Three Centuries of History

Soler · Mozart · Gershwin · Brahms

A journey through the piano across three centuries of music.
From the clarity of Classicism to the freedom of jazz and the expressive density of Romanticism, the programme invites an attentive listening to time, gesture, and the transformation of musical language.

PROGRAMME

Antonio Soler (1729–1783)

Sonata in D major – Sonata in G minor

Soler’s sonatas form a core part of the Hispanic keyboard repertoire of the 18th century. Written in a clear, direct language, they combine formal elegance with vibrant rhythmic energy, often marked by popular resonances. In these works, the piano becomes a space of precision, light, and movement.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)

Fantasia in C minor, K. 475

The Fantasia in C minor is one of Mozart’s freest and most expressive works for keyboard. Detached from rigid forms, it alternates introspective passages with moments of intense dramatic tension. A piece that reveals the composer’s most personal and profound voice, where silence carries its own weight.

George Gershwin (1898–1937)

Songbook

I’ll build a stairway to paradise

Somebody loves me

S’Wonderful

Do-Do-Do

Liza (All the clouds’ll roll away)

With Gershwin, the piano enters the 20th century and opens itself to new languages. The melodies of the Songbook connect the classical world with jazz, Broadway, and American popular music. Rhythm, lyricism, and spontaneity coexist in pieces that breathe city life, stage, and modernity.

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)

Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24

This monumental work is one of the great landmarks of the piano repertoire. Starting from a theme by Handel, Brahms constructs a universe of extraordinary variation, culminating in a fugue of impressive architectural strength. A synthesis of tradition and expressive depth, in which the piano unfolds its full sonic density.

Rafael González Paz, a pianist born in Montevideo and based in Ibiza, has developed an international career that has led him to perform on prestigious stages across Europe and Latin America. He has given recitals at venues such as the Solís Theatre in Montevideo, Teatro del Lago in Frutillar, the Municipal Theatre of Santiago de Chile, and the Palace of the Arts in Budapest, and has taken part in several seasons of the Chamber Music Cycle of Uruguay’s National Radio (SODRE).

His concert activity includes collaborations with a wide range of chamber music ensembles in South America and Europe. Since 2022, he has maintained an ongoing artistic relationship with the Balearic Islands Symphony Orchestra. In Mallorca, he has appeared in festivals and series such as the Clàssica Festival in Maria de la Salut, the International Festival Vila de Santanyí, the Migjorn Chamber Music Series, and the Ca’n Bonico Concert Series.

With solid training in Germany and Hungary, his interpretation is characterised by a balance of intellectual depth and sonic sensitivity. Since settling in the Balearic Islands in 2018, he combines his performing career with teaching at various musical institutions in Mallorca and Ibiza.

About the performer

Notebooks

One theme, many voices
A theme by Handel.
Brahms listens — and transforms it.

→ Read the Notebook (Catalan)