Originally Written for Gramophone magazine
10 march 2001
'Spain – the homeland of passionate musicians and fiery music…'
claims a sleeve from works by de Falla, Granados and Albéniz (Leontyne
Price, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Fritz Reiner). This opinion
from the mid-20th century was probably influenced by, say, Picasso, Dalí
and Gaudí and endures in the work of current artists such as the
film-director Pedro Almodóvar. Add to this a touristic appetite for
flamenco, castanets, bullfighting, Rioja and gazpacho and it is not
surprising that guide-books are keen to convince us that modern Spain is
a cocktail of incendiary temperaments and vibrant colours. Is it any
wonder that Woody Allen chose this country as the setting for his
complex and explosive exploration of personal relationships Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)?
It would be ridiculous to pretend that this reputation does not
affect our view of Spanish music and, indeed, our performances of music
from the whole Iberian Peninsula. Quixotically, such importation of
fiery ideals seems particularly noticeable in the way many ensembles
approach 16th-century music, and in particular the music of Tomás Luis
de Victoria whose 400th anniversary we mark this year.
To read the full article please click here:
http://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/focus/tom%C3%A1s-luis-de-victoria-%E2%80%93-a-400th-anniversary-profile
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