Pedro Vilarroig Explained

Pedro Vilarroig
Birth Date:1954 11, mf=yes
Birth Place:Madrid, Spain
Genre:Classical
Occupation:Composer, Engineer
Background:non_performing_personnel

Pedro Vilarroig (born November 8, 1954) is a professor of physics and cosmology at the Universidad Politécnica of Madrid and a former Spanish composer. He is a proponent of neotonalism, having founded and led the Asociación Española de Compositores Neotonales (Spanish Association of Neotonal Composers).

Biography

Vilarroig was born in Madrid in 1954. His mother was a violinist and his father a painter. As a child, he often used to paint while listening to music. By this means, he heard a great deal of music by the great masters of classicism, who noticeably influenced him. While going for long walks, he would often hear new music in his head.[1] Vilarroig graduated with a doctorate in Mining Engineer, and entered the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música of Madrid in 1973 when he was 19 years old (most of the Conservatory's students enter as young children).

When Vilarroig had finished his studies, he joined the Laboratorio de Interpretación Musical (Music Performance Lab) LIM for two years acting as a collaborator, performer and composer in electroacoustics.

Founder of the Asociación Musical Verda Stelo, he conducted a choir and a chamber orchestra for seven years.[2] He read choral studies with the Czech professor Petr Fiala, participated in a composition workshop conducted by Carmelo Bernaola, conducted choirs in courses organized by the Federación Coral of Madrid, and wrote incidental music for courses led by Eduardo Armenteros and José Miguel Martínez at the SGAE in Madrid.

He has composed chamber and symphonic music, soundtracks for shorts, and has had other commissions for soundtracks, among them an audiovisual for the Spanish Foreign Office and two for the Natural Sciences National Museum of Madrid. Though he has composed numerous works for electroacoustics, his style is neotonal with many influences, including Mahler, Prokofiev, Shostakovich and Sibelius.[3]

He is founder and president of the Asociación Española de Compositores Neotonales[3] and he was the president of the Federación Coral de Madrid from 1999 to 2008. He has also taught Physics and Cosmology at the Universidad Politécnica of Madrid since 1980.

Composers' early works often consist of chamber pieces whereas orchestral works are composed later. This is the case of Vilarroig who made some pieces for piano as well as duos, but he soon started his symphonic works, managing to compose seven symphonies and a concerto for piano and orchestra between 1975 and 1990. Nevertheless, the premiere of his second symphony did not take place until 2009 when it was performed by the Heredia Symphony Orchestra (Costa Rica) conducted by Eddie Mora. The critic Andres Saenz commented that the work "was finished when the composer was 22 years old. The symphony is composed of four movements and deploys a fully tonal harmonic language with some influences from composers as Mahler, Sibelius and Shostakovich, but mainly he has a look at the late post-Romantic period (end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th). In this decade (1970), when both the academy and the avant garde loathed the tonality, the young Vilarroig gathered up his courage giving the cold shoulder to atonality, represented by serialism and dodecaphonism. That way, the musical flow unfolds a view supported by a wide thematic body-language in a heroic and passionate spirit that states an underlying metaphor of fight and overcoming with an optimistic end.".[4] Recordings of his third and eight symphonies took place in Moscow (2008) performed by the State Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra of Russia (conducted by Victor Ivanov),[5] and his Concerto for piano and Orchestra in Prague was recorded by the pianist Luis Fernando Perez in 2006[6] [7] and premiered in Madrid in November 2008.[8] Later works, such as his Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra, were performed in the first decade of the 21st century (Rivas, performed by Joaquín Franco).

He quit writing music in 2018 and he does not have any relationships with the music world at the present time.

Style

Pedro Vilarroig has a style that merges several tendencies. He does not repudiate tonality, atonality, modality nor fusions with other modern music such as jazz, new age, film music and electroacoustics. It is difficult to label him as neo-romantic or neo-classical since his works can differ radically from each other. One commentator described his musical style as one of "genre mixing",[9] while reviewer Andrés Ruiz Tarazona notes that his musical style follows an "eclectical concept", with "variegated aesthetics, almost always inside the tonal area".[10] There are people who express the view that this can lead to an impersonal method of composition, but it is necessary to listen to a substantial number of works to appreciate that there is a real personality beyond this mixture. A good example for comparison could be Steven Spielberg, who directs movies in different genres such as science fiction (ET, Jurassic Park), history (Schindler's List) and drama (The Color Purple). In all these films a strong Spielberg's personality can be appreciated.

Vilarroig is very interested in his own spiritual development and his search for answers is displayed in such works as his symphony nº 3. This symphony has a dark tone that contrasts with the subsequent ones. In some sense his music is a narrative of his own life. Most of the people that listen to his music agree with the idea that it sounds descriptive and near to film music.

He has also made an audiovisual presentation called "Cosmological suite". About it, we can say that, basically conceived from the musical point of view, Vilarroig's audio-visual showed dramatic pictures about some aspects of the Universe for 49 minutes.[11]

Records

Appraisal, press releases and radio

Courses and lectures

Books

Commissioned and compulsory Works

Concerts and premieres

1983

First premiere with the LIM for the work Ondas 1 (Waves I), for audio tape and three synthesizers.

1991

He participated in the theatre and music show «Hydros», that took place in Segovia, with several snippets of his composition for electroacoustics 1980S26 The Saturn’s New Satellite.

1992

Zodiac Suite performed by the pianist Javier R. Van-Baumbergen in 1992 at the Mining School of Madrid.

1994

1995

Esferas (Spheres), for string quartet and electroacoustics, at the Auditorio del Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.

2000

A piano and saxophone sonata was performed by Joaquín Franco and Blanca Calvo, both of them teachers at the Conservatory of Madrid. From this event, and ordered by the saxophone professor, Joaquín Franco, he composed a concerto for saxophone and orchestra.

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

List of works

WorkInstruments
Opera prima (Op. 1) Piano
Three sonatas[41] Piano
Sonata for two pianos Piano
Bells of the night Piano
Zodiac Suite[42] Piano
The black cliff Piano
Studio in E Piano
Sonata for violín and piano Piano and violin
Sonatina for violín and piano Piano and violin
Sonata for piano and alto saxophone Piano and saxophone
Work for piano and cello Piano and violoncello
String quartet Chamber
Saxophone Quartet Chamber
Wind Quintet Chamber
Two fantasies Organ
Landscapes Guitar
Landscapes Guitar and flute version
Variations for harp and string quartet from a theme by Alonso de Mudarra Harp and string quartet
Symphony chamber poem Panegiricum cupro[43] Brass, saxophones and percussion
12 choral works:
  • Ave María
  • Wo leia sawola ni
  • Campos de Castilla
  • Looking for the paradise (spiritual)
  • Jesus redemptor
  • Kaj la neĝo kovris la valoj
  • Esu
  • Salmo 103
  • Camino de Belén va una estrella (Christmas carol)
  • Si me hallaras vacío
  • The night of the olive tree (4 similar voices)
  • The Andromeda nebula
Choir a capella
Children's choir
  • The Garden
  • Bells of Madrid
Missa brevis:
  • Kyrie
  • Gloria
  • Sanctus
  • Benedictus
  • Agnus Dei
Choir a capella
Lieder
  • Lied for soprano and piano
Vocal
Two songs:
  • Azulejos de colores (Mezzo-soprano and piano)
  • Canto del no morir: Aria for Bajo and piano
Vocal
El nia nio inta Tenor and guitar/piano
Lux Æterna Choir and brass ensemble
Sonata for strings String orchestra
Dream Classical orchestra
Symphony nº 1 Symphony orchestra
Symphony nº 2[44] Symphony orchestra
Symphony nº 3 "Philosophical"[45] Symphony orchestra
Symphony nº 4 "Cosmos"[46] Symphony orchestra and choir
Symphony nº 5 "Rebirth"[47] Symphony orchestra
Symphony nº 7 "Storm"[48] Symphony orchestra and choir
Symphony nº 8[49] Symphony orchestra
Symphony nº 9 "Genesis"[50] Symphony orchestra choir and soloists
Concerto for piano and orchestra[51] Symphony orchestra and soloist
Concerto for saxophone and orchestra Symphony orchestra and soloist
Concerto for violín and orchestra[52] Symphony orchestra and soloist
Suite "Ages of Music" [53] Symphony orchestra
Symphony-Poem “The Odyssey”[54] Symphony orchestra, choir and a soloist
Symphony-Poem “Mercury” Symphony orchestra
Dies irae Symphony orchestra
In paradisum Symphony orchestra and choir
La profil´de viaj spuroj Cantata Choir, soloists and orchestra
Earth for everybody (Child Opera) Symphony orchestra, soloists and Children's Choir
Two motetes for choir and orchestra:
  • O Magnum Mysterium
  • Hodie Christus Natus Est
Choir and orchestra
Work for audio tape and three synthesizers Electroacoustics
Esferas (Spheres) String quartet and audio tape
Symphony nº 6 Electroacoustics
Two suites for electroacoustics:
  • 1980S26, The Saturn's New Satellite
  • Cosmological Suite
Electroacoustics
Concerto for sound card Electroacoustics
Several pieces for electronics Electroacoustics
Variations for six child songs Electroacoustics
Red planet Electroacoustics

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.copemadrid2.com/Cope_Madrid_2_Programa_La_Hora_de_Marta_de_Pablo.phtml La hora de Marta de Pablo, cadena COPE, August, 9th program from 12:00 to 13:00
  2. http://verdastelo.blogspot.com/ Verda Stelo choir web site
  3. Scherzo review, April 2008, page 99.
  4. http://www.nacion.com/viva/2009/agosto/17/viva2060536.html Andrés Saenz, daily "La Nacion", Costa Rica, August 17, 2009
  5. http://www.verso.es/detallesdisco.php?ref=VRS%202074&lang=en Verso, Pedro Vilarroig Symphony nº 3
  6. http://www.luisfernandoperez.com/discografia_pedro.html Luis Fernando Perez, pianist
  7. Web site: Verso, Pedro Vilarroig Concerto for Piano and Orchestra . July 15, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091213094850/http://verso.es/detallesdisco.php?ref=VRS%202049&lang=en . December 13, 2009 . dead .
  8. http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20090726/orquesta-sinfonica-neotonarte/551086.shtml RTVE Concerto for piano and orchestra
  9. Daily Jaén. June, the 16th, 2009, article by Diana Sánchez.
  10. http://www.diverdi.com/tienda/detalle.aspx?id=35367 Andrés Ruiz Tarazona. Diverdi
  11. Newspaper: "Heraldo de Soria", September 22, 2005
  12. Web site: Verso web site . July 15, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091213094850/http://verso.es/detallesdisco.php?ref=VRS%202049&lang=en . December 13, 2009 . dead .
  13. University Radio, Costa Rica. Program Resonances. “Program devoted to the composer Pedro Vilarroig.” Wednesday, November 14, 18:30
  14. Quarterly review of the NGO “Aldeas infantiles”. December 2001. Page: 26, Article: “Conciert by the Federación Coral of Madrid.”
  15. Diario de Valladolid. Friday, November 14, 2005, page 34. Article: “The pianist Javier Tausz offers a performance in Valladolid.”
  16. Majadahonda-Las Rozas’ gazette. May 25, 2001. Page 6: Article: Los tres coros participantes protagonizarán un estreno mundial.
  17. Tribuna review, July 19, 1993. Page 69. Article by Humberto Eco: “The Esperanto language can become the “Hong Kong” of languages.”
  18. Wake up & dream (New York). Sept 20 – Oct 31. Page 12: Section: music.
  19. Soria Herald, Thursday, September 22, 2005. Page 5: Article: “Vilarroig offers his Cosmological Suite at the 5th Iberical Congress of Geochemistry.” (with photo).
  20. El País. Thursday, November 8, 2007. Page 24. Article: “The sounds of copper”. (Comments about the work Panegiricum Cupro).
  21. ABC. Thursday, November 8, 2007. Page 65. Section: Concerts. “Panegiricum Cupro”.
  22. The opinion (Toro). Monday, July 9, 2007. Page. 14. Article: “The art of carrying the baton.”
  23. Scherzo review. April 2008, nº 229. Page 99. Article, Introduction of new CDs section.
  24. Interview in Radio Universidad Clásica (Costa Rica) with the full broadcasting of his String Quartet nº 1 and his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (November 2007).
  25. Interview in the “Voice of Russia” broadcast. July 2008.
  26. Interview: Radio Clásica, program Lo que hay que oír (What must be heard). (November 21, 2008)
  27. http://blogs.rtve.es/loquehayqueoir/2008/11/21/pedro-vilarroig-vuelve-tonalidad Tonality comes back
  28. Interview in Cadena Ser, Guadalajara. December 17
  29. Interview in the program “Hola Madrid” (Hello Madrid) in the COPE, March 8, 2009.
  30. Participation in “Tertulia de Radio Clásica”, (Classical Radio Party), May 16 and 23, 2009.
  31. Participation in masespectaculo.com http://www.masespectaculo.com, an Internet broadcasting station, March 30, 2009.
  32. Interview in Cadena Ser, Jaén. Juny, 16, 2009.
  33. http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/libro?codigo=162041 Fourier theory
  34. http://www.cororivas.com/II%20Certamen%202007/II%20Certamen/CV%20Jurado%20Pedro%20Vilarroig.htm ’’Rivas en Canto’’ competition
  35. http://www.gentedigital.es/portada/noticia/4934/iii-edicion-del-certamen-rivas-en-canto/ ’’Rivas en Canto’’ competition
  36. http://www.urjc.es/z_files/aj_comu/aj08/coro/pdfs/programa_18122008.pdf 1
  37. http://www.urjc.es/z_files/aj_comu/aj08/coro/coro_repertorio.html 2
  38. http://www.deweekkrant.nl/agenda/2008/oktober/31/spaanse_requiemmuziek_in_pieterskerk/ Spaanse Requiemmuziek in Pieterskerk
  39. http://nuevayork.cervantes.es/FichasCultura/Ficha38284_27_2.htm Concert at Cervantes Institute, New York
  40. Web site: Prem Rawat Foundation . July 15, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091211194644/http://lapazesposible.es/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=766 . December 11, 2009 . dead .
  41. http://www.los40.com/musica/artista/pedro-vilarroig/sonatas-piano-n-pianos/19990701l40l40mus_52.Bes Three piano sonatas
  42. http://www.los40.com/musica/artista/pedro-vilarroig/suite-signos-zodiaco/19990104l40l40mus_52.Bes Zodiac Suite
  43. http://www.laprovincia.es/secciones/noticia.jsp?pRef=1599_19_113347__Ciencia-Semana-Ciencia-acoge-concierto-musica-clasica-instrumentos-cobre Composition for the Science Week in Madrid
  44. http://www.los40.com/musica/artista/pedro-vilarroig/sinfonia-n/19970907l40l40mus_42.Bes Symphony nº 2
  45. http://www.los40.com/musica/artista/pedro-vilarroig/sinfonia-n-filosofica/19981209l40l40mus_60.Bes Symphony nº 3
  46. http://www.los40.com/musica/artista/pedro-vilarroig/sinfonia-n-cosmos/19950908l40l40mus_40.Bes Symphony nº 4
  47. http://www.los40.com/musica/artista/pedro-vilarroig/sinfonia-n-renacer/19970126l40l40mus_45.Bes Symphony nº 5
  48. http://www.los40.com/musica/artista/pedro-vilarroig/sinfonia-n-tempestad/19961217l40l40mus_53.Bes Symphony nº 7
  49. http://www.los40.com/musica/artista/pedro-vilarroig/sinfonia-n/19950712l40l40mus_38.Bes Symphony nº 8
  50. http://www.los40.com/musica/artista/pedro-vilarroig/sinfonia-n-genesis/19940813l40l40mus_48.Bes Symphony nº 9
  51. http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20081214/conciertos/361289.shtml Concerto for piano and orchestra
  52. http://www.los40.com/musica/artista/pedro-vilarroig/concierto-violin-orquesta-fa-mayor-normando/19951028l40l40mus_41.Bes Concerto for violin
  53. http://www.los40.com/musica/artista/pedro-vilarroig/suite-eras-musica/19951208l40l40mus_41.Bes Suite "Ages of Music"
  54. http://www.los40.com/musica/artista/pedro-vilarroig/poema-sinfonico-odisea/19960706l40l40mus_52.Bes The odyssey