Goyescas

With "Goyescas" pianist Charlotte Hu presents an album that combines the eponymous cycle by Enrique Granados with two pieces from his "12 Danzas espanolas". Granados' "Goyescas" is considered a central work in Spanish piano literature. The composer was inspired by the paintings of Francisco de Goya and used them to create a six-part suite in which different characters and moods are set alongside one another. The spectrum ranges from the danceable gesture of "Los requiebros" to the lyrical development of "La maja y el ruisenor" and the dramatic climax of "El amor y la muerte". In her interpretation, Charlotte Hu places particular emphasis on the combination of virtuosity and narrative detail that characterizes Granados' musical language. In doing so, she highlights both the modern harmonic development of the work and the specifically Spanish expressive world. The programme is complemented by two dances from the "12 Danzas espanolas": the introspective no. 2 "Oriental" and the rhythmic no. 5 "Andaluza". Both pieces demonstrate in concentrated form Granados' handling of folkloric elements, melodic invention and characteristic tone colour.