Elisenda Fábregas
Gacelas de amor (2009)
Year: 2009
Duration (in minutes): 9'39; 30'34;
Difficulty: High (professional)
Category: small chamber ensembles - 2 to 4 players, solo voice(s) with chamber ensemble
Instruments: any female voice, any medium voice, any voice, any woodwind, flute, mezzo soprano, piano
Publisher: Hofmeister Musikverlag
Score PDF: i._gacela_amor_desesperado_pg._1-2_sample-5.pdf
Text PDF: gacelas_de_amor_lyrics-5.pdf
Description: Gacelas de amor (2009) is based on three poems by Spanish poet Federico García Lorca including Gacela III: Del amor desesperado and Gacela IX: Del amor maravilloso, both from Diván del Tamarit (1931-1934) and Lucia Martinez, from Canciones 1921-1924.
In the Gacelas, the passionate and sensual voice of Lorca burns with maximum intensity. The Gacelas are amorous and erotic in nature and portray metaphorically both the suffering and ecstasy brought by love. Lorca was inspired by the original Persian ‘ghazal,’ a poetic form that traditionally dealt with illicit and unattainable love. Musically this work is set in an evocative but subtle Spanish musical atmosphere with modal overtones.
This work was commissioned by Christiane Meininger and it was written and premiered by male soprano Jörg Waschinski and Christiane Meininger at the Center for International Light Art in Unna (Germany) on June 18, 2009. The concert was sponsored by the American Embassy, the Zentrum for Information und Bildung in Unna, the Center for International Light Art in Unna, and a travel grant from the Peabody Institute of John Hopkins University.
I. Gacela del amor desesperado (Gacela of desperate love) – this poem describes the desperate impatience and obstacles that two lovers face to see each other: ‘the night refuses to come so you can’t come and I can’t go (to see you)’ but there is always hope in overcoming the obstacles – ‘but I will go… and you will come…(regardless of the obstacles)’.
II. ‘Lucia Martinez’ is a passionate, sensual and erotic description of Lucia Martinez. The music is teasing, sinuous and mysterious but keeps a proud stance with a rocking rhythm - in a Spanish manner.
III. Gacela del amor maravilloso (Gacela of marvelous love) unravels the happy qualities of love and courtship. The music is joyful and hopeful in nature.
