Francisco Coll - A Portrait

This Portrait captures nearly fifteen years of creativity (2009-2023) from a leading Spanish composer-conductor, taking in both chamber and ensemble works. The work from these intervening years pivots around an important stylistic shift, in 2016: Coll gave voice to flamenco traditions for the first time, drawing its gestures and mood into his musical language. His brittle, explosive style – already indebted to the surreal atmosphere and wild humour of Spanish modernism – was further enriched by Spanish folk influences. What this recording captures is the heady mix of influences – philosophical, literary, geographical, and painterly – that react together and infuse Coll's expressive language with its dynamic, unpredictable quality.