Joaquim Homs, born in Barcelona in 1906, studied cello and taught himself piano and composition, later becoming a pupil of composer Roberto Gerhard.
Composer Biography
Joaquim Homs worked his entire life as an engineer, yet maintained a prolific musical output with over 200 works in his catalogue.
Compositional Technique
The death of Joaquim Homs's wife, the painter Pietat Fornesa, in 1967 marked the beginning of a third, darker, more intimate, and elegiac period in his music.
Historical Context
The Spanish Civil War (1936-39) ended a 'golden age' of Catalan music, making it difficult for new music to be heard beyond Spain's borders.
Recording & Production
This album features the premiere recordings of Joaquim Homs's Diptych I for Piano, Suite for Piano, Op. 1, and Concertino for Piano and Chamber Orchestra.
Album & Artwork
The album's cover image, 'Puigcerdà's Lake' (1958), is an oil painting by Pietat Fornesa, the composer's wife.
Compositional Technique
Joaquim Homs's musical output is divided into three periods, with the second period beginning in 1954 marked by his adoption of the twelve-note system.
