Institute of Music of the Catholic University of Chile dedicated a program to highlight the importance of Cuban composer Leo Brouwer

September 24, 2020

In many different ways, confirmation is obtained of the essential referential compass that Leo Brouwer's work represents in the repertoire of guitarists throughout the planet. The most recent confirmation came when the 56th season of online concerts at the Music Institute of the Catholic University of Chile dedicated a program to highlighting the importance of the Cuban composer's scores for duos of that instrument.

The maestros Luis Castro Donoso and Diego Castro Magas performed the concert last week, commented on and broadcast by the Beethoven FM radio station, The facets of Leo Brouwer in two guitars, with pieces written by the musician over 50 years.

Castro Donoso described the Triptych from his first period as "emblematic." They then tackled Sonata de los viajeros, "a precious work, absolutely beautiful," before finishing with the arrangements he made of five Beatles songs, in which his writing is very evident. They also included Per suonare a due, which reveals Leo's avant-garde imprint.

Meanwhile, the conservatory of Dourdan, a commune in the Île-de-France region, prepared a recital with works from the maestro's catalog for guitar.

In their presentation they highlighted: "Curious by temperament, passionate, he actively participated in the avant-garde movement while studying European classical repertoire. Neither Bartók, nor Stravinsky, nor Messiaen had written a great composition for guitar; Leo Brouwer wanted to fill this void. That is why he started from classical language toward Latin American popular culture and not the other way around.

Certain rhythmic figures of African origin constitute the contribution of Black slaves to Cuban musical language. It is this composer that the students and professors want you to discover."

Following the death last month of Julian Bream, one of the most prominent guitar interpreters of the twentieth century, international media brought to the forefront the Cuban's connection with the English musician. Leo dedicated three of his works to Bream, commissioned and premiered by him: Sonata no. 1, Sonata no. 5 Ars Combinatoria, and the extraordinary Concierto no. 3 Elegíaco, whose premiere was conducted by Brouwer himself at the helm of the RCA Chamber Orchestra.