The history of relations between Latin America and Spain has been controversial; however, the encounter between the two cultures gave birth to a new ethos based on intercultural exchange that has defined a distinctive view to interpret the life of a new civilization, christened Iberoamerica. The year 1492 marked the beginning of a new destiny for both, the indigenous peoples as well as the Europeans who had come to the recently “discovered” land. There has never been before a discovery of a new continent with so much controversy, which is historically a mistaken concept, and is rather the sudden gathering of two dissimilar cultures. Over time the Europeans, the Indigenous peoples and the Africans have enriched the recently new born culture with the fusion of beliefs, ideas, languages, and especially music. The mixture of musical elements from these cultures transformed the history of music, generating new sounds and rhythms by using instruments such as the guitar as a connecting point between composers and performers from both civilizations. This idea is the chief core purpose of our recording, as well as also is to present how certain Latin American and Spanish composers alike have approached and developed the Sonata form and genre.

Manuel Ponce is one of the most representative Mexican composers. During his second period in Europe, specifically in Paris, Ponce began an artistic and personal friendship with the Spanish guitarist Maestro Andrés Segovia, who strongly encouraged the Mexican composer to write pieces for this instrument. Furthermore, Ponce utilized Mexican folk music in his compositions, but at the same time he was able to incorporate the style of other musicians without losing his own character and originality. Schubert’s music was a source of inspiration for the Mexican composer. The Sonata Romántica, inspired by the Austrian composer Franz Schubert’s music, was one of the results of his collaboration with Segovia. Schubert, during musical encounters with his friends, known as “Schubertians”, used to play not only the piano, but also the guitar.

Joaquin Rodrigo is a Spanish composer who wrote the Sonata Giocosa for the Spanish guitarist Renata Tarragó. The Sonata Giocosa has a light spirited structure that reflects very clearly the use of Spanish melodies, and rhythmic elements, mixed with Rodrigo’s own personal harmonic style.

Leo Brouwer, is a very distinguished Cuban composer, and a man whose background is strongly related to the intermingled Latin American, African, and European cultures. His Sonata expresses very clearly this fusion. The audience can perceive throughout this opus the mixture of African percussive rhythms with harmonies, that come from the European heritage. He symbolizes with this work a composer who is able to touch the soul of Iberoamerican culture, to transmit, and express its deepest and true meaning.

Olmanda Hernández-Guerrero
Lecturer in Spanish Language and Hispanic Culture at Brandeis University.