Ricardo Viñes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ricardo Viñes (5 February 1875 – 29 April 1943) was a Spanish pianist famous because of debuting many works by Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy. He was also the piano teacher of composer Francis Poulenc.

He was born in Lleida, Catalonia. He studied piano with Charles de Bériot at the Paris Conservatoire, and composition and harmony with Benjamin Godard and Albert Lavignac. He was influential with Ravel supplying him many readings and was a member of the group known as Les Apaches.

Viñes premiered works including Ravel's Menuet antique (1898), Jeux d'eau (1902), Pavane pour une infante défunte (1902), Miroirs (1906), and Gaspard de la nuit (1909). Menuet antique and the second movement of Miroirs, Oiseaux tristes (Sad birds), were dedicated to Viñes. Ravel felt it was fun to dedicate such an unpianistic work to a pianist, and he was just as critical of Viñes' playing as he was of anyone who had played his works despite their friendship. Viñes, being effeminate, and both he and Ravel being eternal bachelors, lead many to suspect that there was more to their friendship, although Viñes's ten year diary of their times together makes no confirmation or denial of this.

Viñes became known for presenting new music especially of French and Spanish origin although he had debuted Russian works as well. He premiered works by such composers as Erik Satie, Manuel de Falla, Déodat de Séverac and Isaac Albéniz.

As a composer, the best known of his works are the Two Hommages, for Séverac and Satie. He was also published writing about Spanish music in Spanish and French publications. Viñes died in Barcelona in 1943.