Composer: Manuel Blasco de Nebra
Performer: Javier Perianes
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Harmonia Mundi
Release: 2010
Size: 535 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Sonata No. 1 in C Minor
01. I. Adagio
02. II. Allegro
Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Major
03. I. Adagio
04. II. Allegro
Sonata No. 5 in F-Sharp Minor
05. I. Adagio
06. II. Presto
Sonata No. 3 in D Major
07. I. Adagio
08. II. Allegro
Sonata No. 4 in C Major
09. I. Adagio
10. II. Allegro
Sonata No. 6 in E Minor
11. I. Adagio
12. II. Allegro
Pastorela No. 2 in F Major
13. I. Adagio
14. II. Pastorela
15. III. Minuet
Pastorela No. 6 in E Minor
16. I. Adagio
17. II. Pastorela
18. III. Minuet
Manuel Blasco de Nebra was born in Seville in 1750 and died there in 1784. He came from a musical family and his father, the organist José Blasco de Nebra, was his first teacher. At this time Seville was in the throes of a major economic crisis, having lost its monopoly on trade with the Americas, and Manuel was therefore forced to leave his native city and try his luck elsewhere. In 1766 he travelled to Madrid, where he was soon renowned for his amazing sightreading abilities and for his remarkably expressive performances on the harpsichord, organ and piano, the last instrument then in its infancy. His uncle, José de Nebra, a composer of zarzuelas, was a highly respected figure at court and was able to give his nephew some help in establishing his own musical career but he died two years later, and, lacking financial support, Manuel had no option but to return to Seville. Once there, he carried out some of his father’s organ-playing duties at the cathedral as well as standing in from time to time for its principal organist, Juan Roldán. He composed about 170 works, although only 30, all for keyboard instrument, are still in existence: Seis sonatas para clave y fuerte-piano Op.1 (Madrid, 1780); six pastorellas and 12 sonatas (Montserrat, Abadía); six keyboard sonatas (Osuna, Encarnación Monastery).