarteto pizziccatti con armonías politonales. El quinto vuelve al Chamber Music • 3 y utiliza deliberadamente la palabra “tiento” que usaron sarcasmo y el humor se extiende al sexto con los los músicos españoles del XVI para designar algo diálogos entre agudos y graves. El séptimo es de una String Quartet • Cello Sonata • Tres movimientos • Ocho tientos parecido al ricercare italiano. El autor confiesa que polifonía doliente que, según algunos tratadistas, se intentó ocho pruebas o experimentos breves para ofrecer acerca al cante jondo. El octavo es alegre y vigoroso grandes contrastes y lograr lo que él mismo llama un para cerrar la pieza con un aire optimista. Bretón String Quartet “caleidoscopio tímbrico”. Quiere superar dodecafonismo, politonalidad y tonalidad en un Tomás Marco John Stokes, Cello • Francisco José Segovia, Piano

Also available in this series: Soloists of the Orquesta de la Comunidad de

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Rodolfo 1958 por encargo de la Universidad de Michigan y una concentración de la forma sonata donde lo dedicado al Cuarteto Stanley, que lo estrenó en Ann importante no es tanto el desarrollo como la manera en HALFFTER Arbor el 18 de Abril de 1958 dentro de la Exposición de que se implican las raíces bitemáticas y la forma en la (1900-1987) Arte Mexicano organizada por la Universidad de que la reexposición es en realidad una variación. Tempo Michigan. di siciliana es un segundo movimiento en el que String Quartet, Op. 24 16:22 La obra posee cuatro movimientos y es una solución nuevamente nos encontramos con la forma Lied y unos interesante al problema de mezclar las formas clásicas expresivos intentos melódicos que en el violonchelo 1 Sonata 3:50 con la práctica dodecafónica que ya el compositor alcanzan una real calidez. La obra se cierra con un 2 Cavatina 5:19 intentaba por aquellas fechas.Las series estén Rondó Allegro en el que esta forma vuelve a servir al hábilmente manejadas de manera que, a veces, puedan compositor para establecer un muy característico, y no 3 Scherzo 4:08 mostrar aspectos más diatónicos que cromáticos. El poco hispánico, estribillo recurrente en el que las 4 Fanfare 3:05 primer movimiento se titula Sonata y los elementos estrofas intermedias introducen elementos nuevos temáticos proceden por transposición en vez de por siempre sorprendentes y pertinentes. La obra fue editada modulación tonal. En todo caso nos hallamos ante una por Ediciones Mexicanas de Música y Peer Music, Cello Sonata, Op. 26 15:26 forma muy sólida que resulta extraordinariamente USA. 5 Allegro deciso 5:06 expresiva. La Cavatina es básicamente una forma de La segunda aproximación al cuarteto de cuerda, Lied aunque tratada con un sentido del melos que tiene Tres movimientos, op. 28, se realiza en 1962 por 6 Tempo di siciliana 5:23 que ver con el énfasis del canto teatral. Hay aquí un encargo de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de 7 Rondo: Allegro 4:57 sentido irónico soterrado en cuanto al tratamiento México para los Conciertos de Difusión Cultural. Se melódico de la serie y sus acompañamientos. El Scherzo estrenó en el Auditorio de Medicina la Ciudad es voluntariamente danzante y lo que en el movimiento Universitaria de México el 21 de Abril de 1963 con el Tres movimientos, Op. 28 15:28 anterior era ironía aquí se convierte en fuerza motriz, Cuarteto de Bellas Artes y sería publicada en 1966 por 8 Allegro 4:45 incluso en alegría, aunque esta sea más evidente en la Ediciones Mexicanas de Música. Fanfare final que es una especie de consecuencia del La obra es en realidad el segundo cuarteto del autor, 9 Larghetto 5:48 movimiento anterior pero orientada hacia una pero éste prefiere no denominarla como tal sino 0 Allegro 4:54 conclusión optimista, una de las más efectivas del autor. simplemente como Tres movimientos, tal vez por La única Sonata para violonchelo y piano, op. 26, regresar al lenguaje dodecafónico y alejarse así de los se escribe entre 1959 y 1960 por encargo del II Festival modelos formales tradicionales aunque no por ello deje Ocho tientos, Op. 35 16:42 Interamericano de Música que se celebró en Washington de haber aquí un cierto aire neoclasicista. Los tres ! I. 1:35 en 1961. La obra la dedica al violonchelista argentino movimientos, pese a ser coherentes entre sí, muestran Adolfo Odnoposoff y a Berta Huberman. El propio cierta independencia y el Allegro inicial no es tan @ II. 1:13 Odnoposoff será el encargado del estreno, junto a la claramente una forma sonata sino un desarrollo pianista y compositora mexicana Alicia Urreta, el 26 de variativo de una célula de cuatro notas que funcionará # III. 1:29 Abril de 1961 en el Auditorio Coolidge de la Biblioteca como leit-motiv del movimiento y no dejará de estar de $ IV. 2:37 del Congreso de los Estados Unidos. alguna manera presente en las otras piezas. La segunda La obra posee tres movimientos y en ella el es un Larghetto de sobria expresividad y despojado % V. 2:08 compositor se aleja momentáneamente del melodismo. El Allegro con el que concluye la obra ^ VI. 1:27 dodecafonismo expreso, aunque haya rastros seriales, recoge ese aliento métrico que es característico de tantos para regresar a un cierto neoclasicismo modal con finales halffterianos. & VII. 2:44 excursiones hacia lo politonal y una nueva presencia de La tercera obra para cuarteto, Ocho tientos, op. 35, * VIII. 3:31 los elementos hispánicos que afloran acá y allá en la es probablemente la culminación de su trayectoria en pieza. Inicialmente tenemos un Allegro deciso que es este terreno y una absoluta decantación de su lenguaje y

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Francisco José Segovia Rodolfo Halffter (1900-1987) Chamber Music • 3 Francisco José Segovia was born in Cuenca and studied there at the Conservatorio Profesional and at the Madrid Conservatorio Superior de Música with Luis Rego, Rodolfo Halffter’s catalogue embraces almost every University of Michigan. They gave its first performance winning the chamber music Premio Extraordinario. He continued his study of chamber genre, from stage works to solo miniatures, but he was at Ann Arbor on 18th April 1958 as part of the music with Anthony Goldstone in Aberystwyth and with Vitaly Margulis in Freiburg primarily an instrumental composer, his thinking shaped university’s Exhibition of Mexican Art. on a piano scholarship from the Ministry of Education and Science. Since 1984 he has and inspired by what we tend to think of as pure or Cast in four movements, the quartet comes up with pursued a career as a soloist and in chamber music, with performances throughout absolute music. an interesting solution to the problem of combining Europe and in Egypt, Lebanon and Buenos Aires. A prize-winner of various Halffter was born in Madrid on 30th October 1900 classical forms with twelve-tone practice, something the competitions, he is professor of chamber music at the Madrid Real Conservatorio and died in City on 14th October 1987, his life composer was already trying to do at that time. The Superior de Música and pianist of the Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid having been divided between his native and his adopted rows are skilfully handled in such a way that, at times, (ORCAM). countries. He studied in Madrid with his mother and with some aspects appear more diatonic than chromatic in Francisco Esbrí, and soon discovered the European avant- nature. The first movement is entitled Sonata and its garde, including Schoenberg. He was part of the group of thematic elements arise from transposition rather than Spanish intellectuals known as the Generation of ’27 and modulation. Either way, what we hear is a solidly played a key rôle in the cultural regeneration efforts constructed form with extraordinary powers of associated with ’s Second Republic. He benefited expression. The Cavatina is basically in Lied form from the support of figures such as pianist Fernando although treated with a sense of melos that has much to Ember and critic Adolfo Salazar, and was active as a do with the emphasis involved in operatic singing. composer from 1922 onwards, travelling the paths from There is also a sense of irony lurking about the melodic Rodolfo Halffter (1900-1987) neoclassicism to atonality, from external, principally treatment of the tone row and its accompaniments. The Música de Cámara • 3 French influences to Falla’s new nationalist idiom. Scherzo is a lively dance, and what was irony in the After the Civil War, Halffter emigrated to Mexico. previous movement now turns into a kind of driving El catálogo de Rodolfo Halffter abarca casi todos los Tras la guerra civil se instalará en México. Allí, He became professor of musical analysis at the National force, even into joy, although the latter sentiment is géneros sonoros, desde el teatral a la miniatura solista y durante treinta años desempeñará la cátedra de Análisis Conservatory, a post he held for thirty years, and played more evident in the final Fanfare which works towards nos hallamos ante un músico instrumental cuyo Musical del Conservatorio Nacional de Música y se a full part in the country’s musical and cultural life, to one of the most striking optimistic conclusions Halffter pensamiento nace y se adapta a ese género que integrará de lleno en la vida musical y cultural mexicana the extent, indeed, that he became a national symbol. He ever wrote. tendemos a identificar con la música pura o absoluta. de la que llegará a ser también un símbolo. Fue creador founded the magazine Nuestra Música (29 issues of The composer’s only Cello Sonata, Op. 26, was Nacido en Madrid el 30 de Octubre de 1900, de la revista Nuestra Música (veintinueve números entre which were published between 1946 and 1953) and the written between 1959 and 1960 for the second Inter- fallecido en México el 14 de Octubre de 1987, su vida se 1946 y 1953), de las Ediciones Mexicanas de Música y publishing house Ediciones Mexicanas de Música, and American Festival, held in Washington in 1961. It is polariza precisamente en esa dualidad hispanomexicana. maestro de varias generaciones de compositores taught several generations of Mexican composers. dedicated to the Argentinian cellist Adolfo Odnoposoff Formado en Madrid con su madre y con Francisco mexicanos. Although he integrated fully into Mexican life, he and pianist Berta Huberman. Odnoposoff gave the Esbrí, temprano descubridor de las vanguardias Aunque se sintió plenamente mexicano, no dejó never forgot his roots, and in later years increased his premiere alongside the Mexican pianist and composer europeas, Schönberg incluido, fue pieza fundamental en nunca de considerarse igualmente español y en sus contacts with Spain. His musical idiom, though it Alicia Urreta on 26th April 1961 in the Library of la intelectualidad de la Generación del 27 y en el afán últimos años multiplicó sus contactos con España. Su retained its basic tenets, did evolve over time, moving Congress’s Coolidge Auditorium. regeneracionista surgido en torno a la II República. lenguaje musical fue evolucionando sin perder sus bases closer to an avant-garde aesthetic which he handled with In this work the composer moves away, Apoyado por el pianista Fernando Ember y el crítico y se acercó claramente a una vanguardia que él both freedom and individuality. temporarily, from out-and-out twelve-tone technique, Adolfo Salazar, desde 1922 su presencia compositiva es practicará con tanta libertad como personalidad. Halffter broached the quartet genre on three although traces of serialism remain, and back towards a notable transitando los senderos que van desde el En tres ocasiones se acercó Rodolfo Halffter al occasions, but the first of these did not arise until he was certain modal neoclassicism, with occasional excursions neoclasicismo a la vanguardia, desde la influencia cuarteto de cuerda pero no lo aborda por vez primera well into his fifties. The String Quartet, Op. 24, was into polytonality, and the introduction of Hispanic internacionalista de corte francés a la entraña de la hasta bien entrados sus cincuenta años. El Cuarteto para written between 1957 and 1958 in response to a elements here and there within the music. The first of música hispánica animada por Falla. instrumentos de arco, op. 24, se realiza entre 1957 y commission from the Stanley Quartet resident at the the three movements is an Allegro deciso which is in

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concentrated sonata form. What matters is not so much commission from Granada’s International Festival of Bretón String Quartet the development as the way in which the roots of the Music and Dance, then in its twelfth year, and was first two themes are called into play, and the fact that the performed on 2nd July that year in the Alhambra’s Lion The Bretón String Quartet (Cuarteto Bretón) was formed in the summer of 2004, recapitulation is really a variation. In the Tempo di Courtyard. The quartet on that occasion was made up of under the auspices of the Fundación Orquesta y Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid. siciliana we once again find Lied form and a number of some of the eminent names involved in that year’s Its members are Anne-Marie North (Concertino of the Orquesta Comunidad de expressive melodic passages which in the cello part “Manuel de Falla” music courses, run in tandem with Madrid), Iván Martín (principal viola of the Orquesta Comunidad de Madrid), John achieve a genuine warmth. The work ends with a Rondo the Festival: violinists Agustín León Ara and Antonio Stokes (principal cello of the Orquesta Comunidad de Madrid) and Antonio allegro which the composer uses to establish a very Gorostiaga, viola-player Enrique de Santiago and cellist Cárdenas (violinist of the Orquesta Nacional de España). The quartet has appeared typical (and Spanish) refrain; this alternates with other Pedro Corostola. Ocho tientos was published in 1975 by in the principal concert halls of Spain, with a repertoire that gives special attention sections that incorporate new elements, always both Ediciones Mexicanas de Música. to Spanish composers. Recent projects have included the first performance in surprising and pertinent. The sonata was published by This is no standard string quartet, and Halffter Madrid of La Cuzzoni, a chamber opera by Agustín Charles for three voices and Ediciones Mexicanas de Música and Peer Music, USA. deliberately chose the word tiento (“attempt”, or “test”) string quartet, and participation in the Festival Iberamericano with a performance in Halffter’s second piece for string quartet, the Tres for the title. This was the term used by sixteenth-century Madrid of Julián Orbón’s Concerto Grosso for string quartet and orchestra, with the movimientos, Op. 28, was commissioned in 1962 for a Spanish composers to designate a piece of music similar Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife. concert series organised by the UNAM (the National to the Italian ricercare. Halffter himself said that he had Autonomous University of Mexico). It was given its tried to write eight short test or experimental pieces to première at the university on 21st April by the Cuarteto offer a wide range of contrasting music and achieve Beate Altenburg de Bellas Artes, and was published four years later by what he called a “kaleidoscope of timbres”. He wanted Ediciones Mexicanas de Música. to go beyond serialism, polytonality and tonality in a Born in Cologne, Beate Altenburg studied in Detmold, Essen and at the Royal Academy of Music, where she obtained Although this is really Halffter’s second quartet, he changing and expressive continuum. Tonal harmonic her Masters degree in 2003. She has appeared as soloist with orchestras such as the Berliner Symphoniker, Odessa preferred not to label it as such, choosing instead to call resonances and serial counterpoint can thus rub Philharmonic, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid and the Philharmonia it simply Three movements, perhaps because he had shoulders in a work that is changing, evocative and Hungarica. She is principal cello of the Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid. gone back to the twelve-tone idiom and was therefore hugely expressive, as well as being a remarkable distancing himself from traditional formal models (the achievement in formal terms. None of the eight tientos work nonetheless retains a certain neoclassical air). has a title, and they are to be played without any thought John Stokes While there is a coherent line between its three for continuity. The first is a study in parallel dissonances movements, each has an independent spirit. Rather than in the violins, the second is marked out by its rhythmical Principal cellist of the Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid since 1998, John being in straightforward sonata form, the opening nature and the third reflects its composer’s innate sense Stokes, of British Canadian origin, was born in London (Canada) and studied in Allegro develops and varies a four-note cell which will of irony. The fourth combines pizzicati with polytonal Philadelphia with Lorne Munroe, principal cello of the New York Philharmonic, act as the movement’s leitmotif and will continue to harmonies, the fifth returns to sarcasm and this mood and in Barcelona with Lluis Claret. He has appeared as a soloist with the Orquesta make itself heard at times throughout the rest of the extends to the sixth with its dialogues between high and de la Comunidad de Madrid, and also with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, the piece as a whole. The second movement, Larghetto, is low strings. There is a mournful polyphony to the Orquesta Municipal de Caracas and the Orquesta de Cámara Andrés Segovia. In sober in tone, with pared-down melodies, and the seventh which some have related to flamenco cante chamber music he has collaborated with distinguished musicians such as Leon concluding Allegro has the measured impulse that jondo, but the eighth is full of life and vigour, bringing Fleischer, Menahem Pressler (Beaux Arts Trio), Harold Bloom (NBC Orchestra), characterizes so many of Halffter’s finales. the work to an end in optimistic vein. Eleanor Slatkin (Hollywood Quartet), Andrew Dawes (Orford String Quartet), and others, and his career as a Ocho tientos, Op. 35, his third work for quartet, teacher and in chamber music has taken him to venues in Canada, the United States, South America, Central probably marks the end of Halffter’s journey in this Tomás Marco America and Europe. He is a founding member of the Bretón Quartet. territory and is a summation of his multifaceted musical idiom and aesthetic. It was written in 1973, a English translation: Susannah Howe

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