An Approach to the Performance of the Fandango and the Ballade in Grandados’ Goyescas

Enrique Granados’ Goyescas is an enormous piano work of marvel and beauty. Its writing employs the most decorative style, harmonically and lineally, resulting in one of the most intricate and masterfully designed piano works of the late Romantic era. Almost at all times layers of counterparts interweave around the main melodic thread, and with all the elaborations and details to manipulate, a performer is prone to lose sight of the mental mapping of the musical structure during performance. It is therefore crucial that he or she designs a special approach to reinforce a secure memorization of this complex piano music.

The most challenging movement in the set is no doubt the third piece, El Fandango de Candil, which is technically very demanding due to ts integration of dance and song elements. Furthermore, its thematic materials are based on repetitive melodic contours, while the accompanying dance counterparts, also repetitious, vary slightly with each elaboration. As the nature of a fiery Fandango can be expected, the piece works up to a turmoil, but the pianist must keep a clear head in order not to lost track of the complex structure during this frenzy. Similar problems are inherent in the penultimate movement of the set, El Amor y la Muerte: Ballade. the improvisatory Ballade, though not a fast piece, is even more problematic for keeping track of its meandering drifts in both the tonal and thematic structures.

Professor Hsin Hsing-Chwen (National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan) demonstrates a preferred learning process approaching these problematic movements. Emphasizing a multifold understanding of the composition materials, the phrase structure and harmonic tendencies, as well as the organisation of the sequence of events, she thereby cultivates a firm grasp of the stepping-stones and cornerstones that can help maintain focus during the performance. Through her presentation, Professor Hsin Hsing-Chwen shares her experience as a professional pianist engaged in complex memory building and also manifests her interpretation of the work.