piano: Stanley Wong Hong Kong St.John's Cathedral Lunch-time Recital Granados' piano works are highly expressive in both melancholic and joyful aspect. The piano suite "Goyescas" with subtitle "Los majos enamorados", written in 1911, marked the great success and maturity of Granados' work. The word "Goyescas" means "in the style of Goya". It is a set of 6 pieces inspired by the paintings of Francisco de Goya but was not authoritatively associated with any particular painting. It showed the fascination of Granados towards the late 18th century Madrid of which the culture and art of aristocrat and lower classes catch together. It is just the same vision of 'Majos and Majas" that Goya was capturing in his painting. In Goyescas, the music also presented such Spanish cultural life. Later in 1915, Granados also wrote an opera with the same title and using the melodies from this piano suite. Goyescas is a formidable challenge for the performer, with its complex texture, elaborate ornamentation and virtuosic pianism. Granados described the music as follows: "In Goyescas I intended to give a personal note, a mixture of bitterness and grace... that are typically Spanish; and a sentiment suddenly amorous and passionate, dramatic and tragic, such as is seen in the works of Goya." The Los Requiebros is the first piece from Goyescas. It is brilliant and passionate. The entire piece mainly based on two popular phrases of the Tonadilla, a Spanish musical song, composed by Blas de Laserna. The piece was written without key signature but it is tonally centered in E flat major. It has a grand introduction and followed by a singing melody which Granados developed it into complex and inexhaustible variations such as notes doubled, emotional intensified and contrasts exaggerated. Moreover, all these variations seem happening in an improvisational way. Regarding the score, there are many expression markings and performance directions. Besides, there are numerous tempo changes and many double bar-lines mostly appeared when shifting in character. Before the final climax, there is a calm and dreamy section relieving the previous tension. Finally, the music ends with luminous harmonies and intense passion.

• published: 17 Oct 2013
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