The music of Catalonian composer
Xavier Montsalvatge, essentially neo-classic in spirit, features traces of the French 1920s scene in which he came of age, of jazz, of Latin American and Caribbean music, of Iberian nationalism, and, on occasion, of broad Romantic melody. All these elements cohere into a brilliant whole, ably represented here by Catalonian pianist
Jordi Masó. The program is roughly chronological, showcasing
Montsalvatge's discovery of each of these elements. Some of these pieces were originally premiered by
Alicia de Larrocha, and most deserve wider exposure. The Three Impromptus of 1933 are in a thoroughly
Milhaud-like vein, but
Montsalvatge's own voice emerges in the lovely Siciliana (1940), in which that folk rhythm disappears in a mist of abstraction as the piece proceeds. Ritmes (1942) is a fine example of
Montsalvatge's engagement with the music of the Western hemisphere, including jazz. In later music such as the Sonatina pour Yvette of 1961, such influences are more muted but still present. A special attraction of the album is the presence of a world premiere: the piano-and-string-orchestra version of
Montsalvatge's Recóndita Armonia, originally written as a string quintet and arranged by the composer himself, in great old age, into three separate versions that include a piano. The piano is generally integrated into the texture of this Romantic but quirky score, which would make a fine entry on a modest-sized symphonic program with a visiting pianist; it's fun, it doesn't require a
Horowitz at the keyboard, and there's a certain hard-to-pin down joy pervading the whole. Highly recommended for fans of Iberian music. Brief but cogent booklet notes, by
Masó himself, are in English and Spanish.