It is impossible to deny that the context around a piece affects how an audience will receive it. When Beethoven performed his ninth symphony, for example, the reception of the piece did not come just from the musical elements itself, but also from the idea that this piece was the culmination of his musical life. Similarly, the premiere of Edwin Guevara Gutierrez’s piece Ibero-American landscapes was largely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. For me, it had been over a year since I had been to an in-person concert, so this premiere reminded me of the incredible power that live music has. I went into the hall feeling the emotional weight of the pandemic, as well as difficult personal news that I had recently learned, but I soon became enthralled by the music. It was hard to keep in my emotions as I walked home that day, overwhelmed at the joy of live music that the piece Ibero-American Landscapes had reminded me of.
In addition to the pandemic changing how this premiere could happen, another difference from many premieres was that we were able to view some of the preparation of the piece and hear about the inspiration beforehand. While this was new to me, I really enjoyed seeing these incredibly talented performers interact, as they were always communicating and listening to each other throughout the piece. We don’t often get to see the “man behind the curtain” of performances, but this look into the premiere made it more special because I got to witness the preparation of this creation in addition to the final product. During this time, I remembered the premiere of Monteverdi’s Orfeo, where the arrangers of the premiere struggled to find a good soprano in Mantua, where the premiere took place, so they arranged last-minute to bring over a castrato named Gualberto from Tuscany. They were worried that they would have to delay the premiere for him, but he learned it quickly and subsequent reviews praised his performance, not even knowing its chaotic backstory. As audience members, we don’t often get this backstage look, so it was very inspiring to see how these very talented musicians worked together to create an amazing premiere.
While I enjoyed the entire performance, a few aspects really stood out to me and made the performance memorable. One of these was how the melodies would often start in one voice, usually the flute, but then would be echoed by the other instruments throughout the development of the section. There was also a lot of fragmentation and development upon these melodies that kept the piece grounded melodically while it explored the many different styles that Edwin was inspired by. These recurrent melodies reminded me of the idee fixe that echoes throughout Symphonie Fantastique, which is essentially a recurring melody that comes back throughout the piece to represent the musician’s obsession with his lover. Similarly, the various short melodies and melodic fragments are what drove the piece Ibero-American landscapes forward and connected sections with different styles.
Another thing that really captivated me about the performance was how the composer and performers successfully blended their different instruments, as well as the different musical styles of classical, pop, jazz, and flamenco. This was done by implementing several different playing techniques, including pizzicato on the cello, strumming and tapping in the guitars, and flutter tonguing in the flute. These different techniques helped the instruments work together, as they allowed for similar sounds and effects to be created on very different instruments. This blend of styles was also done through the performers matching their articulation, dynamics, and overall style. In terms of the composition itself, it alternated between slower, more contemplative sections and quicker dance-like sections that captured different aspects of the genres that Edwin was inspired by. Additionally, the piece implemented a mix of different time signatures and rhythmic structures. Throughout the piece, there is a mix of duple and triplet rhythms, which is exemplified the most by the “Spanish Buleria” section, which alternates between 6/8 and 3/4. In Edwin’s discussion of his piece, he talked about how a lot of Latin American music alternates between duple and triple meters, providing a clear inspiration for this section. This piece is very complex and layered, with many different inspirations, but these elements were what stuck out to me the most. Overall, I was really captivated by both the piece and its wonderful performance by very talented and passionate performers.
As mentioned earlier, I had some difficult personal news coming into this premiere. The day before, my grandmother unfortunately passed away, which had been weighing heavily on my mind. As I was reflecting on the impact of live music during the performance, I thought about how supportive my grandparents were of me and my siblings playing instruments. Even though they were not musicians, they were always so happy when we performed for them and when they heard recordings from our recitals. When they moved into a retirement home several years ago, my grandfather proposed the idea of playing an annual concert for the residents when we would come visit them. These concerts became a highlight of our visits, and I knew it made my grandparents proud to see their grandkids performing. During the premiere, I pictured myself walking through their old home, remembering all of the great memories I had with them. I walked through the living room and saw my grandmother’s box collection, remembering opening every box and seeing what was inside when I was a kid. I walked into the living room and remembered all the sports games where we had cheered for UCLA (my grandparents’ college), even when they lost. I walked into their bedroom, hearing the familiar sound of Jeopardy playing, and joined them in their massive California King bed. I remembered the joy that they brought to all around them, and how that love lives on in me. This beautiful performance reminded me of the wonderful memories I have of my grandparents and the incredible power live music has to bring peace in difficult times.