Wedding March (2004)

With a duration of around seven minutes, this work was composed with a very specific purpose. While this is a concert work, as it was commissioned, a toast from all the citizens of Oviedo, Asturias to their Prince and future Princess, heirs to the throne of Spain in their upcoming ceremony of marriage, this Wedding March was also designed in the tradition of other works of the genre with a specific function: to be processional and celebratory music for the entrance of the bride and groom prior to the ceremony of matrimony. The work is designed in the form of variations and theme (in this order). Being the theme presented in the last two minutes of the work, which is the wedding march per se. The work includes a representative element of the history of Spain, the Zarabanda and the Pasacalle, as it was known in the 16th Century. This form, similar to passacaglia, is based on continuous variations on the same harmonic progression, in the case of this work, twelve chords. This chord progression is superimposed with the rhythm of the zarabanda. This Spanish dance is based on the alternating meters of 3/4 and 6/8. This feature is deeply embedded in the structure of the variations. The ideas used both in the chord progression as well as the zarabanda are very organic; all stem from the tonal theme of the wedding march. The final result is a progression is increasing vivacity and brightness. In the beginning ideas are shown in a blurry and unclear way as if they have been almost forgotten by centuries of history. As we progress in the work, these ideas become more and more clear until we hear the solemn wedding march, ending the work with brilliant orchestral tutti.