Gonzalo Soriano
Encyclopedia
Gonzalo Soriano was one of Spain
's most distinguished classical
pianist
s of the twentieth century.
Born in Alicante
, Soriano began studying music at an early age, but soon began to concentrate on piano. Graduating from the Royal Conservatory in Madrid in 1929, he went on to study piano and composition with Amzel in Lisbon. Back in Madrid, as a protégé of Manuel de Falla
, whose work he played on numerous occasions, Soriano's talent soon began to be recognized. He enjoyed the company of Ramón Gómez de la Serna
and a group of like-minded artists and writers.
The Spanish Civil War
interrupted his career and it was only after the end of the Second World War that he began to acquire a reputation in Europe, impressing the public and critics alike for his versatility, technique and musical sensitivity. He began to give concerts in Europe in 1947 and made his first U.S. tour in 1954 to considerable critical and commercial success. From this tour came the first American recording containing Albéniz
's Suite española
(Boston Records: B302). With the same company he recorded the Variations sérieuses by Mendelssohn
, Schumann
's Three Romances, Op 27 and Schubert
's Sonata in A minor Op 164, all on a single LP (BR, B303).
In 1955 he made his first tour of the Far East and in December 1959 visited the Scandinavian countries, which included a concert given before the King of Sweden on the occasion of the award of the Nobel Prize in Medicine to Dr. Severo Ochoa
. Soriano recorded with the best performers and conductors. Among others, he worked with Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
on more than one occasion, recording with him the Nights in the Gardens of Spain and Concerto in D major for harpsichord, both by de Falla
(Angel Records, 36131). Another memorable recording of the first work was done under the direction of Ataúlfo Argenta
(Alhambra, MCC 30008).
Victoria de los Angeles
, outstanding soprano and a big admirer of Soriano's talent, was a keen collaborator for both concerts and recordings. It is said that the dialogue between voice and piano achieved a perfect balance when these two artists performed together in works by Frederic Mompou, Xavier Montsalvatge
or Joaquin Turina
. (20th Century Spanish Songs, Angel (S) 35775). Soriano is thought to have been one of the pianists best able to appreciate the talent of Montsalvatge
and accept the challenge of interpreting some of his more difficult pieces. The composer wrote expressly for him, Sonatine pour Yvette being dedicated to the composer's daughter and premiered by Soriano (recorded by EMI / His Master's Voice, FALP 874). Other great composers like Mompou and Rodolfo Halffter
also wrote works for Soriano - in Mompou's case, No. 9 of Cançons i Danses
was dedicated to him.
Soriano died suddenly from a stroke on 14 April 1972 at home in Madrid, with his latest recording, Granados
' Twelve Dances (EMI-Odeon, J 063-10913) still in production - a work that had already won the Grand Prix du Disque de l'Académie française. Soriano left a large collection of performances and recordings, including de Falla
's complete works for keyboard (His Master's Voice, 053-00731 and 063-01289). He was survived by his mother, Consuelo Simó and his partner, John Ross who, after Soriano's death, joined a religious order, remaining in retreat until his own death some years later.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's most distinguished classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
s of the twentieth century.
Born in Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, Soriano began studying music at an early age, but soon began to concentrate on piano. Graduating from the Royal Conservatory in Madrid in 1929, he went on to study piano and composition with Amzel in Lisbon. Back in Madrid, as a protégé of Manuel de Falla
Manuel de Falla
Manuel de Falla y Matheu was a Spanish Andalusian composer of classical music. With Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados and Joaquín Turina he is one of Spain's most important musicians of the first half of the 20th century....
, whose work he played on numerous occasions, Soriano's talent soon began to be recognized. He enjoyed the company of Ramón Gómez de la Serna
Ramón Gómez de la Serna
Ramón Gómez de la Serna Puig was a Spanish writer, dramatist and avant-garde agitator. He strongly influenced surrealist film maker Luis Buñuel....
and a group of like-minded artists and writers.
The Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
interrupted his career and it was only after the end of the Second World War that he began to acquire a reputation in Europe, impressing the public and critics alike for his versatility, technique and musical sensitivity. He began to give concerts in Europe in 1947 and made his first U.S. tour in 1954 to considerable critical and commercial success. From this tour came the first American recording containing Albéniz
Isaac Albéniz
Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz y Pascual was a Spanish Catalan pianist and composer best known for his piano works based on folk music idioms .-Life:Born in Camprodon, province of Girona, to Ángel Albéniz and his wife Dolors Pascual, Albéniz...
's Suite española
Suite española, Op. 47 (Albéniz)
Isaac Albéniz’s Suite española, Op. 47, is a suite for solo piano. It is mainly composed of works written in 1886 which were grouped together in 1887, in honour of the Queen of Spain...
(Boston Records: B302). With the same company he recorded the Variations sérieuses by Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
, Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
's Three Romances, Op 27 and Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
's Sonata in A minor Op 164, all on a single LP (BR, B303).
In 1955 he made his first tour of the Far East and in December 1959 visited the Scandinavian countries, which included a concert given before the King of Sweden on the occasion of the award of the Nobel Prize in Medicine to Dr. Severo Ochoa
Severo Ochoa
Severo Ochoa de Albornoz was a Spanish-American doctor and biochemist, and joint winner of the 1959 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Arthur Kornberg.-Early life:...
. Soriano recorded with the best performers and conductors. Among others, he worked with Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos is a Spanish conductor and composer.Frühbeck studied violin, piano, and composition at the conservatories of Bilbao and Madrid...
on more than one occasion, recording with him the Nights in the Gardens of Spain and Concerto in D major for harpsichord, both by de Falla
Manuel de Falla
Manuel de Falla y Matheu was a Spanish Andalusian composer of classical music. With Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados and Joaquín Turina he is one of Spain's most important musicians of the first half of the 20th century....
(Angel Records, 36131). Another memorable recording of the first work was done under the direction of Ataúlfo Argenta
Ataúlfo Argenta
Ataúlfo Exuperio Martín de Argenta Maza , was a Spanish conductor and pianist.-Biography:Argenta was born in Castro Urdiales, Cantabria, one of the two children, and the only son, of the local station master and a worker with the railways, Juan Martín de Argenta, and Laura Maza...
(Alhambra, MCC 30008).
Victoria de los Angeles
Victoria de los Ángeles
Victoria de los Ángeles was a Spanish Catalan operatic soprano and recitalist whose career began in the early 1940s and reached its height in the years from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s. Her obituary in The Times noted that she must be counted “among the finest singers of the second half...
, outstanding soprano and a big admirer of Soriano's talent, was a keen collaborator for both concerts and recordings. It is said that the dialogue between voice and piano achieved a perfect balance when these two artists performed together in works by Frederic Mompou, Xavier Montsalvatge
Xavier Montsalvatge
Xavier Montsalvatge i Bassols was a Spanish Catalan composer and music critic. He was one of the most influential music figures in Catalan music during the latter half of the 20th century.-Life:...
or Joaquin Turina
Joaquín Turina
Joaquín Turina was a Spanish composer of classical music.-Biography:Turina was born in Seville but his origins were in northern Italy . He studied in Seville as well as in Madrid...
. (20th Century Spanish Songs, Angel (S) 35775). Soriano is thought to have been one of the pianists best able to appreciate the talent of Montsalvatge
Xavier Montsalvatge
Xavier Montsalvatge i Bassols was a Spanish Catalan composer and music critic. He was one of the most influential music figures in Catalan music during the latter half of the 20th century.-Life:...
and accept the challenge of interpreting some of his more difficult pieces. The composer wrote expressly for him, Sonatine pour Yvette being dedicated to the composer's daughter and premiered by Soriano (recorded by EMI / His Master's Voice, FALP 874). Other great composers like Mompou and Rodolfo Halffter
Rodolfo Halffter
Rodolfo Halffter Escriche was a Spanish composer.-Life:Born in Madrid, Spain into a family of musicians, he was the brother of Ernesto Halffter and uncle of Cristóbal Halffter, also composers. His father Ernesto Halffter Hein came from Königsberg, Germany...
also wrote works for Soriano - in Mompou's case, No. 9 of Cançons i Danses
Cançons i Danses
Cançons i Danses is the title of a collection of 15 pieces by Federico Mompou, written between 1918 and 1972. All were written for the piano, except No. 13 for guitar and No...
was dedicated to him.
Soriano died suddenly from a stroke on 14 April 1972 at home in Madrid, with his latest recording, Granados
Enrique Granados
Enrique Granados y Campiña was a Spanish pianist and composer of classical music. His music is in a uniquely Spanish style and, as such, representative of musical nationalism...
' Twelve Dances (EMI-Odeon, J 063-10913) still in production - a work that had already won the Grand Prix du Disque de l'Académie française. Soriano left a large collection of performances and recordings, including de Falla
Manuel de Falla
Manuel de Falla y Matheu was a Spanish Andalusian composer of classical music. With Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados and Joaquín Turina he is one of Spain's most important musicians of the first half of the 20th century....
's complete works for keyboard (His Master's Voice, 053-00731 and 063-01289). He was survived by his mother, Consuelo Simó and his partner, John Ross who, after Soriano's death, joined a religious order, remaining in retreat until his own death some years later.