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Saturday, 26th February 2022: Music for dancing!
Leo Delibes: Coppélia Suite
Manuel de Falla: Ritual Fire Dance
Manuel de Falla: Dance of the Miller
Zoltán Kodály: Dances of Galánta
Astor Piazzola: Libertango
Carlos Gardel: Por Una Cabeza (tango)
Arturo Márquez: Danzón No 2

Our programme includes some very lively and tuneful dance music from around the world. We have ballet music from France and Spain. In Delibes' Coppélia Suite the music ranges from a dainty waltz to a rousing Mazurka. The lively rhythms in de Falla's 'Ritual Fire Dance' are influenced by a ceremonial dance to the fire god. The Miller's Dance is a fiery flamenco from the ballet 'The Three Cornered Hat'.
Kodály made it his life's work to study the folk music of his native Hungary. He grew up in the town of Galánta (in Northern Hungary, now Slovakia) where the town band was famous. The Dances of Galanta reflect the sound of the old town band and the style of these dances is known as verbunkos. Verbunkos dances were initially used to help recruit into the Austro-Hungarian army. The army recruiters travelled the countryside with dancers and musicians, whose performances were used to encourage recruitment. By the mid-19th century the verbunkos was evolving into the czardas.
Moving next to Argentina we have the Libertango, one of Piazzola's greatest hits. He incorporated jazz and classical music into his traditional tango compositions. Libertango is one of his most widely performed compositions. Composer /singer Gardel was brought up in Argentina. Gardel sang this passionate tango, 'Por una Cabeza', in the movie 'Tango Bar' but it has also been heard in many other films. With lyrics by Alfredo Le Pera this tango has a distinct rhythm making it very suitable for dancing. Sadly, no dancing or singing at our concert!
Finally we head to Mexico and the very popular Danzón No 2 by Marquez. This very lively dance based on a repeated rhythm pattern, called a clavé, is bound to have you tapping your toes!