Although his musical career found its just expansion and full development in Germany, where he went from his residence in Switzerland, Madrid-born Gonzalo de Olavide didn't forget the thematic roots, not gesture, of the land who saw him born, and a big part of his work uses spanish excuses as base material. Maybe the more interesting of spanish contemporary composers, a good proof of that can be found on the three symphonic works here included, which showed his purified style and handling of big and small sonorities. Sinfonía "Homenaje a Falla" (1977) is the first in time, composed at the request of the then active National Music Commision; without any connotation or mimetism to the music of the masterful andalusian composer, the nine parts which maked it are performed without a break in continuity, and showed the great architectural work of his author. Two years later comes Cante in Memoriam García Lorca (1979), a Cantata for contralto, mixed choir and orchestra which used as a base a text from the Granada-born writer, Yo sé que mi perfil será tranquilo. Here a drammatic intention is more accused, obtained not only thanks to Lorca's poem but also to Olavide's balanced score. At last, but not least, Orbe-Variations (1988), a new demonstration of the composer's capacity to create complex but at the same time interesting structures. The three works are presented on live recordings, of good but a little muffled sound.

Orbe-Variations (1988) - 13:42
RTVE Symphony Orchestra - Conductor: Antoni Ros Marbá
Sinfonía "Homenaje a Falla" (1977) - 17:55
Madrid Symphony Orchestra - Conductor: Arturo Tamayo
Cante in Memoriam García Loca (1979) - 20:01
María José Suárez (Contralto) - Madrid Symphony Orchestra - Conductor: Arturo Tamayo

RTVE MUSICA 65088 / 52'

RTVE Música Records (Phones: 34-1-3462072, 34-1-3462073 / Fax: 34-1-3461232) can be obtained on
RTVE-Música
Casa de la Radio
28223 Prado del Rey - Madrid
Spain

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