Ambigua - Commemorativa

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'Ambigua' dating from 1957 and bearing number 9 in the composer's sardana catalogue, seems to wrench itself away from the binary beat that is inherent to any sardana. This constant rhythmic ambiguity is what rightly explains the title of this sardana, one that no cobla band would dare to put in a dance programme, but which has become a benchmark as a concert piece in the sardana form.
'Commemorativa' was written just before 'Ambigua', in 1956, and figures as number 8 in that sardana catalogue of his. It exudes a marked lyricism, this being particularly in evidence in the central theme of the 'llargs', played by the tenora (shawm). The modal, even catalanesque character created by the diminished seventh in the major mode is clearly featured in both compositions. We find it in the introduction to 'Commemorativa': a theme that is presented in homophonic form and which is taken up again in the final 'tutti'. The beginning of 'Ambigua', over a little ostinato figure played on the first fiscorn (bugle), is given the same modal treatment.
Despite these trademark constants in his musical procedures and language, delving further into the sardanas of Manuel Oltra impresses rather for the variety of characters and structures encountered there. We have here two contrasting and of course highly successful examples.
Jordi León