He has a street in Alicantebirthplace and a street Villa Joiosa, a city where he spent many summers, but Gonzalo Soriano Simó (Alicante, 1913-Madrid, 1972) is largely unknown in his homeland. They sudden death from heart attack 59 years and last years away from the stage although it contributed to the forgetting of his name. intense international piano career like little. Now, an exhibit confirms his figure on the 50th anniversary of his death.
Exhibition Gonzalo Soriano’s photo. The silence of an international pianist is organized by University of Alicante and Alicante Professional Conservatory of Music ‘Guitarist José Tomás’where does it open This Thursday at 7:00 pm.for the purpose of “add light” to his professional career, “which is little and little known both in Alicante and in the rest of Spain”, as noted by the deputy director of the conservatory, Federico Solano Lopezand teacher Isabel Seva Merincompleted his doctoral thesis on the pianist. Both with UA professors José Miguel Santacreu Soler They are the curators of the show.
“Many people confuse him with Joaquín Soriano, a professor in Madrid, or His name is ringing but he doesn’t know who he isand this is a Reference of the first line of pianism in Spain and one instrumentalist who was very important in the Spanish music of the moment He also had a big weight in London and other international stages—between the 40s and 60s of the last century,” adds Solano. Programs recorded with the BBC Orchestra and played London Philharmonic and New London Orchestra, among others. Considered one of the greats piano skills from SpainHis style of play was described by the British newspaper The Times as: “sparkling”.
Although he excelled in painting, music and sculpture in his youth, he soon chose piano at the Ateneo de Alicante, where he began studying with his teacher, Rafael Rodriguez Albert, and completed it at the Royal Conservatory of Madrid in 1929. From his first encounters with the public, such as his performance with the author in 1933 José Ramon Gomez de la Serna At the Teatro Principal in Alicante, leading cultural figures have already predicted a successful future for him.
Concerts in Europe and America
mid 40’s Started giving concerts in Europe -in addition to the UK, France, the Netherlands, Italy- and He embarked on his first tour of the United States in 1953.. Worked with directors such as Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Dimitri Mitropoulos, Igor Markevich and Odon Alonso; with orchestras like Spanish National wave New York Philharmonic; He gave concerts in places such as carnegie hall New Yorker, Wigmore Hall Londoner, Theater des Champs Elysees of Paris or concertgebouw from the Netherlands.
Federico Solano recordings nights in the gardens of spain of the Manuel de Falla next to the director Argent Ataulf Considered the best record of the work by the main specialized journals. Likewise, his record Spanish dances of the Henry Granados He was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque by the Charles Cros Academy in Paris.
Always associated with the cultural avant-garde, he played at the Residencia de Estudiantes in Madrid, and great national composers gave him works. Federico Mompou, Joaquin Rodrigo, Joaquin Nin or Xavier Montsalvatgewho’s? Sonata pour Yvette It was premiered by Soriano in 1962. He has worked with artists as below in Spain. Argentine He also took part in musical and theater performances. Estrellita Castro, Mariemma, Pilar López or Edgar Neville.
bound to Alicante
Soriano was closely connected with the city of Alicante. Names from the world of music such as Rafael Beltrán or Pepa Gomis are among his closest friends. At the beginning of 1972, Soriano opening concert From the Alicante Concert Society. However, his sudden death a few days ago turned the opening ceremony on September 29, 1972, into a ceremony. posthumous tribute to the pianist proposed by her friend soprano Victory of the Angels.
“He worked hard until the 1960s when his mother started to fall ill and stopped performing because he was with her,” explains pianist Solano, who eventually outlived his mother and partner J.oh rossHilo, who entered the Benedictine sect at Silos Monastery upon his death and returned to his native Hawaii twenty years later, remained in the city of Hilo until his death in 2013.
attend the exhibition opening Gonzalo Varela SimoSoriano’s cardiothoracic and family surgeon; Juan Varela Simobiologist, naturalist and family illustrator; Mercedes Sanchez from the riverartist representative and personal secretary of Teresa Berganza; Rafael Beltran Dupuylawyer and founding member of the Alicante Concert Society; carmen delightpiano teacher and student of Gonzalo Soriano.