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Cuban composer, guitarist and conductor
Leo Brouwer was born on the 1st of March 1939 in Havana. He learned the
guitar playing by I. Nicola, studied composition in class of professor
V. Persiketty. As a composer, Leo Brouwer developed under the influence
of different musical movements. Joined to avantgardism, he wrote a row
of allegoric compositions: "Sonogram I" for prepared grand piano
(1963), "Commutations" for three performers (1966), Concert
for jazz-quintet with the orchestra (1967), "Escaedras" for
six instrument groups (1969), collage "Tradition is interrupted.,
but it is worse to worn" - compositions, supposing audience participation
and using method of simultaneous sounding of clifferent pieces (1969).
His concert activity Leo Brouwer began as
a guitarist 1955 on Cuba and then performed successfully in other countries.
His repertoire had his own compositions and also compositions of Vivaldy
and Stravinsky, arrangements of folk melodies and dances (Creole gukhira,
sapateado) and others. He tought harmony, counterpoint and composition
in Roldan conservatory in Havana, gave lessons of guitar play and modern
composition in many countries at large international festivals of guitar
music, including the festival "Warsaw autumn" in 1961, worked
as a consultant in the musical stuff of Cuban radio and other organizations,
led the created of him acoustic experiment group, worked to gether with
the recording studios.
In the last time Leo Brouwer is the conductor
of Cuban national symphonic orchestra.
The list of Leo Brouwer's compositions is
diverse. It includes different musical genres and forms. Among his compositions
for the guitar are: Suite I (1955), Prelude (1955), Character dance (1956),
Fugue I (1957), Pieces without names I and II (1957) and III (1963), Three
sketches (1959), Praise to dance (1964) and others. They were written
with vivid modern language; simplicity, expressiveness, impression of
national style are peculiar to them and make them interesting for wide
musical audience.
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