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code: TR070414
Performed by the Trio Luminar, this CD offers an extremely interesting selection of pieces by Argentine and European composers, written or
transcribed for this very special musical ensemble.
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Trío Sonata
Mozart’s Trio Sonata in G Major is a transcription of the Duo for violin and viola (KV.423).for flute, viola and harp made by Hungarian composer Dezsö D’Antalffy (1885-1945).
The combination of instruments is attractive and related to the sonorities used by Mozart in his famous Concert for harp, flute and orchestra of 1778, at a time when transcriptions were usual, especially in the case of chamber pieces.
The Allegro, in G Major, has great sound clarity and morning freshness. It consists of two themes, the first of which presents a series of successive melodic, rhythmic and color imitations with ascending and descending motifs. The second one introduces an agile invention in two voices, with a beautiful counterpoint structure developed with a different number of voices followed by modulating imitations. After an elaborate transition based on a syncopation, we arrive at the reprise, which is considerably more varied and amplified.
The Adagio, C Major 3/4, characterized by the singular elegance of Mozart’s slow movements, begins with an eleven bar chant, which is repeated in G Major by the viola. After an interlude, the initial theme returns one octave lower with some ornamentations.
The Mozart’s rondo, with its playful element and frequent use of melodic imitations, appears with the brightness of spring, showcasing the technical possibilities of each instrument. Like this Allegro, it has a distinct courtly character, or galanterie (Mozart uses here the French spelling). The basis of the main melody is truncated during the development, and appears with variations and small modulations, a resource that is also used in the reprise, to conclude with a short coda.
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
The musical and stylistic background to the genius of Mozart and other composers of the time is apparent in these Deux minuets et une polonaise, transcribed for flute, harp and viola.
The first one is written as a choral and constructed with beautiful parallel melodies, which gradually disintegrate -without abandoning the main idea- to show later the characteristic interplay of the courtly minuet, presented by each instrument’s voice. The second is more vivace, with more imitations and counterpoints, based on the main form A-B-A, characteristic of the minuet, with a brief interlude with its typical grace and tenderness. Beautiful passages with brief modulations bring the second number to its end.
This pieces, written in a genuinely native Argentine language, were originally conceived for piano and violin.
The first one, Vidala, recreates an environment of nature and reflection, in which the harp contributes the rhythm while the viola provides the chant. It recalls the beautiful vidalas by Alberto Williams, which have subsisted in the pages of the Argentine repertoire.
Canción incaica (Incaic song) is slightly livelier. With a simple formal structure and a somewhat humoristic melody, it is composed on the basis of a pentatonal scale and depicts the torrid Andean scene and its heights.
Chacarera has a picaresque, humorous and joyful character. Written in the manner of a song, with a slightly modulating part, it is characterized by its very peculiar rhythm that is typically rural.
Canción de cuna (Birth song) has a simple formal structure and is a beautiful meditative chant. Its intervals on the viola are very rich, with the harp providing its harmonic bases.
Zapateado is very agile and light, in the manner of a scherzo. This dance has a very characteristic choreography.
The author subscribed to musical Americanism and nationalism. An example of this is El poema del pastor coya for flute and harp (1942) that refers to a native of the Argentine north; a beautiful song with three numbers, written with somewhat impressionist elements.
The first number in this small suite is La chola y el changuito -the peasant girl and the boy-, composed of a chant accompanied by the harp with very singular arpeggios, as a result of the melodic line and its intervals.
The second number, Quena, is more Andean and typical of the elevated plateau of northern Argentina. It is like a recitation inviting reflection. Lasala paints the color of the sound environment through an ostinato in the harp’s low register, while the flute provides the musical discourse.
The last number Danzando (dancing) is the most contrasting and lightest. It is interesting to observe the use of the pentatonic harmony and scales in addition to the tritones, so typical of the music of the region. The harp with its arpeggios and ostinatos in octaves and the flute improvising on the harmonic bases play independent roles.
Deux interludes was presented as incidental music for the ballet Le burlador, with choreography by the eminent dancer Serge Lifar (1904-1986). Inspired in Tirso de Molina’s play and written for flute, violin or viola and harp, both are based on the application of classical forms to the themes of the Spanish music.
The Andante espressivo is a song in A-B-A form, with two beautiful parallel melodies played by the flute and the viola, accompanied by the harp with harmonic bases. Then both phrases shift to variations of the themes previously introduced. After a transition, the harp returns to the initial theme, but this time with some color changes.
The same form A-B-A is found in the Allegro vivo, this time with a Spanish tint that contrasts with the former. Swift arpeggios in the harp emulate the sound of the guitar, while the flute accompanies sweetly with a melody, in a dialogue with the viola. Part B contrasts somewhat with the former, with the flute and the viola following the harmony established by the harp. The link that precedes the reprise is this time in charge of the three instruments, with the main fragments of the beginning appearing once again.
Petite suite was written in 1934 and dedicated to the composer’s sister’s children. It was conceived for optional instruments: flute or oboe, violin or viola and harp or piano. This small chamber piece is one of Honegger’s less disseminated works.
A marked impressionistic character typical of his teachers, especially Vincent d’Indy, characterizes the first of the three numbers, presenting a beautiful melody with an exalted lyricism and a profound melancholy. The second one shows a sort of choral in the manner of a recitation with a sort of interlude linking it with the third, more joyous and lively.
This work, written in 1985 for flute, viola and harp, has five numbers. The pieces, somewhat contrasting due to the variety of styles, do not depart from their folkloric root and marked Spanish color.
The first one is a very lively Divertimento of the classical type and with a rigid academic structure. It is particularly playful and at times becomes a scherzo, and features an interplay of imitation of voices among the instruments.
The second one is an interesting and contrasting Fantasía, beginning with some mysterious chromatic sounds that create an atmosphere of suspense where some dissonant arpeggios by the harp accompany the melody played by the flute followed in canon by the viola. Later the movement shows turns characteristic of Spanish music. After a repetition of the section with slight variations, there is a transition which concludes the number on the basis of the same material.
The previous number, in the manner of an interlude, contrasts with the third, Danza, with profound Spanish roots. The appearance of the spicatto in the viola emulating the castanets creates a scene of humor that accompanies the lively melodies in the manner of a scherzo.
The next one, Nocturno, presents an interesting formal equilibrium. The viola plays a mysterious tremolo accompanying the chant, while some Ravelian phrases and chords provide the work with very singular embellishments.
The fifth, Rondó, is based on the well-known piece ‘canarios’ (canaries) by Spanish composer and priest Gaspar Sanz (1640-1710). A diaphanous introduction by the harp, presenting the harmonic and melodic cells, provides a somewhat medieval flavor. There are beautiful variations emerging from the theme, with added imitations, until reaching the end with a graceful and impetuous forte by the three instruments.
Diego M. Orellana
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