JOAQUÍN TURINA : Danzas Gitanas • Rapsodia Sinfónica • Serenata • La Oración del Torero (Ricardo Requejo • Gabriella Dall'Olio • Juan de Udaeta) (1999) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Joaquín Turina is the composer who best represents Andalusian musical nationalism. Turina did not seek to base his compositions on specific popular melodies (even though he did occasionally employ them), but to portray the «spirit», the atmosphere, the landscape and the emotions of a culture. He considered it his mission to portray his fellow countrymen accurately as well as poetically. Moreover, he felt it was his duty to give expression to that which often was left unsaid: the ambiance of the land and the typical Andalusian sensitivity, thereby avoiding all stereotypes and clichés.

Turina found his stylistic calling in the music of the French impressionists, in the rhythms, accents and melodic nuances of traditional Andalusian music. This recording offers stunning examples of the nuances and colors of Turina’s musical language. Claves

Joaquín Turina (1882-1949)

1-5    Danzas Gitanas, Op.55
6    Rapsodia Sinfónica, Op.66
Soloist - Ricardo Requejo
7    Tema y Variaciones, Op.100
Arranged by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Soloist - Gabriella Dall'Olio
8    Serenata, Op.87
9    La Oración del Torero, Op.34

Piano - Ricardo Requejo
Harp - Gabriella Dall'Olio
Orquestra Cuidad De Granada / Juan De Udaeta

JOAQUÍN TURINA : Primavera Sevillana • Navidad • Evangelio • Danzas Fantásticas (Juan de Udaeta) (1994) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Joaquín Turina (1882-1949)

1-8    Primavera Sevillana
9-10    Navidad, Op.16
11-15    Evangelio, Op.12
16    Preludio, from Fantasia sobre Cinco Notas, Op.83
17-19    Danzas Fantásticas, Op.22

Conductor - Juan De Udaeta
Concert Master - Piotr Wegner
Orquesta Ciudad de Granada

JOAQUÍN TURINA : Serenata, Op.87 for String Quartet • String Quartet, Op.4, "De la Guitarra" • Las Musas de Andalucía, Op.93 (Maria Bayo • Ricardo Requejo) (1993) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Turina, like no other musician of his time, concentrated his efforts on the systematic development of an «Andalusian» style, which is reflected in the dance rhythms and folk colors in his works. Las Musas de Andalucía, Op. 93, is a nine-part series of chamber music miniatures for various ensembles which exhibits direct impressionistic influences. The String Quartet in D Major, Op. 4, was strongly influenced by César Franck, and the Serenata, Op. 87, is a particularly dramatic setting of folk elements. Spanish soprano Maria Bayo and pianist Ricardo Requejo are joined by the Quartet Sine Nomine, one of Switerland’s leading chamber ensembles. Claves

Joaquín Turina (1882-1949)

1    Serenata, Op.87 for String Quartet
2-6    String Quartet, Op.4, "De la Guitarra"
7-15    Las Musas de Andalucía, Op.93  

Soprano - Maria Bayo
Piano - Ricardo Requejo
Quartet Sine Nomine 

JOAQUÍN TURINA : Piano Quartet, Quintet & Sextet (Menuhin Festival Piano Quartet • Paul Coletti) (1994) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Claves continues it series of recordings dedicated to Joaquín Turina (together with Granados, de Falla and Albéniz one of Spain’s most important modern composers) with its release of Vol. IV of the Turina Edition. Like Vol. III, this recording contrasts chamber music from different periods of Turina’s life – for the most part with the first representative recordings of these works.

These compositions vividly illustrate Turina’s development from a rather conservative style to his unique, highly personal incorporation of Andalusian colors with French impressionistic techniques: starting with the traditional Piano Quintet, Op. 1, proceeding to the highly pictorial Piano Sextet, Op. 7 «Scène andalouse» and climaxing with the Piano Quartet, Op. 67. The Menuhin Festival Piano Quartet (with guests) brilliantly performs this unique Spanish music. Claves

Joaquín Turina (1882-1949)

1-3    Piano Quartet, Op.67

4-7    Piano Quintet, Op.1
Christine Busch - Violin

8-9    Piano Sextet, Op.7, "Scène Andalouse" for Viola Solo, Piano & String Quartet
Paul Coletti - Viola Solo
Christine Busch - Violin
Anna Barbara Duetschler - Viola

Menuhin Festival Piano Quartet :
Piano - Friedemann Rieger
Violin - Nora Chastain
Viola - Paul Coletti
Cello - Francis Gouton

JOAQUÍN TURINA : Selected Songs for Tenor and Piano (Manuel Cid • Ricardo Requejo) (1997) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Songs represent an important part of Joaquín Turina’s (Seville 1882 – Madrid 1944) abundant and varied compositions. The importance of these works is demonstrated by the immediate and international recognition that they received while the composer was still alive. Turina’s compositions for this genre, one which was so close to his romantic nature, did not arise haphazardly, but were written consistently throughout his life.

Tenor Manuel Cid, like Turina a native of Seville, and Ricardo Requejo, a native of the Basque region of Spain (who recently received international recognition for his recording of the complete works for piano by Manuel De Falla) are the ideal interpreters for these songs. Claves

Joaquín Turina (1882-1949)

1-5    Poema en forma de Canciones, Op.19 [1917]
6-8    Tres Arias, Oo.26 [1923]
9-10    Canto a Sevilla, Op.37 Nr. 5 y 6
11-13    Tres Sonetos, Op.54 [1930]
14-15 Triptico, Op. 45 [1927]
16    Saeta en forma de Salve a la Virgen da Esperanza, Op.90 [1930]
17-19    Tres Poemas, Op.90 [1935]
20-22    Homenaje a Lope de Vega, Op. 90 [1935]

Tenor - Manuel Cid
Piano - Ricardo Requejo

JOAQUÍN TURINA : Works for Piano (Ricardo Requejo) (1999) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Joaquín Turina (1882-1949)

1-3    Sevilla, Op. 2 / Suite pintoresca
4-6    Danzas fantasticas, Op. 22 (version for piano)
7-10    Sanlucar de Barrameda, Op. 24 / Sonata pintoresca
11-13    Desde mi terraza, Op. 104 / Estampas para piano

Piano - Ricardo Requejo