Canciones Espa¿¿olas

by Barbara Hendricks

Overview

Recorded in 2003 and 2005, this was the debut release for African-American-Swedish soprano Barbara Hendricks' new label, Arte Verum. Hendricks' recordings for the label, accompanied here and elsewhere by Swedish pianist Love Derwinger, have been consistently interesting and often powerful, informed by a deep personal commitment to the music performed. This one has the personal component; it is dedicated to the late Victoria de los Angeles and includes a lovely performance of one of her trademark numbers, the Catalan folk song El cant dels ocells. The program is absorbing, featuring five composers linked by their engagement with the Iberian folk and popular heritage, but with distinctly different takes on that heritage and on the possibility of combining it with influences from the European mainstream. Hendricks sets the artless semi-popular melodies of Fernando J. Obradors against the dense Impressionist evocations of Cuba in the music of Xavier Montsalvatge with beautiful effect. With the humorous and romantic Tonadillas and Canciones amatorias of Enrique Granados, she is in her element. All this said, this was something of an odd choice for a debut. Hendricks has often given concerts in the Spanish-speaking world, and one can only conclude that audiences there find her accent charming; it's pretty strange, and the texts at times are barely recognizable. Or perhaps it's that there's a certain groove into which most performances of Falla's Siete canciones populares espanolas fall, and Hendricks avoids this; perhaps her performances for Spaniards are refreshingly exotic. She is less a fiery singer of flamenco music that a Frenchwoman sampling Spanish flavors. Offbeat rather than revelatory, this is a recording that can be recommended to Hendricks fans and perhaps to those interested in fresh approaches to the Iberian repertory. All texts, including the excellent booklet essay by Javier Palacio, are given in Spanish (or Catalan), French, German, and English.~James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	07/19/2006
Label:	Arte Verum
UPC:	5425019971014
Rank:	200228

Tracks

1. Tonadillas~La maja de Goya
2. Tonadillas~El majo discreto
3. Tonadillas~El tralal¿¿ y el punteado
4. Tonadillas~El majo t¿¿mido
5. Tonadillas~El mirar de la maja
6. Tonadillas~Amor y odio
7. Tonadillas~Callejeo
8. Tonadillas~La currutacas modestas
9. Al Amor
10. Con amores, la mi madre
11. Del cabello m¿¿s sutil (from Dos cantares populares)
12. Chiquitita la novia (from Coplas de corro dulce)
13. Cinco canciones negras~Cuba dentro de un piano
14. Cinco canciones negras~Punto de Habanera
15. Cinco canciones negras~Ch¿¿vere
16. Cinco canciones negras~Canci¿¿n de cuna para dormir a un negrito
17. Cinco canciones negras~Canto negro
18. Canciones amatorias~Ma¿¿anica era
19. Canciones amatorias~Llorad, coraz¿¿n, que ten¿¿is raz¿¿n
20. Canciones amatorias~Iban al pinar
21. Canciones amatorias~No llor¿¿is, ojuelos
22. Canciones amatorias~Mira que soy ni¿¿a, !amor, d¿¿jame!
23. Canciones amatorias~Gracia m¿¿a
24. Siete canciones populaires espa¿¿olas~El pa¿¿n moruno
25. Siete canciones populaires espa¿¿olas~Seguidilla murciana
26. Siete canciones populaires espa¿¿olas~Asturiana
27. Siete canciones populaires espa¿¿olas~Jota
28. Siete canciones populaires espa¿¿olas~Nana
29. Siete canciones populaires espa¿¿olas~Canci¿¿n
30. Siete canciones populaires espa¿¿olas~Polo
31. El Cant dels Ocells

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Barbara Hendricks   Primary Artist,Soprano (Vocal)
Gustaf Sjokvist Chamber Choir   Ensemble
Love Derwinger   Piano
Gustav Sjokvist   Conductor

Technical Credits

Nicolas de Beco   Editing,Recording
Elise Debouny   Graphic Design
Luis de Gongora   Text
Irene Bloc   Text Translation,Liner Note Translation
Ildefonso Pereda Valdes   Text
Javier Palacio   Liner Notes
Xavier Montsalvatge   Composer
Adrien Noterdaem   Cover Illustration
Jacqueline Minett   Liner Note Translation
Michel de Backer   Graphic Design
Mats Baecker   Photography
Misha Pedan   Photography
Christobal de Castillejo   Text
Juan de Anchieta   Text
Nicolas Bartholomee   Balance Engineer,Producer
Manuel de Falla   Composer
Nicolas Guillen   Text,Text
Enrique Granados   Composer
Gilbert Bofill   Liner Note Translation,Text Translation
Catalan Traditional   Composer
Nestor Lujan   Text
Felix Lope de Vega   Text
Ferran Obradors   Composer
Jeremy Drake   Text Translation