Canciones Instrumentales
Antonio Rodríguez de Hita. Canciones instrumentales | LAU005
Many people were eagerly awaiting the recording of the instrumental songs from Antonio Rodríguez de Hita's Escala diatónica cromática y enharmónica (1751). Not surprisingly, this is one of the rare surviving examples of instrumental music for religious use from 18th-century Spain. Antonio Rodríguez de Hita (1722-1787) was one of the leading figures in Spanish music in the second half of the 18th century: organist and chapel master at the magistral church of Alcalá since his adolescence, in 1744 he won the competitive examination for the position of chapel master at Palencia Cathedral, a post he held for more than twenty years. From 1765 until his death in 1787, he held the same position at the Royal Monastery of La Encarnación in Madrid, one of the most prestigious religious institutions in the kingdom. Together with the playwright Ramón de la Cruz, he led the revival of zarzuela in the second half of the 18th century, particularly with Las segadoras de Vallecas (1768) and Las labradoras de Murcia (1769), which defined the comic and costumbrista genre for the following decades, obviously indebted to opera buffa. Despite this, most of Rodríguez de Hita's works – some 250 in total – are religious. The instrumental collection known as 'Libro para las chirimías' dates from his time in Palencia. It is a cycle of short pieces arranged by key and mode, intended for a maximum of five instrumental soloists – two oboes, viola and two horns – in addition to the bass. Rodríguez de Hita wrote this repertoire as functional music for the cultural needs of Palencia Cathedral. As the title itself states and the appendix specifies, these songs were written for the processions, masses and instrumental intervals of the religious festivities of Palencia Cathedral, and particularly the Corpus Christi celebrations. The programme selected for the recording is exceptionally varied and beautiful. The transparency and relief of the lines derived from the arrangement for soloists is striking. This is the first recording in the world to use original instruments, which has the added value of a magnificent presentation. This recording finally manages to vindicate the value of this fascinating instrumental collection, which has been incomprehensibly neglected, and also pays a well-deserved tribute to this important composer.
You can select to purchase our Booklet in PDF format, complete physical disc or digitally and songs individually.
Reviews
LAU005 | 5412690050763
July 2006
Digipack / 1 CD / 73:38
– Rodríguez de Hita, Canciones instrumentales. Diapason, p. 102, Olivier Rouvière, noviembre 2008 [PDF]
– Rodríguez de Hita, Canciones instrumentales. Classical Audio nº 130, p 116, German Gan Quesada, enero de 2008 («Recomendado Audio Clásica») [PDF]
– Rodríguez de Hita, Canciones instrumentales. La Libre Belgique, N.B., 12/09/2007
– Ministriles en Palencia. Scherzo Magazine, nº 218, p. 97, Pablo J. Vayón, abril 2007 [PDF]
– Rodríguez de Hita, Canciones instrumentales. Goldberg Magazine nº 44, p.102, Christopher Price, febrero 2007 («4 estrellas Goldberg») [PDF]
– Sense vergonya. AVUI. Cultura i Espectacles, Xavier Cester, 04/02/2007 [PDF]
– Canciones instrumentales. ABCD de las Artes, S.R., 13/01/2007 [PDF]
– “Laudas” à música antiga espanhola. Public. Thousand Folhas. Classical music, p. 22-23.29/12/2006 [PDF]
Review
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