These dances are perhaps the best known piano works from Argentina. Ginastera, who wrote them at the tender age of 20, clearly had mastered the subtle art of blending local folk rhythms with pianistic virtuosity.The first dance, Danza del viejo boyero (“Dance of the Old Oxen-Keeper”), charmingly uses a simple melody to create a herky-jerky tap dance.Interestingly, the left hand only plays black keys, and the right hand only plays white keys.The second, Danza de la moza donosa (“Dance of the Graceful Maiden”), contrasts two melodies, the first gentle and languid, the second more intense and assured.A soaring climax is followed by a fade to a pianissimo ending – but the dance ends on a question mark.That question is answered with a shout in the third dance, Danza del gaucho matrero (“Dance of the Bandit Gaucho”), which throws caution and decorum to the winds in a fiery and savage dance.Hye-Won Cho
Classical Music | Piano Music
Alberto Ginastera
Danzas Argentinas, Op. 2 Play
Recorded on 11/06/2013, uploaded on 06/03/2014
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
These dances are perhaps the best known piano works from Argentina. Ginastera, who wrote them at the tender age of 20, clearly had mastered the subtle art of blending local folk rhythms with pianistic virtuosity. The first dance, Danza del viejo boyero (“Dance of the Old Oxen-Keeper”), charmingly uses a simple melody to create a herky-jerky tap dance. Interestingly, the left hand only plays black keys, and the right hand only plays white keys. The second, Danza de la moza donosa (“Dance of the Graceful Maiden”), contrasts two melodies, the first gentle and languid, the second more intense and assured. A soaring climax is followed by a fade to a pianissimo ending – but the dance ends on a question mark. That question is answered with a shout in the third dance, Danza del gaucho matrero (“Dance of the Bandit Gaucho”), which throws caution and decorum to the winds in a fiery and savage dance. Hye-Won Cho
More music by Alberto Ginastera
Pampeana No. 1: Rhapsodie for Violin and Piano
Pampeana No. 2 for Cello and Piano, Op. 21
Danza Argentina n.3
Chacarera
Triste (n. 2 of 12 Preludios Americanos)
Danzas Argentinas, Op. 2
Danzas Argentinas, Op. 2
Pampeana No. 2 for Cello and Piano, Op. 21
La tarde, from Las horas de una estancia
Homenaje a Aaron Copland (n. 9 of 12 Preludios Americanos)
Performances by same musician(s)
Concert Étude No. 2 in F minor, La leggierezza
Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op. 110
Classical Music for the Internet Era™
Courtesy of International Music Foundation.