Una Dia de Noviembre

About This Song

Leo Brouwer (1939-present) was the first Cuban composer to use aleatory forms in his compositions. His varied output includes many works for guitar, percussion, piano; a ballet, choral, and several orchestral pieces. He has also written music for more than 100 films. Brouwer’s early compositions reflect a Cuban influence and are strongly rhythmic while his later works veer towards a more minimalist style. His passion for the guitar has remained, and he is perhaps best known for his Etudes Simples, a group of 20 studies for the classical guitar where technique and musicality function as one. Una Dia de Noviembre was originally written for a 1972 Cuban film of the same name. The original instrumentation was for guitar accompanied by flute, bass, and percussion. The piece was later transcribed to the guitar repertoire. Brouwer’s Una Dia de Noviembre features the interplay of minor and major keys, eliciting an introspective and contemplative musical effect. (The audio for this score uses an instrumental sound sample to demonstrate Stevan’s arrangement.)