Manuel de Falla: Siete Canciones Populares Españolas (1914) Teresa Berganza & Narciso Yepes, guitar

Manuel de Falla (1876–1946)
Siete Canciones Populares Españolas (1914).
Transcription for Voice and Guitar by Miguel Llobet in 1930.
Revised by Emilio Pujol.

00:00 1. El paño moruno (The Moorish Cloth)
01:13 2. Seguidilla murciana
02:39 3. Asturiana
04:42 4. Jota
07:42 5. Nana
09:10 6. Canción
10:15 7. Polo

Mezzo-Soprano: Teresa Berganza
Guitar: Narciso Yepes
DG 1976

*************************

Siete canciones populares españolas ("Seven Spanish Folksongs") is a 1914 set of traditional Spanish songs arranged for soprano and piano by the composer Manuel de Falla. Besides being Falla's most-arranged composition and one of his most popular, it is one of the most frequently performed sets of Spanish-language art songs. The set was dedicated to Madame Ida Godebska.

The styles and provenance of the songs are strikingly diverse. They are from different parts of Spain: an asturiana is from Asturias, in the north; the seguidilla, a type of flamenco, from Murcia, in the southeast, "Jota" is from Aragón in the northeast. "Nana" is a lullaby, and "Polo" a wild desire for revenge on an unfaithful lover. All the texts deal with love and the courting process, whether playfully, seriously, or tragically. The first song, for example, clearly alludes to the importance of virginity to a girl's value on the marriage market. The lullaby deals with love's outcome.

***************

1. El paño moruno (« Le drap mauresque »)
Allegro vivace.

2. Seguidilla murciana (« Séguédille murcienne »)
Allegro spirituoso.

3. Asturiana (« Asturienne »)
Andante tranquillo.

4. Jota
Allegro vivo.

5. Nana (« Ma petite »)
Calmo e sustenuto.

6. Canción (« Chanson »)
Allegretto.

7. Polo
Vivo.