11/2: El día de los muertos & la fiesta de Halloween
The Spanish Hour presents music haunting and macabre for Halloween and el día de los muertos from Spain and South America. Though an American holiday, Halloween is now celebrated throughout Spain and Latin America, though it is no longer la noche de terror/ the night of terror. Perhaps no instrument can give you la piel de gallina/goosebumps as can the theramin; of course, we’ll feature that early electronic instrument. We’ll also hear some fun and scary music from Spain and South American, including the complete El Amor Brujo/Love, the Magician by Manuel de Falla.
11/9: Music from the Spanish Empire
Cuba and the Philippines both had rich musical traditions prior to the arrival of Spanish conquistadors. This week, we'll hear dances from these countries, as well as from Spain.
11/16: Mid-20th Century Spanish Composers
This week, some lesser-known works by well-known composers from Valencia, Madrid and the Basque Countries: Joaquín Rodrigo's Tres Evocaciones for piano, Federico Moreno Torroba's Castillos de España for guitar, and Introducción, Andante y Danza by Julián Menéndez.
11/23: Medieval Spanish Polyphony with Anonymous 4
Dating from the turn of the 14th century, rediscovered at the turn of the 20th, the Codex Las Huelgas is an important piece of musical and cultural history, essential for understanding mediaeval Spanish polyphony. Named for the Convent Las Huelgas, a true refuge for women following the Cistercian order, the Codex contains 186 liturgical works. On tonight’s program, the female a capella vocal quartet Anonymous 4 presents selections from the Codex.
11/30: Los Hermamos Halffter
Two brothers, two composers, two countries. Works by composers and siblings Ernesto and Rodolfo Halffter, part of Spain's Generación de '27 (Generation of 1927.) Though both were born in Spain, one of the brothers is known as a Spanish composer, while the other identified as a Mexican composer. We know you’ll enjoy the music of both Halffter brothers.