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* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXwMv1b1094 ''Sonata No.10 in b-minor, performed by Ken Iisaka'']
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXwMv1b1094 ''Sonata No.10 in b-minor, performed by Ken Iisaka'']
* [http://www.chateaugris.com/Soler/audio-music.htm ''All sonatas (free scores)'']
* [http://www.chateaugris.com/Soler/audio-music.htm ''All sonatas (free scores)'']
*[http://www.arshispana.com Ars Hispana] A project to recover Spanish music from XVI to XIX century.


{{DEFAULTSORT:Soler, Antonio}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Soler, Antonio}}

Revision as of 19:06, 13 March 2009

Antonio Francisco Javier José Soler Ramos, usually known as Padre Antonio Soler, (December 3, 1729 (baptized) – December 20, 1783) was a Spanish composer whose works span the late Baroque and early Classical music eras. He is best known for his keyboard sonatas, an important contribution to the harpsichord, fortepiano and organ repertoire.

Early life

Soler was born in Olot in the Catalan province of Girona. In 1736, when he was six, he entered the choir school of the great Monastery of Montserrat where he studied with the resident maestro Benito Esteve and organist Benito Valls. In 1744 he was appointed organist at the Cathedral of La Seu d'Urgell and appointed as a subdeacon at the same time. Later in life, he held posts as chapel master in Lleida and El Escorial.

Ministerial lifestyle

Soler took Holy Orders at the age of 23 and his routine with the Hieronymite order near El Escorial, Madrid was a simple one for the next 31 years. His 20 hour days were filled with prayer, contemplation and farming - a simple and unadorned life. Yet, in these austere surroundings, Soler managed to produce more than 500 musical works. Amongst these were around 150 keyboard sonatas, many believed to have been written as sheet music for his pupil, the Infante Don Gabriel, a son of King Carlos III. Other pieces include Christmas villancicos[1] and Latin church music including masses. No portraits of Soler are known to exist.

Compositions

Padre Soler's most celebrated works are his keyboard sonatas, which are comparable to those composed by Domenico Scarlatti (with whom he may have studied). However, Soler's works are more varied in form than those of Scarlatti, with some pieces in three or four movements; Scarlatti's pieces are in one or two movements. Fortunately, Soler's sonatas were catalogued in the early twentieth century by Fr. Samuel Rubio and so all have 'R' numbers assigned.

Soler also composed concertos, quintets for organ and strings, motets[2], masses and pieces for solo organ. He also wrote a treatise, Llave de la modulación ("The Key to Modulation", 1762).

Soler's "Six Concertos for Two Organs" are still very much in the repertoire and have been often recorded. A fandango once attributed to Soler, and probably more often performed than any other work of his, is now thought by some to be of doubtful authorship.

Selected discography

  • Recordings of works by Soler & other composers
    • Favourite Spanish Encores. Played by pianist Alicia de Larrocha with R. Frühbeck de Burgos conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. London/Decca Legends 467687
    • Grandes Pianistas Españoles. Played by pianist Alicia De Larrocha. Rtve 65235
    • Piano Español. Played by pianist Jorge Federico Osorio. Cedille 075
    • The Emperor's Fanfare. played by Michael Murray on his organ blaster cd.

Media

Sonata No. 84 in D Major for Organ
Concerto for 2 Organs No. 1 in C Major
Problems playing these files? See media help.

Sources

  1. ^ edited as Siete villancicos de navidad Instituto de Musica Religiosa de la Excma. Diputacion Provincial, Cuenca [Spain]1979
  2. ^ edited by Ediciones Escurialenses, Editorial Patrimonio Nacional, 1983.
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