Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000). Flores Argentinas.

Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000). Flores Argentinas.
Guillermo Anzorena (barítono), Fernando Viani (piano)

00:00 Flores Argentinas
00:04 Cortadera, plumerito...
02:45 El clavel del aire blanco
05:49 Campanilla, ¿adónde vas?
07:17 El vinagrillo morado
09:22 ¡Qué linda la madreselva!
11:06 Las flores del macachín
13:12 Las achiras coloradas
16:40 Jazmín del país: ¡qué lindo...!
18:48 Aromito, flor de tusca...
19:42 La flor de aguapé
22:00 Ay, aljaba, flor de chilco...
24:41 Ceibo, ceibo, zuñandí

OSTINATO

In 1993, pianist Dora De Marinis and a group of her most advanced students created the "Group of Pianistic Studies 'Alberto Ginastera'". The goal of the group was the research, study, recording and dissemination of Argentine music for piano. Professor De Marinis and her students were affiliated to the School of Music at the Faculty de Artes y Design of the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, in Mendoza, Argentina. The first research project focused on Alberto Ginastera's piano output, on the tenth anniversary of the death of the composer. In a fitting homage to the Ginastera's work, the group embarked on a project to learn and perform his entire piano solo oeuvre in two concerts, and to record it in two CDs.

This first project was very successful, and had an impact beyond the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, obtaining national and international recognition. It obtained several awards that further validated this unique undertaking. Up until that time, nobody in Argentina had performed the entire piano works by Ginastera; moreover, few pianists in the country had focused on performing Argentine music: it wasn't known or valued. The repertoire used in piano teaching was still limited to the music from Europe; recital programs had no space for the Argentine repertoire.

In successive years, the research and study group consolidated and changed its name to "Ostinato," in honor of Ginastera's frequent use of musical ostinato, but also because of the "obstinacy" and tenacity of the group's members and its director. The path forward was often difficult, not always accepted or understood, but, in the end, successful. Over the years, many musicians participated in projects conducted by "Ostinato": Martín Bucki, Alejandro Cremaschi, Elena Dabul, Marcela González, Gabriel Löfvall, Julio Ogas, Fernando Viani, and others.

In subsequent projects, the group focused on performing and recording the complete piano works by Juan José Castro, Carlos Guastavino, Luis Gianneo and Susana Antón, whose chamber music was also recorded. These projects also included the performance and recording of the three piano concertos by Ginastera, the piano concerto by Juan José Castro, the "Poema Criollo" for piano and orchestra by Julio Perceval, and the works for piano 4-hands and two pianos by Guastavino. Later, the group recorded vocal and choral works by Guastavino, who became the group's favorite composer. Several other musicians joined the group, including singers Guillermo Anzorena and Alicia Berri, among other guest artists.

In 2002, due to a range of diverse circumstances, the project ended and the group was dissolved. Its members dispersed around the world, and some of the last recordings were never released.

Thirty years after its creation, members of the Ostinato group have decided to release these unpublished recordings of Guastavino's music. These newly released recordings illustrate the original goals of the group: to document and disseminate Argentina repertoire for piano, choir and voice and piano.