Quatre peces per a cordes, Op. 14 (Four pieces for strings) (string orchestra)

Elegia (Elegy)

Humoresca (Humoresque)

Nocturn (Nocturn)

Dansa (Dance)

Composed in spring 1977 when the composer was seventeen, Quatre peces won the Concurso de Composición de la Orquesta Nacional de España (Composition Competition of the National Orchestra of Spain) and was premiered by the aforementioned orchestra in Madrid in November of that year. The premiere received unanimous acclaim from the audience and press alike, bringing immediate recognition to the composer. The piece was revised in 2010.

Elegia is a profoundly expressive piece with a ‘mountain’ structure, characterized by its initial low register (pp), which gradually increases in intensity and range until reaching a powerful climax (ff). It concludes with a return to the initial texture, followed by a double bass solo. Humoresca is an energetic, fast-paced movement in 5/4 alla breve, characterized by frequent metre changes, dynamism, and lightness. Nocturn is a lyrical, peaceful, and evocative piece, rich in colour and expressiveness. Dansa is a vibrant movement built on a rhythmic motif of repeated notes, driving forward with energy and momentum.

APPLE MUSIC