Written dancers – all heard in the previous

Written in 1915, this work is a collection of threemovements – impressions of gardens in the southern Andalusia region of Spain. Colorful and vibrant like the country and its history, garden evenings are fullof veiled mystery and hidden images. De Falla explores pianistically a vastcolor pallette.  In this work, De Fallafully shows off the piano’s dominant percussive capabilites within its nature, as well as its penchant to be a chameleon instrument – possessing the abilityto transform through imitating touch and timbre.

The opening movement, En el Generalife (In the Generalife) depicts beautifuljasmine filled gardens. Rippling sounds of fountains can be heard in theopening of the piece, and in the plaintive, harp-like entrance of the piano. Garden scenes appear and gently evaporate. Boisterous percussive textures in piano are intermingled with imitationsof harp glissandi, and of fast SpanishGuitar rasgueado. Fast repetitions in piano portray thisSpanish guitar strumming technique, executed using the fingers of the strumming hand inrhythmically precise, rapid patterns.

The first movement eruptsinto a thunderous culmination and quickly evaporates with a smokeydiminuendo.  Danza lejana enters as the 2nd mvmt. Rhythmic flamenco melodies, accompanied by the sounds of the Spanish guitarsand singers linger throughout. En los jardinesde la Sierra de Córdoba, as the 3rd part of thiswork, shows off its sparkling fountains from the very start, and the dancingmusicians carousing on its grounds.

Here, the rippling fountains, Spanishguitars and the dancers – all heard in the previous movements intermittently, come together in one boisterous celebration of music and sound.   DeFalla’s masterpiece iscolorful, vibrant and great fun to play. It has been exciting to explore the various tonal capacities of thepiano – from fast repetitions and ostenato octaves, to white and!:) black-key glissandi, and pianissimo chords. I can’t wait to take youon the journey of sounds in the beautiful Spanish gardens at night, with theASO and M/O Mann!