Simfonia “Lo retorn”

This is a work of surprising poise, with good execution and brightness in the thematic and harmonic treatment and an accomplished, effective musical timbre, all based on restrained use of orchestral tools. It seems quite likely that Guanyabens intended this piece for a stripped-down musical ensemble, without even a viola section. The string section is written for a three-part violin ensemble and for “bass” strings, generically. Far from thinking of similar cases to the Rossini repertoire or early Verdi or Mercadante which, in fact, are not present here, it would be worth remembering what Berlioz himself said in his De l’instrumentation, in the copies published between 1841 and 1842, which progressed what would be the famous Grand traité d’instrumentation et d’orchestration modernes (Treatise on Modern Instrumentation and Orchestration) about the poor quality of some viola musicians.
Among the works of Guanyabens, this symphony is one of the pleasant surprises. It is composed in a style halfway between the repertoire of Offenbach and later Donizetti, despite the annoying comparisons between incomparable models. The composer wrote it at the age of 52. It was possibly one of his last works. It presents an aesthetic continuity when compared to his works from the 1850s or 1860s.