The Dance Challenge Week Three
Let’s dance!
In this community-driven challenge, we will be playing dance music. So, choose a piece from any time period, location, or culture that is set to a dance rhythm. Whether it be an Italian Saltarello, an Argentinian Tango, or something in between, let’s get our toes tapping and our fingers dancing across the guitar strings.
This challenge will last four weeks, until Saturday, June 7th. A new thread will be posted each week.
Week Two brought us more music from Tansman, J.S. Bach, Lauro and Aguado. In addition, we heard contributions from Vallet, Le Polonais, Bogdanovic, Chopin, and De Visee. Let's keep it going!
If there are any beginners looking for suggested pieces, please feel free to ask the community.
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Lauro - Madrugada and La Negra
As most of you know, I have been working on La Negra since the beginning of this challenge. This past week, however, I learned that La Negra is part of a triptych. I have found the score for the other two pieces, and I have been working on Madrugada, the second piece of the triptych (La Negra is third).
I think Madrugada leads beautifully into La Negra. The position changes are pretty challenging, as is the huge stretch in measure 4 and its repeats.
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Eric Phillips ah, la madrugada. An early Sunday morning here in raining Belgium., then this lovely music for breakfast. and all so beautifully played. Pure joy.
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Eric Phillips These pieces are really beautiful, Eric. Your performance is very sensitive and emotionally nuanced. Technically your playing is excellent and conveys your feel for this music. Can't wait to hear your full performance of this triptych.
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Eric Phillips Very nice, Eric. Those shifts are tough. I don't think Lauro gets enough respect for how challenging his music is. Very little of his music is approachable without quite a bit of skill, I think, so congrats on this.
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Eric Phillips Lovely to hear the two pieces together, beautifully played as always. Can't wait to hear the 3rd one!
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Aguado - Contredanses 4, 5, and 6 from Opus 8
When I first read through these, I thought there were rather dull. The more I played them, however, the more enjoyable they became.
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Eric Phillips Wonderful performance, as usual, Eric. (I am probably closer to where you were when you first read thru them.)
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Eric Phillips Certainly not dull to listen to! Beautifully played Eric
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Lauro - Armida
Here is the first piece in the Lauro triptych I have been working on. It took me a while to settle on a fingering I liked. I'd like to get it memorized, so I can play the whole triptych with no score.
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Eric Phillips This is my favorite from the set. I love that alternating triplet/duplet pattern. I messed around with that one before, and it's another tough piece. Well done. I'm curious, in my score in mm7, it shows the bass note is an A not an E, so it caught my ear. But it's Duarte's edition, so maybe he changed something.
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Steve Price Thank you, Steve. I discovered the Duarte score after finding the one I am using here, and I noticed a few discrepancies, including the one you noticed in measure 7. The score I used is attached below.
I think both ways sound good, but every recording of it I have found on YT has the A in the bass (as per Duarte), so that seems likely to be correct. I guess I'll change that on my score and start playing it that way.
I do wonder why there are discrepancies. I know Barrios’ music often has variations because he rarely played a piece the same twice. I don’t know enough about Lauro, however. Do you (or anyone else in the forum) have any insight?
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Eric Phillips Excellent playing, Eric. However, I think I am more inclined towards the other 2 pieces in this triptych. This one seems a bit relentless and 'blocky' to me. My inclination would be to see if it could be phrased it so that the 3:2 pattern is obscured or softened somewhat. I don't have the score and not sure if what I am suggesting is possible because the 3:2 pattern is so pronounced. I do think your performance is reflective of Lauro's intent so my suggestion is probably contrary to his intentions.
Nonetheless, I am really looking forward to the full set. The other pieces are so beautiful and I may have a completely different impression in context.
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Eric Phillips Very good Eric! It will be interesting to hear the whole triptych together
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Two pieces from Joaquin Rodrigo's El álbum de Cecilia, originally for piano. These were transcribed by Pepe Romero, and the transcription was dedicated to his father, Celedonio. María de los Reyes is subtitled "Sevillanas." Canción del hada rubia isn't technically a dance, but it's dance-adjacent, and it shows what Rodrigo can do with the simplest of material.
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Steve Price These are both beautiful and totally new to me. I especially like the melancholy character of the cancion.
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Steve Price These are really nice and a complete surprise, Steve. Who need Rodrigo could compose something so simple and pure?
Your performance is excellent. Thanks for sharing this. -
Steve Price These are delightful little pieces and beautifully played. One of things I love about these challenges is discovering so many pieces I haven't come across before. Thanks for sharing these Steve.
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
