A Must-have Piano music by Federico Mompou - recommended by NATALIE ARTEMAS-POLAK 'Haskell Small's contemplative approach admirably suits these pieces ...'

The four volumes which make up Federico Mompou's Música Callada were composed between 1959 and 1967, twenty-eight pieces in all, and were published by Salabert in 1959, 1962, 1966, and 1974. In the preface to the published score the composer states that it is difficult to translate the title accurately from the Spanish; the mystic poet San Juan de la Cruz wrote of 'Silent Music' and 'Sonorous Solitude' -- an attempt to express music that would be the very voice of silence -- and it was de la Cruz's poetry that was the inspiration.

The harmonic terrain is a fascinating mix; a collection of tonal, atonal and modal sonorities. These open intervals, combined with vaguely classical progressions, call Poulenc to mind.Even though there is an underlying structure that involves the development of key areas Mompou doesn't seem to be interested in developing themes throughout the suite -- an overall grand design...

FEDERICO MOMPOU

HASKELL SMALL

PIANO

20TH CENTURY

MSR CLASSICS

BARCELONA

SPAIN

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA