Iowa Research Online

Title

The piano music of Juan Francisco Garcia

Author

Helen Ninoska Thrall, University of IowaFollow

DOI

10.17077/etd.zffi-977w

Document Type

Dissertation

Date of Degree

Fall 2018

Degree Name

DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts)

Degree In

Music

First Advisor

Nosikova, Ksenia

First Committee Member

Eberle, Katherine

Second Committee Member

Huckleberry, Alan

Third Committee Member

Lecuona, Rene

Fourth Committee Member

Stanton, Zachary

Abstract

The final product of this thesis is a high-quality recording of selected piano works by Juan Francisco García. Juan Francisco García (1892-1974), a Dominican composer, was a prominent figure in the classical music scene of the Dominican Republic during the first half of the twentieth century. As a pioneer who fostered the nationalistic musical movement in the Dominican Republic, García sought to create compositions that sounded authentically Dominican. Garcia accomplished this goal through his piano works, which are distinctly expressive, and abridged compositions exhibiting beautiful lyrical melodies and attractive rhythmic qualities.

García’s piano music displays a rich variety of compositional approaches. In his early works he employed a traditional classical language, followed by impressionist and modern techniques in his later compositions. Regardless of compositional style, his piano compositions integrate various elements of Dominican folk music and dances; their programmatic and dancing nature call for an imaginative and expressive playing.

The chosen pieces for this project are fine examples of Garcia’s style and show the journey of his development as a composer. This recording includes the following three piano suites: Fantasía Indígena para Piano, Suite de Impresiones para Piano and Suite para Piano, as well as seven shorter pieces: Capricho Criollo no. 1, Capricho Criollo no. 2, Quisqueyana: Capricho, Recuerdo Grato: Danza Criolla, Yo me Enceleré: Danza- Merengue, Sambumbia and Ruego: Vals al Estilo Criollo. This recording is the first consisting entirely of piano compositions by García. As a Dominican pianist, I aspire to advance and revive the interest in García’s piano works as well as to present Dominican piano music to both musicians and audiences worldwide.

Keywords

Dominican Composer, Dominican Piano Music, Helen Thrall, Juan Francisco Garcia

Pages

v, 37 pages

Bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (page 37).

Comments

• 01 Capricho Criollo no. 1 DOI: https://doi.org/01 Capricho Criollo no. 1
• 02 Capricho Criollo no. 2 DOI: https://doi.org/02 Capricho Criollo no. 2
• 03 Quisqueyana: Capricho DOI: https://doi.org/03 Quisqueyana: Capricho
• 04 Recuerdo Grato: Danza Criolla DOI: https://doi.org/04 Recuerdo Grato: Danza Criolla
• 05 Yo me Enceleré: Danza-Merengue DOI: https://doi.org/05 Yo me Enceleré: Danza-Merengue
• 06 Ruego: Vals al estilo criollo DOI: https://doi.org/06 Ruego: Vals al estilo criollo
• 07 Sambumbia DOI: https://doi.org/07 Sambumbia
• 08 Fantasía Indígena para Piano I. Invocación a Louquo DOI: https://doi.org/08 Fantasía Indígena para Piano I. Invocación a Louquo
• 09 Fantasía Indígena para Piano II. Elogios a Atabex DOI: https://doi.org/09 Fantasía Indígena para Piano II. Elogios a Atabex
• 10 Fantasía Indígena para Piano III. Gesta de Caciques DOI: https://doi.org/10 Fantasía Indígena para Piano III. Gesta de Caciques
• 11 Fantasía Indígena para Piano IV. Areito DOI: https://doi.org/11 Fantasía Indígena para Piano IV. Areito
• 12 Suite de Impresiones para Piano I. Preludio DOI: https://doi.org/12 Suite de Impresiones para Piano I. Preludio
• 13 Suite de Impresiones para Piano II. Incoheréncia DOI: https://doi.org/13 Suite de Impresiones para Piano II. Incoheréncia
• 14 Suite de Impresiones para Piano III. Soláz DOI: https://doi.org/14 Suite de Impresiones para Piano III. Soláz
• 15 Suite de Impresiones para Piano IV. Scherzo DOI: https://doi.org/15 Suite de Impresiones para Piano IV. Scherzo
• 16 Suite de Impresiones para Piano V. Obsesión DOI: https://doi.org/16 Suite de Impresiones para Piano V. Obsesión
• 17 Suite de Impresiones para Piano VI. Merengue DOI: https://doi.org/17 Suite de Impresiones para Piano VI. Merengue
• 18 Suite para Piano I. Asenso DOI: https://doi.org/18 Suite para Piano I. Asenso
• 19 Suite para Piano II. Humorada DOI: https://doi.org/19 Suite para Piano II. Humorada
• 20 Suite para Piano III. Lasitúd DOI: https://doi.org/20 Suite para Piano III. Lasitúd
• 21 Suite para Piano IV. Regocijo DOI: https://doi.org/21 Suite para Piano IV. Regocijo

Copyright

Copyright © 2018 Helen Ninoska Thrall

Recommended Citation

Thrall, Helen Ninoska. "The piano music of Juan Francisco Garcia." DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) thesis, University of Iowa, 2018.
https://doi.org/10.17077/etd.zffi-977w