Program Notes for Recital by Ernesto Berumen, Newspaper Clipping

Program Notes for Recital by Ernesto Berumen, Newspaper Clipping

The program notes to Ernesto Berumen's Recital of Spanish and Latin American Music, and a newspaper clipping, "Berumen Gives Latin Program: Pianist Plays Two Groups of Compositions In Recital At McIntosh School."

1936-01-26

Edith McIntosh

unknown

The Music Center Scrapbook. Private Collection.

May be subject to copyright restrictions.

English

text

scrapbook_1_p009

Rockville Centre, NY

Programme Notes to eRNESTO TERIIMEN'S Recital of Spanish and Latin American
BEHolvEN GIVES LATIN PROCIIIIN
Pianist Plays Two Groups Of Compositions In Recital At McIntosh School
The Edith McIntosh' School of Mu-sic presented Ernesto Berumen, pian-ist, in a program of Spanish and Lat-in American music, yesterday after-noon at the Music Centre on Hillside a venue, Rockville Centre. Berumen, who is Mexican-born and of Spanish lineage, has always been interested in his national music. Because this music is less known than other types of composition, Mr. Ber-umen has made a point of seeking in remote sections of Spain for the work of lesser-known composers. His program yesterday opened with a group of Latin-American music. Two were arrangements of Mexican folksongs. Following these, he changed an Andalusian costume, in which he appeared for the remainder of the program. The second group opened with "Cordova" by Albeniz, which depict-ed the Spanish city with its distant chimes, and the current varied activities. Two mereoeuoinlidls)osoif. of by Albeniz, a " Ts, ligo" am. "Jota Aragonesa" were followed bI three of "Granados," "Intermezzo from the opera'broyeS cas'," and "Concert Allegro." The third group opened with "Pa, tomime" from the ballet, "Love to Magician", by deFalla, and follovild with a vivid "Ritual F'ire Dance,',:)y the same composer. This depictec4he efforts of a young girl to escapei.he evil spirit of her dead lover. ifwo compositions by Turin a, SCro-Monte", a gypsy dance, and "The Beautiful Girl From Murcia" were followed by "The Alhamb By Moonlight", a nocturne by ssada, and "El Vito", popular Spar la air
,ind Andalusian dance, a difficult composition of Manuel Infante. The enthusiastic audience of nearly 150 ersons called for many encores, which r. Berumen gave. For these he chos work of the composers used in the ejor program. The numbers showed e same variety, and also the same Versatility on: the part of the player.r. Mr. Berumen accompanied the printed program with annotations concerning the composers and ti s compositions which he played. Patrons of the affair remained for tea in the class room of the building, below the recital hall.
1. The Ballade on two Mexican folksongs is a powerful and brilliant composition by Manuel Ponce, one of Mexico's foremost composers. Mr. Ponce has chosen two attractive themes; the first one, the "song of the Peach" with its irregular rhythmical figures as sung by the natives of Mexico, and the second, "Remember me," which the composer has worked up with delicate variations. 2. The Swallow is a beautiful and popular song dating from about 1880, and is one of the best known Mexican airs. Its touching beauty links it with many of the familiar episodes of Mexican life. The tender sentiment of this song is very dear to the Mexican people. 3. The late Ignacio Cervantes, beloved Cuban composer, wrote scores of fascinating Cuban dances, full of exquisite syncopated rhythms, and known to every home in Cuba. Mr. Beriamen has chosen three of the best known of these dances, of which the last one is of particular interest on account of the unfinished and sudden ending. 4. One of the most effective dances written by Ernesto Lecuona is the one titled: "Lola celebrates". . . . This composition clearly depicts a young woman dancing the Rumba to the gay accompani-ment of guitars, claves and marracas. 5. Cordova, the charming composition by Isaac Albeniz, the great Spanish composer, describes the Andalusian city flooded with jes-samine-scented breezes, accompanying serenades, and resonant church chimes.
6. The Tango by Albeniz is one of the most popular works by this composer. It gives a charming picture of a woman dancing this celebrated dance. 7. Albeniz has written a Jota Aragonesa, which is a dance in waltz form from the province of Aragon, and danced all over Spain. 8. The Andaluza by Enrique Granados is undoubtedly one of the best known and popular compositions in this country. It glorifies that romantic province of Spain: Andalusia. 9. Granados wrote a beautiful opera: Goyescas, inspired by the mag-nificent paintings of one of Spain's greatest painters, Goya. The Intermezzo is taken from this opera, and it has a colorful and dramatic atmosphere. 10. The Concert Allegro by Granados is one of the most interesting and brilliant compositions written for the piano. It has a technical background combined with poetical and colorful effects.
11. Manuel de Falla, one of the contemporary composers of Spain, composed a ballet, Love the Magician, which has become extremely popular on concert programmes. The Pantomime, taken from this ballet, is a poetical composition with a charming and appealing melody. 12. The Fire Dance, from the same ballet by de Falla, is a wild and fascinating number, displaying the anguish of Candelas, the gipsy girl, who, spirit of he hl o,frranticallr de frantically dancing lover the fire, tries to chase away the evil 13. A set of pieces for the piano called Women of Spain, was written by Joaquin Turina, also a contemporary Spanish composer. The Beautiful Girl from Murcia is one of the most delightful pieces among them. 14. Sacro-Monte is a snappy and rhythmical gipsy dance by Turina, written in modernistic lines. 15. The Alhambra, by Gaspar Cassado, is unquestionably one of the most bewitching piano works in the literature of Spanish music. Dedicated to the memory of Claude Debussy, it is a dreamy, ethereal and romantic description of the magnificent Moorish pal-ace by moonlight. 16. El Vito is the name of a popular Spanish theme, which together with an original dance, Manuel Infante, one of the younger Span-ish composers, has arranged into a brilliant and fascinating concert piece. 17. Lecuona has written a charming little piece in La Comparsa, which describes the approaching parade at a mardi-gras celebration, to the accompaniment of drums. 18. Why do you go? . . . is another attractive dance by the young and talented Cuban composer, Lecuona. This charming composi-tion possesses an appealing melody as the main theme. 19. Another concert piece by Lecuona which has met with tremendous success in this country is the Malagueria, which is a scintillating and forceful composition based on popular Spanish themes. 20. The Mexican Love Song, by Ponce, is an exquisite little piece 21. TfrhoembOrillld Mexico. Seguidillas by Albeniz depicts the famous and color-ful dance, well-known all over Spain. 22. The Malagueria by Albeniz, entirely different in type from the one written by Lecuona, gives a rather mysterious picture of a dance as performed by the reserved natives of Malaga.