7 May 2011: The Mompou Chair at the Foundation for Iberian Music presents the one-day immersion seminar “Music in Barcelona during the War of Succession (1701-1714).  Professor Álvaro Torrente from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid will lead the seminar at the CUNY Graduate Center.

MUSIC IN BARCELONA DURING THE WAR OF SUCCESSION (1701-1714)

Álvaro Torrente

Professor of Music, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Saturday May 7, 2011

From 10am to 1pm

The Graduate Center

365 Fifth Ave & 34^th St

Room 3491

Breakfast and Coffee will be provided

The War of Succession (1701-1714) is considered a decisive point in the history of Catalonia for its many political and territorial consequences.  The music around the court of Archduke Charles allows a preferential analysis of the musical genres, forms, works, and composers of the 18^th century.  It was during these years that Barcelona presided over the first performances of Italian operas, and Italian musician Giuseppe Porsile was the head of the royal chapel of music for Archduke Charles of Barcelona.  Other important local composers were Francesc Valls with his Missa Scala Aretina, Pere Rabassa, and Antonio Martín y Coll, as well as many foreigners like Francesco Mancini and Antonio Caldara, author of the first Italian opera performed in Spain at the iconic Llotja de Mar of Barcelona.  Some of the most popular genres were the villancico, the zarzuela, and, of course, opera.  The seminar will include listening and analyzing works by these composers, a review of the latest literature, and a close examination of many unpublished documents and original scores.

Álvaro Torrente, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

He is a native of Madrid and a professor of Music History at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.  He studied music in both Madrid and Salamanca, and he earned his doctorate in musicology from the University of Cambridge.  His research covers the diverse aspects of Spanish music in the 17^th and 18^th centuries.  Among his many scholarly activities, Torrente is currently on the editorial board for the journal Acta Musicologica and directs the series Catálogo Descriptivo de Pliegos de Villancicos.

Readings and listening examples found at: eres.gc.cuny.edu (Instructor: piza, password: muspiza)

RSVP: emmy.williamson@gmail.com