Tritó has reissued Nosaltres, els grallers on its Amalgama imprint. This monumental work is the result of many years of investigation and research carried out by Blai Fontanals and the Escola de Grallers (Shawm Players’ School) in Sitges, steadily and doggedly gathering information, much of which would now be lost because many of the sources have disappeared in the meantime.

The publication, which was first issued in 1996, is an comprehensive compendium of the world of shawm players, from their origins in the 18^th century up to the second half of the 20^th century.

The book is organised into three blocks: the first section is devoted to a thorough historical presentation of the instrument, from its origins and background to the present day, paying special attention to the so-called Golden Age of the shawm, the period ranging from the last third of the 19^th century to the early 20^th century.

The second part focuses on the characteristics of the instrument and the surrounding context: music transcriptions, makers, design, musicians and traditional techniques, composers and first recordings.

Finally, as a focus for all the content, a list and description of all documented shawm-players has been included, ordered by towns and districts.

This edition counts on a prologue by Xavier Orriols and also the collaboration of Xavier Bayer and Joan Cuscó.

“Nosaltres, els grallers” constitutes a major reference work in the world of shawm players and Catalan traditional music in general. It is a primary source for the serious study and the recovery of an important part of Catalan popular culture from the last two centuries, the shawm and its players. Above all, it dignifies the status of this instrument – which is so essentially Catalan – and everything linked to it: the groups of shawm players and their relationship with the traditional festivals in Catalonia.

Link to Nosaltres, els grallers >

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1. Nosaltres, els grallers

The Cadaqués Orchestra conducted by Gianandrea Noseda presents the complete symphonies of Johannes Brahms in a double CD.

This symphonic cycle, despite being one of the least extensive, is one of the keys to understanding the transition from classicism to romanticism and orchestral music from the 19th century to the present day.

The ODC ensemble, smaller than usual for this repertoire, becomes a brilliant tool in the hands of the Italian conductor, who knows every nuance of the score and brings out the best in each of the musicians with a splendid labour that results in masterly performances.

Simphnony no.1 Un poco sostenuto – Allegro

Simphnony no.2 Allegro non troppo

All the symphonies were recorded at the Auditorio de Zaragoza after a tour of various Spanish cities.

The Orquesta de Cadaqués accepted the challenge of making the first recording of this complete set by a Spanish ensemble, with a magnificent result that is on a par with the key recordings of this repertoire. A recording that was an important undertaking in both its artistic and technical aspects and which will surprise and please both the connoisseurs if this repertoire and those who are listening to it for the first time.

Simphnony no.2 Adagio non troppo

Simphnony no.3 Andante

Simphnony no.3 Allegro

Further information at www.trito.es

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1. Our conductors (I): Gianandrea Noseda
2. Gianandrea Noseda conducts Albéniz and Granados
3. Alejandro Posada conducts Cap de Quers in Valladolid

With the figure of the composer Xavier Montsalvatge we are launching a series of biographies of some of the most famous Spanish composers of all time, which will be published periodically in this blog.

Xavier Montsalvatge is the first because he is the publisher’s principal composer and almost the totality of his work has been published by Tritó. Montsalvatge will be followed by Isaac Albéniz in view of his evident importance on the Spanish music scene together with Enrique Granados.

You can access the series by clicking on Biographies.

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1. Last quarter news from Tritó
2. Presentation of new book on Xavier Montsalvatge
3. Three unpublished piano scores by Xavier Montsalvatge found

Volume 7 of the Collection “Compositors valencians” has been released. It is published by Tritó in conjunction with the Generalitat Valenciana and contains the Complete repertoire of chamber music composed by the brothers Antonio and Joaquín Nicolás Ximénez Brufal, in an edition prepared by the Valencian musicologist Miguel Ángel Picó Pascual.

This researcher has reconstructed the lives and historical and family background of these two composers and violinists who practised their profession at the collegiate church of Alicante and in the courts and concert halls of Madrid, London and Paris, like the other musicians in their family.

The edition contains twelve works, with score and parts. The six sonatas for violin and basso continuo by Nicolás Ximénez, composed totally in the Galante and Rococo style typical of the post-Baroque period, were first published in London in 1772. On the other hand, the sonatas and trios by his brother, published in Paris in 1789, are totally in the international style of Classicism.

It should be mentioned that the trios in Opus 1 by Antonio Ximénez are for guitar, violin and bass (cello). One would expect these pieces to be well received by guitarists, on the look out for the scarce repertoire of chamber music for guitar.

Sonata I in G

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“Fantasia for Tuba and piano” by Bartolomé Pérez Casas, probably one of the earliest works ever written for these two instruments, is now available from the Tritó catalogue. The project to publish this landmark work for the tuba entailed a major research effort by both the publisher and reviser Miguel Moreno Guna, from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid, to find the composer’s original manuscript as well as the historical documentation essential for the best possible recreation of the score.

Bartolomé Pérez Casas was a leading figure in Spanish music in the first half of the twentieth century, as director of the Royal Lancers Corps Band, professor of harmony at the Royal Conservatory in Madrid, founder and director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Madrid and director of the Spanish National Orchestra between 1942 and 1947. His knowledge of wind instruments and his music teaching skills make this an essential piece in the tuba repertoire.

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1. Fully published the work of Manuel Castillo
2. Brief pieces for piano, by Santiago Lanchares
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Thanks to an agreement with the Music Documentation Centre of the Government of Andalusia, Tritó is publishing the complete works of Manuel Castillo (1927-2005). The latest release, Piano Concerto No. 2, was composed in 1966 and premiered in the Auditorium of the Ministry of Information and Tourism and the Teatro de la Zarzuela in January 1967 with the composer at the piano with the RTVE Symphony Orchestra.
This concerto is the least known of the three that the Sevillian composer wrote for the piano, and in the words of Thomas Marco “lies between the youthful first and masterful third.”

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2. Published Fantasia for Tuba and Piano
3. Sevillan composer Manuel Castillo dies

In 1996 the Escola de Grallers (school of gralla players) in Sitges published a monumental book on the history of gralla players in Catalonia, titled “Nosaltres, els grallers”. For a long time this book was very difficult to obtain, only being available in a few shops around the town of Sitges.

“Nosaltres, els grallers” is an excellent compilation of data on the history of gralla players in Catalonia, from their origins up to the 1970s.

The book classifies the musicians by counties and towns, and contains a brilliant introductory chapter on the history of the gralla as an instrument and a magnificent prologue by Vilanova gralla-maker Xavier Orriols. And, for the moment, this publication is the sole existing published reference work on the world of the gralla.

The book, with over 500 pages, is published in hardback and the price is €35.

For further information…

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1. Nosaltres, els grallers (We the shawm players)

Friday September 22th at 00:00, the TV programme Nydia on Canal 33 (http://www.tv3.cat/nydia) repeats the interview with Manuel Garcia Morante, on the occasion of the release of the new publication and recording 76 cançons populars catalanes for voice and piano, arranged by the author.

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Once again we inform you of a catalogue distribution agreement for our website. The latest instance is the publications of the Spanish Association of Musical Documentation (AEDOM), based in Madrid.

Their catalogue includes Spanish Musical Bibliography, music publishing in Spain before 1936 and volumes dedicated to the organ and other instruments.

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2. Welcome
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Continuing with the constant expansion of our catalogue, with works of our own and through distribution agreements, we are happy to inform you that Tritó is now distributing Almaviva, a record labels that has always strived to preserve and revive the Spanish musical heritage.

Almaviva is associated with the Centro de Documentación Musical de Andalucía, and specializes in composers and works from the south of Spain.

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