Une œuvre en détail

K.G.R.,
October 1969. Analysis of the three Dances.

"(…) The composer's wife, Gaby Casadesus, has stated his ideals in the notes to a recording of two of his chamber music works, released last year : "Classic structure with modern idiom. Catalonian blood, coming from his grandfather, Luis Casadesus, still flows warmly in his veins and in the rhythms of music."
Thus we find that the "Three Dances", his opus 54, are more Spanish than French in essence. The first movement is designated Sardana. In his commentary for the New York Philarmonic broadcast performance in 1959, James Fassett pointed out that the Sardana is the chief dance of Catalonia (northeastern Spain), "an extremely refined and serious dance-circle, with small but intricate steps." Mr. Casadesus had visited Barcelona with Ravel in 1920, and was enormously impressed with the sight of hundreds dancing the Sardana in the square on Sunday, to the accompaniment of "pipe and tabor" (recorder and small drum).
The music (Tempo giusto, B major, 2/4) conveys the sun-drenched atmosphere of such an occasion, with its brilliant trumpets and pounding drums, not unlike certain rustic pieces by Darius Milhaud. Very characteristic is the rhythm of three-in-two which occurs occasionally; in the composer's Nonetto, opus 45 (recorded by him and an ensemble on Columbia ML 5448) there is a similar Sardana. Here, a Trio in F sharp minor forms a quieter middle section before the joyous dance returns.
The second movement is a Sarabande. This is also of Spanish origin, but it has changed its nature considerably in recent centuries from a rather wild and even lascivious dance to a dignified and noble one. In this brief piece (Lento, espressivo con malinconia, G sharp minor, 3/4), we may be reminded of the inward and melancholy music of Gabriel Fauré. The strings play muted throughout, with the harp providing a few closing notes. The last measures of this expressive music are marked lontano (as if from a distance).
The last movement is a Tarentelle (the French spelling of Tarantella), again in B major, Tempo giusto - Vivo, 6/8. This dance, usually called Neapolitan, may be derived from the town of Taranto in Southern Italy, or from the bite of the tarantula which supposedly causes the victim to dance and spin wildly until he is exhausted and the poison overcome. Closely related to this dance is the Roman Saltarello; as Mendelssohn does in his Symphony N°4, the "Italian", M. Casadesus combines both dance types in this brilliant finale. The harmonies are neatly spiced, and "spiky" rhythms oppose the snaky running motion of the dance. The tambour de Basque (tambourine) is prominent here. The music closes with characteristically French economy and conciseness - not a note too many, not a moment too soon. While many of M. Casadesus' works are a good deal more complex and extensive, the "Trois Dances" show him at his most direct and extroverted, wishing merely to make music of simplicity and ingratiating clarity."

Harold C. Schonberg,
"Casadesus work sneaked on program marks pianist's 25th anniversary, 1961.

"Robert Casadesus, who played the Beethoven Piano Concerto n°4 with the New York Philharmonic yesterday afternoon in Carnegie Hall, was also the recipient of a little surprise.
To commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of his first appearance with the orchestra, his "Trois Danses, Op.54" were literally sneaked into the program. No announcement had been made, and Mr. Casadesus did not know anything about it until the preview concert Thursday night.
(...) It was a charming gesture for the orchestra to play the Casadesus dances, which are smart, sophisticated, lyric and frolicsome by turn. (...)"

Frank Hruby,
"Pianist-Composer Casadesus Lulls Listeners."
The Cleveland Press, November 4, 1960.

"Robert Casadesus was the guest artist with the Cleveland Orchestra last night, appearing in the dual role of piano soloist and composer. George Szell conducted the program consisting of concertoes by Mozart and Beethoven and pieces by Weber and Casadesus. Critic's judgement : One of those evenings when everything was just exactly right. (...)
Casadesus the composer was heard in the "Three Dances", a piece for orchestra patterned after traditional dances, mostly Spanish. They are nimble, well-written little pieces, coloristic in nature and immediately understandable.
George Szell and the orchestra gave the work a splendid first-in-Cleveland performance, particularly in the very sensitive and subtle second movement, Sarabande. (...) "