ICARO: Catalan Cello-Piano Works

Ícaro brings together four major works for cello and piano by Gaspar Cassadó, Manuel Oltra, Lluís Benejam and Joaquín Nin-Culmell (Nin Castellanos), forming a luminous portrait of early- and mid-20th-century Spanish musical nationalism. Framed by the myth of Icarus, the programme explores bold flight, lyric introspection and expressive intensity through repertoire that bridges Catalan folklore, French impressionism and Iberian colour. The album opens with Joaquín Nin’s Suite española (1930), a stylised reimagining of regional dances—Castilla, Murciana, Asturiana and Andaluza—filtered through the refined textures of Parisian modernism. Nin’s music reflects the Franco-Spanish artistic exchange of the early twentieth century, where national idioms were shaped by impressionist harmony and elegance. A highlight of the recording is the rarely performed Sonata in A major (1954) by Lluís Benejam. Written in exile, the sonata reveals a distinctive synthesis of modal lyricism, jazz-inflected rhythm and Mediterranean warmth. Its four movements balance colouristic impressionism with structural clarity, culminating in a spirited finale of rhythmic vitality. Manuel Oltra’s Sonata (1959), composed during his mature period, unfolds as a tightly interwoven dialogue between cello and piano. Its energetic contrasts, lyrical cantabile passages and architectural symmetry demonstrate Oltra’s mastery of chamber writing while retaining subtle references to Catalan musical identity. The disc closes with Cassadó’s celebrated Requiebros (1929), dedicated to Pau Casals. A virtuosic showpiece rich in rubato, ornamentation and Iberian character, it embodies both refinement and dramatic freedom. Cellist Alex Olmedo and pianist Fiona Mato approach this repertoire with expressive depth and stylistic awareness, rediscovering lesser-known works alongside established masterpieces. Ícaro becomes both homage and rediscovery—an artistic ascent through Spanish modernism.

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Alex Olmedo, Cello Fiona Mato, Piano