Naxos continues to
show faith in the Catalan Leonardo Balada
and it’s amply rewarded here. Guernica
(1966), which was inspired by Picasso’s
famous 1937 painting, has been recorded
before – in the notable series of rarities
that the Louisville Orchestra released
over a number of years (long out of
print). It marked a compositional departure
point from his earlier neo-classicism
to a more avant-garde sense of engagement.
And it certainly evokes in fairly pitiless
form the terrifying brutality of the
aerial bombarding of Guernica – there
are the unmistakeable sounds of an aircraft’s
whine – the Stuka – and the vast military
percussion, foul spit of trumpet, and
the blitzing bombardment that was to
force the young Balada into the Barcelona
underground a few years later. The aftermath
is desolate, unconsoling. Picasso’s
painting is on the cover of the booklet.
Balada owed allegiance
to those, like Casals and Buñuel,
who had the courage to leave Spain.
He also paid tribute to a famous Spaniard
of an earlier generation, the redoubtable
Sarasate, in his 1975 Homage. He embodies
the Zapateado here but this is no cosy
salute - he conjures up some strikingly
intense sonorities, some very fractious
and divisive writing, some riven with
mordant humour, all of which are neatly
balanced by the same year’s tribute
to Casals. This is more densely layered
and introduces Casals’ famous tune Song
of the Birds warmly; the mood is
less pantomimic and also less confrontational
as befits the subject, though it’s not
without moments of combustion. Neither,
lest we forget, was Casals.
The eighteen-minute
Fourth Symphony (1992) is cast in a
single movement and was commissioned
by the orchestra in Lausanne. Appositely
then it includes little swaying folk
rhythms (6.20) and the sounds of hurdy
gurdy and high winds delicately above.
There’s a kind of minimalist rhythm
generated here alongside the interjectory
percussion and trumpet, slithery strings
and what sounds like abrasive storm
music. Balada includes march rhythms
as well and a fine, strong, conclusive
ending. Finally Zapata, derived from
his opera. Here a Viennese waltz becomes
subjected to assault, Revolutionary
songs are tossed around in a collage,
and Jarabe Tapatio makes an appearance
with hints of marching bands and Milhaud;
entertaining and colourful.
Balada writes some
biographically telling notes and there
are good ones on the course and curve
of his music. The two orchestras sound
very well rehearsed and play with spirit,
fire and colour; barbarity isn’t stinted.
Jonathan Woolf
see also review
by Paul Shoemaker
Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra/Salvador
Mas Conde 
