Page 385 - Weiss, Jernej, ur. 2017. Glasbene migracije: stičišče evropske glasbene raznolikosti - Musical Migrations: Crossroads of European Musical Diversity. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 1
P. 385
escape from catalonia: the composing experience of roberto gerhard
Gerhard’s composing experience over the next 20 years was rich and
varied. His song-cycle of 1917 for soprano and piano entitled L’infantament
meravellós da Schahrazada, was written in the style of the German Lied,
with expansive melodic lines and a rich harmonic texture. His Piano Trio
of the next year shows the influence of Ravel, Debussy and Falla, compos-
ers who would be the normal models for young Spanish composers. Much
more adventurously, his epigrammatic Dos Apunts (“Two Sketches”) for pi-
ano have something in common with the style of Schoenberg’s solo piano
pieces, composed at this time. Significantly the next piece, the atmospher-
ic but contemplative Seven Haiku for voice and ensemble of 1922, the year of
Pedrell’s death, were similarly brief and concise, with much use of Schoen-
bergian motivic development. This work was submitted, together with Dos
Apunts, by Gerhard to Arnold Schoenberg in his successful application to
become his student. His studies with Schoenberg, in Vienna and Berlin
(1923–28), rather than with the expected French teachers, were especially
fruitful. The immediate results of this study were a String Quartet (1927–
28)8 and the serial Wind Quintet of 1928. The latter was the composer’s re-
sponse to Schoenberg’s twelve-note technique, with extensive use of sev-
en-note rows, but also considerable freedom and extensive manipulation
of the basic technique to suit his Spanish inclinations.9 After a concert of
his most recent works given in Barcelona in 1929, he became embroiled in a
long-running controversy with the conservative critic Lluís Millet, who be-
lieved that Gerhard should compose music that more closely aligned itself
with Catalan folk music.10
Pedrell’s ideas had lain dormant during his studies with Schoenberg.
After the Wind Quintet, Schoenberg’s ideas were then mostly put on one
side for some years, while Gerhard explored the Spanish side of his musical
education. Two Sardanas in imitation of the Catalan cobla were followed
by settings for voice and piano of fourteen Catalan folk songs, six of which
8 This is the String Quartet No.3 to be followed by the official Quartets nos.1 and 2.
The two earlier works are lost. The String Quartet No.3 was also arranged by the
composer as the Concertino for strings (first performed in 1929).
9 See especially the very helpful discussion and analysis by Peter Paul Nash, “The
Wind Quintet,” Tempo, 139 (December 1981): 5–11 and Rachel Mitchell’s detailed
analysis in An Examination of the Integration of Serial procedures and Folkloric Ele-
ments in the Music of Roberto Gerhard (1896–1970), PhD Dissertation (University of
Texas at Austin, 2009), 23–38.
10 See Mark E. Perry, “Early Works and Life of Roberto Gerhard,” Monty Adkins and
Michael Russ, eds., The Roberto Gerhard Companion (Farnham, UK: Ashgate, 2013),
15–21.
383
Gerhard’s composing experience over the next 20 years was rich and
varied. His song-cycle of 1917 for soprano and piano entitled L’infantament
meravellós da Schahrazada, was written in the style of the German Lied,
with expansive melodic lines and a rich harmonic texture. His Piano Trio
of the next year shows the influence of Ravel, Debussy and Falla, compos-
ers who would be the normal models for young Spanish composers. Much
more adventurously, his epigrammatic Dos Apunts (“Two Sketches”) for pi-
ano have something in common with the style of Schoenberg’s solo piano
pieces, composed at this time. Significantly the next piece, the atmospher-
ic but contemplative Seven Haiku for voice and ensemble of 1922, the year of
Pedrell’s death, were similarly brief and concise, with much use of Schoen-
bergian motivic development. This work was submitted, together with Dos
Apunts, by Gerhard to Arnold Schoenberg in his successful application to
become his student. His studies with Schoenberg, in Vienna and Berlin
(1923–28), rather than with the expected French teachers, were especially
fruitful. The immediate results of this study were a String Quartet (1927–
28)8 and the serial Wind Quintet of 1928. The latter was the composer’s re-
sponse to Schoenberg’s twelve-note technique, with extensive use of sev-
en-note rows, but also considerable freedom and extensive manipulation
of the basic technique to suit his Spanish inclinations.9 After a concert of
his most recent works given in Barcelona in 1929, he became embroiled in a
long-running controversy with the conservative critic Lluís Millet, who be-
lieved that Gerhard should compose music that more closely aligned itself
with Catalan folk music.10
Pedrell’s ideas had lain dormant during his studies with Schoenberg.
After the Wind Quintet, Schoenberg’s ideas were then mostly put on one
side for some years, while Gerhard explored the Spanish side of his musical
education. Two Sardanas in imitation of the Catalan cobla were followed
by settings for voice and piano of fourteen Catalan folk songs, six of which
8 This is the String Quartet No.3 to be followed by the official Quartets nos.1 and 2.
The two earlier works are lost. The String Quartet No.3 was also arranged by the
composer as the Concertino for strings (first performed in 1929).
9 See especially the very helpful discussion and analysis by Peter Paul Nash, “The
Wind Quintet,” Tempo, 139 (December 1981): 5–11 and Rachel Mitchell’s detailed
analysis in An Examination of the Integration of Serial procedures and Folkloric Ele-
ments in the Music of Roberto Gerhard (1896–1970), PhD Dissertation (University of
Texas at Austin, 2009), 23–38.
10 See Mark E. Perry, “Early Works and Life of Roberto Gerhard,” Monty Adkins and
Michael Russ, eds., The Roberto Gerhard Companion (Farnham, UK: Ashgate, 2013),
15–21.
383
