Ukraine National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Takuo Yuasa.
I - Moderato (𝅘𝅥 = 108): 0:00
Ferrero's "The Meeting" (El Encuentro) was composed in 1999, being the fourth in a set of six symphonic poems describing events during the Spanish conquest of Hernán Cortés against the Aztec civilization. The series can be considered a symphonic study for Ferrero's 2005 opera "La Conquista", which tackles the same subject. The whole series is written in a neorromantic, tonal style. The poems can be performed individually or together. The compositional concept that underlines the cycle confirms the theatrical nature of Ferrero; each piece has its own colour, a specific character, but at the same time subtle thematic links hold the parts together, according to a well-calculated interplay of rhythmic, melodic and harmonic references.
With the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in the American continent from 1492 onwards, began an extraordinary event that would radically change the American and European civilizations. Mayans, Aztecs and Incas were conquered with a mixture of violence and peaceful alliances that culminated in the fusion between the Spanish and the natives as the creation of the first global empire. The conquest of Mexico and the Aztec civilization as "New Spain" (la Nueva España), proved to be the most impressive event: five hundred men, for the most part soldiers of fortune led by Hernán Cortés, conquered a large empire in just a few months.
The piece describes the meeting between Aztec emperor Moctezuma II and conquistador Hernán Cortés in the capital city of Technotitlan. After marching towards the city and fighting and allying with tribes on the way, Cortés arrived to Cholula, the second-biggest city and a religious centre. At that point, apparently Moctezuma had ordered the local nobility to attack the Spanish contingent, a massacre unfolded as Cortés learned of the scheme and reacted with violence (the events surrounding Cholula are confusing, as there exist multiple contradicting narratives of what happened). Cortés then sent emissaries to Moctezuma with the message that the people of Cholula had treated him with trickery and had therefore been punished.
As an answer, Moctezuma blamed the commanders of the local Aztec garrison for the resistance in Cholula, and recognizing that his long-standing attempts to dissuade Cortés from coming to Tenochtitlan with gifts of gold and silver had failed, Moctezuma finally invited the conquistadors to visit his capital city. On November 8 of 1519, Cortés and his forces entered Tenochtitlan, the island capital of the Mexica-Aztecs. It is believed that the city was one of the largest in the world at that time, and the largest in the Americas. The most common estimates put the population at around 60,000 to over 300,000 people. To the Aztecs, Tenochtitlan was the "altar" for the Empire, as well as being the city that Quetzalcoatl would eventually return to.
Upon meeting, Hernan Cortés claimed to be the representative of God and the Spanish kings, he attempted to embrace Moctezuma, but was restrained as no one was allowed to touch the emperor. After greetings, Moctezuma personally dressed only Cortés in a priceless feather-work flower, a golden jewellery studded necklace and a garland of flowers. Moctezuma then brought Cortés to the shrine of the goddess Toci, where he gave him a more private greeting, in which he practically gave the Aztec Empire to Cortés, as he reportedly said that it was his "desire to serve." Shorty after this encounter, the emperor would be made prisoner and the Aztec empire would collapse.
The piece begins with a solemn theme on brass, unfolding widely on strings and growing more imposing and mysterious at the same time. A more lyrical and relaxed variation on the theme then appears over short woodwind figures. We find thematic references to "Omens" (Presagios), the first symphonic poem in the series through the piece. The music grows more agitated and expressive in the central section, as the main theme is recapitulated. After a short climax, the more lyrical variation returns and leads us to a calm pastoral section. The solemn theme, as intoned in the beginning, is brought back by the brass. As we have seen in the previous pieces in the series, the structure largely consists of alternations of ideas and themes without a full on development. A reflective coda ends the work.
Picture: An illustration of Emperor Moctezuma II welcoming Cortés to Tenochtitlan.
Musical analysis written by myself.
Unfortunately, the score is not available.
