Serenata de Campanet op. 52

Contenidos generales

The Serenata De Campanet is a setting of 3 poems by the Mallorcan poet, Bartomeu Rosselló-Pòrcel. It has been comissioned by the organisation of the Primavera Musical de Campanet.
I am very grateful to Bartomeu Barceló who had the courage and enthusiasm to initiate this project (Catalan words with English harmonies!). He brought my attention to the poems of Bartomeu Rosselló-Pòrcel. I am also grateful to Fanny Mari who translated the poems for me. Without their help my task would have been impossible.
As a composer, when one sets a poem which is in any way irregular in shape and rich in imagery, even in one's own language, there are problems. Often, what is a perfectly acceptable shape in poetic terms does not transcribe itself easily into a musical composition. There have to be modifications to provide a structure which is acceptable in musical terms. And the musical shape is paramount, if the composition is to succeed in a live performance. The poem has to be adapted, if necessary. For example a repeat in music is very important, whereas in poetry the same result can be achieved by other means. Catalan, with its own nuances and double meanings, has given me a real challenge'
I read through the poems (with my very limited Catalan!), and chose 3 which would fit into a symphonic format 'fast/slow/fast - exhilarating/pensive/jolly ' 'meravellosament' / 'peresa' / 'volem'). Those 3 words 'marvellously/laziness/we fly' sum up the soul of each poem for me. There are other words in each poem which I have illuminated to give support and contrast with the core mood of the one, chosen word.