Piano sonata no.1 "Formas e simetrías"
Composed in 2010-2012
Instrumentation: Solo piano
Duration: 19 minutes
Performance: Manuel López Jorge
Studio recording
London, 2013
Composed between 2010 and 2012, this sonata for piano solo receives its subtitle ("Forms and symmetries") from its tribute to three musical structures highly used as movements of sonata since the 18th Century: Sonata form, theme & variations, rondo-sonata. The structures are presented in a very pure, balanced form. Further, the sense of symmetry which is already present in the sonata and rondo-sonata structures is reinforced by placing certain recurrent motifs at the appropriate moments. The theme that opens the second movement is also symmetric (ABA'), structure that is respected in the four variations that follow.
Virtual imagery was present in the pre-compositional thinking and during the compositional process. A conceptual image of neoclassical architecture has influenced the formal choices. The subsections in which each movement is divided are treated as independent musical objects whose characteristics were influenced by pre-compositional images of virtual architecutral spaces. The motion and mood of an imaginary spectator traveling through these spaces is what, metaphorically, provokes the flow of the music and inspires the whole work.
Un afogado
Composed in 2014
Instrumentation: Violin, cello and piano
Duration: 10 minutes
Performance: Golden Piano Trio
Teatro Colón
A Coruña, 2014
The title of this work for piano trio ("A drowned man") comes from a short narration by Galician writer Alfonso Daniel Rodríguez Castelao (1886-1950). This narration, which refers to the tragedy of a man who dies drowned in the sea, has inspired the composition of the piece in many ways. The first of all is the general mood of the music, very dramatic and full of a deep and intense emotion. Strong contrasts of character affect the discourse, dissonant and chaotic moments intercalating with long and sorrowful melodies. The image of waves on the sea is evocated by short, undulated passages and a general feeling of comings and goings especially in the first half of the work. An intimate, almost religious, melodic-contrapuntal section, evocates the funeral march through the village and the forthcoming burial. Finally, an explosion of renovated life and common-day banality is musically pictured through a fast and energetic finale, which includes traditional folkloric rhythms from Galicia (polka and muiñeira) and even a tiny quote from Evocación, first piece of suite Iberia by Isaac Albéniz.The title of this work (A drawned man) for piano trio comes from a short narration by Galician writer Alfonso Rodríguez Castelao (1886-1950). This narration, which refers to the tragedy of a man who dies drowned in the sea, has inspired the composition of the piece in many ways. The first of all is the general mood of the music, very dramatic and full of a deep and intense emotion. Strong contrasts of character affect the dicourse, dissonant and chaotic moments intercalating with long and sorrowful melodies. The image of waves on the sea is evocated by short, undulated passages and a general feeling of comings and goings especially in the first half of the work. An intimate, almost religious, melodic-contrapuntal section, evocates the funeral march through the village and the forthcoming burial. Finally, an explosion of renovated life and common-day banality is musically pictured through a fast and energetic finale, which includes traditional folkloric rhythms from Galicia (polka and muiñeira) and even a tiny quote from Evocación, first piece of suite Iberia by Isaac Albéniz.
Claroscuro
Composed in 2012
Instrumentation: Violin and piano
Duration: 7 minutes
Performance: Mª Victoria Jericó, violin
Manuel López Jorge, piano
PAM'14, Pamplona, 2014
As the title literally expresses (clear-dark), this piece is inspired by a succession of different intensities of light. The musical recreation of such extra-musical material as light is accounted by a particular and precise use of harmony. Chords are obtained by superposition of equal intervals, i.e. perfect fifths or augmented fourths, and their sonorities are associated to a particular light intensity. The boldness of these chords is then furnished with the addition of whole-tones or semitones, creating a much richer (and hence more complex) harmonic process. A special effect is achieved by using col legno battuto in the violin together with plucked strings in the piano, creating a very startling sonority.
Natureza e arquitectura
Composed in 2012
Instrumentation: Violin and piano
Duration: 7 minutes
Performance: Marc Charles Montesinos, violin
Javier López Jorge, piano
Fundación Ibercaja, Huesca, 2012
The relationship between a piece of architecture and the natural space surrounding it has been a matter of interest for architects since long time ago. This piece intends to provide a musical reflection on the dialogue that very often happens between a piece of architecture and the nature surrounding it. The work is pre-compositionally inspired by an imaginary promenade through a natural space that is suddenly affected by the presence of an imaginary piece of modern architecture. The mentioned piece of architecture would be in a process of spatial dialogue with the natural environment. Musical ‘objects’ such as themes, motifs, sections and sections are developed and harmonically shaped in order to recreate the ever-changing emotional states that an imaginary individual would undertake while travelling through this virtual promenade.