Carlos Guastavino

Carlos Guastavino was born on the 5^th April 1912; he died on the 29^th October 2000. He was one of the first composers of the country, Argentina in the 20^th century, producing more than 500 works. Most of the songs he did are with the voice and the piano; many of his works are yet to be published. His pattern was very conservative and he is always tonal and romantic when he is singing. His music compositions are influenced by the folk music of the country and his prestige was based on his music and has at some times been referred to as "the Schubert of the Pampas." Some of the songs he made like Pueblito, mi pueblo, La rosa y el sauce and Se equivocó la palomabecame the favorite for the nation. He gained enough from his royalty and playing rights.

source of picture: www.taringa.net

Several famous performers in the country like Teresa Berganza, Martha Argerich, Gidon Kremer, José Carreras, KiriTeKanawa, Patricia Caicedo, Bernarda Fink, Cecilia Pillado, María Isabel Siewers, Jorge Chaminé, Agathe Martel, and Karina Gauvin have added the works of Carlos Guastavino in their programs.

Biography

Carlos Guastavino was born in Santa Fe region of the country, argentina. He studied music in Santa Fe with Esperanza Lothringer and DomingaIaffei and in Buenos Aires he studied music with Athos Palma. He is a talented player of the piano and he played his piano works in London in the year 1947, 1948 and in the year 1949, as he was invited by BBC and as a man that got the scholarship from the British Council.

Composition Pattern

Carlos Guastavino’s musical pattern marked a stark is different from the works of the 20^th century contemporary musicians like Alberto Ginastera and shows the influence of the European music composers like Albéniz, Granados, Rachmaninoff, Chabrier, De Falla, Debussy, and Ravel, but is clearly an abstract from the 19^th century nationalist composers of the country like Alberto Williams, Ernesto Drangosch, Francisco Hargreaves, Eduardo GarcíaMansilla and Julián Aguirre. Aguirre’s delicate and intimate writings for the piano instrument are a good evident influence on the music of Carlos Guastavino.

Carlos Guastavino published over 150 songs for the voice and the piano, many piano solo tracks, choral works, school songs and the chamber music of the country. He set to the works of the following poets; Atahualpa Yupanqui, Pablo Neruda, Gabriela Mistral, and Jorge Luis Borges. A little number of the works he did is from his own text settings.

Awards

Carlos Guastavino received crucial awards and recognitions like the municipal prize from the city of Buenos Aires for the chamber tracks he did. It was a prize from the Justice Ministry of the country.

He also received the prize of the Cultural Commission of Santa Fe Region for his songs.

He received the Vosotras magazine prize for his music called “Canción de Navidad”.

He also received a prize from the Organization of American States and the Inter-American Music Council as recognitions for his great creativity.

Selected discography

Ø  Carlos Guastavino: The Complete Piano Music, Martin Jones, piano. Nimbus, NI 5818/20 (2008).

Ø  Flores Argentinas, Desiree Halac, mezzo-soprano; Dalton Baldwin, piano. Albany Records (2008).

Ø  Art Songs of Latin-America. Patricia Caicedo, soprano & Pau Casan, piano. Albert Moraleda Records, Barcelona (2001).

Ø  A mi ciudad nativa (To my native city), Art Songs of Latin-America, Vol. II, Patricia Caicedo, soprano; Eugenia Gassull, piano. Mundo Arts Records, Barcelona (2006).

Ø  Flores Argentinas: Canciones de Ginastera y Guastavino, Inca Rose Duo: AnneliseSkovmand, voice; Pablo González Jazey, guitar. Cleo Productions, Cleo Prod, 1002 (2007).

Ø  CancionesArgentinas, Bernarda Fink, mezzo-soprano; Marcos Fink, bass-baritone; Carmen Piazzini, piano. Harmonia Mundi, HMC 901892 (2006).

Ø  CuántasEstrellas!: Argentine Piano Music vol. 2 , Cecilia Pillado, piano. Berlin Classics, 0011852BC (TaMa 261219302) (1999).

Ø  Tango Malambo: Argentine Piano Music vol. 1 ,Cecilia Pillado, piano. Berlin Classics, 0011802BC (TaMa 261219301) (1998).

Ø  VaiAzulão, Agathe Martel, soprano; Marc Bourdeau, piano. Marquis Classic, MAR 285 (2002).

Ø  CancionesAmatorias, Bernarda Fink, mezzo-soprano; Roger Vignoles, piano. Hyperion, CDA 67186 (2002).

Ø  Flores Argentinas, Marcos Fink, bass-baritone; Luis Ascot, piano. Cascavelle, VEL1059 (1996).

Ø  Mélodies, Jorge Chaminé, baritone; Marie-Françoise Bucquet, piano. Lyrinx, 149 (882 149) (1995).

Ø  Argentinian Songs, RaúlGiménez, tenor; Nina Walker, piano. Nimbus Records, NI 5107 (1987).

Ø  Classics of the Americas, vol. 2, Margot Pares-Reyna, soprano; Georges Rabol, piano. Opus 111, OPS 30-9002 (1990).

Ø  South American Songs, Teresa Berganza, mezzo-soprano; Juan-Antonio Alvarez-Parejo, piano. Claves, CD 50-8401 (1984).

Ø  Cancionespopularesargentinas Juan Carlos Taborda, tenor; Carlos Guastavino, piano - ANTAR, 1964

Ø  Guitar Music of Argentina, vol. 1, Victor Villandagos, guitar. Naxos Classical, 8-555058 (2002).

Ø  Guitar Music of Argentina, vol. 2, Victor Villandagos, guitar. Naxos Classical, 8-557658 (2002).

Ø  Carlos Guastavino: Piano Music, Hector Moreno, piano; Norberto Capelli, piano. Marco Polo, 8-223462 (1992).

Ø  Carlos Guastavino: Las Puertas de la Mañana, UlisesEspaillat, tenor; Pablo Zinger, piano. New Albion, NA058 (1993).

Ø  Carlos Guastavino: Guitar and Chamber Music, María Isabel Siewers, guitar; Stamitz Quartet. London, ASV 933 (1991).

Ø  Fantasia Sul America: Clarinet Masterworks from South America, Luis Rossi, clarinet; Diana Schneider. Giorgina Records. NR 1104 (199?).

Ø  Carlos Guastavino: Obrasparaguitarra y música de cámaraMaría Isabel Siewers,guitar; Stamic Quartet, Acqua Records 275