20th centurySpanish composer María Teresa Prieto’s music is hardly known anywhere. She was displaced from her native Spain to Mexico due to The Spanish Civil War. Her first symphony refers to her home region of Spain, Asturias, and contains folk music from there. The first movement begins somberly, evoking thoughts of distant beauty. This mood alternates with a stately, proud but energetic and joyful dance. The second movement gives an immediate sense of pain, which alternates with another stately dance feeling resolved and even peaceful. This frequent alternating could represent intentionally (or just naturally) her conflict of wanting to be back home but trying to accept not going back. The finale starts with another dance, more light-hearted, but not without the somber mood entering before too long. The ending is triumphant: positive recollection or resolve to make the best of the status quo wins the day.
Recordings
Primephonic:
Cordoba Orchestra, Jose Luis Temes, Verso
Spotify:
Cordoba Orchestra, Jose Luis Temes, Verso
YouTube:
Not available
Andrew Symington 
Image by Carlos Urteaga Pintado from Pixabay
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