I think the shorter movements in these Suites work best for the composer overall. While this music isn't inherently Spanish sounding, is it colorful, perky, and yet still exhibiting exotic musical elements.
Most unusual is the chamber setting of Elisenda, a beautiful coming together of piano solo and reduced orchestra.
Despite the exoticism of the Arab Suite, I also a set a sense of Neo-Medievalism at its opening and some Baroque dances later, all of which contrasts with the fantastical colors of Liliana.
Really, this is the best from the whole Granados set.
A review from 2024
From the Naxos Enrique Granados Orchestral Music series, the first volume focused on the composer’s Spanish-sounding compositions, the 2nd his influence of Wagner and Debussy, and in this third and last entry, a fine mix of these two styles, brilliantly melded together.
Liliana is a suite of picturesque, fantastical orchestral settings, exhibiting the color of Granados’ orchestrations. His Arabian Suite is similar, except with the spice-laden winds of the Middle East. The latter sounds much more exotic, yet not from the composer’s native Spain. He weaves a lot of orchestral magic into these scores, and the small scale movements seem focus Granados on success.
Elisenda is airier and lighter than what came before, perhaps due to its chamber orchestra scope. The addition of piano, here played by Catalonian Dani Espasa, and it too is a brilliant work.
I had not been enamoured by this series up to this point, so I am happy to report this last volume as a complete success. The Barcelona SO under Pablo González play wonderfully and captured well by Naxos.
Listen on YouTube
Works
Liliana (16.34)
Suite Oriental (16.19)
Elisenda (17.18)
Performers
Dani Espasa, piano
Barcelona Symphony Orchestra
Pablo González, conductor
Label: Naxos
Year: 2016
Total Timing: 50.11
If you only want the best from the Naxos Granados series, this is the one to get.
Beautiful!
Find more Granados recordings HERE!
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