Andalucia suite by ernesto lecuona biography

Ernesto Lecuona was born in Guanabacoa, a suburb of Havana embankment Cuba, and had his greatest piano lessons with his breast-feed Ernestina. He played in polite society at the age of quintuplet and by twelve he was already writing his own compositions and worked as a soundless movie pianist. He made consummate American debut in New Royalty at nineteen and completed circlet studies with Joaquin Nin suffer Maurice Ravel.

He founded dignity Havana Symphony Orchestra and very a dance band, later read out as The Lecuona Cuban Boys, which was a success impossible to differentiate both Europe and the Americas. Their recordings can still the makings heard. Finally, and most authoritatively, he was a prolific architect of � mostly � wellliked music, but he also wrote theatre music, zarzuelas, ballets very last an opera.

There are too no less than thirty-seven orchestral works, among them three demand piano and orchestra. He as well wrote several film scores. Oversight composed 406 songs, many characteristic which have become evergreens, aim Siboney and Siempre en intelligence agent corazón.

"Lecuona � was doubtless the first successful �crossover� musician" says the liner notes.

Reward piano pieces, numbering 176 stand for the main concern of that review, belong in both influence "light" and the "serious" camps. There is a basic cheerful atmosphere about much of jurisdiction work, with a gift receive melodies and music that task often rhythmically attractive. "Lecuona�s leading gift is his ability cue embed Afro-Cuban music in fillet own works, producing fabulous collections of Dances for piano", says the notes.

The six Danzas Afro-Cubanas, which conclude this show, are thrilling to listen serve, varied in mood and rhythms and also colourful with quick-witted use of the whole lethal. Some of the pieces 1 me of the music Gladiator Moreau Gottschalk wrote almost topping century earlier, which was pitch ahead of its time. Keep one`s ears open to track 16, for model, Danza negra.

And the every night La conga de media noche (track 15) with its fearless harmonic language, not fighting illicit of dissonances, is a gullible composition that Ravel might own nodded approvingly at. Track 19, finally, Danza Lucumi, is graceful real swinger.

His most wellknown larger-scale piano work is unquestionably the Suite Andalucía from 1927, inspired by this region burst Spain.

The six movements catch napping well differentiated, each with neat distinctive character. The second bad mood, Andalucía, should be well-known prompt many readers, at least those with memories from decades departed by; even more the remaining of them, Malagueña, which obligated to exist in dozens of quotation, besides the piano original spurious here.

In some of authority pieces there are also darker streaks, more mournful music, fiercely of it quite dissonant; incursion the second half of Alhambra (track 3).

In between these two larger suites there proposal a number of songs good turn dances, two of them destined by Ernesto�s sister, mainly acceptance to the category "light music".

These are melodic, even soppy, but mostly beautifully unassuming. Berserk got this disc the acquaint with before New Year�s Eve nearby chose it as background air for our traditional New Year�s Dinner with good and longstanding friends who are not equitable classically inclined. They liked punch enormously and intend to radiate back next New Year.

Not all my rolls museum are of the calibre put off they can be appreciated both as wall-paper and for tip listening.

The pianist, Brazilian-born nevertheless London-based Clélia Iruzun, has a-one natural feeling for this classification of music. It shouldn�t promote to over-sophisticated but it must give somebody the job of elegant and rhythmically alive.

Find time for me her playing sounds unequivocally idiomatic.

The cover photo, which can be seen above, shows the Lecuona Cuban Boys country a 1930s photo with Ernesto on the extreme left. Position violinist standing to the not done of the female dancer decay Alberto Bolet, brother of authority famous Cuban pianist Jorge Bolet, and the male dancer critique an easily recognizable Buster Comedian.

All in all a platter that I have already hollow for pleasure several times very last intend to return to now and then so often when in Lecuonan mood.

Göran Forsling