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SEVILLAN MUSICIANS IN THE 20TH CENTURY: IMPRESIONISM AND ANDALUCISM IN THE ORGAN

CONVENT OF SÃO JOSÉ - Santo Tirso - 9pm
 

Inauguration of the organ

MICHEL MERKLIN & KUHN S.A, (Restoration by JMS Organaria)


CHANO ROBLES MURES (ESP)

The 20th century began in Seville with the installation and inauguration of Aquilino Amezua's great romantic organ in the Cathedral in 1903. The previous baroque organs were destroyed when the ceiling of the cathedral's transept collapsed in 1888. The Amezua organ is the first large European Romantic instrument known in Seville, and for organists it has opened up a new world of possibilities with its four keyboards and full 30-note pedalboard. Luis Leandro Mariani (1858-1925) was the second organist at Seville Cathedral from 1889 until his death in 1925. His work corresponds to the romantic and post-romantic style of the 19th century, imported from France. In this programme, we present two pieces recovered by Chano Robles Mures from the composer's manuscripts: an Offertory from 1903, written to apply for the position of Second Organist of Seville Cathedral (an exam to perpetuate the position he had held for 14 years), and the first movement of his Sonata-Fantasia, written in 1907 for the concerts organised in the Cathedral for the National Congress of Religious Music. The performance of both pieces results from research work that the organist is currently carrying out at the University of Seville. Continuing with the Cathedral musicians, Two Saetas are presented by Eduardo Torres (1872-1934), a Valencian composer who lived in Seville from 1910 until his death. Torres is the true representative of the impressionist influence on the organ, mixed with the use of Andalusian popular forms and melodies. These Saetas are based on chants linked to Holy Week processions, influenced by flamenco. In the 20th century, Manuel de Falla became the composer of reference for all Spanish national music (it was not in vain that he maintained a good friendship with Eduardo Torres and collaborated with his Orquesta Betica performing works by Mariani). As well as cathedral music, religious music linked to the Holy Week processions has a great tradition in Seville that continues to this day. This processional music for wind band includes two pieces by Sevillian composers from the first half of the 20th century. “Margot” is originally a lyrical drama written by Joaquín Turina (1882-1949) in 1914. From this Andalusian-style opera is taken this musical episode which tells of the meeting of the characters in the libretto on a Holy Thursday night in Seville, while a procession is taking place around them. “Soleá, dame la mano” (Soleá, give me your hand) is another processional march by the brothers Manuel and José Font de Anta (1889-1936 and 1892-1988). This piece, written in 1918, is, like Turina's march, an impressionist piece with programme content: in this case, it musically narrates the procession of the Virgen de la Esperanza de Triana as it passes through the Arenal prison, where the prisoners sing saetas as the Virgin passes by. Finally, in improvisation, Chano Robles Mures will offer an adaptation of popular Andalusian rhythms using the language of the composers whose music will have been heard at the concert.

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CHANO ROBLES MURES was born in 1986 in Conil de la Frontera (Cádiz). He began his piano studies at the age of eight at the Chiclana Elementary Conservatory and then at the Manuel de Falla Conservatory in Cádiz. He took a degree in Musicology at the Manuel Castillo Higher Conservatory in Seville, where he began to study the interpretation of early music - harpsichord and organ. In 2020 he obtained a degree in Organ, completing his Final Project with distinction under the guidance of Andrés Cea and Jesús Sampedro. As an organist, she has given recitals on various historical and modern instruments in Spain and Portugal. He has participated in masterclasses with Mattias Havinga, Lukas Hassler, Roberto Fresco, Gustav Leonhardt and Thomas Ospital, among others. He is a regular collaborator with the Cádiz Baroque Orchestra and the Universities of Seville, Pablo Olavide (Seville) and Granada. As a researcher and musicologist, he has carried out two research projects on Sevillian composers from the early 20th century, namely Manuel Font de Anta and Luis Leandro Mariani y González. In the field of modern music, as a pianist and accordionist, he specialises in the repertoire of Latin American and Spanish music from the mid-20th century (tango, South American folk, bolero, copla...) He is a member and arranger of the musical group Ojalá, with which he pays tribute to Spanish-speaking singers and composers. He is a member of the music and dance company Entretangos and Ópera Soleá.  He also plays euphonium in the Asociación Filarmónica de Conil, and is currently studying euphonium professionally in Seville.

PROGRAMME

Sevillan Musicians in the 20th Century: Impressionism and Andalucism in the Organismo 

Luis Leandro Mariani González (1858-1925)

1 -  Ofertory for Gran Órgano (1903) 

2 -  Sonata-Fantasía for Gran Órgano. 1º mov. (1907) 

Joaquín Turina (1882-1949)

3 - Margot (1914). Arr. for organ by Chano Robles

Eduardo Torres (1872-1934)

4 - Saetas II y III (1920) 

Manuel Font de Anta (1889-1936) y José Font de Anta (1892-1988)

5 - Soleá dame la mano (1918). Arr. for organ by Chano Robles 

Chano Robles

6 - Improvisation on Andalusian themes. 

TIME: 60’

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