Zefir Records

Mompou Chamber Music

Marcel Worms

The musicians on this CD frequently play together in various combinations. In connection with the 20th anniversary of Mompou's death, they performed El Pont (the bridge). The music of Mompou binds the ensemble, which also wishes to function as a bridge that brings Mompou's music to a larger public. After all, the bridge is a symbol of communication and a dialogue, elements which play an essential role in this music.

Included on this CD:

Combat del somni
The song cycle the Combat del somni was completed in 1949. The opening song Damunt de tu només les flores is a homage to a dead lover, whose body is covered with flowers. When Francis Poulenc heard this song, of Mahler-like sadness, at a closed concert in Barcelona, he asked for it to be repeated three times. The Catalonian text of this song was by the hand of Mompou’s friend, the poet Josep Janés.

Altitud
In 1926 Mompou began to write a string quartet. The quartet kept him busy for a number of months and caused him to have a nightmare where the composer imagined himself locked up inside a cello. Eventually he gave up on the plan. A number of parts later served in other compositions, including Altitud. The question and answer game, that in Altitud is played in a subtle manner between instruments, in short the dialogue, is characteristic of the music of Mompou.

El Pont is dedicated to Carmen Bravo, not only Mompou’s wife but also his muse, without whom he would have probably stopped composing 25 years earlier. That the composer at such a ltate age could put so much vitality, passion and drama into this piece, is undoubtly thanks to Carmen Bravo.

Irene Maessen - soprano
Marijke van Kooten - violin
Daniël Esser - cello
Martin Kaaij - guitar
Marcel Worms - piano

external links
Visit the website of Marcel Worms

press quotes:

HET FINANCIEEL DAGBLAD The pianist Marcel Worms does a good job bringing light to the music of Mompou.

read the full article (Dutch)