The Importance of Spanish Dance Rhythms in the Solo Piano Music of Joaquin Turina
Abstract for Lecture-Recital
GOALS: This lecture-recital will illustrate how Spanish composer Joaquin Turina (1882-1949) creatively used native dance rhythms as an integral compositional device in his piano music. Examples of Spanish dance rhythms incorporated by Turina in his piano compositions include the habanera, malaguena, tango, sevillana, bolero, fandango, guajira, pasodoble, Jota Valenciana, polo, seguidilla, seguiriya, tirana, zapateado, petenera, and sardana. Many of the dance rhythms were labeled by Turina himself in the scores. While Granados, Albeniz, deFalla, and Turina all wrote piano music that used native dance rhythms to some extent, only Turina employed so many different colorful dance rhythms in his keyboard music. In addition, the typical melodic, harmonic, and textural features of how these particular dance rhythms are used in Turina’s piano music will be explored.
METHODOLOGY: The numerous native dance rhythms of the Andalusian composer Turina will be demonstrated via explanation, theoretical analysis, and performance of excerpts of Turina’s piano works. Through copious visual and aural examples from the scores, each of the seventeen Spanish dance rhythms that Turina used in his keyboard music will be highlighted with attention given to the dance’s derivation and specific region (locale), unique characteristics of that particular dance rhythm, similarities and difference between the dance rhythms, and possibilities for combining certain dance rhythms to provide contrast. Particular analytical and performance emphasis will be given to Turina’s Suite Pittoresque: Sevilla, opus 2, composed and published in Paris in 1809. .CONCLUSION: Understanding the various types of Spanish dances will aid greatly in a performer’s interpretation of any score that utilizes Spanish dance rhythms. In addition, the teaching of Spanish dance rhythms is useful for introduction and analysis for classes in music history, music theory, and music appreciation.