One Thousand Years of Spanish Music
164 TUTOR: Wayne Bennett (MA)
The music of Spain has deep roots and is related to the music of
the Islamic world and Jewish traditions as well as the more conventional music
found elsewhere in Europe. We will
encounter the blending of traditions and the making of a unique sound signature
that is instantly recognisable. We will
explore the music of Islamic Spain and its Christian counterpart, the glories
of Spanish polyphony and the virtuosic music Scarlatti, Soler and Arriaga -
known as the Spanish Mozart! Our survey
will include Manuel de Falla, Enrique Granados and Isaac Albéniz concluding with some zarzuela, flamenco and the evocative
music of Joaquín Rodrigo.
Monday
We will
begin our exploration by looking at the music of Moorish Spain and its Jewish
counterpart. This sound-world indelibly
imprints itself on the music of Spain right up to the present day. We will also look at the vast Cantigas
de Santa Mariaof Alfonso
X of Castilla in order to get a measure of what was happening during the age of
the Christian Reconquest.
Tuesday
After
indulging in some monastic plainchant from the monastery of Santo Domingo del
Silos in Soria province we discover how the arrival of polyphony transformed
ecclesiastical music. The great composers
of the age will be examined and we will listen to masterpieces by Morales,
Victoria, Guerreroand Lobo.
Wednesday
Alongside
the great music of the church there was music for the court. The Italian Domenico Scarlatti spent much of
his working life in Madrid as did Spanish born Antonio Soler. Their contribution of the development of
keyboard music cannot be overlooked.Neither can the theorist and guitarist Gaspar Sanz. He lay the foundations for the modern
classical guitar repertoire. We will
also hear the extraordinary work of Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga who sadly
died at the age of 19.
Thursday
If
there was a 'Golden Age' of Spanish music then it has to be the second part of
the nineteenth century into the twentieth century. Names such as Francisco Tárrega, Isaac Albéniz, Enrique
Granados and Manuel
de Falla. These and many others reinstated a
Spanish-ness in music - all part of that Europe wide phenomenon of establishing
national identities.
Friday
Today
we loosen our focus to include the extraordinary musical invention that is
zarzuela. A light form of popular opera
more akin to the music. It's full of
sentiment, drama and foot-tapping fun.Another popular musical form is flamenco which beyond the cliché is
rhythmically and harmonically complex and yet today quintessentially
Spanish. This leads us to that master of
orchestral colour Joaquín Rodrigo. We will examine several of his works
including the famous Concierto de Aranjuez.
Wayne Bennett
MA
About Wayne
After an initial training and career in the theatre (including working in London's West End and for over four years at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden) Wayne studied fine art and art history at Camberwell School of Art and Goldsmiths'College, University of London, where he obtained a first class honours degree. He studied archaeology at Exeter University and has a Master's degree in Art History from the Open University.For two years he worked for the Contemporary Art Society based at the Tate Gallery and for 23 years was General Manager and Director of Dillington House - Somerset's College of Adult Education until his retirement in 2015. He now divides his time between his research interests - archaeology, cartography, cultural history, music and art.He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
