HARMONIC ANALYSIS: Canción from Canción y Danza No.1 A. R. Pipó

The Andante Cantabile, written in 1958, is generally a tonal piece. However the French influence, particularly C. Debussy, is present in this work through the use of the Dorian mode (B natural), modal mixture (cadence on D and not Dm in m.17) and colorful fournote chords throughout the piece.

||: A :|| B A' || The musical form of the Dance is a two part binary form where the sections are equivalent and equal in length. The harmonic content is sectional except in the B section (m.17) where we get an unexpected surprise with a cadence on D and not Dm. This foreshadows the arrival of the next and final movement the Allegro in D.

||: A :|| This section starts and ends on the tonic chord of Dm. Pipó introduces various chords from the Dorian mode ( F - G - Am, m.3-4) mixed with standard tonal chords ( E/G dim.- A dom.7th, m. 7).

The B section is used as a contrast to the previous section. The first four bars are resolved modally (IV - VII) on Dm. The next 4 bars end on an unexpected D major chord preceded by F and C (m.15-16).

The A' section is a slightly varied form of A with grace notes in m. 20-21. 

Danza from Canción y Danza No.1 - Allegro Arranged for Two Guitars

Andalusian born Antonio Ruiz-Pipó (1934-1997), virtuoso pianist and composer wrote Canción y Danza No.1 in 1958. More information on his background can be found here https://www.boosey.com/pages/cr/composer/composer_main?composerid=19939&ttype=BIOGRAPHY.

The work is a two mvt. piece and starts with a Andante cantible in D minor which is yuxtaposed to a contrasting Allegro in D major, both with a 6/8 time signature. This post includes my arrangement of the Allegro for two guitars.

The Importance of Good Posture for Musicians

This post is aimed at musicians with the important goal of increasing and/or improving both sound quality (tone) and sound quantity (volume). In order to achieve this, I will demonstrate how good posture has a direct impact on the hard to obtain "good tone production" during practice at home and live performance.

The image above shows a front and side view of the spinal column where we can see a vertical series of approximately thirty three small bones (vertebrae), which are separated by a vertical disc. It is divided into five different areas: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum and the tailbone. Our attention will focus on the first three upper parts. 

The anatomy of the spine shows the natural S-shaped curve (see side view). This curve that starts from top to bottom offsets the weight of gravity from the upper body. The spine is not designed to be straight nor C-shaped since it has to withstand weight from the rest of the body. This curve in the vertebral column allows our bodies to function properly helping our posture, balance, stability and flexibility while creating support for the arms, neck and head when in a sitting position during practice and performance.

Bad posture, whether sitting or standing, implies an “overuse' of the muscles when playing an instrument and does not help us support our bodies properly. This can have many negative short and long term effects such as aches/pain, and restricted movement of the arms which can result in physical fatigue and/or injuries.

KITHAROLOGUS: THE PATH TO VIRTUOSITY a technical workout manual for all guitarist

Kitharologus, published in 2009 by R. Iznaola, is in my opinion one of the most thorough and complete te chnical manuals around today. It should be considered as a continuation of the traditional "School of the Spanish Guitar" that has its roots in the Renaissance thanks to the Spanish vihuelists (L. de Milán, L. de Narváez, A. Mudurra, E. de Valderrábano, M. de Fuenllana, etc.). This work is continued by F. Sor (1778-1839), F. Tárrega (1852-1909), Regino Sainz de la Maza (1896-1981) to whom this book is dedicated, and E. Pujol. Iznaola and Domingo Carbajal are contemporaries who both studied with Regino at The Real Conservatory of Music in Madrid, Spain.

Important issues are addressed in the book such as time-management of practice routines, recommended practice plans and the presentation of a "complete training regimen that can be used as a regular routine for technical maintenance."There are nine sequential levels of proficiency, from preparatory to advanced with specific metronome indications for both right and left-hand training.

Exercise 38, Arpeggio Technique (cont.) from Level III found on page 38, will be under scrutiny in this post. According to Iznaola, in reference to this right hand exercise, "Indeed, ... this presents a peculiar approach to right-hand training in which positional framing and shifting and stroke type use, are combined in what may seem to some as highly unusual ways." This suggests, we as serious musicians, should endeavor to do exercises in "different" ways in order to improve our general playing ability and technique.

Professional Studio Recording

Finally, my first professional studio recording of the following six tracks:

1. Hommage- M. de Falla
2. Sonatina "Allegretto" - F. M. Torroba
3. Conde Carlos - L. de Narváez
4. The Entertainer - S. Joplin
5. Venezuelan Waltz No. 1 - A. Lauro
6. Choro J.T. Guimareas

They were recorded at Soundwire Studios located at Soundwire Studios, Suite 8D School St Plaza, Fairfax, CA 94930 and was recorded and mixed on Feb. 6, 2020 in only three hours. You will notice a few mistakes that were mostly due to a lack of recording and postproduction time.You can listen to these tracks https://soundcloud.com/search?q=christian%20laremont

Federico Moreno Torroba "Sonatina" Allegretto (first movement)

Federico Moreno Torroba (1892-1982), Spanish composer born in Madrid, Spain, composed both vocal (Zarzuelas or Spanish operettas) and instrumental works. He is known for his contributions to the classical guitar repertory during the first third of the third of the twentieth century and he was the first non-guitarist to write for guitar. His compositional style is closer to C. Debussy instead of the avant garde tendencies

present in Europe at the time (Wagner, Serialism). The Sonatina in A Major, written  in 1923 and dedicated to the previously mentioned Segovia, was the Spaniard's first piece written for solo guitar.

The Allegretto has a total of 100 bars is in classical sonata form and the musical phrasing is based mostly on a tonic-dominant motion. This ternary structure formed by an exposition, development and recapitulation (each having thirty measures each) is followed by a ten bar coda. Apart from the YouTube link, this post includes a harmonic outline of this first movement of the Sonatina. Click on Read more...

Manuel de Falla's "Homenaje a la Tumba de Debussy"

Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) was one of Spain's most distinguished and international composers during the first half of the 20th century. His composition style includes Impressionism, neo-Classicism and Nationalism. It was composed to commemorate the death of C. Debussy who died in 1918 and had helped Falla establish himself in France. Homenaje pour "Le tombeau de C. Debussy" was  the only piece composed for solo guitar by Falla and was dedicated to his friend Miguel Llobet (one of Francisco Tárrega's students). He would later arrange it for piano and then orchestra (1938-39). It was written in 1920 (Granada, Spain) and published two years later in the magazine "Revue Musicale". This video was recorded at SFSU's Knuth Hall on  Sat. December 7, 2019 during my Master's Recital.

  

  

      

       

SFSU Chamber Music Recital Dec. 7, 2019

San Francisco State Chamber Music Ensembles are coached by the Alexander String Quartet whose members are Zak Grafilo (violin 1 and conductor), Fred Lifsitz (violin 2), Paul Yarbrough (viola) and Sandy Wilson (cello). On Monday, December 9, 2019 at the Knuth Music Hall, Astrid Cifuentes -soprano and I played two songs from the early and late Renaissance. Con qué la lavaré by Luis de Narváez (1500-1550) was first published in Valladolid, Spain in 1538. It comes from volume V of Los seys libros del Delfín de música de cifras para tañer vihuela; a six volume collection of music for the vihuela de mano.