Approximately two to three years after composing Chants (1988, for unaccompanied flute), Alfredo del Mónaco met with oboist Jaime Martínez, who provided the composer with specific suggestions about rendering extended techniques, special fingerings and other effects on the oboe.1)Martínez, email to the author, 3 August, 2018. Martínez, who is currently the principal oboist of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Medellín and professor of oboe at the EAFIT University in Colombia, premiered Lyrika during the “Lido Guarnieri” First International Festival of Oboists on June 15, 1993, in Venezuela. He has continued to perform the work on many occasions, and always uses a copy of the same manuscript that was used for its publication.
In addition to Martínez’s continuing performance of Lyrika, the work has not only frequently appeared on programs throughout Latin America, but is also evidently a staple in the repertoire of many contemporary Latin American oboists. A list of these include Milton Martínez, who performed Lyrika in Guatemala on May 25, 1999; Ricardo Riveiro, whose performance on March 8, 2014, took place during an oboe festival in Argentina; Victhoria Pérez, who participated on a recital in homage of del Mónaco held in Caracas on June 19, 2016; and José Luis Urquieta, who included Lyrika on an October 15, 2016 concert during the 13th Darwin Vargas International Festival that was held in Valparaiso, Chile.
Even so, as the only two pieces that del Mónaco composed for solo wind instruments, Chants and Lyrika naturally lend themselves to comparison. Nevertheless, to date there has only been one such resemblance, written by Venezuelan musicologist Humberto Sagredo, and published in Revista Musical Venezolana:
Written for solo oboe, [Lyrika] ends up being more lyrical, more refined and more severe than his piece for flute. The indications at the beginning: assai cantabile, espressivo, calmo, dolcissimo and dolente, situate us once again in the meditative atmosphere that seems to be characteristic of the personal style of this composer. It must be noted that in spite of the indications of a pessimistic character, the music is actually a long way from being sad or plaintive. On the contrary, although it is calm and serene, it really sounds rather optimistic, affirmative and confident; the presumptive pessimism soon transforms itself into hope. The words that could sum up its quality are not sadness or pain, but rather, meditation and reflection. This meditative aspect of sonorous movement, which is a permanent characteristic of A. del Mónaco’s style, is reflected in the complete indifference that he generally shows towards the rhythmic aspects of music. Although he writes figures with traditional notes, with their metric content, the eighth note, quarter note, etc., there is no metrical regularity and because of this there is no reason to put them into measures. It is that it is not music that can be measured with a metronome, but rather, it is reflexive. It is a return to the natural accentuation that emanates from melodic movement itself, like it used to be in primitive Gregorian Chant.2)Humberto Sagredo Araya, “Alfredo del Monaco Lyrika y Chants,” Revista Musical Venezolana XVIII/36, I-IV (1998), 191.
Although Sagredo correctly observes that there is no metrical regularity, this is not to say, however, that the work’s various rhythmic cells are to be freely rendered. On the contrary, the base tempo vacillates between slow (quarter note = 50) and slightly faster (quarter note = 60), and with the exception of a few gradual changes in tempo, the cells are intended to be performed according to these indications. In addition, del Mónaco tightly controls other performative effects, such as dynamics and articulations.
Sagredo does not touch on this subject, but particularly in the case of Lyrika, one must ask, what is the actual title of this composition? This question must be answered because in the original publication two different versions can be found, which in turn has resulted in some confusion in works lists, cataloging, and other sources.
Although “Lyrika” is printed on both the title page and the first page of the score, on the final page, on which performance indications are provided, the title is given as “Lyrica.” Unfortunately, after more than 25 years, the original editor of the work, Juan Francisco Sans, has no specific recollection about this matter.3)Juan Francisco Sans, email to the author, 31 July, 2018. However, he rightly points out that neither version is correctly spelled in Spanish, which suggests that del Mónaco may have been looking for a title that more closely corresponds with his unconventional approach to writing for the oboe. Therefore, by writing the title with a “y” and a “k,” del Mónaco is able to settle on the most unconventional way to write the Spanish word “lírica,” without either obscuring its meaning or distorting its pronunciation.
The now-liquidated Vicente Emilio Sojo Foundation originally published Lyrika in 1998. It can be performed as an oboe solo or oboe and fixed media piece. The mixed version uses a pre-recorded track made by the performer with background multiphonics played very softly from near the second part until almost the end of the composition. Authorized by members of the del Mónaco family, our re-edition of this work seeks to preserve the look and feel of the original publication.
John L. Walker