Columbus: Images for Orchestra

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Columbus: Images for Orchestra
by Leonardo Balada
Native nameColón: Imágenes para orquesta
FormSuite
Composed1991
PerformedJanuary 22, 1992 - Madrid
Movements4
ScoringOrchestra

Columbus: Images for Orchestra (Spanish: Colón: Imágenes para orquesta) is a composition by Spanish composer Leonardo Balada. It was finished in 1991 and uses material from Balada's opera Christopher Columbus.

Composition

Often categorized as a suite, Balada's Columbus is, according to the composer himself, a "free synthesis of four scenes from the opera Christopher Columbus", which was completed in 1989 and was premiered at the

Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona in the year 1989, José Carreras and Montserrat Caballé having the most prominent roles. Some years later, in 1991, Balada decided to write an abridged version of some scenes in the opera, that means, using the original material freely for concert performance. The abridged version was also premiered on January 22, 1992 in Madrid by the RTVE Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sergiu Comissiona and was subsequently recorded by Albany Records. The American premiere was given by the Hartford Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Michael Lankester.[1]

Structure

This work is divided into four movements corresponding with four different arias in the opera and has a total duration of 22 minutes. The movement titles are extracted either from the incipit of the numbers or from the titles themselves from the original opera. The movement list is as follows:

  1. En el puerto de Palos (The Port of Palos)
  2. ¡Almirante! ¡Almirante! (Admiral! Admiral!)
  3. ¿En dónde está la voluntad de Dios? (Where is the Will of God?)
  4. Amanecer en las Indias (Dawn in the Indies)

The port of

percussion section, a harp, a harpsichord and a large string section.[2]

Recordings

The following is a list of notable recordings of this piece in chronological order:

References

  1. ^ "BALADA, L.: Sinfonia en negro / Double Concerto / Columbus (Abbühl, Lluna, Málaga Philharmonic, Colomer)". www.naxos.com. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  2. ^ "Leonardo Balada - Composiciones para Orquesta". www.andrew.cmu.edu. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Albany Records: Revolution & Discovery". www.albanyrecords.com. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  4. ^ "BALADA, L.: Sinfonia en negro / Double Concerto / Columbus (Abbühl, Lluna, Málaga Philharmonic, Colomer)". Retrieved 6 February 2018.
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