Montsalvatge, (Bassols) Xavier

Montsalvatge, (Bassols) Xavier, Spanish composer, music critic, and teacher; b. Gerona, March 11, 1911. He settled in Madrid and studied at the Cons. His mentors in composition were Morera and Pahissa. He was active as a teacher and as a music critic, writing for the newspaper La Vanguardia (1960–72) and serving as ed. of the newspaper Destino (1962–70). His autobiography was publ. in Barcelona in 1987. Montsalvatge composed in a well-crafted tonal style in which he occasionally made use of bracing dissonance.

Works

dramatic:El gato con botas, magic opera (1948); Una voce in off, opera (1961); incidental music; film scores. orch.: 2. syms. Sinfonia mediterranea, (1949); Sinfonia da requiem, (1986); Concierto breve for Piano and Orch. (1952); Partita 1958 (1958); Desintegración morfologia de la chacona de Bach (1962); Laberinto (1970); Cinco invocaciones al Crucificado (1970); Reflexus obertura (1974); Serenata a Lydia de Caduques for Flute and Orch. (1974; also for Flute and Piano, 1969); Concerto capriccio for Harp and Orch. (1975); Concertino 1 + 13 for Violin and Chamber String Orch. (1975); Concierto del Albayzin for Harpsichord and Orch. (1977); Metamorfosis de concierto for Guitar and Orch. (1982); Música per a un diumenge for Band (1984); Fanfarría para Ia Alegria de la Paz (1985). chamber:Cuarteto Indiano for String Quartet (1952); Sef-paragrasis for Clarinet and Piano (1968); Serenata a Lydia de Cadaques for Flute and Piano (1969; also for Flute and Orch., 1974); Sonata concertante for Cello and Piano (1972); Parafrasis concertante for Violin and Piano (1975); Questions and Answers for Brass Quintet (1979); Cuadrivio para très Stradivarius for String Trio (1984); Fantasis for Guitar and Harp (1984); Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1987); piano pieces; organ music. VOCAL: Cinco can-ciones negras for Soprano and Piano or Orch. (1945); Cant espiritual for Chorus and Orch. (1959); Homenaje a Manolo Hugue for Soprano and Orch. (1973); Sum vermis for Voice, 2 Pianos, and 2 Percussion (1974); solo songs.

Bibliography

M. Vails, X. M. (Barcelona, 1969); E. Franco, X. M. (Madrid, 1975); R. Paine, Hispanic Traditions in Twentieth-Century Catalan Music with Particular Reference to Gerhard, Mompou, and M. (N.Y. and London, 1989).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire