A Selection of Works by Enrique Granados (1867-1916). Performed by various artists

Enrique Granados (1867-1916) | Introduction by Douglas Riva

American pianist Douglas Riva has gained international recognition for his profound knowledge of Spanish music, and no less an authority than the distinguished Spanish composer Xavier Montsalvatge has described him as “an exceptional pianist.” Douglas Riva’s interpretations of the works of Enrique Granados have earned him his reputation as today’s leading exponent of Granados’s piano music. His recordings for Naxos of the complete piano works of Granados, comprising 231works including 102 world première recordings have won worldwide critical acclaim. Spanish critics writing in Scherzo praised Mr. Riva’s interpretation of Granados’s masterpiece as “belonging to the privileged class of the very best versions of Goyescas.” Referring to Vol. 7 of the series, Scherzo also described Mr. Riva as “an absolute authority, an excellent pianist who is as poetic as Granados’ music.” London’s The Guardian described Vol. 3 of the series as “a totally compelling performance [that] demands to be heard.”

Douglas Riva is the Assistant Director of the eighteen-volume critical edition of the Complete Works for Piano of Enrique Granados, directed by Alicia de Larrocha and published by Editorial Boileau, Barcelona. In 2016 the Complutense University, Madrid, published his critical edition of the complete orchestral works by Granados, including the first publication of 8 works. Mr. Riva recorded one of these works, Elisenda, with the City of Granada orchestra, directed by Cristóbal Soler, for Deutsche Grammophon.

Mr. Riva has performed at the White House, Carnegie Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and numerous festivals in Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Holland, United Kingdom and the United States. He gave the first United States performance of a newly discovered Scarlatti sonata at the National Gallery of Art and the world première of Gazebo Dances by John Corigliano. Granados’s long-lost masterpiece, Cant de les estrelles for piano solo, organ and choruses was performed for only the second time in history by Douglas Riva and the Voices of Ascension, directed by Dennis Keene in 2007. The Naxos recording of the première performance, Song of the Stars, was nominated for a GRAMMY award. The Wall Street Journal described Cant de les estrelles as a “masterpiece” and praised the Naxos CD as “real cause for celebration … gorgeous in every way-from the engineering quality to the impeccable performances.” The American Record Guide commented: “Its expressive effect was breathtaking … full of grace, subtlety, nuance, poetry and assurance.”

Mr. Riva began his musical education at the age of nine, studying both the piano and the flute. His professional career began at the age of sixteen as the Principal Flutist of the El Paso (Texas) Symphony Orchestra. Later, devoting himself exclusively to the piano, he continued his studies at the Juilliard School, New York University, and in Barcelona at the Academia Granados-Marshall, founded by Granados.

A frequent lecturer, in Spain and the United States, Mr. Riva has lectured at Harvard University, New York University, University of California (Riverside), University of New Mexico, University of Richmond, Graduate Center of the City University of New York and in Spain for the Sociedad Española de Musicología (Madrid) and the Real Academia de Bellas Artes (Canary Islands).

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