Jesus Guridi

[niina]

Hi Everyone. I am doing my Conservatoire auditions in a few weeks and I’m playing Nadermann’s Sonatina No. 6 and Jesus Guridi’s Viejo Zortzico. I am expected to stand and present the pieces, talking a little about them and why I chose them. I have looked everywhere I can on the net about the Guridi piece, but there’s little out there. I don’t even know when it was composed, why or for whom or it’s meaning (I think it means Ancient Dance). Does anyone have any info regarding these two pieces that I can add to what I have already. A little about the composers at the time these pieces were composed would help too.
Thank you

Niina

[Sherri Matthew]

Hi Niina,
Is this the Spanish composer and organist (1886 – 1961)? There is an entry on page 851 of vol. 7, 1995 ed. of Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians. It is primarily about the composer. I don’t see anything about Viejo Zortzico under Works, although it says selective list. I could send you some material on the composer if it’s helpful.

[patricia-jaeger]

Niina,
Is Marisa Robles still teaching there in London? I have her LP recording Harp Music of Spain on which she recorded seven of Guridi’s compositions including Viejo Zortzico (My favorite is Zorabitatua Naiz) and on the back of this 1966 vinyl recording, she wrote: ” Jesus Guridi was one of my very best friends. He was born in Vitoria in the Basque country and lived for many years in the north of Spain, but was for some time Principal of the Madrid Conservatoire. He was specially interested in the study of Basque music. The Zortzico is a very popular native Basque dance, and in this way one could perhaps describe it as the Basque equivalent of the Scottish reel though the actual form of the dance is quite different. Guridi also wrote 22 songs based on Basque folk melodies which he arranged also for orchestra and also for piano. The six I liked best he made into harp pieces for me and are presented on this disc.” If you could make contact with Marisa Robles I believe even more information might be available to you. Best wishes!

[niina]

Thanks very much Sherri and Patricia. That all helps. I will prepare something from what I have and what you have helped with. I am trying for Trinity Laban with Gabriella Dal’olio, Royal College of Music with Ieuan Jones and Royal Northern College of Music with Eira-Lynne Jones. I’ll let you know how it goes before Christmas.

[Alison]

Niina – if you come to the UKHA afternoon/evening in north London on 9th December you could meet Marisa Robles in person and ask her about the composer during the evening session. Suggest you listen to Gabriella’s recording on her own CD, it’s brilliant. Marisa’s recording is also republished on her World of the Harp recording, an LP reissued on CD, so you can compare interpretations. Hadn’t realised until now that she knew Guridi, that’s obvious I suppose. (ahem is Wiki forbidden… I think the entry is quite comprehensive)

[niina]

Thanks Alison, my auditions are during the previous week plus one on the 10th. I have found out that Marisa is one of the professors at the RCM !! Hope she wont be judging me! I looked on Wiki, and although there is plenty about Guridi, there is nothing about the piece I am playing. But it’s okay now. I have everything I need. Naughty Gabriella, she never told me she recorded the piece. I have her CD, but not the one with this recording.
Niina

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