Spanish Galicia Symphony Orchestra

Programme:
R Groba Danzas meigas No. 1 “Tema do peregrino e Danza da primavera”
Falla Three Dances from The Three-Cornered Hat
Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez
Ravel Ma mère l’Oye (Suite)
Turina Sinfonía sevillana
Ravel Boléro

Our first visit from a Spanish orchestra in many a year brings this exciting young ensemble from the port city of A Coruña. They’re joined by Thibaut Garcia, who’s been hailed as ‘the new face of classical guitar’ after winning every major international guitar competition within the space of just a few months. His performance of Rodrigo’s evergreen Concierto de Aranjuez – so popular that it’s been recorded over a hundred times – is the centrepiece of a richly varied programme from Spain and France.

Manuel de Falla gets things started with three catchy dances from his big-hearted pantomime of 1919, a tongue-in-cheek tale of amorous rivals. More magical stories make up Ravel’s captivating Ma mère l’oye (Mother Goose), his peerless orchestration breathing new life into famous fairy tale characters. Joaquín Turina’s evocative Sinfonía sevillana dates from 1920 and won him the Gran Casino de San Sebastián prize. Its impressionistic three movements offer colourful views of Andalusia: a scene-setting panorama, the river Guadalquivir, and a joyous fiesta in San Juan de Aznalfarache. Ravel’s famous Boléro ensures a suitably spectacular ending. Starting out as a commission for ballerina Ida Rubinstein it became a concert hall classic whose appeal lies in it its daring simplicity: two hummable tunes weaving together over a relentless snare drum rhythm into a glorious musical procession.