Boston Conservatory at Berklee presents an extraordinary musical event featuring acclaimed pianist and faculty member Charlotte Hu. Hu will tackle one of the most demanding and evocative cycles in the piano repertoire: Enrique Granados’s complete Goyescas.
Program Information
Repertoire
ENRIQUE GRANADOS (1867–1916): Goyescas—Los majos enamorados (The Gallants in Love), op. 11
Book I
I. Los requiebros (The Compliments)
II. Coloquio en la reja (Conversation at the Window)
III. El fandango de candil (Fandango by Candlelight)
IV. Quejas, o La Maja y el ruiseñor (The Maiden and the Nightingale)
Book II
V. El Amor y la muerte (Balada) (Ballad of Love and Death)
VI. Epílogo: Serenata del espectro (Epilogue: Serenade of the Spectre)
Program Notes
My first encounter with Granados’s Goyescas occurred during my years at Juilliard, where I was immediately captivated by the poetry embedded within the score. I found myself drawn to the nuanced characters, the sweeping narrative arc, and the distinctly Spanish flavors that Granados interwove with such profound emotional depth. To me, this masterwork contains entire worlds, allowing passion, tenderness, humor, shadow, and light to coexist seamlessly across its six movements.
Years later, I decided to explore this work in its complete form. Recording the entire suite with Everett Porter and the Polyhymnia team at MCO 1 in Hilversum, the Netherlands, allowed us to capture what I believe is the true essence of these pieces. We aimed to present their color, drama, and intimacy in a way that feels both fresh and deeply respectful of Granados’s original vision.
As a collection, Goyescas stands as one of the most ambitious and poetic creations in the history of Spanish piano literature. Granados drew his primary inspiration from the paintings of Francisco Goya, ensuring that each movement corresponds to a specific painting or drawing from Goya’s visual universe. In doing so, he masterfully translated visual art into a rich, living musical narrative.
Throughout Goyescas, Granados’s harmonic language is remarkably modern for its time. Published in 1911, the work employs chromatic writing and innovative tonal shifts that were quite advanced for the period. Yet, these innovations never overwhelm the work’s essential lyricism; instead, they deepen it, allowing the music to appeal simultaneously to the virtuoso and the dreamer.
About the Artist
Hailed as a “first-class talent” (
Philadelphia Inquirer) with “superstar quality” (Jerusalem Post), Taiwanese American pianist Charlotte Hu has built an illustrious career as a soloist, educator, and entrepreneur. A top prize winner at the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition and the Concert Artists Guild Competition, she is celebrated for her dazzling virtuosity and magnetic stage presence.As a soloist, Hu has performed sold-out concerts at the world’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Wigmore Hall, and the Concertgebouw. Her concerto engagements include appearances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, and Taiwan Philharmonic.An acclaimed recording artist, Hu’s debut album was named Best Classical Album by the Golden Melody Awards, and her discography on PENTATONE and Naxos has earned five-star reviews. Her upcoming album, Goyescas, will be released on June 5 on the PENTATONE label. Beyond the stage, she is the founder of the Philadelphia Young Pianists’ Academy (PYPA), a vital cultural bridge between East and West since 2013.A Steinway Artist, Hu serves as an associate professor at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and artist-in-residence at Temple University. Learn more about Hu. Concert Services Staff
Assistant Director, Concert Services – Luis Herrera
Coordinator, Concert Services – Matthew Carey
Concert Production Manager – Kendall Floyd
Performance Technology Technicians – Sara Pagiaro, Goran Daskalov
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