Review
Enrique Granados left relatively few works. The best known is Goyescas, the suite of piano pieces he composed between 1909 and 1912 and subtitled Los Majos Enamorados "the majos in love" inspired by the paintings of Goya. Granados later used the works as the basis of his opera of the same name. It's a substantial cycle. The six pieces last over 50 minutes, and though all of them are descriptive, programmatic almost, incorporating Spanish inflections such as popular songs and verse and dance forms, the style of the piano writing can be traced back to Chopin and Liszt. It's that side of Granados's music that is brought out in Garrick Ohlsson's technically immaculate performances. Other pianists might play up the music's nationalism, but it's the connection with the 19th-century mainstream Ohlsson emphasises. As an appendix, he also includes El Pelele, the "Goyescan scene" Granados composed in 1913, and a much earlier Concert Allegro in which the Lisztian connection is obvious.**** --Guardian,16/02/12
Ohlsson plays a Steinway here and recording engineer David Hinitt achieves truly sumptuous results. The piano sound has tremendous amplitude and richness. --IRR,Mar'12
You can't go far wrong with Ohlsson, who could hardly be more affecting in Quejas, o la maja y el ruisenor or more able to express the dark and glittering hearts of both El amor y la muerte and Epilogo, serenade del espectro. --Gramophone,Apr'12
Granados's best-known work, is a piano portrait of Goya, who was a hero to the composer at a time just over 100 years ago when Spain was redefining its place in the modern world. The music is a series of romantic evocations, taking inspiration from folk melody and dance as much as the characters and scenes depicted by the great painter. Ohlsson captures their flavour with virtuosic flair. **** --Financial Times,14/03/12
Product Description
Goyescas, o Los majos enamorados - Allegro de concierto / Garrick Ohlsson, piano
