Search - Alberto Williams, Adrian Leaper, Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra :: Alberto Williams: Symphony No. 7; Poema del Iguazú

A great lesser known composer comming to light slowly but su

P. Alvarez | Killeen, Texas United States | 10/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Extremely little is known about this

great argentine composer, and so is

also very little known about his music,

so what I am wrting here is based on

my personal impression of the very little

music that I have heard by this gentleman.

First of all both works in this recording

are world premiere recordings. The seventh

symphony "Eterno Reposo" was composed in 1937

"Eterno Reposo" is actually Spanish for "Requiem Aeternam".

The symphony is in the usual four movements and

by the tittle of the movements one cannot help to

think of ancient Egypt. The first movement: The Pyramid(La Piramide)

opens loud and gradually slows down, and brings to mind

an andante. The second movement: Dancers of Amun (Danzarinas de Amon)

To those that are not familiar with egyptian mythology, Amun is

the 'father of all winds' the egyptian version of Zeus. The

second movements opens on a soft celesta melody that as it

goes on it is join by pizzicati strings, soft rolls on

suspended cymbals, and later taken by the harp, and after

all strings join in on what sounds like a lovely tango melody.

The third movement: "Femele Crotales players" (Tocadoras de Crotalos),

again this movements brings the percussion to the spotlight, this

time the castanets in the opening. The finale "Eternal Rest"

(Eterno Reposo) opens slowly on strings and then a little past

the middle of the movement a loud orchestral burst is heard

that is started by the trombones and later taken by the whole

orchestra, then a lovely fanfare is heard on trumpets, horns,

snare drum and timpani. The language of the Seventh Symphony

is post- romantic, thou lived well into the 20th century

Williams was educated in 19th century Europe, he was a student

of Cesar Franck. I can relate Williams to R. Strauss and S.

Rachmaninov who were born and educated in the 19th century

but lived well into the 20th century. The "Poema Del Iguazu"

is far more European than Latin-American in sound. it brings

to mind more the Rhine, or the Moldau, but I guess that in

its peace of mind and tranquility might relate to the Iguazu,

or perhaps in its majestic flowing. On this recording

the Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria under the baton

of Adrian Leaper do an outstanding job."