Remembrances: A SpanishJourney

Gregg Nestor, Guitar

Mateo AlbénizEduardo Sáinz de la MazaFederico Moreno Torroba

Joaquín TurinaMaría Esteban de Valera

Joan ManénIsaac Albéniz

Album Notes by Graham Wade

Mateo AlbénizEduardo Sáinz de la MazaFederico Moreno Torroba

Joaquín TurinaMaría Esteban de Valera

Joan ManénIsaac Albéniz

Album Notes by Graham Wade

Remembrances: A SpanishJourney

Gregg Nestor, Guitar

Album Produced by Gregg Nestor

Recorded at Penguin Recording, Eagle Rock, CABetween September and December, 1991

Engineer: John Strother

Digitally Mastered byJonathan Marcus, Orpharion Recordings

Album Art Direction: Mark Banning

Mr. Nestor’s Guitar by José Ramirez, 1984

Front, Traycard, CD Label and inside back cover: The Alhambra, Granada, Spain

Dedicated to the memory of Andrés Segoviawith gratitude

Album Produced by Gregg Nestor

Recorded at Penguin Recording, Eagle Rock, CABetween September and December, 1991

Engineer: John Strother

Digitally Mastered byJonathan Marcus, Orpharion Recordings

Album Art Direction: Mark Banning

Mr. Nestor’s Guitar by José Ramirez, 1984

Front, Traycard, CD Label and inside back cover: The Alhambra, Granada, Spain

Dedicated to the memory of Andrés Segoviawith gratitude

Nowadays the classical guitar istruly international withperformers and composers from

around the world being involved in thedevelopment of its repertoire. Yet at theheart of the instrument’s appeal,Spanish music continues to fascinateplayers and public. In particular, themany pieces written for Andrés Segoviaby Iberian composers inspire acharismatic enchantment. Yet evenbeyond the orbit of Maestro Segovia’screative presence, there is a hinterlandof Spanish works equally imaginativeand alluring.

Mateo Albéniz (c. 1755-1831), fromthe Basque region of Spain, composedmany sacred works in his role (1800-1829) as maestro de capilla at thechurch of Santa María la Redonda, SanSebastián. But he also wrote keyboardworks, this Sonata being the bestknown following the guitar transcriptionby Emilio Pujol published in 1953.Reminiscent of the sparkling sonatas ofScarlatti and Soler, this piece is azapateado, a lively percussive footworkdance popular in flamenco.

The compositions of Eduardo Sáinz dela Maza (1903-1982) communicate theatmosphere of Spanish life. In Platero yyo (Platero and I) (1968), the composerre-creates episodes from Juan RamónJiménez’s prose poem depicting theadventures of Platero, a gentle donkey.

Jiménez, who wasawarded the NobelPrize for literature,describes in over ahundred shortchapters aspects oftheir life from thepoint of view of thenarrator, thedonkey’s owner, asensitive man likethe poet himself.

The first piece, Platero, presents aportrait of the donkey, small, downy,smooth, so soft to touch you wouldthink he was made of cotton...I let himrun loose and he goes off to themeadow. El Loco (The Crazy Man)refers to Platero’s owner who, dressedin mourning and wearing a narrow-brimmed hat, cuts a strange figure ashe rides along, causing children toshout out The Crazy Man!

La Azotea (The Roof-Garden) showsthe view from the roof terrace in the fullheat of the day. From there the narratorcan see people working, a bull and agoat, a young girl combing her hair, ora cornettist rehearsing, as well asPlatero drinking from the trough andplaying games with a sparrow or turtle.Darbón, Platero’s veterinary surgeon, isas large as a piebald horse, red as awatermelon, sixty years old, totallytoothless and eats nothing but

breadcrumbs. Darbón laughs with joy atthe flowers and birds but occasionallyglances sadly towards the cemeterymurmuring, My little girl, my poor littlegirl.

Paseo (Walk) evokes the byways ofsummer hung with honeysuckle, asPlatero and his rider amble through thecountryside. Platero brays and frolicswhen he hears the rattle of the wellchain. The narrator fills his glass anddrinks that liquid snow while Platerodips his mouth into the dark water. LaTortuga (The Turtle), identified as aGreek turtle, reminds the narrator ofwhen he was a child and the turtle wasused for fun and games.

In La Muerte (Death), Platero isstretched out on his bed of straw andcannot be helped to his feet. Darbóndiagnoses that the fatal illness is causedeither by poisonous root or dirt in thegrass. Platero dies, his little cottonstomach swollen like a globe, and in hisstable a beautiful butterfly (symbolizinghis soul) reflects the light as it passesthe window.

Finally A Platero en su tierra (ToPlatero in your land) expresses farewell.Platero is now alone in the past, butliving in eternity. The poet reflects onpresent loneliness and happy memoriesof Platero.

Federico MorenoTorroba (1891-1982), a native ofMadrid, first wonrenown forcomposingzarzuelas, lightoperas with atypical Spanishflavour. But hisinternationalreputation rests

mainly on his guitar pieces whichinclude some of the repertoire’s mostpopular items and he has thedistinction of being one of the firstcomposers to write for Segovia. Hiscompositions express the rhythms andcolours of Spain, imparting a poignantromantic lyricism ideally suited to theguitar. Nocturno, a virtuosic work,evokes the Spanish night. After a snatchof flamenco chant and two bell-likeharmonics, brilliant arpeggios and rapidmelodic fragments create mysteriouslyconflicting moods of darkness andcolor. A middle section resolves intopatterns of song, punctuated by briskchords and concluding with fivedramatic harmonics before thepianissimo recall of the openingthemes.

Joaquín Turina (1882-1949) was bornin Seville, one of the great Andalusiancities where flamenco reigns supreme.In 1905 he went to Paris to study with

Vincent d’Indy and Moszkowski,forming friendships with both Falla andAlbéniz. On returning home he spentthe rest of his life in the creation ofworks deeply characteristic of Spanishculture. Among his many compositions,includingsymphonies, pianopieces, operas,chamber andincidental music forthe theater, hewrote someexcellent guitarsolos inspired bythe art of Segovia.

Fandanguillo, Op. 36, composed in1925, soon became one of thefavourites of the repertoire, exploitingthe guitar’s tonal colors with effectssuch as pizzicato, tambura (tapping onthe bridge), harmonics, rasgueado, andarpeggios. After an atmosphericbeginning, the central theme emerges.A middle section, marked misterioso,ends in rapid scale passages and gentlechords nostalgically reminiscent of thesoul of flamenco.

Hommage à Tárrega, published in1935 comprising Garrotín andSoleares, pays tribute to the greatnineteenth century guitar master,Francisco Tárrega (1852-1909). TheGarrotín, a flamenco dance, probablyoriginated among the gypsies of Lérida,

Catalonia, or in Asturias, the miningprovince of northern Spain, whence itmade its way south via the port ofCádiz. Turina’s Garrotín is full of brightthemes and pulsating rhythms.

Soleares, a term linked to soleá andsoledad signifying ‘loneliness’, is one ofthe basic forms of flamenco. Turinadoes not follow the usual patterns ofthe Andalusian dance but insteadprovides a tribute to the form itself,capturing the spirit but not the essentialsoleares structure. Turina evokes manycolours and moods within one of hismost imaginative compositions.

María Esteban de Valera (1910-1992)was a pianist and composer fromCórdoba, though she did not givepublic recitals. Nana and Intermezzowere written for piano and Segoviatranscribed them for guitar. OnSegovia’s recording of Two Miniatures,released 1965, notes by Shirley Flemingcommented: María Esteban de Valerahas been a close personal friend ofAndrés Segovia all her life, and haswritten for him the two charmingsketches played here – nicelycontrasted between Nana, apersonification of gentleness andserenity, and the brief, purposefulIntermezzo.

Joan Manén (1883-1971), Catalanviolinist and composer, gave his concert

debut in SouthAmerica when hewas nine years oldand later made fiveworld tours as aperformer. Manénwrote his first operaat the age ofnineteen and spentsome time inGermany where hewas particularly

influenced by Richard Strauss. His worksinclude operas and ballets, orchestraland chamber music, songs, a pianosonata, and this Fantasía-Sonata, Op.22, for guitar (1932).

Fantasía-Sonata, published in theSchott/Segovia editions in 1939, isdedicated Por y para Andrés Segovia(‘for and because of Andrés Segovia’)...The notes for Segovia’s originalrecording observed: In the first Allegro,Catalonian sentiment predominatesand the Largo motif recurs as thesecond theme. The middle section is aslow evocative Andante cantabile andthe third section is a lively Allegro assai.

The composition begins with heavychords reminiscent of the opening ofJ.S. Bach’s Chaconne. The openingtheme is taken up in a later cantandomolto episode and subjected to anumber of modulations. Of particularinterest is the Spanish nature of each

section, characterized by rapid scalepassages and strummed chords.

Isaac Albéniz(1860-1909), bornin Camprodón,Catalonia, in north-eastern Spain,spent part of hischildhood inBarcelona. ThoughCatalan by birth,his celebration ofthe cities ofAndalusia remainsthe supreme musical manifestation ofIberian romanticism. He composedmainly for pianoforte, writing nothingfor the guitar but ever since Tárregafirst transcribed a few of his works,Albéniz’s music has been at the heart ofthe repertoire.In September, 1887, Albéniz gave arecital in Palma de Mallorca. Threeyears later he composed Mallorca(Barcarola) where languid melodiespresent images of an idyllic pastoralisland far removed from the busy touristtrap it has since become. Chopin visitedMallorca in 1838 and wrote his famousset of 24 Preludes, Op. 28 there andAlbéniz’s composition is indeed agraceful tribute to another master ofthe piano.

Córdoba creates the atmosphere of themagnificent Moorish city. Following a

hushed mysterious opening, followedby stately chords suggesting distantchurch bells, the work quickens intovigorous rhythms accompanying apoetic melodic line. Albéniz appendedthe following words to his music: In thesilence of the night, interrupted by thewhisper of fragrant breezes among thejasmine, the rebecs sound,accompanying serenades and diffusingthrough the air ardent melodies, notesas sweet as the swaying of the palmtrees against the sky.

Graham WadeMarch, 2009

Graham Wade, a graduate ofJesus College, Cambridge,and formerly Head of Stringsat Leeds College of Music, is

acknowledged as one of the foremostinternational writers on classical guitar. Hispublications include highly acclaimedstudies of Segovia, Rodrigo, and Bream, aswell as books on guitar history. He haswritten liner notes for record companiessuch as Deutsche Grammophon, EMI,Naxos, and RCA, and conducted guitarseminars at conservatoires and festivals inthe USA, Canada, Spain, Austria, Germany,Norway, Sweden, Holland, Hungary,Greece, Czech Republic, New Zealand,etc. In 2002 he was awarded the SchottGold Medal for his contribution to Rodrigostudies. Graham Wade is an AdvisoryEditor for British and American editions ofthe New Grove Dictionary of Music and formany years wrote programme notes forSegovia and Bream.

GREGG NESTOR, guitarInternationally acclaimed guitarist Gregg Nestor has built astrong following for his abilities as soloist, accompanist andarranger. Finalist in the 1981 New York Concert GuildCompetition held at Carnegie Hall, Gregg has recorded andbroadcast in Holland, Belgium, Spain and for the BBC inLondon. In his London debut, The Times critic commented onhis being “uncommonly communicative, a real artist in timingand shading, in stylish fluency and tact besides wholeheartedcommunication with his composers.” Many works arranged byGregg Nestor for solo/duo guitars or with various ensemblehave been published.

GREGG NESTOR, guitarInternationally acclaimed guitarist Gregg Nestor has built astrong following for his abilities as soloist, accompanist andarranger. Finalist in the 1981 New York Concert GuildCompetition held at Carnegie Hall, Gregg has recorded andbroadcast in Holland, Belgium, Spain and for the BBC inLondon. In his London debut, The Times critic commented onhis being “uncommonly communicative, a real artist in timingand shading, in stylish fluency and tact besides wholeheartedcommunication with his composers.” Many works arranged byGregg Nestor for solo/duo guitars or with various ensemblehave been published.

� � 2012 Gregg Nestor. All Rights Reserved.Released by BSX Records, a division of Buysoundtrax.com • 2828 Cochran Street #287, Simi Valley, California 93065

01. Sonata Mateo Albéniz (trans. Emilio Pujol) 3:35SUITE: PLATERO Y YO Eduardo Sáinz de la Maza 02. Platero 3:32 03. El Loco 2:24 04. La Azotea 2:27 05. Darbón 2:59 06. Paseo 1:52 07. La Tortuga 2:08 08. La Muerte 2:09 09. A Platero en su tierra 2:42 10. Nocturno Federico Moreno Torroba 3:42 11. Fandanguillo Joaquín Turina 5:33HOMMAGE À TÁRREGA Joaquín Turina 12. Garrotín 2:32 13. Soleares 2:03DOS MINIATURES María Esteban de Valera 14. Nana (trans. Andrés Segovia) 2:37 15. Intermezzo 1:21 16. FANTASÍA - SONATA, Op. 22 Joan Manén 18:10 Largo • Allegro • Andante cantabile • Allegro assai • Doppio piú lento (Andante) 17. Mallorca (Barcarola), Op. 202, B.41 Isaac Albéniz (trans. Andrés Segovia) 6:15 18. Córdoba, Op. 232, No. 4 Isaac Albéniz (trans. John Williams) 6:23

TT: 72:24

Remembrances: A Spanish JourneyGregg Nestor, Guitar