REPERTOIRE

GAËLLE SOLAL
TIENTO (OHANA)

WATCH THE LESSON

AT TONEBASE.CO
“THE WAY TOWARDS EXPRESSION IS A
LABYRINTH, NOT A STRAIGHT WAY.”
- Gaëlle Solal

LESSON DESCRIPTION

In this lesson, guitarist Gaëlle Solal provides an in-

depth analysis into Maurice Ohana’s first piece for
guitar, Tiento. From her own personal research,
Gaëlle opens with a biography of Ohana, and
discusses how his diverse cultural background
gave him varied musical tastes. His influences were
numerous, and Gaëlle carefully reveals how each one
combines to create the flavor of Tiento.

The piece has four sections, each with very different

character but related melodic content. She provides
her own detailed map of the piece as well as listening
examples of related pieces for deeper understanding.
No repertoire lesson is complete without careful
technical study, and Gaëlle doesn’t disappoint,
bringing in tips for fingerings, developing contrast
and tension, implementing extended techniques,
and playing with a variety of colors. By the end of
this lesson you’ll have a thorough introduction into
a rich body of traditional music that has impacted
twentieth-century composers, as well as the
knowledge you need to perform this difficult and
hauntingly gorgeous piece of guitar literature.

T IE N T O 2
 ABOUT YOUR
INSTRUCTOR

Guitarist Gaëlle Solal, born in Marseilles, France, began playing

at age 6 with Rene Bartoli. Winning three gold medals at the
Marseilles Conservatory by the age of 14, she went on to study
with Roland Dyens and Oscar Ghiglia, among others. She has
traveled to more than forty countries to perform in major
festivals, prestigious halls, and concertos with numerous
symphonies.

In 1998, she was the first Frenchwoman to win the grand

prize in the Michele Pittaluga International Classical Guitar
Competition. As a teacher, Gaëlle taught at Sevilla Superior
Conservatory for six years before embarking on her full-time
performing career. She continues to give master classes around
the world. Her new project, “Crazy Nails!”, is a show-concert
with guitarist Boris Gaquere, bringing the audience across
borders of music and comedy.

CHAPTERS
• Introduction • Section II: Tiento

• Ohana’s Influences • Section III: Plainchant

• Title and Score • Section IV: Recapitulation

• Structure • Conclusion

• Section I: Folia

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 3

INTRODUCTION

To start to understand some of Ohana’s inspirations for this

piece, Gaëlle spends the first part of the lesson covering
biographical and contextual information.

Biography

Maurice Ohana was born in 1913, in Casablanca, Morocco, while it

was still a French territory (it would continue to be until 1956).

His father was of Andalusian

and Sephardic-Jewish descent,
and his mother was also
Spanish: Andalusian and
Castilian. His father was born
in Gibraltar, a British territory,
which means Maurice Ohana
was also a British citizen.
However, he moved to France
in 1946 and took French
citizenship in 1976. For this
reason, he is most widely known
as a French composer.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 4

In his childhood, Ohana was
raised by a nanny from the
Berber culture of Northern
Africa. The Berber flag is shown
on the right. The influence of
this culture was significant and
is worth referencing to more

deeply understand Ohana’s music. The Berbers are an ethnic

group with between 20-30 million members who can be found
today in countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya.
Historically they spoke the Berber language, however there are
only four million speakers today.

Gaëlle provides the following video as an example of Berber

music. This piece, entitled Tahuzzut, is a lullaby performed by the
Algerian artist Djur Djura.

Tahuzzut
https://youtu.be/wOGt_ro4wg4ro4wg4

Ohana spent most of his childhood in Morocco. He began playing

piano at age 7, and gave his first concerts at age 11. In 1927 he
moved with his family to Biarritz, in the south of France, where
he could enroll in more formal schooling. In 1940, at 27 years old,
he joined the British army in the midst of the Second World War.
The army eventually took him to Italy. When he was in Rome, he
joined the Academy Santa Cecilia in the piano class of famous
Italian composer Alfredo Casella. In 1946, Ohana returned to
Paris to study counterpoint with organist and composer Jean-Yves
Daniel-Lesur. The following year, Ohana created the Zodiac Group
(“Groupe Zodiaque”) with two other pupils of Daniel-Lesur; Alain
Bermat and Pierre de La Forest Divonne.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 5

The group’s purpose was to pull contemporary music away
from the common trend of serialism. Around the same time,
he put aside his concert career to devote himself exclusively to
composition.

Ohana’s Compositional Lineage

The trends of the mid-twentieth century, in Ohana’s opinion, were

moving music away from a focus on emotion.

Serialism began primarily with

Arnold Schoenberg’s (1874-1951)
twelve-tone technique, though
some of his contemporaries were
already working to move past
normal tonality. Twelve-tone
technique orders the twelve notes
of the chromatic scale, forming a
row or series. This row provides
the basis for a composition’s
melody, harmony, structural
progressions, and variations. Put
another way, there is no tonality
or hierarchy between notes.

Other types of serialism also work with sets, or collections of

objects, and extend the technique to musical dimensions, such as
duration, dynamics, and timbre. On the following page, check out
two examples of this technique. First is Anton Webern’s Variations
for piano, op. 27 from 1936. Second, is Alban Berg’s Violin
Concerto, written in 1935. Referring to the period of classical
antiquity, Neoclassicism reflects a trend against the unrestrained
emotion of the Romantic period. The result is an emphasis on
rhythm, counterpoint, and expanded harmony.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 6

 Webern’s ‘Variations for Piano’, op. 27 (1936)
https://youtu.be/F9WGuRresCs

Berg’s Violin Concert (1935)

https://youtu.be/gd0dMs0MTg8

Inspiration for Neoclassicism is often taken from music as early

as the Baroque and Classical periods. Two of its most significant
composers are Igor Stravinsky in France, inspired heavily by
Erik Satie, and Paul Hindemith in Germany. Other notable
neoclassicists are Sergei Prokofiev and Bela Bartok. Below is one
example of well-known neoclassical guitar literature.

Castelnuovo-Tedesco- Guitar Concerto No. 1 perf

John Williams
https://youtu.be/tiMpRlK9nKc

With the Zodiac Group, Ohana fought for a return to sensual

music that was rooted in emotion. In his own words, « Composer
c’est fatalement explorer ses racines », “Composing is inevitably
to explore our own roots”. It is impossible to guess how Ohana
came to create Tiento. However, it was clearly through an intuitive
process and consisted of many layers. He would be inspired by
everything he had heard throughout his life- a combination of
Spanish, Medieval, Indian, Jewish, and Berber music.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 7

Ohana’s Guitar Compositions

Ohana wrote about one hour’s worth of music for the guitar.
Tiento was his first piece, followed by Si le jour paraît, a seven-
movement piece for ten-string guitar. Below is the full list of the
guitar pieces he wrote.

-Tiento: 4’30 (1957) - Gérard Billaudot éd.

-Si le jour paraît: 25’ (1963-64) - 7 movements for ten-string guitar.

(I-Temple, II-Maya-Marsya, III-Enueg, IV-20 avril, V- La Chevelure
de Bérénice, VI-Jeu des quatre vents, VII-Aube). Gérard Billaudot
éd.

-Cadran lunaire: 16’ (1982) - 4 movements for ten-string guitar.

(I-Saturnal, II-Jondo, III-Sylva, IV- Candil). Gérard Billaudot éd.

-Anonyme XXème siècle: 7’ (1988) - Duo for 2 guitars. Gérard

Billaudot éd.

-Trois Graphiques: 21’ (1950-57) - Concerto for guitar and

orchestra. (I-Graphique de la Farruca – Cadences, II- Improvisation
sur un graphique de la Seguidilla, III-Graphique de la Buleria et
Tiento). Éd. Amphion éd.

OHANA’S INFLUENCES
Ohana thought about the guitar in two very particular ways that
defined the characteristics of his music. First, he visualized an
imaginary guitar rather than a realistic one. Second, he was drawn
to the flamenco guitar more than the classical guitar.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 8

His connection to the flamenco
style stemmed from his family’s
closeness to Andalusian culture,
the region of Southern Spain
highlighted in the image on the
right. Additionally, when he was
young, he toured with virtuoso
flamenco guitarist Ramon
Montoya (pictured below), and
the dancer Argentinita.

The harsh, percussive,

sound of flamenco was very
appealing to him, especially
the rasgueado. Flamenco
allowed him to experiment
with different sounds at once
– the impact of fingers on the
strings, and the interactions
between metal, wood, and
resonance inside the guitar
body. Flamenco creates this
organic mix of rhythm, tone,
and density of sound.

Ohana discovered “los sonidos negros”, the black sounds, from

musicians in small villages. “Sonidos negros” were first described
by playwright Federico Garcia Lorca. See page 13 for more.

Ohana was also very fond of Manuel de Falla’s Homenaje sur Le

Tombeau de Debussy because of its atmosphere and darkness. It
contains a Spanish rhythm called a habanera, characterized by a
slow 2/4 meter and a dotted rhythmic pattern.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 9

The habanera rhythm (represented above in the first line of Falla’s
Homenaje) was a key inspiration in early jazz music as well. With
devices like the habanera’s rhythm, Ohana captured the essence
of traditional Spanish Music and translated it to a contemporary
language.

Ohana considered guitar and harpsichord to be different

instruments with the same character. This is helpful in
constructing the sonic universe of Tiento. Ohana wrote a
harpsichord version of this piece, as well. Listen to it below.

Tiento (for harpsichord) perf. Elisabeth Chojnacka

https://youtu.be/apP5qphzlzw

Influences Outside the

Music

Ohana was greatly inspired by the

works and technique of painter
Francisco Goya (1746-1828). Goya
reproduced the human suffering and
spiritual crises resulting from the
Peninsular War between France and
Spain in the early 19th century. His
paintings are very dark, utilizing heavy
quantities of black and grey.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 10

Ohana was particularly interested in aquatints, a technique Goya
used to paint. Aquatints allow for very strong contrasts between
light and dark. If you’re curious, here is a link to a webpage
describing the process of creating an aquatint in detail: https://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquatint

In Goya’s paintings, different shades of grey give each figure

distinct emotional effects. Among his most famous works are
a set of eighty prints entitled Los Caprichos, published in 1799.
These pieces oscillate between reality and dream, constituting a
kind of imaginary theater. Below are two of the more well-known
prints from the series, #59 on the left and #43 on the right.
Both Ohana and Goya are fascinated with the surrealistic world
of dreams using primitives and grotesque images. Of course,
Ohana’s inspirations in Goya cannot be specifically identified
in Tiento. Rather, they can only be evoked by Goya’s primitive
monsters and cynical darkness.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 11

Impressionism

Ohana viewed the score for Tiento as what the performer

should begin with, never as the final authority on the piece’s
interpretation. This reveals how strongly he was influenced
by flamenco music. Tiento should feel more like improvised
music than written music. The third part of Tiento is completely
influenced by plain-chants, unaccompanied church songs dating
back to the Medieval Era.

The Impressionist movement in music and painting also

influenced Ohana. The innovative music of composers Claude
Debussy and Maurice Ravel contained adventurous harmony
without being completely atonal. They both used notes purely for
the color they added to the piece. Similarly, painters like Vincent
Van Gogh and Claude Monet used adventurous combinations of
color while still depicting real objects and people. For all four of
these artists, color was an essential element in their work.

“Le Semeur” by Vincent Van “Impression, Sunrise” by

Gogh Claude Monet

The unifying elements between impressionist painting and

impressionist music are freedom of form and use of evocative
imagery. In Tiento, Ohana will use variations on black and grey,
somewhat evocative of Van Gogh’s or Monet’s use of colors.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 12

Below are two piano pieces by Debussy and Ravel that are
strongly evocative of the Impressionistic style. First is Debussy’s
Images, Books 1 and 2, written between 1901 and 1907. Second is
Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit, written in 1908, and performed by Ivo
Pogorelić.

Images, Books 1 & 2 by Claude Debussy

https://youtu.be/3VDUGu8NBmA

Gaspard de la nuit by Maurice Ravel

https://youtu.be/hKgcHjq1xKQ

Finally, Ohana was drawn to “los sonidos negros”, also called

“black sounds”. “Black sounds” are a concept in flamenco art,
originally attributed to the teacher Manuel de Falla, who once said
“Everything that sounds good has ‘black sounds’”. In flamenco,
black sounds are the microtones used by singers (pitches in
between half-steps, often quarter-tones). They transmit a deep
pain that is central to the expressive technique of flamenco. Their
usage has been passed down orally across many generations.
Like many other artistic disciplines, flamenco has its own meta-
language which is unfamiliar to those who do not practice it.
This includes the term “ black sounds”. However, these terms are
simple once an effort is made to understand them.

In his lecture “Theory and Game of the Duende”, poet and

playwright Federico Garcia Lorca brought the concept of ‘black
sounds’ to contemporary knowledge.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 13

“These black sounds are the
mystery, the roots that are stuck
in the slime that we all know, that
we all ignore, but where does what
is substantial in art come to us.
They are the ‘Mysterious power
that everyone feels and that no
philosopher explains.’” - Federico
Garcia Lorca

With these images in mind, you

can start to get an idea of what
Ohana was inspired by as he
composed this piece.

TITLE AND SCORE

There are two sources that have equal claim
to the name of Ohana’s Tiento. First, there
is a sixteenth-century Spanish Renaissance
form called tiento, similar to a Prelude or
an elaborate instrumental composition.
The word itself comes from Spanish tentar,
meaning to “try out”. Tiento was first written
for the vihuela, a guitar-shaped string
instrument from the 15th century, pictured
on the right.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 14

This form of tiento is largely improvisational, based on imitation.
Luis de Milán (1500-1561) and Alonso Mudarra (1510-1580) are
two composers who frequently used this form. Listen below to an
example of a Tiento by both of these composers.

Tiento by Luis de Milán

https://youtu.be/VW0CvAtfxYY

Tiento by Alonso Mudarra

https://youtu.be/Tr46oJZSoKg

The second interpretation of the

word tiento is a flamenco form
originating in Cadiz, Spain (main
cathedral pictured on the right).
Flamenco tiento is based in
Siguiriyas, another specific style of
flamenco. Alongside the flamenco
tiento is a dance, performed mainly
by men, and a tango that usually
follows the tiento.

Rhythmically, tiento alternates

between a beat of triplets and eight
notes. This rhythm would eventually
give birth to the previously
mentioned Habanera.

As opposed to most flamenco forms which are in ternary meter,

tiento is mostly in binary meter. While it usually comes before a
tango, it is slower, with more drama and intensity.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 15

Below is a recorded example of a tientos entitled “En la verde
oliva canta”, performed by Ramon Montoya on guitar. The cantaor
is Antonio Chacón, born in Cadiz in 1869.

En la verde oliva canta (Tientos)

https://youtu.be/1NsLyJa7wpU

Tiento was Ohana’s first published composition for solo guitar.

Below is a summary of the various editions published since it’s
first release in 1957.
–1957: October 17- Original manuscript completed. Dedicated and
revised by Ramon Cueto. Ohana will add a lot of corrections to
this score (originally for 6 strings).
–1961: Tiento was premiered by Narciso Yepes in Paris, who also
revised the piece.
–1968: The guitar version was published by Gérard Billaudot.
–2000: Ohana’s harpsichord version was published by Gérard
Billaudot.

Excerpts from the manuscript in this workbook are provided

courtesy of the artist. They are for educational purposes only.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 16

STRUCTURE

Tiento is split into four parts, labeled A, B, C, and D. First is a Folia,

lasting ten measures, based loosely on the Spanish Folia tradition.
Second, beginning in measure 11, is the Spanish Tiento itself.
Third is the plainchant, split into four episodes (labeled c1, c2, c3,
and d). Fourth is the recapitulation. Each part is separated by a
cadence. Watch the video lesson to see and hear Gaëlle perform
each section in its entirety.

Ohana was very precise with the tempo he indicated for each
section. Since 72 BPM is the first and the last tempo of the piece,
it’s highly recommended that you practice finding this speed
immediately.

Gaëlle constructed a map of the piece that she will refer to

throughout the lesson. You will find it on the next page. Refer
back to this map at any time and use it to help guide your
interpretation.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 17

 Maurice Ohana’s “Tiento”
E-F G-F F# G# Ab B/F# A A Bb
measure 1 10 11 30 65/66 87
Pedal Ostinati ostinati

A Folia B Tientos C Plainchant D Recap

q=72 q=46 accel. q=72 q=72
q=66 q=69 q=44
1-5 6-10 30-38 39-56 57-62 63-65
C1 FF C2 - C3 FFF coda m. 81 “hope!”
melody
Plainchant/ same as Explosion Rhythm
a1 ostinato D-E a2 Flashback
Repons C1 tiento
open chords of C1 Dark
(play both)
Dramatic form G# microtones
“unfold 61-62
Horizontal chord” BELLS CLIMAX
DRAMATURGY
WIDE/BRUTAL TENSION STATIC FORM RESIGNATION
Vertical ||| -ostinati -ascending explosive + Catharsis replay of vertical Static Form | | | |
intense the “vision” | | | Denouement of the piece
In medias res (with no intro) -crescendi melodic line
a “musical same but “between
-acceleration vision” meditative shortened two worlds”

What should we do before

to prep?
SECTION I: FOLIA
History

The Folia, at 72 bpm, contains two five-bar phrases. The second

phrase is very similar, but contains more rasgueados and
ornaments. The end of the Folia is a suspension, where the
harmony has yet to conclude.

Ohana’s writing is very vertical, meaning that the chords are very
large and dense. The harpsichord arrangement contains even
more notes. However, there are still melodies across the piece
that require the performer to think horizontally.

Keep in mind the layering between the melody, the open strings,
and the fingered strings in the accompaniment. The piece suggests
the tonality of D, especially since Folia is often in D-minor.
However, no tonality is stated clearly enough to call the whole
piece tonal.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 19

In the Folia, the accentuation on the second beat reflects a
sarabande or the Spanish passacaille (also known as passacaglia).

La Folia (also called Folies d’Espagne) is one of the oldest musical

themes in European history. It was used extensively in France,
Italy, Spain, and Portugal, and eventually evolved into a specific
chord progression. The word Folia literally means madness, folly,
or empty-headedness.

Made famous in different

variations as early as the
sixteenth century, Folia
was also the name of an
intense, lively dance. In the
dance, men would dress
as women and carry each
other on their shoulders.
The noise and stirring
rhythm would drive the
crowd mad.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 20

Below are three great examples of early pieces that use La Folia.

Folia by Lully (1672)

https://youtu.be/P1ngcsx1Drs

Folia by Marais (1701)

https://youtu.be/Bng6P118R48

Trio Sonata “La Follia” by Vivaldi (1705)

https://youtu.be/9BLfaQ98FbM

In the video lesson, Gaëlle plays an original Folia and the

beginning of Tiento back to back. When heard in this context,
it’s very clear that Ohana’s Folia is a modernistic statement of
a traditional Folia. She recommends using a tempo that feels
natural both for the original Folia for Ohana’s Folia.

Technique

The attack you use for a chord in the Folia will depend on the size
of a chord and how much you want to accent it. For example, the
first chord is very big, so Gaëlle plays a rasgueado. The second
chord is more accented, so she plucks the strings instead. Try a
few options and find the combination you like the best.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 21

Interpretation

It should always be your aim to convey the proper character

of this section–raw, brutal, sharp-edged, with no niceness.
Ohana wanted to recreate the crispy, wide sound of the guitar
in flamenco music. From the very first note, the dynamic level is
forte or higher.

A term often used in literature, in media res, applies to the

introduction of this piece. The piece begins in the middle of the
action, without an introduction. This means there is practically no
time to build up to anything. Instead, sing a few bars in your head
just before the downbeat to get into the mood. Then, the path
from measure one to ten should be a single, unbroken crescendo.

To help communicate the spirit and intensity of this piece, Gaëlle

recommends selecting a painting by Goya to look at while you
play. While Goya and Ohana share a connection with Spain, they
also both convey brutality in their work.

On the right is a painting

by Goya entitled 3 de mayo,
from 1814.

La Folia, as it has been used

throughout Europe, is often
played as a sarabande, or
a slow triple meter with
the second beat accented.
Ohana already marked
accents on every second
beat in the Folia of Tiento,
but be sure to play them
with intention for this
reason.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 22

In measure nine, Gaëlle strums the second note with her thumb
as in the image below.

SECTION II: TIENTO

Measures 11 to 30 of Tiento form the B section. Marked Lento,

the tempo is 46 beats per minute. Ohana changes from writing
vertically to writing completely horizontally. Be sure to play very
legato here.

If you look closely, you might notice that the folia melody is
hidden within the Lento melody.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 23

The repeated F and G in measure eleven is followed by an E-flat
and an F in measure twelve. The image below comes from an
article by Dusan Bogdanovic (see sources on last page).

This Lento also introduces the flamenco tiento- a rhythm

alternating between duple and triple. At first, learn the rhythms
exactly as written. After you can play the notated rhythm, find a
way to make this melody expressive and lively, with freedom.

Technique

It’s important to create contrast between the Lento and the Folia.
Playing as legato as possible for the Lento is the clearest way to
do this. Prepare the left hand as much as you can to maintain
legato, and use the movement in your left hand to create strong
accents.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 24

Despite the disturbing sound of the dissonances, make each note
sound equal to purposefully bring out the friction.

Imagine that you are stretching a rope from measure 11 to 30,

and that you increase the tension little by little. Note the gradual
crescendos and accelerando into measure thirty. By the time you
get to “a tempo”, you should be at the speed of the original folia.

In the first beat of measure 29 is a guitar technique called golpe,

where you slap the body of the guitar with your hand. Don’t be
timid, and be sure to use your entire hand. Your guitar won’t
break!

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 25

For the rasgueado in the same measure, be sure to play very
fast. The chord should only last for the written value. Gaëlle
recommends cutting the resonance of the open B on the 4th
string since it will resonate more than the other notes.

Again, the contrast between Folia and Lento must be very

pronounced. Exaggerate the softer dynamic and focus on
developing lines in a horizontal direction. The resulting
atmosphere should be somewhat mystical.

SECTION III: PLAINCHANT

The first episode of the plain-chant begins in measure thirty.
Gaëlle wrote the following map for all four episodes:

A plain-chant is a monophonic
song (one voice, with no harmony)
performed during services in the
Western Catholic Church, as early
as the 1st century AD. A Gregorian
Chant is a variety of plainchant
that evolved a few hundred
years later. Characteristics of
these chants include a reduced
ambitus (range of the melody), no
melodic leaps, and a highly modal
character.

In Tiento, the first episode of the

plainchant begins in measure 30
and ends in measure 38.

Notated in the map above as C1, the first episode is marked fff-
very strong, with every note accentuated.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 26

However, the indication “deciso e calmo” suggests that it should
still be played calmly. After the final chords in 29, there is silence
just before the tension is broken by the F-sharp. This is a “calm,
loud moment”, in the words of Gaëlle.

The melody of C1 centers around the note G-sharp, circling

around it, yet always returning to it. Measure 37 contains what
Gaëlle calls a «déployé» chord (“unfold” chord).

Interpretation

In many Gregorian Chants from the Medieval Era, a soloist would

sing a plainchant and a full choir would repeat the material. The
first three measures (30-32) contain the plain-chant, or the raw
melodic content. In measure 33, the choir responds and builds on
the energy from the rasgueado.

The French word rude is found under measure 32. This translates
to harsh or abrupt, in addition to the sforzando marking.

Technique

For measure 37, practice by isolating each hand. First, play just
the right hand as if you were slurring. Use your best judgement
to stop notes that ring too long. Add the left hand, and practice
without the slur to reinforce the fingerings.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 27

When you stretch to play the sixth string with your fourth finger,
bring your elbow closer to your body. This ensures maximum
comfort. Your technique should always convey the proper
atmosphere- here it is one of explosive intensity!

SECTION III: PLAINCHANT 2ND EPISODE

The second episode of the plain-chant, labeled C2, begins in
measure 39 and ends in 56. It is marked tranquillo, or quiet.
Gaëlle plays it at a slightly faster tempo, roughly 69 beats per
minute. As you begin measure 39, imagine that you are still
connected to the previous two measures. The G-sharp that
dominated the arpeggio in measure 37 will be the center of a new
ostinato.

Analysis

The theme of C2 is the same as C1, except that it begins on the

note D. The repeating A-flat on top is called a pedal, but it is not
the melody. Ohana writes rhythms that alternate between binary
and ternary subdivisions, creating more rhythmic ambiguity.
Each time the motif repeats, there is more harmonic complexity,
masking the original theme. The dynamic level is also lower than
C1, only mezzo-forte and tranquillo.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 28

Open strings, such as E in measure 40, should be allowed to ring,
even if they are slightly louder than the other notes. The bell-like
tone that appears is purposeful. However, do try to bring out the
melody itself, even though it’s often in the bass voice. This is a
good exercise for strengthening your right hand, particularly the
index finger.

Ohana changes meters quite often in C2. Gaëlle has recognized

that these changes can be interpreted as a simple tempo change.
For measures with duple brackets (a 2 with lines above notes),
rather than trying to feel 2 over 3, learn to feel a slower tempo.

Instead of six notes,

m. 42 m. 43

these duple brackets say

play 4 notes in the same

69 =>> space as 6.

This is the same as if the

= tempo slowed by one-third.

46 =>> 69 - 1/3(69) = 46

No need to think about

duple brackets, or 6/8.

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In the score, the eighth note does not change between measure
43 and 44. The duple brackets tell the performer to play four
equal notes in the space of six eighth notes. Since this is very
difficult to feel, instead slow down the tempo until four eighth
notes can fit into that same space.

Eventually, you should simply memorize how it feels to move from

69 to 46 beats per minute. On the score below, the implied tempo
changes are marked.

69
46

69 46 69

46 69

At the end of measure 53, Ohana writes a sudden piano. The

effect should be similar to a bell, and an echo of the theme. To
make the echo more mysterious, play sul tasto. The open string
will naturally ring louder, but train your other finger to play just
as loud.

The friction between the dissonant notes is intentional here.

Disturbing and mysterious are very accurate words to describe
the character Ohana wants to create for the entire piece.

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While Ohana appears to write very complicated rhythms, in fact
each change is made with deliberate expressive purpose. Time
is flexible and malleable. This creates a contrast with the very
rhythmic Folia from the beginning of the piece. It’s very helpful
to first learn exactly what Ohana wrote and then make it lively.
There is no precisely correct way to interpret this piece.
In the words of Gaëlle, “it’s a labyrinth, not a straight way”.

SECTION III: PLAINCHANT 3RD EPISODE

The third episode of the plain-chant (C3) is quite short, spanning

measures 57-61. C3 opens with an explosion of sound at fff,
breaking any sense of tranquility from C2.

In the opening rasgueado, there is no need to accelerate your

speed. Simply play strong, fast from the beginning, and maintain
your pace. For more help with rasgueado technique, watch the
video in tonebase’s flamenco course entitled “On Rasgueados”,
taught by Kai Narezo.

Measures 61 and 62 together form the climax of the entire piece.

With any piece you’re working on, identifying the climax allows
you to aim efforts across the piece toward making the most out of
that climax.

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 T IP

Make a map of the dynamics and establish where the

grand climax is, as well as where each section climaxes
throughout the piece. This serves as a tool both for
improving your memory and creating coherence across the
piece.

The short cadenza in measure 62 around the note B should be

played violent and metallic. The second half should be even
stronger than the first half. Let the notes resonate for a long time
before moving to the coda.

SECTION III: PLAINCHANT 4TH EPISODE

The fourth episode, from measures 63 to 65, is the shortest in the

piece. The tempo slows to 44 beats per minute, and the melody
is a slight variation on the Lento theme from bar 11. The ambitus
is very small, the entire melody lying within a major third. Here,
the tension that has built up across the entire piece is finally
resolved. Afterward, the folia will return.

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These measures also incorporate two instances of quarter tones.
Ohana will begin to use more quarter tones in his later pieces.
They reflect research into flamenco expression, particularly the
voice of a cantaor (a flamenco singer) with a lamenting tone. One
of Ohana’s main inspirations continues to be “el cante jondo”, an
Andalusian flamenco style that translates to “Deep Song”.

“El cante jondo” is recognized as among the most serious and

emotionally moving forms of flamenco singing. Singers of the
style will dramatically ornament a single note in the manner
of intoned speech. The rhythms are often intricate and defy
attempts at notation, while the microtonal harmony can be even
more subtle than quarter tones. Check out a recording by the
cantaor Manuel de los Santos Pastor that demonstrates this
beautiful vocal style.

Cante Jondo by Manuel de los Santos Pastor

https://youtu.be/TnGP4z_oJPw

TECHNIQUE

Ohana notates quarter tones in two different ways, both present

in the second measure.

1)
*

** -- Attack
Attackquarter-tone
quarter-tone
higherhigher and
and bend bend in tune
in-tune
1) Attackinin
1) - Attack tune
tune andand
bendbend a quarter-tone
a quarter-tone higher higher

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First, he uses a star, meaning to attack the note a quarter tone
above the C-sharp and bend the string back to an in-tune C-sharp.
Later in the measure, where there is a 1), begin on an in-tune
C-sharp and bend the string to raise the pitch by a quarter tone.
The left hand must be quick to make these bends without slowing
the tempo.

SECTION IV:
RECAPITULATION

Analysis

For the piece’s recapitulation, Ohana takes us back to the shape

of the Folia, but this time around the note C. The tempo is also
the same as beginning (72 beats per minute) as if the entire
piece is a mirror image of itself. However, the listener is in a very
different place by this point in the performance.

There are several different pedals throughout the recapitulation.

Each pedal is either one or two notes that remain fixed for each
chord, while other notes change. At first, in measure 67, the pedal
is B and F-sharp. Then, it alternates between the notes A and
B-flat, until the final sonority is only those two notes alone.

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Measure 81 contains what Gaëlle calls “the only consonant chord
in the piece”. Functioning as a G major chord with an A in the
bass, it is one of the only lights in the darkness of the piece. It
provides a glimmer of hope until the double pedal returns in the
following measure.

This friction between A and B-flat evokes the repetitive and

percussive sound of a death knell- a tolling bell marking
someone’s death. The final sonorities can also be analyzed as a
dominant pedal point in the key of D Minor.

Interpretation

The Recapitulation is much softer and more withdrawn than

the rest of the piece. It resembles a sort of resignation after the
lament of measure 64 and 65. Additionally, the final movement
integrates many of the styles that have come before. It is
a modernistic Folia that includes the melodic shape of the
plainchant.

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Performances of this piece usually end with tambora, pictured
below. Ohana himself has said to refrain from using any tambora
until the last note. When you use it, try to let only the two bottom
strings vibrate. This way, they ring evenly in proper balance.

The final line strongly resembles the bells from measure 53.
These “death bells” can be played sul tasto for a darker sound. Do
not slow down the tempo–give the impression instead that the
impending doom is inevitable. As you practice, decide how long
the final note should be before it is cut.

final line

m. 53

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DIFFICU LTIES IN
INTERPR ETATION
Gaëlle identifies four factors that make Tiento an especially
difficult piece for most people, herself included. First, this piece
is extremely unique, especially if you’ve never heard the piece
before attempting to play, as this happened to Gaëlle. It was a
mandatory piece while she was studying, but the rhythms and
dissonances made her dislike it at first. Only over time, as she got
deeper into the music, did she begin to enjoy playing Tiento.

Second, this piece is divided into episodes that may appear

unrelated. While practicing, each section must be perfected in
isolation before they can be connected. Gaëlle refers to the «fil
rouge», or the “red string”, that threads each section together.

Hopefully this lesson

has revealed the
ways in which similar
musical ideas are used
across each section.
Each of the seemingly
disparate parts- folia,
tiento, plainchant,
and recapitulation,
are in fact completely
connected.

This image tracks

the development of
the melody over the
progression of the
piece.

Source: article by Bogdanovic (See sources)

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 37

A pattern of violence and calmness is also present; in between
episodes of harmonic and rhythmic tension come mystic, and
religious plain-chants. Allow chords in between these moods to
have resonance, so that you have more time to change fingerings.

Third, while it can be difficult, storytelling behind the music will

serve as the basis of expressive playing. Build a dramaturgy in
your mind and the story will reveal itself to you. Maps are also
very helpful for revealing the big picture, and for keeping you
on track as you practice a small section. The folia is intense and
vertical, the tiento is full of ascending tension, the plain-chant
is intense but calm, the coda climaxes, and the recap is back to
vertical. Of course, this is an oversimplification, but such a basic
structure allows you to see each part’s function in the whole.

Fourth, Ohana writes music that oscillates between popular

music, notated classical music, and improvisation. While this mix
is often difficult to interpret, the mix of contemporary and archaic
elements strengthens the composition. It allows Ohana to touch
on a deep universal feeling that is present within all music.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 38

Regardless of style, a musician must use their own sensibility,
whether it is real or created within their minds. They must
become actors in their own piece. This is where using inspiration
outside of music, such as paintings, helps you build your story.

Ohana has often instructed performers to be as free as possible

to bring the piece to life. This doesn’t mean to modify the score,
but be free with lengths of elements, articulations, and how you
organize the piece. Look for spontaneity and how you can become
the composer yourself in real time.

We hope this course illuminated how to practice a challenging

piece of contemporary literature. There is a lifetime’s worth of
material to learn in this piece, so let this serve as an introduction,
rather than a complete analysis, of Ohana’s musical lineage. Best
of luck!

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EXTERNAL SOURCES
The majority of information in this outline comes from Gaëlle’s
video lesson on tonebase. The following sources were referenced
by Gaëlle to write this document:

Abonnizio, Isabella. (2004) L’opera per chitarra di Maurice Ohana.

M.A Thesis. Bologna University.

Bogdanovic, Dusan. (2018) « In search of Maurice Ohana’s vision

». Tradition and Synthesis. Ed. Doberman.

Dumond, Arnaud. (1984). Défense et illustration de la musique

contemporaine: Le Cadran lunaire de Maurice Ohana. Les Cahiers
de la Guitare, France.

Dumond, Arnaud. (1982) “A propos de Pierre Boulez et de Maurice

Ohana”, Les Cahiers de la Guitare, France.

Garcia Lorca, Federico (1922) Importancia histórica y artística del

primitivo cante andaluz, llamado cante jondo. http://gnawledge.
com/pdf/granada/LorcaCanteJondo.pdf

Gonzalez Fabregat, David (2012). La música para guitarra de

Maurice Ohana. Conservatorio de Sevilla (AAD).

Ohana, Maurice. (1982) « Ecrits et Paroles ». La Revue Musicale

n.351-352.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 40

Prost, Christine. Catalogue raisonné de l’œuvre de Maurice
Ohana, Revue Musicale, Editions Richard Masse.

Rae, Caroline. (2000) The Music of Maurice Ohana. Editorial:

Ashgate, UK.

Riou, Alain. L’œuvre pour guitare de Maurice Ohana. Maîtrise of

Musical Education. Université de Paris Sorbonne.

Gaëlle would like to acknowledge:

Articles Dumond, and all the references.

Alain Riou, maîtrise
Bodganovic, article
Mon élève, David et son mémoire pour la AAD en Sevilla

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 41

RESOURCES

Flamenco Fundamentals Course

For an introduction into flamenco, a traditional Spanish style
that Ohana was heavily influenced by, check out this course by
Kai Narezo. Consisting of eight lessons, you’ll explore compás,
rasgueados, and alzapua, among others.

Lesson on “Variations on a Theme by Sor” by Raphael

Feuillatre
To explore another piece based on a Folia form, watch Raphael
Feuillatre analyze Llobet’s ‘Variations on a Theme by Sor’. This
video is suitable for any advanced guitarist, yet describes many
fundamental principles.

Watch the Lesson at tonebase.co T IE N T O 42

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