"Nothing can keep me from visiting Russia."
Russians have a smile and hope. It was Russian composers who introduced the world to the music of Spain. And the use of acoustic guitar and flamenco in rap is no longer surprising to anyone. The famous Spanish guitarist Jose Maria Gallardo del Rey told Izvestia about it. On January 14, he will perform in Moscow - in the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall at the evening "Melodica of Spain". Together with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia under the baton of César Álvarez, he will perform Joaquín Rodrigo's "Aranjuez Concerto". In addition, the program of the event includes works by Joaquin Turina and Manuel de Falla.
"The world has learned about Spanish music thanks to the Russians"
- You plan to perform Rodrigo's "Aranjuez Concerto" in Moscow. What does this work mean to you? Why did you choose it in particular?
- It is probably one of the most important works in my entire repertoire. I received its sheet music at the age of six from my uncle, who gave it to me along with a small guitar. He didn't know if I would even play it, but probably intuition told him to give me both at the same time. The Aranjuez Concerto has been with me ever since. I've performed it all over the world. I think that thanks to Rodrigo's composition the art of playing the guitar itself changed, he divided the history of the instrument into "before and after" and opened the guitar to the audience of symphonic music.
- There is an opinion that Rodrigo wrote the second movement of the concerto (Adagio) under the impression of the bombing of the city of Guernica by Franco's troops in 1937. The same event, as we know, was reflected by Picasso in his famous painting.
- When Rodrigo composed this concerto, he was living in Paris and was not very involved in the events of the Spanish Civil War. The impetus for him was another event, a personal one: his pregnant wife had lost her child.
- For you, this music is not about general tragedy, but about deeply personal feelings and experiences?
- Exactly. Perhaps that's why it has such an impact on listeners, because they hear in it a personal story told by the author. But there is also a lot of happiness in "Aranjuez Concerto" - for example, in the first movement: it is based on Rodrigo's impressions of his honeymoon in the gardens of Aranjuez.
- We have a number of stereotypes associated with Spanish music. We think it must be passionate, emotional, incendiary... How far from the truth is that?
- Indeed, Spanish music is passion, fire, emotion, dancing, love... But at the same time there is a lot of tenderness in it, and it is not "black and white". Take the flamenco style, which is based on stories full of pain. It's a very ancient tradition that came from India through Egypt and north Africa to Andalusia. And it expressed the suffering, the sorrows of people who had to leave their native lands and go on a hard journey.
But as we continue to talk about stereotypes, let me tell you one important thing. The musical world learned about Spanish music thanks to Russian composers Glinka and Rimsky-Korsakov.
- You mean Glinka's overtures "Aragonese Jota" and "Night in Madrid" and Rimsky-Korsakov's "Spanish Capriccio"?
- Yes! Before them, no one in the rest of Europe knew what chota and flamenco were... They were the first to draw the attention of people outside our country to these genres. We in Spain appreciate it very much!
"Life for the Tsar" ("Ivan Susanin") - an opera by Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater
- Do I understand correctly that the works of Glinka and Rimsky-Korsakov are really important not only for Russia, but also for Spain?
- Of course! And for the whole world! Stravinsky once said: "Russian and Spanish music have something in common: rhythm." Indeed, Spaniards and Russians are united by musical elements growing from the same roots. And both our peoples make music with their hearts.
"I saw tanks marching down the street towards the Government House."
- You've been to Russia many times.
- Many times!
- What attracts you to our country?
- I grew up with the music of Rachmaninoff, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich. It's the same with literature. I read Tolstoy, my father advised me to read Pushkin. In our house, Russian literature, music, and theater were valued very highly. So when I had the chance to visit Russia for the first time, I did not miss it. And I saw people so in love with music!
Russian listeners are characterized by high culture and passion. They are also very fond of the guitar. I was so happy and grateful for the opportunity to share my creativity with your audience, which I have considered my audience ever since.
- Do you remember your first visit to Russia?
- It was 1993.
Armed clashes on the streets of Moscow. A column of tanks crossing the Novoarbatsky Bridge on October 5, 1993. In the background: the House of Soviets of Russia (since 1994 - the House of the Government of the Russian Federation) after a fire
- A difficult time.
- You bet! Sergei, I was staying at the Ukraina Hotel in Moscow and from there I saw tanks marching down the street towards the Government House! I couldn't fly away because the airports were closed and I had to go to the Spanish embassy to contact my mother, who was following the news and was very worried about me.... But I remember the feeling of connection with Russia, because I witnessed a historic moment for your country, standing at the top of the hotel and looking at the line of armored vehicles.
- It turns out that coming to the concert on January 14, you will visit Russia 32 years after your first visit. But not so long ago you were also here. To summarize, what, in your opinion, is the difference between the Russia of the 1990s and that of the 2020s?
- I can only say one word: "smile". Now I see Russian people smiling. Society has become completely different - more refined than before and full of hope.
Of course, the country itself has been transformed. Beautiful buildings, clean streets... Today's Moscow is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Lots of lights, great restaurants, cultural events, entertainment. At the same time, the level of theaters, orchestras, conductors has been preserved, it is still very high, because you have a great tradition, you have the Moscow Conservatory, a lot of outstanding artists.
I am always happy to have the opportunity to come to you. Even now, when it has become more difficult because of difficult circumstances. But nothing can keep me from visiting Russia.
- Don't you hear criticism in your homeland for performing in Russia?
- An artist always hears criticism. "You're playing wrong, you're performing in the wrong place..." But you know, I don't pay attention to it. I listen to my heart and my audience. For 32 years I've made a lot of friends in Russia. And I am open to art, friendship and love. And this is exactly what I find when I fly to Russia.
"Gergiev's art is magic."
- Throughout your career you have recorded and performed with many great artists. To name just a few: Teresa Bergansa, Plácido Domingo, Elina Garanča...
- I am very grateful to fate for the experience of collaborating with artists of such caliber. And what has always amazed me is that the bigger the artist, the easier it is to work with him. Teresa was so nice to me! Same with Placido and Elina. I record a lot with Elina in general, including our duets on her newest album When Night Falls....
- I read that you have even performed with Elton John.
- Yes, and this story is also connected with Russia in a certain sense. I met Elton at a concert for the 70th anniversary of Mstislav Rostropovich, in 1997. It was organized in Paris, at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, and brought together leading musicians from all over the world. The London Philharmonic Orchestra, Yehudi Menuhin, Yuri Temirkanov... I was among them.
After the performance Rostropovich kissed me on the cheek and gave me a hug. And at the end of the evening we had to perform Happy Birthday for him: then Elton John called me on stage, sat at the piano and I played guitar with him. That was one of the most vivid and memorable moments in my life!
- Are there any contemporary Russian artists you would like to work with?
- My main wish is to work with Valery Gergiev. He is one of my most adored conductors. His art is magic! And I would also like to perform with Anna Netrebko. I love her so much! I hope that one day I will be able to be on the same stage with them.
Conductor - Artistic Director of the Mariinsky Theater and General Director of the Bolshoi Theater, People's Artist of the Russian Federation Valery Gergiev
- We know that acoustic guitar can be heard not only on the academic stage. But what do you think about the prospects for its use in a trendy style like rap?
- The six-string guitar is a relatively young instrument and very flexible in terms of style. It's suitable for many different styles and genres. Pop songs, jazz, Brazilian, African, oriental music... You asked me about rap, so in Spanish rap, guitar and flamenco elements are very common! And I think classical guitarists should enjoy working in other directions. It's like with food: you can like Russian cuisine, but why not eat Italian, Spanish, Mexican dishes?
- So you can imagine, for example, your participation in a Kanye West or Drake record?
- Of course! I can imagine anything and I'm always happy to respond to offers from new artists. For example, I've had the experience of working with Spanish pop singers. I would compare the guitar to an amphibian, which is good both on land and in water.
- Can you share your plans? Are you planning to come to Russia after the January concert?
- I only found out about this concert about a month ago. So a lot of projects come out of the blue. But I can say that I definitely plan to come back to Kaluga, where there is a wonderful guitar festival, in which I have already participated twice. We plan to present my own work there - the Glinka Concerto. As I have already said, Glinka gave the world compositions on Spanish themes, and it seemed right to me to make a reciprocal gesture.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
