Performed live on April 12th, 2024 as a part of Christopher Keach's second doctoral recital.

Ritmo Jando by Carlos Surinach

I. Bulerias

II. Saeta

III. Garrotín

Christopher Keach, trumpet

Carl Ek, clarinet

Manuel López, timpani

Joseph Chang, xylophone

Anthony Romagnuolo and Graham Lumsden, clappers

Program Notes:

"Carlos Surinach was a Spanish-born composer and conductor. In late 1950, Surinach emigrated to the United States in order to become an established composer there. Surinach first stayed in New York to conduct and later premiered his work Ritmo Jando. Years following the premiere of Ritmo Jando, choreographer Martha Graham approached Surinach. She had purchased a recording including one of his tracks, and had proceeded to choreograph an 8-minute piece without his knowledge. Although this was illegal, he turned a blind eye after watching the piece. He was full of passion while watching the piece and admired Graham for her brilliance.

Surniach includes the following information about the piece: 'The three Flamenco rhythms, Ritmo Jondo, were first performed in a concert of percussion music at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, on May 5, 1952. The separate movements are drawn from Spanish gilano sources:

I. Bulerias: a gay, fast, Flamenco dance, improvisatory in character, with shifting. The dancer punctuates the guitar and vocal accompaniment with heel-stamping and finger-snapping,while the onlookers interject rhythmic band- clapping and shouts to spur the dancer on.

II. Saeta: a slow ritual song of Seville, sung in the streets during the Good Friday procession. Instruments are prohibited during this season; however, muffled drums are often employed, adding to the mournful mood of lamentation.

III. Garrotin: a violent temperamental dance of Flamenco origin, accompanied only by fragments of melody, sung by the dancer, and the staccato clapping rhythms of the surrounding observers. Their loud cries of "Ole!" incite the dancer to ever wilder displays of passion.

In an extended version for chamber orchestra, Ritmo Jondo was commissioned by the Rothschild Foundation for a ballet entitled "Deep Rhythm"; choreography by Doris Humphrey, performed by Jose Limon and dance company.'

This is the Canadian Premiere of Ritmo Jando."