Enrique Granados(1867-1916)
        Goyescas, Piano Suite

4th Movement (Quejas o la maja y el ruisenor/The maiden and the
nightingale) - The most popular music of "Goyescas", this 4th Movement
is often played independently at concert recitals.  A luxuriant nocture,
the theme of the piece revolves around a young maiden's lament to her
nightingale.  The music is intensely sad and romantic as Granados takes
the basic melody through a series of increasingly ornamented and perfumed
variations ending in a delicate song from the nightingale.

 From this reviewer's perspective, the 4th Movement can also be described
as an alternating of inflections and rests, the inflections representing
the intense feelings of the maiden and the rests at the end of musical
phrases conveying human resignation.  The mix of the two emotions makes
the piece one of the most compelling Granados ever wrote, and it is not
surprising that the movement has become the Granados 'calling card'.

Although I've been listening to the 4th Movement for over two weeks,
I haven't found great differences among the reviewed versions.  Each
one is excellently performed, with the inflections and rests superbly
presented.  However, I do favor the versions from Hisako Hiseki and Ralph
Votapek.  Clocking in at over seven minutes, Hiseki's performance is the
longest of the group and offers the potential for increased emphasis on
the inflections and rests.  She takes full advantage, providing the most
intensely sad interpretation on record.  Although Hiseki's performances
up to this point has been among the most rewarding, she really hits her
stride with the 4th Movement.  Votapek, using a moderate tempo, turns
in another great performance with a sadness rivaling Hiseki's and
absolutely transcendent flourishes.

5th Movement (El Amor y la Muerte: Balada/Love and Death: Ballade) -
This piece uses the most inspired themes from Book 1 and varies them
to strengthen the music's tension and drama through a more jagged and
impetuous display than in the previous movements.  Alternating between
desperation/great remorse and the most tender of refrains, I consider
this 5th Movement a panorama of the structural and emotional centers of
"Goyescas".  In addition, I think it's important for the performer to
adhere to the Granados indication that the music be "very expressive and
as if there was happiness in the pain".

There is only version that fully deserves the designation of being
panoramic and conveying happiness in the pain, and it's from Alicia de
Larrocha's earliest interpretation on EMI.  She is absolutely sensational
with incisive flourishes, pin-point detail, and the most comforting and
poignant phrasing I could ask for.  It was her version where I first
started thinking about the panoramic aspect of the music, and no other
recording comes close.  Also, she never gets heavy in her playing, and
that's a prime reason she can convey "happiness in the pain".

I don't want to leave the impression that the other versions are not
enjoyable, for each of them is excellent but for two: Block and Parkin.
I've commented before than Block can get into a key-banging niche, and
I feel he does it again in "Love and Death".  He sounds so angry that
there is nothing uplifting about his performance, and his very quick
tempo leads to some glossing over of the more poignant passages.

Block may not be ideal, but he's an 'ace' compared to Erik Parkin who
poorly gets across the basic Spanish rhythms and flow.  Actually, Parkin
sounds like an odd mix of Shostakovich and a lounge pianist out of the
local Holiday Inn in Dayton, Ohio.  Parkin's is also the slowest of all
the versions, but his stodgy rhythms won't work at any rate of speed.

6th Movement (Epilogo: Serenata del espectro/Epilogue: The ghost's
serenade) - This serenade comes from a skeleton figure and offers mystery
and a distortion of themes previously offered in the work.  There is
also a pristine and delicate atmosphere to deal with that accentuates
the level of contrast and mystery.

Douglas Riva turns in his least rewarding performance.  He is very heavy
and emphatic, conveying a 400 pound monster more than a skeletal figure.
The result is loss of mystery as Riva keeps hammering away at our senses.
Further, he slows down at critical points and is nearly static.  Parkin
slows down at the same points, but he never allows the music to stop
moving foward.  Essentially, Parkin creates an 'effect', while Riva
creates a halt to the tempo and rhythm.  Very disappointing.

Moving up a few notches, we have Votapek, Meshulam, de Larrocha/RCA, and
Jones.  These are fine versions that simply don't match the best ones
concerning the rapture of the flourishes or the compelling nature of the
rhythmic flow.  Meshulam continues to deliver some understated climaxes,
Jones is a little jerky, and de Larrocha is less vital than in her earlier
recordings.

Block redeems himself with an interpretation reminding me of his 1st
Movement presentation: bold, frequent changes in tempo/dynamics, and a
continuous preference for impetuous music-making.  Although his style
might be considered extreme, the Book 1 performances of Granados give
viability to Block's approach which is easily the most unusual of all
recorded versions.

Parkin's is the slowest version, clocking in at over nine minutes.  With
this pacing, Parkin seems to have a better handle on the rhythmic patterns
and he gives a mesmorizing interpretation that offers all the detail of
every line and motif.  de Larrocha's Decca version is mighty fine, but
not as vivid as her EMI performance.  Hiseki, as in all previous movements,
is exceptional with an openess and breadth which have been her trademarks
in "Goyescas".

As in the 5th Movement, the EMI de Larrocha is way ahead of the crowd
with a transcendent performance of great boldness, vibrancy, and clarity.
Her flourishes and attacks are superb, and the whole performance bespeaks
a love of her native Spain and the music.  Book 2 of "Goyescas" is
generally considered less popular and inspired than Book 1, but de
Larrocha's EMI version lifts Book 2 to an equal status with Book 1; hers
is the only version to do so.

Introduction/Appendix (El pelele/The straw mannequin) - This piece
can be found after Books 1 & 2 or as an introduction to the work.
The validity of placing it first comes from the fact that it opens the
Granados opera "Goyescas" and that Granados often played El pelele as
an introductory piece in concert.  Personally, I don't find El pelele
at the level of inspiration of any of the six movements of Goyescas.
The piece does require much virtuosity with its rapid-fire cascades and
alternating octaves, and there is a graceful quality to the music that
is appealing.  However, the emotional range is limited in comparison to
the basic work.

The performance of de Larrocha on EMI is very fast (4 minutes) and
displays her exceptional virtuosity.  On the RCA version, de Larrocha
adds another 1/2 minute to its length and does convey substantially more
grace to her presentation.  Whether you want grace or speed is your
decision; I find both versions satisfying.

Hiseki and Riva take El pelele into the five minute range but hardly
sound slower than the de Larrocha RCA version.  The other three versions
are also excellent and of moderate tempo.  Overall, I suppose I'd go
with the fast EMI de Larrocha, but there's little difference in quality
among the seven versions.

Don's Conclusions: Naturally, at least one of the de Larrocha versions
would get my strongest recommendation, and it has to be her EMI performance.
It's the most lively and elastic of the three, conveying every ounce of
vitality and zest for life.  Also, it's the one that really shows how
outstanding the music is in Book 2.  Although the recorded sound does
have substantial hiss, it is also clear and wide-ranging.

There is another version that gets my top recommendation, and it is
the one from Hisako Hiseki.  She may be of obscure reputation as is her
record label, but no other version is as consistently excellent.  Her
detail, flourishes, and poignancy are a delight to listen to in every
movement.  Also, the recorded sound has a lovely bloom to it and offers
all the detail conveyed by Hiseki.

Hearty recommendations go out to the Votapek, Block, Riva, and de
Larrocha/Decca interpretations.  I just want to point out that Block is
the most individualized of the group and likely would have equaled Hiseki
in my estimation if he didn't engage in the key-banging he seems to
prefer now and then.

I do not recommend de Larrocha/RCA, Meshulam, Jones, or Parkin.  Of the
four, I wish I could recommend Parkin because of his obvious love for
the music and heightened poignancy through his slow tempos.  Unfortunately,
the Spanish rhythms often find him 'off the map'.  Meshulam doesn't do
well with the Granados flourishes, and Jones never scales the heights.
As for de Larrocha/RCA, I can't see bothering with this version when
there are two earlier ones from her that clearly are more incisive and
vivacious.

Well, that's it for Granados and his Goyescas.  It's a wonderful work,
and there are six versions that should fit well in one's music room.
At this point in time, I'm not sure what reviews will come next.  I
have dozens in the planning stage and quite a few which are ready for
'prime-time' listening.  It could be Russian Concertos from the likes
of Glazunov, Shostakovich, Kabalevsky, or Prokofiev.  It could be British
music in the form of Elgar Symphonies/Concertos or the chamber music
releases of Dutton Laboratories.  How about some chamber music by Enescu
or Faure?  Then, there's always my basic preferences for Chopin, Schumann,
Bach, and Shostakovich solo piano works.  However, I am veering at this
time toward the last three Symphonies of Dvorak recorded by Sir Colin
Davis on the new LSO label.  This would be a change of pace for me, and
I do want to pay some homage to the wonderful idea of orchestras developing
their own record labels.  That's the best way to tell the 'Majors' to
shove off - we don't need them, and it's time that they please their
customers, not just their hunger for immediate and huge profits.

Don Satz
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