Avant-Guarding Mompou Maria Canyigueral

• 1Cançó i Dansa No. 102:47
• 2Cançó i Dansa No. 203:03
• 3Cançó i Dansa No. 303:28
• 4Cançó i Dansa No. 403:40
• 5Cançó i Dansa No. 504:40
• 6Chanson et valse, Op. 14505:25
• 7Cançó i Dansa No. 603:10
• 8Hämmerklavier XXVI: To be played after Mompou's "Cancion 6"06:25
• 9Cançó i Dansa No. 703:31
• 10Cançó i Dansa No. 803:27
• 11Cançó i Dansa No. 904:03
• 12Reverberaciones06:04
• 13Cançó i Dansa No. 1003:09
• 14Stella04:34
• 15Cançó i Dansa No. 1103:59
• 16Cançó i Dansa No. 1202:42
• 17Nocturno after Mompou - Canción06:00
• 18Cançó i Dansa No. 1404:09
• 19Wind Dances, Op. 72 - Hommage à Federico Mompou04:53
• 20Dotze Cavallers - Un nouveau Hommage à Frédéric Mompou05:12
• 21Cançó i Dansa03:56
• 22Souvenir pour Piano05:05
• Total Runtime01:33:22

Info for Avant-Guarding Mompou

Influenced by the French Impressionists, Mompou’s Cançons i Danses are juxtaposed in the present recording by commissions from nine other composers, four of them Spanish, one Greek, one Czech, one French, one English and one German. This compilation of works reveals some surprising cross-references and at the same time helps to explain our idiosyncratic title: ‘Making Mompou our contemporary'.

“During the period between 1918 and 1978 the great composer and pianist Frederic Mompou composed a set of fifteen pieces called ‘Cançons i danses’. The particularity of these works is the Catalan composer’s ability to weave masterpieces out of his own native folklore.

The project ‘Avant-guarding Mompou’ arises from my wish to perform Mompou’s complete ‘Cançons i danses’ cycle together with a new one created especially for this occasion by composers of our time. New works have been also based on Catalan folklore as were those written by the Catalan master. Thus, the result of the performance will be an avant-garde ‘duplicate’ of the cycle created by Mompou but with the personal stamp of each of the composers who participate in the project.

The nine composers who have accepted taking part in this initiative come from different parts of Europe, including Catalonia and the rest of Spain. I am truthfully amazed how the project has been so positively received amongst some of the most prolific and active classical music creators of nowadays. I feel deeply honored to count on this fantastic team. Selecting the composers was done through research and by listening many musical works to find out the ones whose musical and emotional language were closest to me.

Undoubtedly, it will be exciting to experience the reinterpretation of part of a particular region’s folklore under either local, close or alien perspectives. Moreover, if the act of creation of an artist could be defined as the overlapping of different influences and the personal experience of life, the final result suggests surprise and emotion. The concert will reveal this variety in the craft of the composers and the performer.

The world premiere will take place at Conway Hall in London on the 10th of June 2018. It will be presented as part of Eunic series ‘Inspired by….’. It is a coproduction together with Instituto Cervantes, Arts Council in England, Institut Ramon Llull, Fundació Mompou and Lilly e Violetta. I would like to give my warmest thanks to all of them for their support as well as to the Ateneu Barcelonès for organizing a fundraising concert in January 2018.

Undoubtedly, this event will show plurality and richness of styles. However, how far will this beautiful diversity be integrated in the universal aesthetic experience which is the language of music? Let’s discover it together!" (Words by Maria Canyigueral)

Maria Canyigueral, piano

Maria Canyigueral
has been described by La Vanguardia as 'a pianist of great personality'.

One of the leading lights among the new generation of Spanish pianists, Maria Canyigueral has inspired collaborations with outstanding contemporary Spanish composers such as Antón García Abril, Benet Casablancas, Joan Magrané, Josep Maria Guix and others. Her partnership with Antón García Abril has been particularly successful, attracting high praise from critics and audiences both in Spain and the UK. Antón García Abril has written 'Reverberaciones' for Maria's 'Avant-guarding Mompou' project and 'Hoy es siempre todavía' for her Horn trio. Having spent her formative years between Spain and the UK, she has since attracted a devoted following of her worldwide concert itineraries.

Having completed her undergraduate studies at the Conservatori del Liceu in Barcelona with Michel Wagemans, she later attained a Master of Arts in Performance from the Royal Academy of Music in London, studying with Sulamita Aronovsky. She has also received musical advice from Nino Kereselidze and André de Groote. Maria Canyigueral’s name soon became a fixture of the international piano circuit, embracing Spain, the UK, Japan (Tokyo, Nagoya), Belgium and other countries. Recent highlights include solo recitals at Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona and at Fundación Juan March in Madrid; a recital at the Wigmore hall with violinist Lana Trotovsek; a performance as part of the composition seminar by Benet Casablancas at the Royal Academy of Music, London; solo appearances at the Festival Portaferrada, Schubertíada Vilabertran and Festival de Música de Cervia - Ibercamera; recitals in Zulte, Belgium; and a performance at the Echoes Festival, St. James Piccadilly, London.

In addition to her live performances, Maria has made an impact with her recordings of chamber music. She won the Gold Medal at the Global Music Awards in California for her album of works by C. Franck, Granados, Skerjanc and Finzi, recorded with violinist Lana Trotovsek (Hedone Records, 2016). A recording with flautist Boris Bizjak, of works by Martinu, Poulenc, Fauré and Böhm, was also released by Hedone Records in 2016. She is currently recording the complete set of Sonatas for violin and piano by Beethoven with violinist Lana Trotovsek.

Maria has lately been working with internationally known composers on her own project ‘Avant-Guarding Mompou’. This was premiered at Conway Hall, London in June 2018 and featured contributions from Nicolas Bacri, Antón García Abril, Joseph Phibbs, Konstantia Gourzi, Jiri Gemrot, Josep Maria Guix, Joan Magrané, Victor Estapé and Moritz Eggert. The project was supported by Instituto Cervantes, Arts Council England, Institut Ramon Llull, Fundació Mompou and fashion label Lilly e Violetta. Released on Cd on the Audite label.

Having now been a touring artist for many years, Maria Canyigueral has continuous plans for further international performances including solo recitals in Spain and England. A return appearance in Duo with Lana Trotovsek at Ljubljana Festival and Lozer Festival, featuring the complete set of sonatas by Beethoven. Recitals in Serbia and Scotland.

This album contains no booklet.