Does anyone know the music of Cuban classical composer Lecuona? I don't think I've heard a thing.
― Rockist Scientist, Saturday, 10 May 2003 18:38 (twenty-two years ago)
Well okay, classical and popular music composer, actually, which I guess is what I should have expected from Cuba.
I'm wondering if his piano work sounds very much like the famous Romantic composers like Chopin, in which case I will probably want to stay away, at least for now.
― Rockist Scientist, Saturday, 10 May 2003 18:53 (twenty-two years ago)
I have the album "Lecuona Plays Lecuona", but I haven't heard it for a long time, and I'm away from my turntable for a bit.
When I get a chance, I'll listen to it again and post a review.
― arch Ibog (arch Ibog), Saturday, 10 May 2003 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)
Well, I gave this a listen last night. I liked it more than I remembered I did.
Disclaimer: I don't really have the vocabulary to describe semi-classical piano music, but I'll give it a shot:
I heard a lot of strong, slightly spanish or jazz-inflected melodies. Not jazz in the sense of rhytmic swing, but probably more in terms of the coloration of the melodies and the voicing. In some parts I was actually reminded of Gershwin; there was one composition that made me think of Rhapsody in Blue quite a lot. Maybe that also describes the popular music element in his music, too. The liner notes said that Artie Shaw regularly played one of his tunes, and so expected that American listeners might recognize it.
Lecuona plays in a strong, dramatic way, with lots of embellishments: cascades of notes while a melody moves up or down, and plenty of dynamic variation.
I also listened to some Chopin piano music for comparison, and I think Lecuona is quite different. Chopin's melodies and voicings sound much more gentle and abstract by comparison. Chopin also felt a more even, harmonious, and "pleasant" overall (hence your "suicidal"?) where Lecuona sounds more strident and immediately passionate. Yeah, I guess you could call them both "romantic", but in different ways.
While I don't know too much about Cuban music beyond son and salsa, this music wouldn't have been identifiably "cuban" to me unless I already knew. Any latin kind of influence sounded more euro-spanish-cuban rather than afro-cuban.
overall: worth checking out, and not really much like Chopin at all (though still firmly 'classiscal' in style).
― arch Ibog (arch Ibog), Tuesday, 13 May 2003 12:46 (twenty-two years ago)
Thanks. I just dug up this thread this morning to see if their were any added posts I had missed, but that was before your latest contribution. A co-worker who plays classical piano (not professionally), and who seems to like almost nothing but Bach these days, is very fond of playing Lecuona's work. (She likes a lot of other things besides Bach, really, but I get the impression that all in all, she'd much rather listen to him than anyone else.)
― Rockist Scientist, Tuesday, 13 May 2003 12:58 (twenty-two years ago)
I just checked to see what CDs are available now, and there's a 2-disc set called "Lecuona: The Ultimate Collection" that reproduces "Lecuona plays Lecuona" on most of the first disc.
You can listen to it at Amazon. The track that reminded me of Gershwin's Rhapsody has an audio clip--it's track 4, "San Francisco el Grande"
― arch Ibog (arch Ibog), Tuesday, 13 May 2003 13:08 (twenty-two years ago)
er, I should have said you can listen to short clips of 4 songs... to be clear.
― arch Ibog (arch Ibog), Tuesday, 13 May 2003 13:10 (twenty-two years ago)
er, 5 songs, but who's counting.
― arch Ibog (arch Ibog), Tuesday, 13 May 2003 13:10 (twenty-two years ago)
one year passes...