Valses Poéticos

Though the Catalan composer and pianist Enrique Granados (1867-1916) is often considered more conservative than Albéniz or Falla, his music made a significant contribution to the development of a national Spanish school. Granados’ musical language is rooted in mainstream European traditions, frequently blended with elements derived from traditional Spanish folk music, including brash guitarish idioms in imitation of the punteado and rasgueado styles of playing.

His “Valses poéticos”, dedicated to Joaquin Malats, are a suite of eight waltzes with a lively Introduction in duple meter and a reprise of the first dance at the conclusion of the final piece. We cannot be sure when Granados composed his “Poetic Waltzes”, but almost certainly they were of early vintage, in 1893-94. In any case, these waltzes have remained popular with performers from that day to this, especially among guitarist. This transcription, conceived for a chamber guitar ensemble (in formations ranging from duo to quartet), is an effective aid for the study of ensemble music from high school to a conservatory level.