By Jacob Stockinger
One of the great losses to classical music was the premature death of the Spanish composer Enrique Granados (1867-1916, below).
Chances are that if you know the work of this composer, who died in the sinking of the Sussex during World War I, it is probably through his beautiful and lyrical piano works such as “Goyescas” and Spanish Dances,” many of which are frequently heard through transcriptions, especially for guitar.
But his great gift for lyricism found many outlets that remain unknown, including chamber music.
Here is one you should hear: the Madrigal for Cello and Piano (1915).
It was recently played on Wisconsin Public Radio and it reminds The Ear of the “Elegy” by Gabriel Faure.
Listen to it yourself in the YouTube video at the bottom and then leave word what you think of this work and of Granados in general.
Also let us know if there are other works of Granados that you recommend listening to, with a YouTube link if possible.
And if you like it, why not forward a link to a friend or share it on Facebook?
It’s a lovely piece, thanks for the link! Very relaxing and meditative.
I think part of the problem with Granados is his heritage, which was Catalan. We know (and are provided by “gatekeepers” to music) very little about him. Even his name seems a mystery. His full name is: Enrique Granados Campiña. I doubt that we would chop off his last name if he was, for instance, of German descent! We know little about his life (and even his death, it seems). His music, is by and by, ignored by public radio programmers, by those who arrange concerts in concert halls–but this is not something unusual.
I am glad to see, though, that WPR in particular, seems to be doing a good job in extending its play list of composers: they are playing many more composers of Northern Europe (especially Scandinavian backgrounds) than they were a few years ago. There is lots of ravishing music out there by people like Granados- Campiña that simply doesn’t get programmed or played.
The public, however, nowadays can turn to other platforms, including YouTube.
Comment by fflambeau — August 27, 2018 @ 9:01 pm
Actually, I believe that Granados died as a result of the attack on the Sussex (she was severely damaged by a torpedo from a German U-Boat in 1916) and not as a result of the sinking of the Lusitania as stated above.
Comment by tom — August 27, 2018 @ 8:34 am
Dear Tom,
Thank you for replying with your correction.
You are absolutely right.
It was indeed the English Channel ferry Sussex, not the Lusitania, which was also torpedoed by the Germans during WWI. He died when he jumped out of a lifeboat trying to save his drowning wife.
I apologize for the error and have made the correction.
The Ear
Comment by welltemperedear — August 27, 2018 @ 8:42 am
Segovia and Granados. Segovia is arguably one of the best interpreters of Granados’ music.
Comment by Augustine — August 27, 2018 @ 8:10 am