Regards Sur L'espagne

Montreal-born pianist Louise Bessette performs music by modern (late 19C - 1st half 20C) Spanish composers (in one case a Cuban influenced by Spanish folk music). As you might expect, much of this music is lively and spirited. Nice booklet in English and French. Solo piano.

No FCC issues.

Tracks 1-6: ** “Spanish Suite” (pieces easily separated); Impressions of Spain’s various regions.
1. * Mid-tempo. Stirring yet somewhat sad. A little like a national anthem. (3:47)
2. ** Faster. Repeated left-hand runs against right-hand waltz melody. Exuberant. (2:59)
3. * Fast fanfares bookend a slower middle, impressionistic with some modernist dissonance. (from piano to forte, then back to piano) (5:06)
4. Very fast and energetic, like flamenco. Lively melody set to stomping left-hand chords. (2:03)
5. ** Mostly fast. Strongly expressive and regional as if Chopin were Spanish. (5:01)
6. * Mixed fast and slow passages. Very grand & romantic. The famous “Malagueña” melody, often heard on guitar; never gets old. (4:22)

7. ** Mostly slow and gentle. Lovely impressionism. No obvious Spanish theme. (4:24)

8. * Called “tango” but clearly a concert piece. Mid-tempo but varies. Parts are gentle, others are fiery. Evocative of dancing, rather than dance music per se. (5:26)

Tracks 9-13: Suite of short “gypsy dances”
9. Slow, quiet intro, then mid-fast, moderately loud. Hard banging. Not pleasant. (4:05)
10. Soft, impressionistic, ballet-like. Ambiguous time signature. (3:28)
11. Also impressionistic. A bit heavier than 10, but lighter than 9. (2:34)
12. ** Very fast and lively. Full of exciting chord sequences and cadenzas. (1:35)
13. * Fast and exciting. Gallops along. Very complex syncopation between two hands. (1:56)

14. Mid-tempo mostly, but quite slow in spots. Rather dark and somber. Very modern. (8:27)

15 Twenty-one fast, tricky passages separated by pauses. Like an exercise book. (12:54)