Ashley Rae Franco
Song Literature
Spanish song
Granados - Las currutacas modestas (Duet)
This piece, from Tonadillas, which were an old form of Spanish song, is
a short piece, but is colored with the flavor of Spanish dance rhythms. The
piano accompaniment is made up of staccato notes as well as a repeated
chords. The harmonies in this piece are mostly major and diatonic. There is
often interjection between the voices and the pianos, the voice and piano on
equal footing and acting as true partners. The piano has it’s own melody at
times. The voices in this piece contrast well with the accompaniment, as the
articulations for the voice are more legato and syllabic, with some leaps, but
mostly conjunct motion throughout. The text was written by Fernando
Periquet.
De Falla - Tus ojillos negros
The lush minor harmonies in this song illustrate the speaker’s divided
mind upon thinking of the one that they love—someone who is fickle, and is
giving them mixed signals with a glance. The vocal line is largely made up of
syllabic, speechlike articulations, but despite these elements, it is a lyric
melody. This song requires a good command of the upper register of the
singer’s voice, as most of the melody sits in the higher range. The repeated
chords of the piano coupled with the arpeggiations and voice doubling make
for a very supportive accompaniment. The accompaniment is remiscent of a
guitar. There is also some contrapuntal motion between the piano and the
melody of the voice. This text was written by Cristóbal de Castro Gutiérrez.
Nin - Paño murciano
Within the text of this piece, the speaker is consulting with a
silversmith to get a kiss from their lover set in silver, as they want to show
their devotion to their lover. It begins with a small prelude, which serves to
introduce the rhythmic, driving accompaniment made up of repeated chords
that remains mostly constant throughout the piece. The harmonies in this
piece shift from major to minor freely, though it is mostly in major once the
voice enters. The voice has mostly syllabic articulations, with legato phrasing
that nearly mimics speech. There are also some Bolero-style vocalizations
mixed in with these syllabic phrases, providing a good textural contrast. This
piece is in modified strophic form. The author of the text is anonymous.
Turina - Rima (Op. 6)
This piece, from Turina’s collection 3 arias, is a steady, commanding
piece that requires the singer’s command of a wide range. There are leaps in
the melody that serve to express more of the text, as the speaker of the
poem, written by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, describes the thrill of picturing the
intense gaze of their lover. The vocals are declamatory in nature, with legato
articulations. There are some melismatic, bolero style vocals mixed in with
the voice as well, requiring some agility on the part of the singer’s
instrument. The accompaniment in this piece is largely made up of repeated
chords, which allows for the piano’s dynamic intensity to swell and shrink
with the voice.
Obradors - Aquel Sombrero de Monte
The piano and the voice work on the same level on this piece, as the
accompaniment to this piece could stand on its own. The accompaniment,
made up of repeated broken chords with mostly rhythmic, staccato
articulations, contrasts with the voice nicely as the vocal line is a lot more
legato. The fast temp of the song brings out the dance-like quality of the
piece that is typical of much Spanish music. The articulations of the voice are
mostly syllabic, with descending melismatic figures that repeat. The voice
has a lyric melody throughout the piece, with a range that is not too wide.
The harmonies in this song are mostly major, with some shifts into minor.
The trills and arpeggiations in piano along with the driving tempo of the song
make for an exciting atmosphere, as it is easy for the listener to get swept up
in the effortless dance of this piece. This text was written by an
anonymous/unidentified author.
Mompou - Combat del somni
‘Damunt de tu nomes les flors,’ the first song of the song cycle Combat de
somni, or Dream Battles, by Mompou begins with a slow prelude, filled with
gentle arpeggiated accompaniment. The harmonies in this song are minor,
and mostly diatonic, though the melody line in the voice as well as the
melody in the piano are both filled with chromaticism. The vocal articulations
in this song are legato, with sustained, long phrasing that dangles over the
gentle, arpeggiated accompaniment. The range of the vocal melody is not
too wide, with some voice doubling and contrapuntal motion between the
piano and voice at times. This piece is in modified strophic form. This text
was written by the composer himself.
Rodrigo – Adela
The text of this song, which is from a popular folksong, begins slowly
and quietly with the introduction of the guitar. There is a short prelude,
followed by the entrance of the voice. The gentle arpeggiated harmonies of
this piece paint the morose scene that the text is describing: a young,
beautiful girl by the name of Adela has taken ill due to her lover, Juan, who is
unfaithful to her. The sorrowful vocalizations of the melody are well-suited to
this kind of text, the long legato phrasing at this slower tempo drawing out
the emotion of the piece. This piece demands the singer’s complete control
over their sensitivity to dynamics, as it is a softer piece on the whole. This
song is in strophic form, with two strophes in an AA pattern. This song is from
the collection 3 canciones Españolas.