SIRA HERNÁNDEZ · HYMNS TO THE HOPE
Poetry, literature, painting – these sources of inspiration are indispensable to the artistic work of composer and pianist Sira Hernández. Her powerful message transcends pure music, never losing sight of the reality beyond art. She feels a sense of obligation to this reality when she says, "Hope is an expression of faith and love for life, and we can never allow ourselves to abandon it."
»Hymns to the Hope« is the result of several years of work. "The pieces describe the return to everyday life after the pandemic and the lockdown, including the illusion that we can resume our everyday habits after the sadness that characterized this phase... and they deal with the despair in the face of the wars that continue to grip our world." »Hymns to the Hope« we embark on a journey to hope, shaped by the musical language and musical preferences of the Barcelona pianist. Sira, who admires the poetry of Leopardi, Ungaretti, and García Lorca, is not afraid to address social injustice. Already with Don’t Forget About That – A Primo Levi, in memoriam In her music she refers to corresponding literature of the 20th century: In this composition she recalls the great writer Primo Levi, who testifies to the violence suffered in the Auschwitz extermination camp; in the Fantasia para piano It commemorates women who have been victims of mistreatment and abuse.
Sira Hernández received her academic training mainly in Italy, and one of her award-winning compositions is dedicated to Dante’s Divine Comedy, a piece of literature of timeless significance. The minimalist composition Terra Santa – Ci sono angeli nel cielo, which already appeared in their album »Initiation to the Shadow« conveys something of this unwavering, yet contemplative and hopeful gaze. The beginning of the journey, the promise of the Holy Land. "We must continue to defend with determination all that for us means beauty and humanity in their most sublime sense. Full of hope and faith in a better future for all," writes the composer.
Her openness to other cultures is also reflected in Maha Shivaratri – La gran noche de Shiva, a composition from 2021. "Shivaratri" is the night before the first new moon, when Shiva unites with the goddess Parvati. On this night, the "Tandava," Shiva's ecstatic dance, is performed, embodying constant transformation, creation, and destruction. Sira's music describes this cathartic, hypnotic, and serene mood. Always true to a tonal language, it creates movements that repeat as an ostinato before merging into the tranquility of a chorale. An ornate melody leads to a boisterous crescendo, which then returns to the work's opening theme.
Spirituality also determines Loneliness in the Cathedral"The solitude in the cathedral is a moment of meditation in this enclosed space, a moment of contemplation in silence and solitude. There is only empty landscape, the cathedrals themselves, without people or prayers. Only us with ourselves," writes Sira. As if he wanted to recreate the atmosphere of Debussy's La cathédrale engloutie To evoke the atmosphere of the world, a rhythmic figure of three notes forms the starting point for the unfolding of a distinctly romantic melody with echoes of Chopin. It is contemplative, meditative music that describes the somber solitude of a cathedral. "And the landscape outside is also surrounded by silence. We will return there, but then everything will be different."
Chopin has always been an important reference point for Sira Hernández. During his four-month stay in Valldemossa (Mallorca), which began in November 1838, Chopin's natural surroundings became his inspiration. Sira herself has a close connection to Mallorca and Ibiza and dedicates two of her works to Chopin: Tribute to Chopin I dates back to 2020. Starting with the unmistakable sixth jump with which the Nocturne op. 9 No. 2 It begins a thoughtful and nostalgic work. In the style of a nocturne, the harmony in the left hand forms the basis of an ethereal melody with rubati, ornaments, and resolutions reminiscent of Chopin. Tribute to Chopin II is similarly structured. The piece is more passionate and moving, captivating us with its romantic vehemence, and despite its impetuous character, this nocturne contains graceful, dreamy moments.
Sira Hernández's academic training in Italy has made her a connoisseur of Italian literature. Her composition Alla Luna she was inspired by the beautiful poem Alla Luna inspired by Giacomo Leopardi:
O graciosa luna, io mi rammento
Che, or volge l’anno, sovra questo colle
lo venia pien d’angoscia a rimirarti:
E tu pendevi allor su quella selva …
Here, in a wonderfully creative symbiosis, Chopin’s music sounds and is reminiscent of his Fantaisie-ImpromptuA six-note appoggiatura conjures up an ethereal atmosphere, and above Leopardi's subtle verses, romantic music without words emerges.
Five short pieces, Hope – New Year, Mother, Serena, Winter, Easter Bells , form the suite Momentos Musicales – Impresiones These works premiered in July 2023 at the Museo Casa Botines Gaudí in León at a celebratory concert marking the 100th anniversary of the death of the Valencian painter Joaquín Sorolla. The light in Sorolla's paintings is as distinctive as it is evocative. The suite is dedicated to "the contemplation and perception of everyday moments that shine upon us in their serenity and beauty, and suddenly our lives take on meaning." Hope – New Year is a hymn to hope, an arpeggios accompanied melody ending in a major key. Serena exudes bliss thanks to its simple tones, its thirds, and the warmth of the minor key. The romantic piece Winter followed by the impetuous Easter Bells, where minimalist ideas are supported by the evocative »bell ringing« of the piano.
The pieces You Are Here and Ancient Dance For Peace were premiered on August 24, 2023, at the 25th Ibiza International Music Festival. In You Are Here A profound piece of music emerges, characterized by striking sounds and contrasts between the piano's registers. The longing for peace in the world is evoked by music that is at times serene, but also features disturbing moments, when two notes in the lower register express sadness and pessimism, but also a hint of hope.
The bombing of Guernica is etched in our memory as one of the tragic episodes of the Spanish Civil War – thanks in part to Pablo Picasso, who immortalized the horror on canvas. Guernica, a Picasso is dedicated to Sira's teacher Alicia de Larrocha. The music is heartbreaking and reminiscent of Schubert's Erlkönig. Dark, rough sounds, from which one can finally hear Dante’s verses »lasciate ogni speranza…« [abandon all hope…] thinks one can hear.
Sa Terra Santa , »the planet we live on«, »our sacred space«, with its echoes of Ibizan folk music is a perfectly suitable prelude to HymnA hymn to "the hope of overcoming the world's ills." The work was commissioned for the 69th Maria Canals International Music Competition in Barcelona in March 2024 and previously premiered in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Majestic, hymnic chords characterize this powerful composition, which culminates in fortissimo chords and a major chord. Music that "allows the creative freedom that true, serious musicians find in scores" and opens the door to a hopefully promising future.
Lluis Trullén