Sinfonía mítica

Symphony No. 3 “Mythical Symphony”

by Francisco Escudero [1912–2002]

INTRODUCTION

The ‘Mythical Symphony’ is a masterpiece inspired by Basque legends and myths compiled by the anthropologist and ethnologist José Miguel de Barandiarán.
It was completed in March 1993 and premiered on 20 November 1994.

The composer himself described the work as follows before its premiere: “It was commissioned by José María Aierdi, president of the Guipúzcoa Choral Federation, with the aim of paying tribute to José Miguel de Barandiarán, and they offered me his mythical tales as the text. I chose three: Lamin, Tartalo and Mateo Txistu”.

The work is structured in four movements.

The first movement, “Ofrenda”, is a love song to the now equally legendary author of the texts, José Miguel de Barandiaran. The children’s choir sings a hymn of praise, thanking him for his work in support of Basque culture, and concludes with a farewell song.

The second movement, ‘Lamin’ (sorceress), tells the story of a sorceress who abducts a man at night to devour him. The man saves himself by distracting the witch with a tale that lasts until dawn. The crowing of the cock heralds the end of his captivity and his salvation.

The third movement is based on the tale of ‘Tartalo’, recorded by José Miguel de Barandiaran in *El mundo en la mente popular vasca* (The World in the Basque Popular Imagination), which bears a resemblance to Homer’s Cyclops. Among the hypotheses put forward regarding this legend, one suggests that Basque sailors may have had contact with Greek sailors and thus brought the tale back to their homeland.

The fourth movement, ‘Mateo Txistu’, or *The Wandering Hunter*, is based on the legend of the hunter who, as punishment for his reckless passion, runs ceaselessly and without rest across the world, accompanied by his dogs, forming part of the vast cycle of aerial and nocturnal hunts featured in mythical tales, as José Miguel de Barandiarán explains in his “Dictionary of Basque Mythology”.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

-PROGRAMME-

MITOEN SINFONIA
1 – OFFERING
2 – LAMIN
3 – TARTALO
4 – MATEO TXISTU

For narrator, children’s choir and a chamber orchestra of nine musicians (flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, piano, accordion, violin, cello and percussion).

Music: Francisco Escudero
Texts: José Miguel de Barandiarán
Language: Basque
Duration: 50’
Rating: suitable for all audiences.