Fantasía sobre doce notas / Fantasy on twelve notes

For Orchestra


Commentary
Recording
Reviews
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Commentary

The kind invitation from the Madrid Symphony Orchestra to compose a short orchestral page with which to contribute to the concert to commemorate its 90th anniversary has had, in my particular case, the ironic wink of coincidence with the fact that in the homage that this same orchestra dedicated in March 1934 to its for so many years principal conductor, Enrique Fernández Arbós, as a celebration of the seventieth anniversary of his birth, with a concert made up of fourteen short pieces by as many Spanish composers, my illustrious ancestor, the composer Joaquín Turina, contributed with the work entitled Preludio, which was nothing more than the orchestration of the first number of a Fantasia on five notes (those with the name of Arbós: A, D, B C and G), written initially for the piano.

Taking such a happy coincidence as a starting point, my modest contribution to the homage that concerns us today is also a Fantasía, in whose title the five notes of the name of Arbós are added to the remaining seven of the chromatic total of western music, in clear allusion to a more current use of sound material, but without the twelve-tone allusion implying, much less, the use of conscientious serial procedures. Quite the contrary, this Fantasy ob twelve notes wants to be somewhat carefree -not for that inconsequential-, for whose first section (a crescendo held for almost two minutes) minimal procedures are more appropriate. A second, last, and equally short section (the four minutes of its duration do not allow for more sections, or longer) closes the work, in which two melodic cells coexist, and even overlap, based respectively on the five notes of the name of Arbós, with the same thematic idea used by Joaquín Turina, and in the remaining seven notes. The work, composed between the months of February and April 1994 and dedicated, naturally, to the Madrid Symphony Orchestra, closes with the gradual dissolution of both melodic ideas, with the progressive elimination of their corresponding sounds.

Together with the other eight works commissioned by the Orchestra and seven of those that formed part of the tribute to Arbós in 1934 (that of Joaquín Turina among them), the Fantasy on twelve notes was premiered at the National Music Auditorium in Madrid on November 9th, 1994, within the commemorative concert of the 90th anniversary of the Madrid Symphony Orchestra, conducted on this occasion by José Ramón Encinar. A few weeks later it was included on the CD "Homenajes", in a recording made by the same performers of all the commissioned works.
In 2006 it was included, along with four other symphonic works and under the direction of José Luis Temes, in the monographic CD dedicated to me by the Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra as part of its 12th Cycle of Contemporary Music.

Recording

Recording: Madrid Symphony Orchestra (Cond.: José Ramón Encinar)

Reviews

Nine Premieres for the Madrid Symphony Orchestra's Ninetieth Anniversary
By Antonio Fernández-Cid
(Review published in ABC newspaper, Madrid, November 12, 1994)

José Ramón Encinar conducted the orchestra -outstanding performance

In the celebrations marking the ninety-year history of the Madrid Symphony Orchestra, the ensemble itself -aside from promoting the publication of a book and the substantial testimony of an exhibition- demonstrates that it has reached this venerable age in magnificent form and with the readiness to deliver a series of well-conceived concerts. For the premiere of one such concert, held this past Wednesday, nothing could have been more fitting than commissioning works from nine composers.
A commission, a premiere, and a parallel release of a compact disc featuring these compositions -a remarkable initiative, enthusiastically met by the composers and warmly received with open applause from an audience that gathered in significant numbers. The turnout was excellent, at least relative to the usual attendance at these events, filling the grand hall of the Auditorium.
The Symphony Orchestra extended the tradition begun in 1934, when its predecessors performed -something I personally witnessed firsthand- fourteen works composed by the most prestigious musicians of the time, dedicated to Enrique Fernández Arbós, and based on the musical notes corresponding to his name. It was only logical, then, to complement these new premieres with works by six highly regarded composers from that earlier program, along with a piece by Arbós himself. This resulted in a program that was undoubtedly intriguing, albeit lengthy -some, today as then, failed to respect the proposed durations- but nevertheless engaging, challenging, and executed with the highest level of quality.
To summarize, while maintaining the separation of origins -contrary to the structure adopted in the official program, which may have been more suitable for listening purposes- Arbós was, above all, a conductor who excelled at orchestration and adapting existing compositions for orchestra. His Tango is simply a virtuosic showpiece, particularly dazzling when performed by a violinist with the technical mastery and ample skill of Ángel Jesús García, the Madrid Symphony Orchestra's brilliant concertmaster. This tango-habanera, somewhat reminiscent of Sarasate's works, earned García well-deserved ovations.
No composer remains as true to himself as Joaquín Turina, lyrical and personal in his Fantasía. Pedro Sanjuán's Boceto sinfónico brought a distinct and exotic touch. From the very opening glissandi of the trombones, one could sense the bold and advanced craftsmanship -uncompromising for its time- of Rodolfo Halffter's Preludio atonal. Manuel de Falla needed barely a minute for his Fanfare, an unmistakable echo of El retablo de Maese Pedro, with its noble, chivalric spirit, performed by trumpets, horns, and percussion. Flutes, muted and open horns, and an Orientalist yet sincere melody give meaning to Julio Gómez's Canción árabe. Salvador Bacarisse's Impromptu carried an uplifting energy.
And the composers of 1994? [...] José Luis Turina offered a particularly interesting and distinctive proposal, clearly mindful of his illustrious grandfather's legacy, with an especially effective crescendo, continuously enriched and meticulously crafted. [...]
The Symphony Orchestra delivered a first-class performance -confident, precise, controlled, and of the highest quality. Of course, José Ramón Encinar is the ideal conductor for such a challenge, being both a skilled composer and an experienced leader on the podium. His dedication and effectiveness were outstanding. Throughout the concert, he made sure to elevate the orchestra, highlight the two soloists, acknowledge each composer in attendance -only Halffter was absent, as he was receiving a prestigious award at the same time- and, at the concert's conclusion, he invited all the composers to the stage. Together with the musicians and the maestro himself, they received the evening's greatest ovation. Fortunately, audience participation matched the significance of the occasion.


Celebrations
By Carlos Gómez Amat
(Review published in El Mundo newspaper. Madrid, November 12, 1994)

The Madrid Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 90th anniversary. Everything is going smoothly: exhibitions, a book, roundtable discussions, and concerts. The audience is showing its affection for this glorious musical institution and recognizing its artistic level.
Few conductors are capable of carrying out such brilliant work as José Ramón Encinar has done. The pieces from the tribute to Arbós on his seventieth birthday, along with Arbós' Tango for violin and orchestra, were practically new, as they had not been performed for a long time. Additionally, there were the nine commissioned works created for this occasion. In practice, sixteen premieres, with only a few rare exceptions. Only Antón García Abril let us down due to lack of time, and Cristóbal Halffter resorted to an already well-known piece -but a very fitting one.
Encinar, in addition to masterfully conducting a dedicated and magnificent orchestra, skillfully blended the old with the new. It was an enjoyable concert.
We delighted in [...] the wise gradation of sound and the timbral richness of José Luis Turina [...]. Much applause. Someone wondered whether there is a Spanish repertoire. What nonsense.


Ninety Years of the OSM
By Carlos-José Costas
(Review published in Diario 16, Madrid, November 16, 1994)

The various activities organized by the OSM throughout this month began with a concert featuring commissioned works, reminiscences of others from 1934, and several tributes. In total, 16 composers of this century were represented through an equal number of works. Among the reminiscences: «Fantasía sobre cinco notas» by Joaquín Turina; «Tango» -featuring an extraordinary performance by Ángel Jesús García- by Arbós; «Boceto sinfónico» by Sanjuán; «Preludio atonal» by R. Halffter; «Fanfare» by Falla; «Impromptu» by Bacarisse; «Canción árabe» by Gómez; and, as a testimonial piece due to lack of time to accept the commission, «Variación» by C. Halffter.
Alongside these reminiscences were the premieres [...] José Luis Turina follows in his grandfather's footsteps with his «Fantasía sobre doce notas», incorporating the five notes from the referenced piece and the seven that complete the idea of our time's musical school. [...] All the works were carefully handled by José Ramón Encinar, the soloists, and the Symphony Orchestra.

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