Ernesto Halffter - Piano Music (Martin Jones)

Information

Composer: Ernesto Halffter

1. Espagnolade
2. Crepusculos: I. El Viejo reloj del Castillo
3. Crepusculos: II. Lullaby
4. Crepusculos: III. Una ermita en el bosque
5. March joyeuse
6. Piezas infantiles: I. Serenata
7. Piezas infantiles: II. Valse
8. Piezas infantiles: III. Petite March
9. Piano Sonata
10. Three Dances from the Ballet 'Sonatina': I. La pastora
11. Three Dances from the Ballet 'Sonatina': II. Las Doncellas
12. Three Dances from the Ballet 'Sonatina': III. La gitana
13. Gruss
14. Llanto por Ricardo Viñes
15. Serenata a Dulcinea
16. Pregón 'Cuba'
17. Habanera
18. Preludio y danza
19. Nocturno otoñal 'Recordando a Chopin'
20. Sonata 'Homenaje a Domenico Scarlatti'
21. Homenaje a Rodolfo Halffter
22. Homenaje a Federico Mompou
23. Homenaje a Joaquin Turina

Martin Jones, piano

Date: 2009

Label: Nimbus

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Review

Like his older brother Rodolfo, Ernesto Halffter played an important role in the birth of the new Spanish musical voice in the Twenties. After studying with de Falla and Ravel, he became one of the central figures in the progressive group of Spanish composers, The Group of Eight. Like Rodolfo, Ernesto had to leave the country during the Civil War. He settled in Portugal. Whereas Rodolfo’s music is more modern, dry, at times ascetic, with some urbanistic acidity, Ernesto’s is more soulful, more Spanish, and its most conspicuous feature is the rich, daring harmony. The present disc collects almost the entire known solo piano output of Ernesto Halffter, and its span covers all his creative life. The earliest pieces here were written when he was 14, the last ones date from one year before composer’s death.

The disc opens with Espagnolade. As one could expect from the name, it is very Spanish; more exactly - Andalusian. Its cold dark drive resembles the famous Spanish Dance No.5 of Granados. In the first part of Crepusculos the young composer grippingly depicts the creeping twilight; the impressionistic harmonies are quite brave for a 15-year old. The waltzing second part has more light. The last part is permeated with the idea of time. Overall, it is enthralling, beautiful music. Marche joyeuse is percussive, sometimes dissonant, and childish. It is interesting pianistically, and, though sounds quite Ravelian, is not a derivative. Piezas infantiles are another juvenile creation – though simple technically, they are interesting musically. The tiny Serenata is eerie, cold and angular. The other two parts are similar to it, harmonically and in their melodic structure: Valse with its silver sonorities, and Petite Marche, which is not especially march-like.

A piano sonata does not have to be a large, multipartite composition – the name that comes to mind as a proof is Domenico Scarlatti. Halffter’s first Sonata is clearly of Scarlatti’s heritage, but its Baroque genes express themselves in modern features. It is a short – just six minutes long, very concentrated work. The episodes follow each other without breaks, as in Prokofiev’s First piano concerto. The piano writing is complex, and there is a lot of fortissimo. The mood is jubilant, except for the beautiful, tender cantabile episode. This music is far from “easy listening”, but it is stimulating and rewarding.

Halffter extracted and arranged for piano three dances from his ballet Sonatina. The first one recalls the old French masters, especially Couperin. Light and graceful, the music flows like a babbling brook. The second dance retains this cool daintiness and the plaintive mood, but is more Spanish and more danceable, like a seguidilla. The third piece is a passionate flamenco, rhythmically rich and flamboyant.

Halffter’s father was German. Gruss, a Christmas present to his dad, is very German in nature. It is a gentle, tranquil Albumblatt – a transparent aquarelle which could be created by Schumann or Grieg. Llanto por Ricardo Viñes is a Bachian arpeggiated chorale, but the Baroque elements are used with Halffter’s personal harmonies, troubling and dissonant. The music has the slow momentum of a sarabande. Serenata a Dulcinea could be the most memorable piece on the disc. In good accordance with the original meaning of the word Serenata, this music has a shadowy, evening mood. This is glass music, transparent and fragile, full of sadness and yearning.

Pregón is a swaying rumba, spiced and accentuated. The carefree mood is completely Cuban. Habanera is sensual and soft. Martin Jones excellently highlights its meaningful pauses and the erotic rubato. This is music you want to hear not alone. Like a Carribean cocktail, it is sweet and intoxicating. Preludio y danza is more advanced. The Prelude explores the stern rhythmic figure first stated in its opening. It is a dark and dissonant toccata, with the dim silhouette of Bach showing through the unexpected harmonies. Dance is very different: it is playful and mischievous, with elfin lightness, small teeth and sharp nails. The aftertaste of the entire work is like after one of Scriabin’s sonatas, although the language is very different.

Nocturno otoñal is dreamy and reflective. I can’t say it really grabs attention, but it sets a mood of unperturbed meditation. The second Sonata is even more Scarlattian than the first one. Again, the Baroque elements are moved into Halffter’s personal harmonic world. The character is positive and spirited, the music is diverse, and the compact structure brings up a very intense musical experience, though it seems to me that the First Sonata tells me much more.

Three short pieces written in 1988 are homages to three Spanish composers. Homenaje a Rodolfo Halffter is a tender lullaby. A more active middle episode quotes from one of Rodolfo’s early works. Whereas the language of this piece is advanced, the ensuing Homenaje a Federico Mompou is as simple as a song. This is another lullaby with a poignant melody, sad and sincere. As a contrast, Homenaje a Turina is a joyous scene – boisterous, exclamatory and very Spanish. It provides an excellent ending to the album.

Martin Jones is a perfect advocate for this beautiful music. He is technically impeccable, and finds something special in every work. This is “absolute” playing: the pianist does not show off, but puts the listener right into the music. The interpretations are honest and sound right. But they are not plain: much thought is apparently put into the decisions. The voice of the piano is light and round; the music sounds fragile, clean, silvery transparent. This is aided by a clear recording. Calum MacDonald provided excellent liner-notes with engaging historical and musical analysis of the works.

The more I know the art of Ernesto Halffter, the more I want to explore it further. Among the music of the 20th Century his voice was not a loud one, but it’s worth listening to. It said beautiful things.

 

— Oleg Ledeniov

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Ernesto Halffter (16 January 1905 – 5 July 1989) was a Spanish composer and conductor, brother of Rodolfo Halffter and a protégé of Manuel de Falla. After early studies in Madrid, he met Ravel in Paris in 1924 and later travelled widely before settling in Seville, where he directed the new Conservatory, followed by a decade in Lisbon. Halffter wrote ballets, incidental music and film scores, and was commissioned to complete Falla's unfinished Atlántida. His output includes orchestral works such as Dos bocetos sinfónicos, the acclaimed Sinfonietta, a Guitar Concerto, as well as chamber and piano pieces.

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Martin Jones (born 4 February 1940 in Witney, England) is an English concert pianist. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and has been highly regarded since debuting in the international arena when he won the Dame Myra Hess Award in 1968. Jones has performed with various orchestras throughout the world, including the London Festival Orchestra, the Halle Orchestra, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. He was pianist-in-residence at University College, Cardiff, from 1971 to 1983. Jones is a prolific recording artist on the Nimbus Records label.

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