|
 Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000), born in Santa Fe,
Argentina, was one of the foremost Argentine creators of the 20th
century. His production totals more than 200 works, most of it
dedicated to the piano and to the voice. An accomplished pianist
with an intense gift for melody, Guastavino always wrote effectively
for the piano, mastering not only its brilliant and virtuoso aspect,
but also the intimate and poetic side of this instrument. His style,
always tonal and lusciously romantic, is fully based on Argentine
folk music. He is considered one of the greatest Argentine vocal
music composers of all times. His beautifully crafted songs
unfailingly cause a deep impression in audiences everywhere, and are
quickly becoming staples of the Spanish-language vocal repertoire.
His recent death in October 2000 has been a great loss to the music
of his country.
Biography
Born
in 1912 in Santa Fe province, Argentina, Carlos Guastavino is
perhaps the greatest exponent of Argentine Romantic nationalism. His
musical style, firmly rooted in the late nineteenth century Romantic
tradition, has remained completely removed from the modern musical
milieu of Argentina --his stylistic isolation will be readily
evident by comparing Guastavino's works to those of Alberto
Ginastera (1916-1983), almost his exact contemporary. In fact,
Guastavino's isolation from the Modern and avant-garde movements of
his country, and his success at creating an attractive national
music using a Romantic language, made him a model to the 1960's
generation of Argentine popular and folk music authors, who often
applied Guastavino's innovations to their own music.
Guastavino studied music in Santa Fe with Esperanza
Lothringer and Dominga Iaffei, and in Buenos Aires with Athos Palma.
A talented pianist, he performed his piano works in London in 1947,
1948, and 1949, invited by the BBC, and as a recipient of a
scholarship from the British Council. During these years, the BBC
Symphony Orchestra premiered the orchestral version of his Tres
Romances Argentinos, under the baton of Walter Goehs. Later, in
1956, Guastavino toured the USSR and China, performing his pieces
for voice and piano.
 Carlos Guastavino's style shows clear affinity
to the style and ideas of the nineteenth century Argentine
nationalistic composers Alberto Williams, Francisco Hargreaves,
Eduardo García Mansilla and Julián Aguirre. The affinity with
Aguirre's delicate and intimate manner is especially evident. Like
Aguirre's, Guastavino's treatment of folk themes never feels forced,
but is always natural. Thus, the popular spirit of the original folk
melodies and rhythms always remains untouched and fresh, even at
moments of complex rhythmic, harmonic or contrapuntal elaboration.
Guastavino has composed a large number of works for the
voice and for the piano: more than a hundred and fifty songs for
voice and piano, numerous piano solo pieces, choral works, school
songs, and chamber music. He has set to music poems by Rafael
Alberty, Leon Benaros, Hamlet Lima Quintana, Atahualpa Yupanqui,
Pablo Neruda, Gabriela Mistral, and Jorge Luis Borges among others,
including his own, and anonymous texts. His works for orchestra
include Divertissement; fue una vez..., commissioned by Colonel de
Basil for his original Ballet Russe, and premiered at the Teatro
Colón, in Buenos Aires, in 1942; and Suite Argentina --"Gato,"
"Malambo," "Se equivocó la paloma," and "Zamba"--, which was
performed in London, Paris, Barcelona, and Havana by the Ballet
Español of Isabel Lopez. He has also written three Sonatas for
guitar.
It is
not uncommon to find transcriptions of Guastavino's pieces, made by
the composer himself. These CDs include transcriptions of the songs
Pueblito mi Pueblo, and El Sampedrino, and of the two-piano piece
"Las Niñas." Other transcriptions of pieces originally written for
piano solo are: Bailecito, transcribed for two pianos and for
guitar; Gato, for two pianos and for orchestra --as part of the
Suite Argentina*--; the Cantilenas Nos. 1 and 6 for violin and
piano, and for cello and piano respectively; and the Cantilenas Nos.
1, 4, 8, 9, and 10, for guitar.
Carlos
Guastavino has received important awards and recognitions throughout
his life, such as the Municipal Prize from the city of Buenos Aires
for his chamber songs, a prize from the Justice Ministry of
Argentina, Prize of the Cultural Commission of Santa Fe province for
his songs, "Vosotras" magazine Prize for his Canción de Navidad, and
a Prize from the Organization of American States and the
Inter-American Music Council as a recognition of his outstanding
creative activity.
Top
Fundación Ostinato has produced a recording of the
Complete Works for Piano by Calos Guastavino in 3 CDs.
For information click on "CDs" on the left.
Upcoming Guastavino releases (more details under "Upcoming
Projects"):
- Works for choir and piano
For
performance engagements click on "About
Us" |
