Ricardo Viñes
Ricardo Viñes (5 February 1875 – 29 April 1943) was a Spanish pianist. He first publicly performed many important works by Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Erik Satie, Manuel de Falla, Déodat de Séverac and Isaac Albéniz. He was also the piano teacher of composer Francis Poulenc and pianist Léo-Pol Morin.
He was born in Lleida, Catalonia. He studied piano at the Paris Conservatoire under Charles-Wilfrid de Bériot, and composition and harmony with Benjamin Godard and Albert Lavignac. He was influential with Ravel supplying him many readings and was a member of the group known as Les Apaches.
Viñes premiered works including Ravel's Menuet antique (1898), Jeux d'eau (1902), Pavane pour une infante défunte (1902), Miroirs (1906), and Gaspard de la nuit (1909). Menuet antique and the second movement of Miroirs, "Oiseaux tristes" (Sad birds), were dedicated to Viñes. Ravel felt it was fun to dedicate such an unpianistic work to a pianist. Viñes was effeminate, and both he and Ravel were eternal bachelors. These facts have led many to suspect that there was more to their friendship, although Viñes's ten-year diary of their times together makes no confirmation of this.
Viñes became known for presenting new music, especially of French and Spanish origin, although he had debuted Russian works as well. As a composer, the best known of his works are the Two Hommages, for Séverac and Satie. He also published writing about Spanish music in Spanish and French publications. Viñes died in Barcelona in 1943.
In his honor, an International piano competition "Ricard Viñes" is held each year in his birthtown Lleida. The city council also named one of the city's most popular squares after him, the "Plaça Ricard Vinyes". The main room of the Llotja de Lleida theater-convenction center (opened in 2010) is also named after him.
[edit] Discography of Viñes
Viñes reportedly had an intense dislike for the recording process, but nonetheless left 25 recordings dating from the 1930s[1]. All of the recordings listed below were released by Marston Records in 2007 as "Ricardo Viñes: The Complete Recordings". Other releases are listed below the individual compositions.
- Isaac Albéniz
- Granada (Serenata), Op.47 No.1 (rec. 1930)
- Torre bermeja, Op.92 No.12 (rec. 1930)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Orientale, Op.232 No.2 (rec. 1930)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Seguidillas, Op.232 No.5 (rec. 1930)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Serenata española, Op.181 (rec. 22 July 1936)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Tango in A minor, Op.164 No.2 (rec. 22 July 1936)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Pedro Humberto Allende
- Dos Tonadas Chilenas (rec. 22 July 1936)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Dos Tonadas Chilenas (rec. 22 July 1936)
- Manuel Blancafort
- L'Orgue du Carroussel (from Le Parc d'Attractions) (rec. 1930)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Polka de l'Equilibriste (from Le Parc d'Attractions) (rec. 1930)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- L'Orgue du Carroussel (from Le Parc d'Attractions) (rec. 1930)
- Alexander Borodin
- Scherzo in Ab (rec. 1930)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Scherzo in Ab (rec. 1930)
- Claude Debussy
- Soirée dans Grenade (Estampes No.2) (rec. 1930)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Poissons d'or (Images, Set 2 No.3) (rec. 1930)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Naxos, "A-Z of Pianists - by Jonathan Summers", 4CD set, 2007
- Ysaÿe Records, "Claude Debussy - Images Pour Piano", 2008
- Hommage à Rameau (Images, Set 1 No.2) (incomplete; rec. 1938)[2]
- Arbiter Records, "Masters of the French piano tradition", 2007
- Etude No.10, "Pour les sonorités opposées" (incomplete; rec. 1938)[3]
- Arbiter Records, "Masters of the French piano tradition", 2007
- Viñes speaks on Debussy (radio address in French commemorating the 20th anniversary of Debussy's death, 1938)[4]
- Soirée dans Grenade (Estampes No.2) (rec. 1930)
- Manuel de Falla
- Dance of Terror (rec. 1930)
- Récit du Pêcheur (rec. 1930)
- Introduction and Ritual Fire Dance (rec. 1930)
- Carlos López-Buchardo
- Bailecito (rec. 22 July 1936)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Bailecito (rec. 22 July 1936)
- Domenico Scarlatti
- Sonata in D, K.29 (L.461) (rec. 1930)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Sonata in D, K.29 (L.461) (rec. 1930)
- Cayetano Troiani
- Milonga (rec. 22 July 1936)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Milonga (rec. 22 July 1936)
- Joaquín Turina
- Miramar (from Chants d'Espagne) (rec. 1930)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Dans les Jardins de Murcia (rec. 1930)
- Opal (Pearl), "Ricardo Viñes and Francis Planté", 1994
- Miramar (from Chants d'Espagne) (rec. 1930)
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes
- ^ http://www.marstonrecords.com/vines/vines_liner.htm Accessed 17-06-2010.
- ^ The Marston release says that the recording date of this is unknown, while the Arbiter release indicates that it was recorded in 1938.
- ^ The Marston release says that the recording date of this is unknown, while the Arbiter release indicates that it was recorded in 1938.
- ^ English translation at http://www.marstonrecords.com/vines/vines_translation.htm Accessed 17-06-2010.
