Mompou: Cants magiques No1-5; Cançó i dança No1

Editorial Reviews
New York Times
In almost all of these pieces there is a turning point, a modulation or melodic alteration, that directs the expected toward the better than expected. We know precisely when it will arrive, but it never fails to please. These points are like hinges on which the naive and the sophisticated are made to swing. Hough, in general, plays this music very well. He is especially good at resisting the virtuoso's tendency to think big in small spaces.

Tracks:

Canzion y Danza 7 (1944)
Prelude 1 (1928)
Cants Magics (1917): Energic
Cants Magics (1917): Obscur
Cants Magics (1917): Profond : Lent
Cants Magics (1917): Misterios
Cants Magics (1917): Calma
Cancion Y Danza 5 (1942)
Prelude 5 (1930)
Charmes (1920 - 1): ...Pour Endormir La Souffrance
Charmes (1920 - 1): ...Pour Penetrer Les Ames
Charmes (1920 - 1): ...Pour Inspirer L' Armour
Charmes (1920 - 1): ...Pour Les Guerisons
Charmes (1920 - 1): ...Pour Evoquer L' Image Du Passe
Charmes (1920 - 1): ...Pour Appeler La Joie
Canzion Y Danza 8 (1946)
Prelude 7 (1931): Prelude 7 ('Palmier D' Etoiles') (1931)
Trois Variations (1921): Theme
Trois Variations (1921): Les soldats
Trois Variations (1921): Courtoisie
Trois Variations (1921): Nocturne
Canzion y Danza 3 (1926)
Prelude 9 (1943)
Dialogues I And II: Plaintif
Dialogues I And II: Modere
Canzion Y Danza 1 (1921)
Prelude 10 (1944)
Paisajes (1942-1960): La fuente y la campana
Paisajes (1942-1960): El Lago
Paisajes (1942-1960): Carros de Galicia
Canzion y Danza 9 (1948)
Prelude 6 (1930): Prelude 6 (pour la main gauche) (1930)

Customer Reviews:

charming enigmas.......2003-11-08

What lovely, mysterious music! Mompou's little pieces are often startlingly short, even inconclusive, yet his haunting, minimal, unresolved harmonics and contrasts both surprise and entice. Despite the tracks' actual durations, the frequently slow tempos create a sense of expanded time, as a few sparse notes and a few enchanting/evasive scraps of melody advance with a laconic deliberation that approaches a condition of reticence; and that bespeaks this music's quiet sorcery--Mompou's ability to capture something like reticence in musical notation. These are alluring, ambiguous works.

And Stephen Hough is simply one of our great pianists, in good company with Uchida, Perahia, and Goode. His faultless articulation lends commanding voice to his responsive, thoughtful readings. Hyperion's transparent recorded sound places one beside this fine interpreter as he awakens Mompou's charming enigmas.

More Monpou, please!.......2003-05-20

I became aware of Monpou's compositions when I heard just a snippet of a song in "Star Trek: Nemesis." I looked on the credits and the song being played was a Canzione #6 by Federico Monpou. I had never heard of Monpou, but his sound is a bit like Satie or Poulence (two French composers, contemporaries.) Monpou is Spanish.

If you like Satie and impressionistic music for solo piano, you'll love this.

Out of Nowhere.......2001-12-06

I purchased this CD on a whim, the description of "Spanish Impressionism" intrigued me. It has quickly become one of my favorite CD's of solo piano music. This is like Satie, yet harmonically more progressive. Full of tonal and dynamic contrasts reminiscent of Debussy. Stephen Hough's playing charmed me from the very beginnning with his delicate and refined playing. His use of the pedals is perfect, great sustain but never overboard, which gives Mompou's music the perfect airy tone. Where has this composer been all my life? It's like my discovery of Delius. This is music to relax by, to daydream to.

overlooked gems..........2000-06-27

Mompou's music is overlooked but worth discovering. If you enjoy Ravel or Faure and have a love for finely chiselled or sculpted little gems of music, this CD and others of Mompou's work will interest you greatly.

Ignore the "spanish" influences you may have read about his music- his music (the converse of Ravel's for example) is more French inspired (while a lot of Ravel's is of spanish influence).

At last something beutiful..........2000-06-23

for me to listen to other than Ravel. Shimmering, crystelline music, so very pure.

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