Franz Halasz - Spain

In June of 1922, a cultural fiesta took place on the grounds of Granada�s Alhambra palace, organized by Manuel de Falla and Federico Garc�a Lorca. The aim of the event was to preserve the �purity� of flamenco art and the opening performance was given by 29-year-old guitarist Andr�s Segovia. Ironically, Segovia played de Falla�s Hommage to Claude Debussy (featured on this disc) � a work which can hardly be described as pure flamenco. But this can be seen as symptomatic of an important trait in the music of 20th-century Spain: Certain composers defended what they believed to be a noble, gallant and Castilian ideal, while others embarked on an quest to restore the �lost purity� of the peasantry, but embracing Modernism and Impressionism as stylistic tools in order to do so. This is demonstrated on Franz Hal�sz�s new disc, which provides a context � Mil�n�s Pavanes from the 16th century, Fernando Sor�s �Malbroug� Variations from 1827 � while juxtaposing later works that embody the described, conflicting attitudes. This makes for a colourful and varied programme, taking in highlights in the guitar literature such as T�rrega�s Recuerdos de la Alhambra as well as Joaqu�n Turina�s Guitar Sonata, here recorded �for the first time � from a copy of Turina�s original manuscript, and not Segovia�s published version with numerous changes. The winner of a Latin Grammy, Franz Hal�sz is a highly acclaimed guitarist who here also makes his own contribution to the repertoire of his instrument, with his own arrangements of de Falla and Isaac Alb�niz.