Catalan guitar romance
Two booklets open up pieces by composers from Barcelona who are little known in this country
The Spanish guitarist Rafael Catalá, who works in Austria, is making a name for himself with those parts of 19th century Spanish guitar music that have not yet entered the general repertoire. In the fifth volume of his series Música Ibérica he juxtaposes pieces by the Catalan José Broca (1805-1882) with those by José Ferrer (1835-1916), who, like Broca, was active in Barcelona, but also in Paris. Ferrer's late romantic minuets, tangos and other musical "bouquets", often dedicated to his friends or advanced female students, always impress with their effective musicality. The pieces by Broca, his teacher and friend thirty years his senior, are also pleasing, but do not quite come close to those of his successor.
In the fourth volume of the same series, published at the same time, the editor presents all ten works by José Costa y Hugas, who is largely unknown but also active in the Catalan capital. Here is the waltz El Fagot which was also arranged by Daniel Fortea, among others. And with the wedding piece Rêverie Nupcial is for all those guitarists who are looking for substantial tremolo pieces.
José Costa y Hugas, Complete Works, (=Musica Iberica, Spanish Guitar Music of the 19th Century, Vol. 4), edited by Rafael Catalá, D 35 917, €22.95, Doblinger, Vienna 2010
José Ferrer & José Brocá, Die kurzen Stücke, (=Musica Iberica, Spanische Gitarrenmusik des 19. Jh., Band 5), ed. by Rafael Catalá, D 35 918, €22.95, Doblinger, Vienna 2010
