Nights in the Spanish Gardens. Meaning and inspiration

Abstract

Name: Samuel Tirado Villaescusa Main Subject: Classical Piano Research Supervisor: Bart van Oort Title of Research: Nights in the Spanish Gardens: Meaning and inspiration Research Question: Which are the most important sources of inspiration in the piece Nights in the Spanish Gardens and how all of them affect the performance of the soloist and the orchestra? Summary of Results: Manuel de Falla's piece Nights in the Spanish Gardens has become popular during the last twenty years. Several of the greatest performers have recorded it achieving impressive results. However, the piece presents key aspects from the Spanish folklore and French impressionism that, usually, are not taken into account. Searching information for my research, I discovered that the most important sources of inspiration come from »cante jondo« (a Spanish primitive chant), the Spanish guitar and the music of Claude Debussy. Thus, I found several examples that prove the connection and help the performer to make the interpretation as coherent as possible. The research process changed my vision about topics such as the role of the soloist, the interpretation of ornaments, melodic lines and rubato as well as the imitation of the guitar in De Falla's music. Furthermore, this information could also help not only pianist performing Nights in the Spanish Gardens, but also any musician playing Manuel de Falla's music. Biography: Samuel Tirado begins his studies in Salamanca, where he completed a bachelor degree with Patrin Garcia Barredo. He has participated in masterclasses with teachers like Claudio Martinez Mehner, Ferenc Rados, Edith Fischer, Kennedy Moretti and Galina Eguiazarova among others. He has performed as a soloist and chamber music member and in places such as the national auditorium in Madrid, auditorium of Cuenca and theaters in Salamanca, Ciudad Real and Ávila. He has also played in countries such as Holland, France and Austria.