In these cold, dark
January days, the mind turns to warmer climes. I have always loved Malaga in
the south of Spain, with its imposing Moorish castle (La Alcazaba), the splendid
cathedral, the fine beaches and the delicious eating and drinking venues. And
that says nothing about the excellent shops, Picasso’s birth-place and the
newly redeveloped harbour area.
Frederic Curzon (1899-1973)
was fascinated by Spain –apart from this present piece he also wrote a Spanish Caprice: ‘Capricante’, a Serenade:
‘La Peineta’ and Bravada: A
Paso Doble. However, it is curious that
he never actually visited the country.
The first movement of In Malaga is entitled ‘Spanish Ladies’. This music is quite definitely
a tango. However the strong rhythms are offset by a slightly more relaxed feel
that may suggest the ‘siesta’ rather than the time of day when ‘mad dogs and
Englishmen’ venture out into the ‘mid-day sun.’ I was impressed by the light,
subtle scoring of this music. Much use is made of pizzicato and delicate
woodwind patterns. However, the movement ends with a bit of bang.
The second movement of the suite is called
‘Serenade for Eulalie’. ‘Eulalie’ was
a poem by Edgar Allan Poe which was first published in 1845 in the American
Review: A Whig Journal and tells of a man who overcomes his grief by
marrying the striking Eulalie. For enthusiasts of P.G. Wodehouse, the name ‘Eulalie’
will conjure images of Sir Roderick Spode’s one-time business venture as
"founder and proprietor of the emporium in Bond Street known as “Eulalie
Soeurs", a famed designer of ladies' lingerie. However, I do not think
that Curzon had either of these two ‘exemplars’ in mind when he composed this
Serenade. The composer’s step-son has
suggested that although the identity of this lady is a secret, he wonders if it
was inspired by the ‘delightful personality of
his [Fredercik’s] wife-to-be’. This is a
lovely elusive little tune. Opening with a gentle viola solo which then passes
to the flute and clarinet for the first theme. The composer then introduces a
romantic tune on strings which tends to dominate the proceedings. The mood if this music is nocturnal, with
nods to the Tango.
The final movement
is a vigorous Cachucha. Many readers
of this blog will know the near perfect example of this dance by Sir Arthur
Sullivan in The Gondoliers. However,
the original dance was from Andalusia in the south of Spain. It is usually in
3/4 or 3/8 time (Sullivan’s is in the latter) and was danced with castanet
accompaniment. Conversely,
there is some suggestion that the dance was originally from Cuba. Curzon’s take
is impressive with a strong melodic drive, some syncopation and a lot of
orchestral colour.
The Suite was dedicated
to the former organist at the Shepherd’s Bush Pavilion, Quentin Maclean. As an
aside, Maclean’s two Organ Concertos would seem to be worthy objects for
investigation. In Malaga was published Hawkes and Son in 1935,
although there appears to be no consensus as to when it was actually composed. Two years later, a piano reduction was issued
by the same publisher.
Finally
the liner notes of the Marco Polo CD relates a good anecdote about Frederick
Curzon and his Spanish Connection. “Donald
Curzon recalls that his stepfather's skill at evoking the appropriate national
atmosphere elicited a letter from Spain asking if the composer was of Spanish
birth or had, at the very least, lived and worked in the country. The enquirer
apparently was quite convinced that only a native Spaniard or someone with
considerable direct experience of Spain could possibly write such 'authentic'
sounding music!”
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