Ed Zubrow writes:

>On vacation I heard the Shanghai Quartet perform a piece of music
>called *La oracion del torero (op.34)* by a composer named Joaquin Turina.
>
>The music was interesting and tonal.  Seemed to be some sort of rondo, or
>variations perhaps, with possibly a Spanish flavor.  (Hard for me to tell
>on only one hearing.)
>
>Is anyone familiar with this composer and his works?

Turina was very highly prized at one time in Spain, and elsewhere - he was
even to be mentioned in the same breath as Falla.

As Ed hints, his best music is quintessentially Spanish in feeling,
intelligent as well as passionate, melodically memorable, beautifully
crafted.

"The Bullfighter's Prayer" - one of his most played works - exists in a
number of versions, for various combinations of instruments, of which
perhaps the most piquant and exotic is for the traditional Spanish
"rondalla", or band of mandolin players.  The Quartet and orchestral
Versions are more usually heard.  I agree, it's a most haunting piece,
not a bar too long.

Turina' star went into eclipse after his death, and he is overdue for
revival.  I had the pleasure to get to know some of his songs recently
whilst making some English annotations for a UME double album of Spanish
songbooks, and was impressed by their economy and sense of drama as well as
potent musical substance.  His chamber music is equally worth seeking out.

Some of his larger orchestral works (such as the "Seville" Symphony)
perhaps make up in energy and colour what they lack in structural cogency,
but I'd recommend Turina's music to anyone looking for something a little
off the beaten track.

Even more so, I urge Ed and other list members to seek out the music of
Turina's Basque contemporary Jesus Guridi - another fine, tonal composer
only just starting to permeate beyond the Pyrenees.  You'll find some
reviews of his music, and other worthwhile Spanish orchestral recordings,
in the CD section of the "Zarzuela!" site, at

   http://www.nashwan.demon.co.uk/cd/cdmagfp.htm

Christopher Webber,  Blackheath, London,  UK.
http://www.nashwan.demon.co.uk/zarzuela.htm
"ZARZUELA!"