GAMAN Ensemble

Paris: meeting point

“Their country is not only the homeland of “seguidillas” and “malagueñas”, but also possesses composers of real merit such as Bretón, Albéniz, Manuel Giró and Bosch, for example. Many valuable works have been, during these two years, revealed to the Parisian public —serious or picturesque, symphonic or dramatic works— all with a particular flavour and undeniable originality”.

Le Monde Artiste, 25-5-1889.

Spain’s fruitful musical projection in France reached its peak in the Paris of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The large Spanish community in the French capital considered it to be one of the most favourable places for artistic personalities to flourish. The restless “city of light” had established itself as an international centre of creative experimentation in disciplines such as painting, literature and music. For two hundred years, the neighbouring country has been and continues to be a meeting and reference point for many of our best composers. “I consider France as my second homeland”, said Manuel de Falla to Paul Dukas in 1914.

The emerging quartet Gaman Ensemble shows in this album the evolution and cross-influences of that strong Spanish presence in the French capital over the last century. Its four members (Jesús Reneses -soprano saxophone-, Carlos Zaragoza -alto saxophone-, Daniel Sánchez-Manjavacas -tenor saxophone- and Luis María González -baritone saxophone-) have studied in Paris, allowing themselves to be nourished musically and intellectually by the cultural life of the city. So did the five composers who make up the disc: Joaquín Nin, Jesús Guridi, Enrique Granados, Eduard Toldrà and Félix Ibarrondo. Gaman Ensemble records for the first time their own versions for saxophone quartet of the pieces by Nin and Guridi, originals for piano or string quartet, as well as the arrangement of the dance by Granados and the work commissioned by themselves to Ibarrondo.