‘Concierto de cámara’, the new Verso title in collaboration with the BBVA Foundation, is a memorable sonorous and visual recording for many reasons. Given the quality of the work of the man honoured, this can be said to be a very well selected programme meticulously performed by young musicians who have mastered and love the scores they play, all written during the years of creative maturity in the now extended career of the Madrid maestro.

Thanks to the very combination of sound and video recording of two crowning works from the chamber repertoire of the end of the twentieth century: ‘Endechas para una reina de España‘ (1994) and the astonishing ‘Cuarteto de cuerda nº 7‘ “Espacio de Silencio” (2007), the second-last in its category so far in Halffter’s catalogue, a monumental composition in seven intense movements inspired by the universal and enduring verses Jorge Manrique dedicated to his father, Recuerde el alma dormida…, and which in the version of the Leipzig Quartet, attains sublime heights. For all those reasons, and many more the listener will discover within, this new production is now an unquestioned reference in the discography dedicated to Cristóbal Halffter.

Performances by:
Cuarteto de Leipzig
Stefan Arzberger, violín I
Tilman Büning, violín II
Ivo Bauer, viola
Matthias Mossdorf, violonchelo
Cristina Pozas, viola
Miguel Jiménez, violonchelo
Marina Pardo, mezzosoprano

Contents:

CD Audio:
01-07. Cuarteto de cuerda n. º 7, “Espacio de silencio” (2007) (20:59)
[01]. I. Espacio de silencio
[02]. II. Deciso (06:36)
[03]. III. Espacio de silencio
[04]. IV. Molto rubato (07:09)
[05]. V. Espacio de silencio
[06]. VI. Lento – Deciso (06:52)
[07]. Espacio de silencio
08-10. Endechas para una reina de España (1994) (24:58)
[08]. I. Endecha I. El sueño de la razón (07:38)
[09]. II. Endecha II. Las tinieblas de la conciencia (06:56)
[10]. III. Endecha III. El vacío de la mente (10:20)
11-13. Canciones de al-Ándalus (1987-1988) (12:16)
[11]. I. Tant (04:19)
[12]. II. Tres morillas (04:31)
[13]. III. Gar ke fareyo (03:21)

DVD Video:
Endechas para una reina de España (1994)
Cuarteto de cuerda n. º 7, “Espacio de silencio” (2007)

Total time: 58:30