Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 02/21/2006, uploaded on 01/14/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Danzas Argentinas, Op. 2                  Alberto Ginastera

The Argentinean composer Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983) began his formal music training at the age of seven. His first work written for piano, Danzas Argentinas, Op. 2, was completed in 1937. While influenced by Argentine musical nationalism, the pieces show Ginastera's own personal style in mixing polytonality and dissonance with folk elements that enliven the rhythm of the dances.  The very brief Dance No. 1, Danza del viejo boyero (Dance of the old cowherd) has repeated chord passages that are punctuated with a series of sharp blows. Dance No. 2, Danza de la moza donosa (Dance of the graceful maiden), in contrast is a calm and graceful but sinuous tango  The final Danza del gaucho matrero (Dance of the artful herdsman) opens with stealth-like motion and in the obsessive rhythmic pattern of the first dance then builds up to a brilliant climax.    Alpin Hong

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.