Donald Satz <[log in to unmask]> writes:

>Back to Goyescas, this piano suite is about "young men in love" as the
>title indicates.

Thanks to Donald for his very readable analysis of the 11 recordings of
Book 1 of Granados's masterly work.

I'm baffled though by this sentence, which looks like something
mistranslated into English from a Spanish note. If that note said (as
it more likely would) that "Goyescas" was about young *people* in love
(the masculine form would be used) this would be more accurate - though
in fact the two, last, great movements of the Suite are centred on the
female consciousness, not the male.  The opera is even more centred on
the two women soloists, rather than the men.

Granados's title itself of course says nothing about love, and everything
about the work's being a musical evocation of a selection of Goya's
paintings and drawings.  Its composite evocation of a particular time
and place (Goya's Napoleonic Madrid) is just as potent as its value as
some sort of erotic chapbook.

"El pelele" (in which the young majas or Madrid girls toss a straw man
to one another, maybe to indicate their desire for a good, compliant
husband!) of course predates the opera in this, its original piano form.

Christopher Webber, Blackheath, London, UK
http://www.zarzuela.net
"ZARZUELA!" The Spanish Music Site