IBS Classical presents Tonadas, the new release by pianist Pablo Martínez, devoted to one of the most distinctive—and yet still underappreciated—collections in 20th-century Spanish piano repertoire: the 48 Tonadas by Joaquín Nin-Culmell.

A student of Manuel de Falla and heir to the tradition of Albéniz and Granados, Nin-Culmell creates in these works a sound world deeply rooted in Spanish folk music, yet shaped through a refined, concise, and essential musical language. Far from simple folk arrangements, the Tonadas are artistic reimaginings in which traditional material is transformed into miniature concert pieces of remarkable expressive concentration.

Organized in four books, the collection traverses Spain’s musical geography—from Galicia to Catalonia, from Castile to the islands—offering a richly varied landscape of rhythms, modes, and characters. Here, the immediacy of folk melody coexists with a distilled pianistic writing, echoing Falla’s aesthetic ideals and the intimate sound world of Mompou. As the performer himself notes, these works are not “dissected folklore,” but living tradition, brought to life through interpretation .

For Pablo Martínez, this project stems from a deeply personal encounter with Nin-Culmell’s music during the reflective period of 2020, and from a strong identification with the sense of nostalgia that permeates the composer’s work. Having lived for many years in the United States, Martínez finds in these Tonadas a bridge to his own roots, turning the album into both an artistic statement and a gesture of rediscovery.

With an international career spanning Europe and the United States, Martínez affirms himself through this recording as a committed advocate for Spanish repertoire, offering an interpretation that combines stylistic insight, poetic sensitivity, and a clear artistic vision aimed at restoring this music to its rightful place within the piano canon.

Tonadas is more than a recording: it is an invitation to rediscover a vital part of Spain’s musical heritage through a contemporary, vivid, and deeply personal lens.

Pablo Martínez, Piano