Rodrigo's tribute to Falla quotes passages from the earlier composer's scores, but is unmistakably the work of the later Spanish master. Yet it's not in the sunny, Spanish neo-Classical style of Rodrigo's popular guitar concertos; rather, it takes on the darker hues of much of his other, far less well-known work. It won the 1961 Coupe International de Guitare, a competition organized by the French broadcasting company. The "Invocation" section opens with a brief quote from Falla's Le tombeau de Claude Debussy (his only score originally for guitar, which itself quotes Debussy's La soirée dans Grenade). The music begins softly, with bell-like harmonics on the upper strings and a more resonant but hazily defined melody played on the bass string. The music becomes more animated and increasingly urgent, full of tremolos and obsessive repetitions of arpeggios and small phrases. Embedded in this at one point is the smallest hint of a rhythm from Falla's El sombrero de tres picos, although this is not developed. The "Dance" section offers quick relief from the tension of the first section, although it does not break into all-out exuberance. Marked Allegro moderato poco, it's a graceful, skipping dance with a hint of nostalgia (thanks to its B minor tonality). A second section revives the intensity of the "Invocation," returning to tremolo writing and arpeggios that elevate the needs of rhythm above those of melody. The more easygoing dance tune returns, but soon winds down into material reminiscent of the Invocation's opening passages, except that now the quote -- barely recognizable -- is from Falla's El Amor brujo. ~ All Music Guide
