UMS Concert Program, February 9, 1976: The Romeros --

Concert: Ninth
Complete Series: 3981
Power Center For The Performing Arts Ann Arbor, Michigan

The University Musical Society
The University of Michigan
Presents
The Romeros
Guitarists
CELEDONIO ROMERO
and his three sons
CELIN, PEPE, and ANGEL
Monday, February 9, 1976, at 8:00
Power Center for the Performing Arts
Ann Arbor, Michigan
PROGRAM
Concerto in D major for Four Guitars .... Georg Philipp Telemann
trans. Celedonio Romero Allegro -Largo -Allegro
Allegro, from Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 ... Johann Sebastian Bach in G major trans. John Knowles
The Romeros
Two Sonatas............Domenico Scarlatti
Variations on a Theme from Mozart's
"Die Zauberflote...........Fernando Sor
Angel Romero
Sonatina...........Federico MorenoTorroba
Allegretto -Andante -Allegro
Celin Romero
El Baile de Luis Alonso.........Jeronimo Jimenez
trans. Pepe Romero The Romeros
in term is s i o n
Ninth Program
Fifth Annual Choice Series, Power Center
Complete Programs 3981
Danza Rapsodica..........Francisco de Madina
The Miller's Dance, from "El Sombrero de Tres Picos" . . Manuel de Falla
The Romeros
Leyenda .............. Isaac Albeniz
Zapateado and Fantasia.........Celedonio Romero
Celedonio Romero
Recuerdos de la Alhambra ) ......Francisco Tarrega
Capncho Arabe
El Colibri (The Hummingbird)........Julio Sagreras
Pepe Romero
Jota de la Dolores...........Tomas Breton
trans. Pepe Romero
Noches en Malaga ... ......Celedonio Romero
The Romeros
Philips and Mercury Records
PROGRAM NOTES
Concerto in D major for Four Guitars......TelemannRomero
Telcmann (16811767) was considered one of the great German composers of his day and enjoyed a popularity far greater than his friend and contemporary, Johann Sebastian Bach. His list of compositions is so Ions as to preclude enumeration and the publication of his complete works is still far from complete. Many are still being rediscovered. Especially noted as a highly skilled contrapuntalist, he wrote with ease and fluency in any desired style, from opera and church music to instrumental works of the greatest variety.
Allegro, from Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major . . . BachKnowles
The Brandenburg Concerto No. i, one of the most popular works by Bach, consists of onlytwo movements. It was written for a small group of mostly soloistically treated instruments--three violins, three violas, three 'celli, one double bass, and one harpsichord. The two Allegros are divided by two Adagio chords which stand for the traditional slow second movement.
Two Sonatas..............Scarlatti
D. Scarlatti (16851757) wrote hundreds of onemovement Sonatas which indirectly laid the foundation for modern piano technique. Today he is regarded as the founder of Spanish pianoforte style. He spent nearly forty years of his later life on the Iberian peninsula in Lisbon and as music master and composer to the Princess of the Asturias (later Queen Maria Barbara of Spain) in Madrid.
Scarlatti arrived in Spain at the moment when what we call today the "Spanish Style" in music was being created, and without a doubt we hear the occasional rhythms of the Spanish traditional dance (and even more specifically, the sound of the guitars) in his music.
Variations on a Theme from Mozart's "Die Zauberflote".....Sor
Fernando Sor was born in Barcelona, February, 1778, and died in Paris, July, 18.!?. He was of admirable precocity; without any music training he had composed several pieces for the guitar by the age of five. Six years later he went to study at the Monastery of Montserrat with Fray Anselmo Viola; there he composed most of his church music. When he was seventeen his opera, "Telemaco," received its premiere at the Santa Cruz theatre in Barcelona with an overwhelming success. He concertized very extensively throughout Europe as a solo guitarist and later in his life as a duo with the celebrated guitarist, Dii'misio Aguado.
These variations are among the most difficult in the repertoire.
Sonatina................Torroba
Torroba, a contemporary composer presently living in Madrid, maintains a romantic style and writes for a virtuoso technique. His interpretations of the zarzuela and his creations of the modern versions of Spanish folklore have brought him fame, not only in Spain, but throughout the world.
El Baile de Luis Alonso............Jimenez
Jimenez, Spanish composer and for a time conductor of the Sociedad de Conciertos in Madrid, wrote mostly zarzuelas, composing more than fifty between 1882 and 1914. Among the best known is "El Baile de Luis Alonso."
Danza Rapsodica..............Madina
The late Rev. Francisco de Madina, born in Onate, Spain, wrote works which cover a wide range from operas to masses and psalms; from symphonic suites to small pieces for orchestra, piano, organ, violin, harp, guitar, etc. His "Basque Sonata for Harp" has been performed by Nicanor Zabaleta and his opera, "Flor de Duranzo" (The Peach Blossom) had many performances in Argentina, where his cantata "La Cadena de Oro" (The Golden Chain) was also performed. His works are greatly linked with the careers of The Romeros, who have commissioned several concerti and recital pieces from him, and he has dedicated numerous pieces to the Artists, with whom he shared a mutual friendship.
The Miller's Dance, from "El Sombrero de Tres Picos".....Falla
Manuel de Falla was born in Cadiz and had his first musical training with his mother who was a talented pianist. He himself won honors as a pianist and composer with the famous work "La Yida Breve" while still a young man. He lived in Paris until the outbreak of the first world war and was a friend of Debussy and Ravel. His music is extremely individual and imbued with a sense of poetry or suggestiveness--something felt rather than explained. His mental background is stronglyinfluenced by the dance.
"The ThreeCornered Hat" is based on the story of the pursuit of a miller's pretty wife by an amorous old gentleman, and of the manner in which the miller makes him appear a fool. The M'ller's Dance describes the husband's character--proud, fiery and virile. Falla adapted this Flamenco Farrucas for the celebrated ballet and orchestral suite.
Leyenda................Albeniz
The exuberant talent of Isaac Albeniz was obvious almost from his infancy. He gave his first concert when he was four years old. At six he studied in Paris with Marmontei for a few months. His concerts were very eagerly awaited and some newspapers called him the "Spanish Rubinstein." By petition of Debussy, Faure, and other distinguished composers, the French government presented AJbeniz the medal of the Legion of Honor. He was born May 29, 1860 and died May 18, 1909. Like a traveling troubadour, Albeniz sings of his native land, its scenery, its changing moods. There arc treasures of melodic and rhythmic inspiration in his pages.
Zapateado and Fantasia............Romero
These are two of the many compositions in various styles which Celcdonio Romero has written for guitar.
Recuerdos de la Alhambra ) _,,
Capricho Arabe (............Tarrega
Francisco Tarrega was born in Villareal (Castellon de la Plana) on November 29, 1852, and d;ed in Barcelona on December 15, 1909. This extraordinary guitarist and composer started his career with a brilliant concert at the "Teatro de la Alhambra" after which he was invited to play for the queen of Spain, Dona Ysabel, and Princess Matildc. Tarrega was responsible for starting the renaissance that the guitar has enjoyed throughout the world to the present day.
"Capricho Arabe" illustrates Tarrega's innovative talents; he introduced the tremolo, which brought the third finger of the right hand into use. This technique is widely used in this piece, which also shows the strong Moorish influences in Spain.
In his "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" the composer masterfully captures the sound of the foun?tains of the Alhambra in its beautiful moorish gardens.
El Colibri...............Sagreras
"El Colibri," subtitled Imitation al vuelo del picafior (Imitation of the flight of the humming?bird), is an admirable and graphic description of the rapid motion with which the hummingbird moves its wings. Within only eightyfive measures, Sagreras has captured the steady vibration of the bird's wingaction, creating a demanding piece requiring absolute evenness of touch.
Jota de la Dolores...........BretonRomero
This illustrious Spanish musician was born in Salamanca, Spain. He began his studies of music when he was eight years old and at fifteen entered the Madrid Conservatory of Music. After his graduation, he went on to study with the great composer, Arricta, and later, to Rome, Milan, Vienna and Paris. This eminent master of Spanish music suffered many economic crises during bs career even though his artistic success was overwhelming from the premiere of his first opera, "Los Amantes de Teruel" in 1889. He wrote numerous operas, zarzuelas, choral works, chamber music and hundreds of single pieces for various instruments. This Jota is from "La Dolores," one of his most celebrated operas.
Xoches en Malaga.............Romero
This classical composition is one of several in Flamenco form written by Celedonio Romero.
Second Annual Benefit Concert for the University Musical Society and School of Music
Yehudi Menuhin, Violinist and Conductor Gyorgy Sandor, Pianist
with The University Symphony Orchestra
Saturday, February 28, at 8:30, in Hill Auditorium
Program:
Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5, K. 219 Bartok: Divertimento for Strings Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 ("Emperor")
Tickets available at Burton Tower, or by mail:
Main floor, $8; first balcony, $7; second balcony, $6 and S4
$25 includes a main floor seat and a reception ticket to meet the artists after the performance.
Luciano Pavarotti, Tenor........Sunday, February IS
P.D.Q. BachPeter Schickele......Thursday, February 26
Royal Tahitian Dance Company......Monday, March 1
Soloists of the Ensemble Nipponia......Thursday, March 4
Prague Chamber Orchestra........Friday, March 19
Mozart: Symphony No. 40; Martinu: Serenade No. 2 for Two Violins and Viola; Kalabis: Chamber Music for Strings, Op. 21; Haydn: Symphony No. 103 ("Drum Roll")
Preservation Hall Jazz Band.......Saturday, March 20
Berlin String Quartet.........Monday, March 22
Beethoven: Quartet in Eflat, Op. 74 ("The Harp"); Schubert: Quartet in A minor, Op. 29
Detroit Symphony Orchestra........Friday, March 26
Aldo Ceccato, Conductor; The University Choral Union; Karkn Altman, soprano; Beverly Wolff, contralto; Setii McCoy, tenor; Simon Estes, bass; Beethoven, Symphony No. 1 in C major; Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor ("Choral")
The Pennsylvania Ballet.....Mondav, Tuesday, Wednesday,
March 29, 30 & 31 Waverly Consort, "Las Cantigas de Santa Maria" . . Thursday, April 1
Don Cossacks of Rostov..........Sunday, April 4
Sitara, Kathak Dancer..........Tuesday, April 6
May Festival
Four concerts -April 28, 29, 30, and May 1
The Philadelphia Orchestra Eugene Ormandy, Conductor
The Festival Chorus Aaron Copland, Guest Conductor
Andre Watts, Pianist Marilyn Horne, Soprano
Wednesday: Haydn: Symphony No. 31 ("Hornsignal"); Leslie Bassctt: "Echoes from an Invisible World"; Weber: Invitation to the Dance; Copland: Suite from Billy the Kid; Ravel: La Valse.
Thursday: Sibelius: Symphony No. 7 in C; MacDowcll: Piano Concerto No. 2; Strauss: Symphonic Fantasy from "Die Frau ohne Schatten"; Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue.
Friday: Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man, Clarinet Concerto (Anthony Gigliotti), Suite from The Tender Land (Festival Chorus); Barber: "School for Scandal" Overture; Ives: Decoration Day; Schuman: New England Tryptich.
Saturday: Beethoven: Overture to "Coriolanus"; Pcrsichetti: Symphony No. 4; Ravel: "Sheherazade" Song Cycle; Rossini: "Mura felici" from La Donna del lago; Strauss: Roscnkavalier Waltzes
UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY
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