Albeniz, from the piano to the wind

Celia Matamoro

Albéniz was one of Celia’s favorite composers from her childhood and always felt a special connection to his work. However, in the fifteen long years that she has been studying music, she has never been able to play any of his pieces on the bassoon. Now that she has finished her master's degree -and she had to reflect on where she comes from and, ultimately, who she is-, she decided to investigate the composer in depth with the aim of arranging his Spanish Suite, originally written for piano, so that at the end of so many things, she can interpret it with her reed quintet. Thanks to its flexibility and wide palette of colors, sound, and articulation, the combination of reed instruments achieves a greater range of register and color, and provides Albéniz's music, inspired by elements of flamenco and Spanish folklore such as cante jondo, a texture and expressiveness that evokes the human voice. Caire Reed Quintet was formed in 2020, in the midst of the Covid19 pandemic crisis. The five of them are from Spain and they share the same passion for Albéniz. With this work the author wishes to offer other composers and performers the opportunity to discover, learn and experience how much the reed quintet's sonority can contribute to certain styles of music such as Spanish nationalist, reaching a greater range of register and color, and endowing this style of music from a new perspective.

Graphic example version 1 (Intro and 1st themes)

Figure 1 (m.1-12): Intro theme and 1st theme. The piece starts in Eb major with an intro to the

Graphic example version 2 (Intro and 1st themes)

Figure 2 (m.1-12): Intro theme and 1st theme. The piece starts in Eb major with an intro to the 1st theme.

Graphic example version 1 (Intro and variation of 1st theme)

Figure 3 (m.25-44): Intro theme and variation of 1st theme. The same intro precedes a variation of the 1st theme.

Graphic example version 2 (Repetition of Intro and 1st themes)

Figure 4 (m.13-24): Repetition of Intro theme and 1st theme.

Graphic example version 1 (Intro and variation of 1st theme)

Figure 5 (m.25-44): Intro theme and variation of 1st theme. The same intro precedes a variation of the 1st theme.

Graphic example version 2 (Intro and variation of 1st theme)

Figure 6 (m.25-44): Intro theme and variation of 1st theme. The same intro precedes a variation of the 1st theme.

Graphic example version 1 (Intro theme, repetition of 1st theme and closure theme)

Figure 7 (m.45-72): Intro theme, repetition of 1st theme and closure theme. The first theme is repeated twice and it is preceded by the intro theme. This intro theme is back but in this case as an outro theme with 4 extra closing bars.

Graphic example version 2 (Intro, repetition of 1st theme and closure theme)

Figure 8 (m.45-72): Intro theme, repetition of 1st theme and closure theme. The first theme is repeated twice and it is preceded by the intro theme. This intro theme is back but in this case as an outro theme with 4 extra closing bars.

A SECTION