UC Riverside UC Riverside Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Fleeing Franco’s Spain: Carlos Surinach and Leonardo Balada in the United States (1950–75) Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5rk9m7wb Author Wahl, Robert Publication Date 2016 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE Fleeing Franco’s Spain: Carlos Surinach and Leonardo Balada in the United States (1950–75) A Dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Music by Robert J. Wahl August 2016 Dissertation Committee: Dr. Walter A. Clark, Chairperson Dr. Byron Adams Dr. Leonora Saavedra Copyright by Robert J. Wahl 2016 The Dissertation of Robert J. Wahl is approved: __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Committee Chairperson University of California, Riverside Acknowledgements I would like to thank the music faculty at the University of California, Riverside, for sharing their expertise in Ibero-American and twentieth-century music with me throughout my studies and the dissertation writing process. I am particularly grateful for Byron Adams and Leonora Saavedra generously giving their time and insight to help me contextualize my work within the broader landscape of twentieth-century music. I would also like to thank Walter Clark, my advisor and dissertation chair, whose encouragement, breadth of knowledge, and attention to detail helped to shape this dissertation into what it is. He is a true role model. This dissertation would not have been possible without the generous financial support of several sources. The Manolito Pinazo Memorial Award helped to fund my archival research in New York and Pittsburgh, and the Maxwell H. Gluck Fellowship provided several years of support while studying in Riverside. Graduate Division also supported me with multiple travel grants, enabling me to share my research at conferences across the country. Members of the Pacific-Southwest and Northern California chapters of the American Musicological Society were particularly valuable in offering substantial commentary on early versions of what are now chapters in this dissertation. I also would like to thank Bob Kosovsky and the rest of the staff at the NYPL’s Music Division for helping me to navigate several collections and access sources that were otherwise unavailable. The staff at the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Mellon University Library were also helpful in locating archival materials on iv both Surinach and Balada. A significant portion of this dissertation was based on an interview I conducted with Leonardo Balada, who was gracious enough to spend time with me discussing his music and career. Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends for their continuous support. Without them, none of this would have been possible. v To my family, friends, and loving wife vi ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Fleeing Franco’s Spain: Carlos Surinach and Leonardo Balada in the United States (1950–75) by Robert J. Wahl Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate Program in Music University of California, Riverside, August 2016 Dr. Walter A. Clark, Chairperson As a result of Francisco Franco overthrowing the young republican government during the Spanish Civil War (1936–39), countless citizens fled their home country in search of personal security and economic prosperity. Significantly, many of these expatriates were artists and musicians who eventually made their way to the United States, where they achieved celebrity status as dancers, singers, instrumentalists, and composers. This dissertation examines the lives and works of two such composers. In the 1950s, Carlos Surinach (1915–97) and Leonardo Balada (b. 1933) came to the United States by way of New York City. Although both men were from Barcelona, their music and careers followed different trajectories. Surinach is often best remembered for his collaborations with choreographers of modern dance, such as Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Pearl Lang, and Alvin Ailey; however, his contributions to vii dance constitute only a portion of his creative output and were often adapted from his concert works, as choreographers found the rhythm and drama of his music appealing. Surinach’s style often exhibits a deliberate use of flamenco idioms and is examined in three of his most important flamenco-inspired works: Ritmo Jondo (1952), Sinfonietta Flamenca (1954), and Flamenco Cyclothymia (1966). This dissertation also presents new biographical details regarding Surinach’s education and conducting career in Europe, the impact of his lover Ramón Puigcerve Bel on his career, and his work in the film and television industries. Whereas Surinach maintained a consistent style throughout his career, Balada recognized the advantages of experimenting with new techniques, which he has done with great success. This dissertation examines three of Balada’s works from his self- described second period, which began in the mid-1960s. For ten years, Balada moved away from tonality in order to explore new timbres, textures, rhythms, and avant-garde techniques that led to three of his most important works: Sinfonía en negro: Homenaje a Martin Luther King (1968), María Sabina (1969), and Steel Symphony (1972). All three pieces have been recorded and widely performed, and they mark the beginning of a decades-long career as both professor and composer. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 CHATPER 1: Carlos Surinach (1915–97) ................................................................... 12 CHAPTER 2: Ritmo Jondo (1952) ................................................................................ 37 Background ........................................................................................................... 37 Analysis................................................................................................................. 51 “Tres jaleos”.......................................................................................................... 53 “Danza chica” ....................................................................................................... 61 “Bulerias” .............................................................................................................. 66 “Rituales” .............................................................................................................. 70 “Saeta” .................................................................................................................. 73 “Danza grande” ..................................................................................................... 77 “Garrotin” ............................................................................................................. 82 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 85 CHAPTER 3: Sinfonietta Flamenca (1954) ................................................................. 86 Background ........................................................................................................... 86 Analysis............................................................................................................... 102 Movement I: Vivo grazioso ................................................................................ 102 Movement II: Andantino .................................................................................... 108 Movement III: Allegro ma non troppo ............................................................... 113 Movement IV: Presto agitato ............................................................................ 119 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 127 CHAPTER 4: Flamenco Cyclothymia (1966) ............................................................. 129 Background ......................................................................................................... 129 Analysis............................................................................................................... 137 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 149 CHAPTER 5: Leonardo Balada (b. 1933) ................................................................. 150 CHAPTER 6: Sinfonía en negro: Homenaje a Martin Luther King (1968) ............ 156 Background ......................................................................................................... 156 Analysis............................................................................................................... 164 Movement I: “Opresión” .................................................................................... 165 Movement II: “Cadenas” ................................................................................... 172 Movement III: “Visión” ..................................................................................... 176 Movement IV: “Triunfo” ................................................................................... 180 Conclusion .........................................................................................................