Falla's Homenaje (Le tombeau de Debussy) is Released
On September 30, 2022, Mattias Schulstad releases his recording of Manuel de Falla's Homenaje (Le tombeau de Debussy).
The release coincides with a solo recital that took place on September 29 at Stockholm's Royal Palace.
Photo: Karl Gabor
The concert's attendees included H.E. Mr. Zahoor Ahmed, Ambassador of Pakistan to Sweden and Finland, and H.E. Ahmed Adel Sobhy, Ambassador of Egypt to Sweden and Latvia.
H.E. Mr. Zahoor Ahmed, Ambassador of Pakistan to Sweden and Finland (left), and H.E. Ahmed Adel Sobhy, Ambassador of Egypt to Sweden and Latvia (right). Photo: Karl Gabor
The release was preceded by a concert with pianist Bengt Forsberg, hosted by Giresta kyrkas musikstiftelse and Västerlöfsta kyrkas musikstiftelse on September 18, under the leadership of Mr. Anders Wall.
Pianist Bengt Forsberg (left) and Mr. Anders Wall (center). Photo: Cari Hildebrand
"Manuel de Falla's Homenaje is like La valse (Ravel) meets The Seventh Seal (Bergman)—a dance about life and death," says Mattias Schulstad. "The work is rooted in the Flamenco tradition cante jondo, but firmly at home in Paris."
In describing why he recorded it, he says: "This music is often lost between wet romantic excess, and dry contemporary fundamentalism. Instead, I focus on the work's timeless modernity, shifting between haunting austerity, languorous yearning and vivid hope."
Falla's Homenaje (Le tombeau de Debussy) follows Mattias's release of Bach's prelude BWV 999, heard to date on BBC Radio 3’s Saturday Breakfast, NPO Radio 4’s Lekkere Track, Spotify’s Classical New Releases, TIDAL’s Encore: New in Classical and YouTube Music’s Basically Baroque.
Pulitzer-winner Tim Page states about that recording: "Immaculate and sensitive playing that takes a listener to the heart of Bach's music."
And BBC Radio 3 said on its program Saturday Breakfast: "Mattias calls it 'premium grade Bach.' And he says he hopes to present it as a piece of music, not just an exercise. And we think you succeeded."
This release is enabled by supporters including lead sponsor Kjell och Märta Beijers Stiftelse and the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation.