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Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000)

Born in 1912 in Santa Fe province, Argentina, Carlos Guastavino is perhaps the greatest exponent of Argentine Romantic nationalism. His musical style, firmly rooted in the late nineteenth century Romantic tradition, has remained completely removed from the modern musical milieu of Argentina --his stylistic isolation will be readily evident by comparing Guastavino's works to those of Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983), almost his exact contemporary. In fact, Guastavino's isolation from the Modern and avant-garde movements of his country, and his success at creating an attractive national music using a Romantic language, made him a model to the 1960's generation of Argentine popular and folk music authors, who often applied Guastavino's innovations to their own music.

Guastavino studied music in Santa Fe with Esperanza Lothringer and Dominga Iaffei, and in Buenos Aires with Athos Palma. A talented pianist, he performed his piano works in London in 1947, 1948, and 1949, invited by the BBC, and as a recipient of a scholarship from the British Council. During these years, the BBC Symphony Orchestra premiered the orchestral version of his Tres Romances Argentinos, under the baton of Walter Goehs. Later, in 1956, Guastavino toured the USSR and China, performing his pieces for voice and piano.

Carlos Guastavino's style shows clear affinity to the style and ideas of the nineteenth century Argentine nationalistic composers Alberto Williams, Francisco Hargreaves, Eduardo García Mansilla and Julián Aguirre. The affinity with Aguirre's delicate and intimate manner is especially evident. Like Aguirre's, Guastavino's treatment of folk themes never feels forced, but is always natural. Thus, the popular spirit of the original folk melodies and rhythms always remains untouched and fresh, even at moments of complex rhythmic, harmonic or contrapuntal elaboration.

Guastavino has composed a large number of works for the voice and for the piano: more than a hundred and fifty songs for voice and piano, numerous piano solo pieces, choral works, school songs, and chamber music. He has set to music poems by Rafael Alberty, Leon Benaros, Hamlet Lima Quintana, Atahualpa Yupanqui, Pablo Neruda, Gabriela Mistral, and Jorge Luis Borges among others, including his own, and anonymous texts. His works for orchestra include Divertissement; fue una vez..., commissioned by Colonel de Basil for his original Ballet Russe, and premiered at the Teatro Colón, in Buenos Aires, in 1942; and Suite Argentina --"Gato," "Malambo," "Se equivocó la paloma," and "Zamba"--, which was performed in London, Paris, Barcelona, and Havana by the Ballet Español of Isabel Lopez. He has also written three Sonatas for guitar.

It is not uncommon to find transcriptions of Guastavino's pieces, made by the composer himself. These CDs include transcriptions of the songs Pueblito mi Pueblo, and El Sampedrino, and of the two-piano piece "Las Niñas." Other transcriptions of pieces originally written for piano solo are: Bailecito, transcribed for two pianos and for guitar; Gato, for two pianos and for orchestra --as part of the Suite Argentina*--; the Cantilenas Nos. 1 and 6 for violin and piano, and for cello and piano respectively; and the Cantilenas Nos. 1, 4, 8, 9, and 10, for guitar.

Carlos Guastavino has received important awards and recognitions throughout his life, such as the Municipal Prize from the city of Buenos Aires for his chamber songs, a prize from the Justice Ministry of Argentina, Prize of the Cultural Commission of Santa Fe province for his songs, "Vosotras" magazine Prize for his Canción de Navidad, and a Prize from the Organization of American States and the Inter-American Music Council as a recognition of his outstanding creative activity.

Compositions by Carlos Guastavino...

Chamber Music

BA 13049 Guastavino, Carlos Introducción y Allegro - Flute and Piano $14.00

BA 11115 Guastavino, Carlos La Rosa y El Sauce - Violoncello and Piano $4.00

BA 10307 Guastavino, Carlos Llanura - Violin and Piano $4.00

LE 230 Guastavino, Carlos Sonata (Clarinet/Piano) $12.00

LE 222 Guastavino, Carlos Sonata (Trombone or Horn/Piano) $12.00

LE 223 Guastavino, Carlos Tonada y Cueca (Clarinet/Piano) $7.00

Choral

BA 12372 Guastavino, Carlos Arroz con leche (SATB) $3.00

LE 912 Guastavino, Carlos La Tempranera(SATB) $4.00

BA 10837 Guastavino, Carlos Pueblito, mi pueblo (SATB) $2.00

BA 10742 Guastavino, Carlos Se equivoco la paloma (SATB) $2.00

Piano 4-Hands

LE 202 Guastavino, Carlos Romance del Plata $25.00

BA 11194 Guastavino, Carlos Romance de Santa Fe (Concerto w/ 2nd pno.) $12.00

BA 13589 Guastavino, Carlos Tres Romances Argentinos (2 pianos) $14.00

Piano Solos/Albums

BA 8701 Guastavino, Carlos Bailecito $4.00

BA 10880 Guastavino, Carlos Cantilena No.1 (...Santa Fe para llorar) $4.50

BA 11398 Guastavino, Carlos Cantilena No.2 $4.50

BA 11454 Guastavino, Carlos Cantilena No.3 $4.50

BA 11455 Guastavino, Carlos Cantilena No.4 $4.50

BA 11480 Guastavino, Carlos Cantilena No.5 $4.50

BA 11500 Guastavino, Carlos Cantilena No.6 $4.50

BA 11582 Guastavino, Carlos Cantilena No.7 $4.50

BA 11606 Guastavino, Carlos Cantilena No.8 $4.50

BA 11629 Guastavino, Carlos Cantilena No.9 $4.50

BA 11639 Guastavino, Carlos Cantilena No.10 $4.50

BA 8277 Guastavino, Carlos Gato $4.00

BA 10549 Guastavino, Carlos Estilo $4.00

LE 004 Guastavino, Carlos Cantos Populares (Album) $10.00

BA 11832 Guastavino, Carlos La presencias No.1 (Ludovina) $4.50

BA 11901 Guastavino, Carlos La presencias No.2 (Ortega) $4.50

BA 12126 Guastavino, Carlos La presencias No.3 (Federico Ignacio Cespedes) $4.50

BA 12172 Guastavino, Carlos La presencias No.4 (Mariana) $4.50

BA 12173 Guastavino, Carlos La presencias No.5 (Horacio Lavalle) $4.50

BA 12586 Guastavino, Carlos Mis Amigos (Album) $14.00

BA 9868 Guastavino, Carlos La Siesta (3 Preludes) 1. El Patio 2. El sauce 3. Gorriones $5.00

BA 10574 Guastavino, Carlos Pampeano $4.00

BA 10584 Guastavino, Carlos 10 Preludios sobre temas de canciones populares argentinas $12.00

BA 11521 Guastavino, Carlos Pueblito, mi pueblo (Cancion argentina) $4.00

BA 10881 Guastavino, Carlos Romance de Cuyo $5.00

BA 11077 Guastavino, Carlos Romances nuevos 1 (La nina del rio dulce) $5.00

BA 11101 Guastavino, Carlos Romances nuevos 2 (El chico que vino del sur) $4.00

BA 10914 Guastavino, Carlos Sonata 1. Allegretto 2. Scherzo molto vivace 3. Recitativo4. Fuga y Final $14.00

BA 10866 Guastavino, Carlos Suite Argentina (ballet) $7.50

BA 10301 Guastavino, Carlos Tres Sonatinas 1.Movimiento 2. Retama 3. Danza $11.00

 

Voice & Piano

LE 038 Guastavino, Carlos 12 Canciones Populares $12.00

LE 030 Guastavino, Carlos Cuatro Sonetos de Quevedo $10.00

LE 097 Guastavino, Carlos Edad del Asombro (Nueve Canciones) $12.00

I. Los asombros - El día; La noche; El sueño
II. Los seres - El árbol; Los pájaros; El amigo
III. La frontera - Era un día de lluvia; En el sueño de la calle; Detrás de la pared

LE 061 Guastavino, Carlos Flores Argentinas (Album) $15.00

1. Cortadera, plumerito... 2. El clavel del aire blanco
3. Campanilla, ¿Adonde vas? 4. El vinagrillo morado
5. ¡Que linda la madreselva! 6. Las flores del macachín
7. Las achiras coloradas 8. Jazmín del país: ¡Que lindo...!
9. Aromito, flor de tusca... 10. La flor de aguapé
11. Ay, aljaba, flor de chilco... 12. Ceibo, ceibo, zuiñandí

LE 9770 Guastavino, Carlos La Rosa y El Sauce $4.00

LE 049 Guastavino, Carlos Los Rios de la Mano $10.00

Plancha; Dedal; Acerico; Escuadra; Horquilla; Garlopín; Plomada; Tijera;
Destornillador; Carretilla de madera

LE 047 Guastavino, Carlos Milonga de dos Hermanos $4.50

LE 019 Guastavino, Carlos Siete Canciones (Album) $10.00

Jardín de amores; A volar!; Nana del niño malo; La novia; Geografía
fisíca; Al puente de la golondrina!; Elegía

LE 017 Guastavino, Carlos Pajaros (Album) $12.00

1. Benteveo 2. Torcacita 3. Hornero 4. Tacuarita
5. Alférez 6. Pirincho 7. Chingolo 8. Gorrión
9. Teru-teru 10. Leñatero

BA 8565 Guastavino, Carlos Pueblito, mi pueblo $4.00

BA 8278 Guastavino, Carlos Se equivocó la paloma $3.00