ANNA COSTAL I FORNELLS
1. Pep Ventura, “Sardana del Barbero de Sevilla”
From: Sardaxou 6. Cobla Contemporània. Picap D.L. B-24525-2011, 2011, compact disc.
Cobla Contemporània: Maria Mercè Navarro, flabiol and tamborí; Jeroni Velasco, tible; Josep Maria Velasco, tible; Joan Benavices, tenora; Agustí Serratacó, tenora; Jordi Muñoz, trumpet; Quim Font, trumpet; Martí Villegas, flugelhorn; Eduard Coll, flugelhorn; Gabriel Granados, double bass; Dani Gasulla, conductor.
Pep Ventura (1812-1875) was the solo clarinetist of the Municipal Theater of Figueres, the leader of his own orchestra, and a star of the tenora. His sardanas with opera themes were very popular, as the waltzes or polkas with opera themes of other European composers. “Sardana del Barbero de Sevilla” is an adaptation of the Berta’s aria “Il vecchiotto cerca moglie” from Rossini’s opera Il barbiere di Siviglia (1816, act I).
2. Pep Ventura, “Sardana Fra Diavolo”
From: Pep Ventura abans del mite. Balls de moda, cants i revolucions. DL: GI-962-2009, 2009, compact disc.
Orquestra Nova Pep: Xavier Torrent, flabiol and tamborí; Oriol Oller, tible; Salvador Parés, tible; Jordi Molina, tenora; Àlex Vila, tenora; Carles Herruz, trumpet; Timi Rodríguez, trumpet; Pep Moliner, flugelhorn; Eduard Prats, flugelhorn; Joan Bosacoma, double bass; Miquel Llorens, snare drum; Jaume Ayats, conductor.
Another sardana with opera themes by Pep Ventura: “Sardana Fra Diavolo” is an adaptation of a militar march from Daniel Auber’s opéra comique Fra Diavolo (1830).
3. Pep Ventura, “Sardana de la Sonanbula”
From: Pep Ventura abans del mite. Balls de moda, cants i revolucions. DL: GI-962-2009, 2009, compact disc.
Orquestra Nova Pep: Xavier Torrent, flabiol and tamborí; Oriol Oller, tible; Salvador Parés, tible; Jordi Molina: tenora; Àlex Vila, tenora; Carles Herruz, trumpet; Timi Rodríguez, trumpet; Pep Moliner, trombone; Eduard Prats, trombone; Joan Bosacoma, double bass; Jaume Ayats, conductor.
Another sardana with opera themes by Pep Ventura: “Sardana de la sonanbula” is an adaptation of “Oh ciel! che tento”, Amalia and Rodolfo duet from Vincenzo Bellini’s opera La sonnambula (1831).
4. Pep Ventura, “Sardana Cants del dia”
From: Pep Ventura abans del mite. Balls de moda, cants i revolucions. DL: GI-962-2009, 2009, compact disc.
Orquestra Nova Pep: Xavier Torrent, flabiol and tamborí; Oriol Oller, tible; Salvador Parés, tible; Jordi Molina: tenora; Àlex Vila, tenora; Carles Herruz, trumpet; Timi Rodríguez, trumpet; Pep Moliner, trombone; Eduard Prats, trombone; Joan Bosacoma, double bass; Jaume Ayats, conductor.
In nineteenth century it was quite common that public disturbances took place during the dancing of sardanas, ending on some occasions in knife fights. This can be explained because there were sardanas with a very high degree of political implication, such as “Cants del dia” by Pep Ventura, which includes the music from the national anthem of the First Republic, the “Himno de Riego”.
5. Sebastián Iradier, “La paloma”
From: The voice of an angel. Popular Songs and Zarzuelas Arias. EMI Classics 50999 2 17308 2 5, 1948, 33⅓ rpm (remaster).
Victoria de los Ángeles, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Sinfonia of London
“La paloma” (The Dove) is probably the best known and most covered habanera of all time. It was composed by the Basque Sebastián de Iradier (1809-1865) during or after a trip to the Antilles, and it spread very quickly and successfully thanks to its twofold publication, in Madrid in 1859 and Paris in 1864.
6. Manuel Saumell, “La Caridad”
from: Todo Cervantes, Todo Saumell. Egrem 1034-2 , 2001, compact disc.
Pianist: Frank Fernández
Manuel Saumell (1818-1870), cuban composer descendent of a Catalan family, established himself as an outstanding composer of more refined contradanzas for piano, which were more suitable for the ballroom that the contradanzas for orchestra.