Benjamín Gutiérrez (1937- )
Benjamín Gutiérrez Sáenz
is regarded as one of Costa Rica’s most prominent composers, and has
been the recipient of countless awards and distinctions. His works are
known beyond Costa Rican borders only to a limited extent. He
is a composer whose aesthetic roots are firmly planted in Europe,
with strong influence from nineteenth-century Romantics such as Chopin
and Tchaikovsky, but also the “modernists” Bartók, Prokofiev, Milhaud,
and Ginastera, the last two of whom were Gutiérrez’s teachers.COMPOSITIONS Gutiérrez Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre
[under construction]
Marianela, opera (1957)
Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (1959)
Tocata y Fuga (Toccata and Fugue), piano (1959)
Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (1959?) (2006?)
Habanera, violin and piano (1960?)
Improvisación, string orchestra (1961)
Pavana para Cuerdas (Pavane for Strings), string quartet or string orchestrea (1961)
Introducción y Allegro, string orchestra (1961) [1978?]
Preludio Sinfónico, orchestra (1962)
Absolutio Post Missam Pro Defunctis, soli, chorus and orchestra (1964)
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (1964)
Homenaje a Juan Santamaría, orchestra (1966)
Variaciones Concertantes, piano and orchestra (1969)
Duo Concertante, violin and piano (197?)
La Tocatina, violin and cello (1973)
Tres canciones (3 songs), soprano and piano (1977)
Tramas, string orchestra (1978)
Presencia de Jorge Bravo, narrator and orchestra (1979)
Divertimento for Wind Quintet (1979)
Primera Sinfonía (First Symphony), orchestra (1980)
Bosquejos (Sketches), oboe and string orchestra (1981)
El Pájaro del Crepúsculo, opera (1982)
Preludio Sinfónico, from El Pájaro del Crepúsculo, orchestra (1982)
Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (1983)
La Segua, film score (1985)
Music from the film score “La Segua” (1984)
El regalo de los Reyes o las dos Evas (The Gift of the Magi, or The Two Evas), opera (1985)
Fuego y Sombra (Flame and Shadow), scenic cantata, ballet, soli, chorus and orchestra (1986) [on the life of F. G. Lorca]
Danza de la Pena Negra, orchestra (1986) [from Fuego y Sombra, 1986]
Preludio y la danza de la pena negra, violin and piano (1986) [?arr. from Fuego y Sombra, 1986]
Concerto for Marimba criolla on themes of Ulpinao Duarte (1987)
Trio for Clarinet, Bassoon and Piano (1987)
Cuatro piezas para piano elemental (Four Pieces for Beginning Piano), piano (1993)
Revenir, 4 bassoons (1998)
Concerto for Trombone Quartet (1999)
Suite "Los Elementos", band (2001) [Evocación al Aire; Danza del Agua; Danza de la Tierra; Danza del fuego]
Variaciones Rachmaninoff-Paganini, piano and wind ensemble (2003)
Divertimiento, flute and symphonic band (2004)
La Propia de Magón, opera in one act, symphonic band (2004)
Semblanza, basson and string orchestra (2005)
Evocación, orchestra (????)
WORKS BY GENRE Gutiérrez Links ~ top of page ~
[under construction]
Dramatic/Theater
Marianela, opera (1957)
El Pájaro del Crepúsculo, opera (1982)
El regalo de los Reyes, o las dos Evas (The Gift of the Magi, or The Two Evas), opera (1985)
Fuego y Sombra (Flame and Shadow), scenic cantata, ballet, soli, chorus and orchestra (1986) [on life of Federico García Lorca]
Orchestra
Improvisación, string orchestra (1961)
Pavana para Cuerdas (Pavane for Strings), string quartet or string orchestrea (1961)
Introducción y Allegro, string orchestra (1961) [1978?]
Preludio Sinfónico, orchestra (1962)
Homenaje a Juan Santamaría, orchestra (1966)
Tramas, string orchestra (1978)
Presencia de Jorge Bravo, narrator and orchestra (1979)
Primera Sinfonía (First Symphony), orchestra (1980)
Preludio Sinfónico, from El Pájaro del Crepúsculo, orchestra (1982)
Music from the film score “La Segua” (1984)
Danza de la Pena Negra, orchestra (1986) [from Fuego y Sombra, 1986]
Evocación, orchestra (????)
Band
Suite "Los Elementos", band (2001) [Evocación al Aire; Danza del Agua; Danza de la Tierra; Danza del fuego]
Variaciones Rachmaninoff-Paganini, piano and wind ensemble (2003)
Divertimiento, flute and symphonic band (2004)
La Propia de Magón, opera in one act, symphonic band (2004)
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra or Band
Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (1959) [1958?]
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (1964) [1963?]
Variaciones Concertantes, piano and orchestra (1969)
Bosquejos (Sketches), oboe and string orchestra (1981)
Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (1983)
Concerto for Marimba criolla on themes of Ulpinao Duarte (1987)
Concerto for Trombone Quartet (1999)
Variaciones Rachmaninoff-Paganini, piano and wind ensemble (2003)
Divertimiento, flute and symphonic band (2004)
Semblanza, basson and string orchestra (2005)
Chorus w/Orchestra
Absolutio Post Missam Pro Defunctis, soli, chorus and orchestra (1964)
Chamber
Pavana para Cuerdas (Pavane for Strings), string quartet or string orchestrea (1961)
La Tocatina, violin and cello (1973)
Divertimento for Wind Quintet (1979)
Trio for Clarinet, Bassoon and Piano (1987)
Revenir, 4 bassoons (1998)
Concerto for Trombone Quartet (1999)
Solo Instrument
Habanera, violin and piano (1960?)
Duo Concertante, violin and piano (197?)
Preludio y la danza de la pena negra, violin and piano (1986) [?arr. from Fuego y Sombra, 1986]
Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (1959?) (2006?)
Piano
Tocata y Fuga (Toccata and Fugue), piano (1959)
Cuatro piezas para piano elemental (Four Pieces for Beginning Piano), piano (1993)
Variaciones Rachmaninoff - Paganini, piano (????)
Vocal
Tres canciones (3 songs), soprano and piano (1977)
- Quisiera ser
- Por la senda oscura yo camino [originally for soprano and orchestra]
- Quizás ya no venga
Incidental/Film
La Segua, film score (1985)
GUTIERREZ LINKS Works by Genre ~ top of page ~
Benjamín Gutiérrez and His Works for Piano (Juan Pablo Andrade) also here (abstract)
Critical Study of Benjamín Gutiérrez' Viola Concerto, "Sobre un Canto Bribri" (Orquídea María Guandique Araniva)
El estilo musical de Benjamín Gutiérrez (Ekaterina Chatsk, Universidad de Costa Rica) [in Spanish]
Marianela: The First Costa Rican Opera (1957) (Vernon A. Chamberlin, CervantesVirtual.com)
Notes on the Violin Concerto of Benjamin Gutierrez (Solerti Erasmo Aguilar) [translated by Google] - see also here
Reconocimiento merecido (Deserved Recognition) (Andrés Sáenz, mundoclasico.com)
Benjamín Gutiérrez' Sonata for Clarinet and Piano - Contribution to Costa Rican Musical Heritage (Krista Helfenberger)
Composer's website . . . contact Benjamín Gutiérrez: here
Gutiérrez @ Wikipedia Commons
Gutiérrez @ Costa Rica Music Festival
Gutiérrez @ Diarioextra.com
Gutiérrez @ Fandango
Gutiérrez @ LinkedIn
Gutiérrez @ Musical Composers of Costa Rica
Gutiérrez @ Nacion.com (via Google Advanced Search)
Gutiérrez @ Northeasern Music Publications
Gutiérrez @ radioACAM
Gutiérrez @ REC Music Foundation /The Lied and Art Song Texts Page
Gutiérrez @ SiCultura
Publisher
Gutiérrez @ Composer's website
Gutiérrez @ Northeasern Music Publications
Streaming Audio
[none at the moment]
Recordings
[none at the moment]
Video
Gutiérrez @ YouTube
Gutiérrez @ Google Video
Gutiérrez @ Vimeo (via Google Advanced Search)
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