Story behind "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" ???
Mark Westling
RDLA.
One version says Tarrega wrote it to evoke the babbling streams which run
through the Alhambra. Another says he wrote it as a memory to a concert he
gave at a theater named the "Alhambra".
Does anyone know the REAL story?
Thanks,
Mark Westling
winte...@my-deja.com
The manuscript of the first version of "Recuerdos de la Alhambra",
originally entitled "Improvisacion! A Granada! Cantiga Arabe", ends -
after the last music staff - with the following note (which I
faithfully translate for you from Spanish):
"Because I cannot present you a more valid offer in the day of your
Saint, please accept this humble poetic note, an impression which my
soul felt before the majestic wonder of the Alhambra in Granada, which
we admired together". Such a dedication is offered "A mi esimia
discipula Sra D.na Conchita G. de Iacoby su Maestro y amigo Fran.co
Tarrega, Malaga, 8 Dicbre 1899". Then the title of the piece and its
dedication changed when the work was published (Conchita Iacoby and
Francisco Tarrega had a rather stormy relationship), but there can be
no question about the origin of the piece.
AG
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Stanley Yates
"Mark Westling" mwes...@earthlink.net wrote:
Stanley Yates
http://www.StanleyYates.com
Austin Peay State University
Department of Music
PO Box 4625
Clarksville TN 37043
(001) 931 221-7351
(001) 931 221-7529 (fax)
winte...@my-deja.com
"Mark Westling" <mwes...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Dear Angelo,
>
> So, I can assume that the piece WAS in fact ORIGINALLY dedicated to
the
> imagery and "memory" of the Alhambra Palace in Granada?
It was dedicated to Concha Iacoby as an evocation of the visit they
(Tarrega and her) payed to the Alhambra. To state this evidence, out of
all possible questions, is Tarrega himself. The Alhambra was at that
epoque a symbol for all French and Spanish artists (not only musicians)
who had an attention for the exotism (a mainstream of the Romantic
art). More specifically, the art of the Spanish composers of the second
half of 19th century is called "ahlambrismo".
> But how and when was the dedication of the piece later changed (as you
> indicated)?
When the piece was published in Barcelona by Vidal Limona y Boceta
Editores, the title was changed into "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" and the
dedication to dona Concha was replaced with a less passionated
dedication "Hommage à l'eminent artiste Alfred Cottin". Tarrega's
relationship with dona Concha passed by very agitated moments, and
likely it was during their break (then mildly recomposed) that the
guitarist published that work of his. Recall anyway that Tarrega was
married and that, if published, his dedication to dona Concha would
have originated a lot of noises...Still today private life is the
object of unhealthy attention by people...
AG
>
> Many thanks for your response!
>
> Mark Westling
>
> <winte...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:8p7lma$v$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
> > In article <mYFt5.28843
R. McGillis
Good article. By the way, does anyone else besides me play this piece in
the format it was written e.g. AA BB AB Coda? It seems like EVERY
recording or performer I've heard plays it in the shorter AA BB Coda
format. You miss a brief but nice change going from the major back to
minor when you play the shorter method. Besides, I'm a stickler for
playing things as the composer intended, even all the repeats.
-R.
In article <20000907100349...@ng-de1.aol.com>,
larry...@my-deja.com
> By the way, does anyone else besides me play this piece in
I only play the long version for restaurants. I've never played it on
stage but if I did I certainly wouldn't play the long version as it
seems to be a bit too much to me.
Thanks to Stanley for the article and the performance score. I haven't
bothered to look at what I do with this piece in years. It will be
interesting to see if I can garner new ideas from this version. This is
one of those must play pieces for gigs along with Asturias.
carl e. stehling
the length of the piece in the AA BB AB Coda format.
What does anyone think about AB AB Coda? then you get the minor to
major transition.
--
Carl Stehling
Carlos Davila
(quarter note) on my metronome. Am not currently too interested in speed,
rather, I am trying to get a nice even tempo, at this speed, the piece
sounds nice enough, and I enjoy playing it. What is the usual tempo for
"RDLA" for most of us mortals? I have timed Segovia and he gets up to around
160-very fast!
Carlos
<larry...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:8p9421$o2b$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
larry...@my-deja.com
> What is the usual tempo for
> "RDLA" for most of us mortals?
> I have timed Segovia and he gets up to around
> 160-very fast!
I'd say that 140 is more or less fine. 120 seems a bit too slow to get
the _effect_ level of playing that most trick techniques rely on. By
trick I mean technique that becomes automatic like rolling your tongue
on R's. Lots of technique is getting it to sound like a group or
gesture instead of pluck, pluck, pluck.
I find it interesting that at some level this kind of technique is not
really heard as the individual notes sound but rather the aural image
lingers in the air and lines up like pearls so you see the string in
your mind's eye just hanging there with each note about the same shape
for you to examine even as the music continues.
Of course no tremolo has just one speed and a good tremolo should move
in wave like patterns where one could even be playing much slower or
even quite a bit faster in certain sections without feeling any
distortion of the line since the note speed up or slow down evenly.
Vivienne McLaughlin
> What is the usual tempo for
> "RDLA" for most of us mortals? I have timed Segovia and he gets up to around
> 160-very fast!
Not really. I have timed myself doing pimi with a loud, even and clean sound at
speeds well over 160, with the p falling on each click. I break up at around 177
- 180. The fastest I ever timed it was at 181 for about 10 seconds before going
to pieces. I usually run through RdlA in the neighborhood of 143 to 147. When
you get coordinated with tremolo - which is really not a difficult technique at
all - you can play it pretty fast. The guitar also makes some difference.
Student model guitars are usually awful for playing tremolo. Concert models have
such a great response to the same amount of free stroke pressure, and a better
projection, that you can improve your sound and (perceived) ability just by
switching guitars. Nojoke.
V.
Vivienne McLaughlin
> What is the usual tempo for
> "RDLA" for most of us mortals? I have timed Segovia and he gets up to around
> 160-very fast!
Not really. I have timed myself doing pimi with a loud, even and clean sound at
Himmelhoch
<< I am currently studying this piece. I play it using pami at about 120
(quarter note) on my metronome. >>
Dear Carlos,
Please note that since Recuerdos is in 3/4 time, and the tremolo is done in
32nd notes, your actual tempo is 60 to the quarter, and 120 to the eighth note.
My sense of the piece, which I have played on stage and at club date gigs many
times, is that you need to get to around 72 to the quarter (144 to the eighth)
Tempos over 84 to the quarter tend to sound rushed for this piece unless the
tremolo is supersmooth!
Enjoy it!
Seth H.
Mark Westling
Just curious - what guitar are you playing currently?
Thanks,
Mark
"Vivienne McLaughlin" <vah...@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:39BDA6CB...@bellsouth.net...
Klaus Heim
"Carlos Davila" <c...@seas.smu.edu> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:8pjl9c$5t6$1...@hermes.seas.smu.edu...
> I am currently studying this piece. I play it using pami at about 120
> (quarter note) on my metronome. Am not currently too interested in speed,
> rather, I am trying to get a nice even tempo, at this speed, the piece
> sounds nice enough, and I enjoy playing it. What is the usual tempo for
> "RDLA" for most of us mortals? I have timed Segovia and he gets up to
around
> 160-very fast!
Some speeds:
Alirio Diaz - 184
Norbert Kraft - 144
Julian Bream - 144
Wolfgang Lendle - 168
Eduardo Fernandez - 168
Andres Segovia - 160
I find that Segovia sounds the slowest, because he is not hurried at all.
After all the piece is in Andante. Most versions have speed changes, of the
wavey sort. I also have a recording by Yamashita (184), but he plays
double-tremolo, if I listen correctly. Lendle plays Campanas del Alba at
192. In a straight line, tremolo speeds of ca. 200 should be possible,
lastly it is the left hand which will dictate the eventual speed. I don't
play RdlA myself, in the two tremolo pieces I do play ("Merlin's Dream" by
Koshkin, "Campanas del Alba" by Sainz de la Maza), I play one in this
wave-like fashion, the other as fast as I can go, to undermine the bell
aspects.
Klaus
John Rethorst
<klh...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I find that Segovia sounds the slowest, because he is not hurried at all.
> After all the piece is in Andante.
Which recording? I have one he made in the 30s, where he's faster than I
hope Tarrega would have imagined anyone would want to play it.
--
John Rethorst
Spam NOT!
Vivienne McLaughlin
V.
Klaus Heim
"John Rethorst" <jnotre...@notpost.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:jnotrethorst-1...@vanc07m07-59.bctel.ca...
A compilation "Segovia - My favorite works" (MCA, 1987) . It does not give
any recording dates, but RdlA is in mono, so it could be quite old.
Klaus
Mick Mars
Williams version of this piece? Also any tips on making the tremolo on the B
string cleaner and more even? For years I have tried to learn this piece but
I could never get it very clean and accurate. Probably one of my favorite
piece of all time that I wish I could play much better. Any tips would be
greatly appreciated.TIA.
Also Just curious. Has there ever been a recording of Chopin's Fantasy
Improptu on classical guitar ever? I know there was an electric guitar
version for this piece by Ron Thal but never heard it on classical guitar
yet. If it does exists, please let me know who did it. Thanks
----------
In article <8pljqm$14ea$1...@f1node01.rhrz.uni-bonn.de>, "Klaus Heim"
<klh...@hotmail.com> wrote:
John Rethorst
<mickm...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Just curious, how fast is John
> Williams version of this piece?
About 75% as fast as Yepes'.
GuitarsWeB
>string cleaner and more even?
Move the right hand over the sound hole.. The strings flex more in that area.
Paul
JamieWG
unique right hand in that his fingers i, m, and a were almost all the same
length. His hand position and sitting position were adapted for his own unique
body (short torso, short arms) and hand configurations (fingers same length).
Thus he was able to play with his fingers very perpendicular to the strings,
and with hardly having to bend the "m" finger in that position. He used three
finger combinations for most of his scale runs too, since his hand worked so
smoothly with all the pistons being the same length and firing in sequence!
Jamie W. Grossman
Intermediate Classical Guitar Repertoire Favorites Homepage:
http://www.maui.net/~rtadaki/intcgrep.html
MOUNTIE MALCOLM
Andrew Schulman
Andrew
dsi1
Andrew Schulman
Andrew of New York
Wishbringer
I perfer this work as an emotional tribute to a historic visit to a grand structure. As such, I somewhat dislike "mechanical" presentations of this work, especially those who are played at break-neck speed. If the presentation does not evoke emotion (and in many cases, bring tears to my eyes), in my humble opinion the performance has missed its potential.
I do admire those who can play this technically and flawlessly and wish I could do as well. But the performances that most touch my heart are those played at a slower pace, with pauses, emphasis, decline, staccato, and in which the artist is obviously into the emotion of the work. I have noticed in comments on various forums that people seem most impressed when the performer interprets the music rather than just playing it.
To me, whatever the intent of the original composer... this is how this piece is best presented: when one's heart is put into the piece rather than just the fingers.
Ken Blake
> There are numerous comments on the tempo and pace of this piece.
Ken
dsi1
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rec.music.classical.guitar/aHGDd8gmaDI/s_W_uc0q7RUJ
Steven Bornfeld
S