Joaquín Turina - Orchestral Works Vol. 1 (Juanjo Mena)

Information

Composer: Joaquín Turina

• (01-03) Danzas fantásticas, Op. 22
• (04-08) Poema en forma de canciones, Op. 19
• (09) Saeta en forma de Salve a la Virgen de la Esperanza, Op. 60
• (10) Farruca from Triptico', Op. 45
• (11-16) Ritmos, Op. 43
• (17-19) Sinfonía sevillana, Op. 23

Clara Mouriz, mezzo-soprano (4-10)
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Juanjo Mena, conductor

Date: 2013
Label: Chandos
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%2010753

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Review

Mena’s Spanish series alights on Turina

The comparative versions listed below of the purely orchestral works show how popular Turina’s colourfully scored compositions have become. It was not always so and Bátiz and de Almeida blazed a trail on disc for what was once a rather unfashionable composer. While not the most profound composer, Turina was a splendid tone-poet of his country and his Sinfonía sevillana, while not a true symphony, is expertly put together. I have always preferred it to the Danzas fantásticas, which never strike me as overly fantastic. The choreographic fantasia Ritmos is of higher quality, whether in orchestral or piano guise.

The three vocal items here are novelties; Poema en forma de canciones and Saeta en forma de Salve a la Virgen de la Esperanza have both appeared on disc before but with piano accompaniment. They are sung with ravishing sweetness of tone by Clara Mouriz, who sounds born to sing them. The ‘Farruca’ from the Triptico rounds her contribution off brilliantly.

Mena’s accounts of the Danzas, Ritmos and Sinfonía stand up well against some strong competition. The orchestra’s playing and Chandos’s sumptuous sound place this new disc in the front rank, edging them ahead of Bátiz and de Almeida, and Leaper on ASV, although none is in any way inadequate. For price, Naxos’s remains a strong competitor although I feel bound to say the playing of the BBC Phil is rather more polished. You pays your money and you makes your choice.

-- Guy Rickards, Gramophone

More reviews:
MusicWeb Internaltional  RECORDING OF THE MONTH
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2013/May13/Turina_CHAN10753.htm
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2013/Sept13/Turina_orchestral_CHAN10753.htm
http://www.classicstoday.com/review/ok-turina-mena-bbc-phil
http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/Review/345055,turina-danzas-fanta-sticas-ritmos-songs-mouritz.aspx
http://www.allmusic.com/album/joaqu%C3%ADn-turina-danzas-fant%C3%A1sticas-mw0002474951
https://www.amazon.com/Turina-Danzas-Fantasticas-Joaquin/dp/B00AOALW94

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Joaquín Turina (9 December 1882 – 14 January 1949) was a Spanish composer of classical music. He lived in Paris from 1905 to 1914 where he took composition lessons from Vincent d'Indy at his Schola Cantorum de Paris and studied the piano under Moritz Moszkowski. Along with Manuel de Falla, he returned to Madrid in 1914, working as a composer, teacher and critic. Much of his compositions shows the influence of traditional Andalusian music. His music often conveys a feeling of rapture or exaltation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joaqu%C3%ADn_Turina

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Juanjo Mena (born 21 September 1965, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, Spain) is a Spanish conductor. Mena attended the Madrid Royal Conservatory, where his teachers included Carmelo Bernaola (composition and orchestration) and Enrique García Asensio (conducting). He also studied conducting with Sergiu Celibidache in Munich. Mena was artistic director and principal conductor of the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra (1999-2008) and the ninth chief conductor of the BBC Philharmonic since 2011. He was also principal guest conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra from 2007 to 2013,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juanjo_Mena

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