It was early summer, hot day, I was about 13 years old, sitting at the class in the music school, it was “music literacy “ lesson, and we were going through the impressionism in music. I heard impressionists music before, of course, but this kind of music never was interesting for me, I can say I didn’t understand it and that’s why I didn’t like it, it was really annoying. And here we are…. Whole month of this…
Claude Debussy famous French composer impressionist. So we are listening his compositions one after another of course each of them has a name, I am trying my best to picture in my had story, but with out significant success… And then it’s happened “La puerta del vino” on the Russian it sound like “The gates of the Alhambra”.
Right from first bars that music got my attention and interest. It was it, I feel hot air, rustle of the leaves on the trees, cold from the stones…. At that moment I had no idea what is this Alhambra and how these gates (la puerta) are looking, but must be something great and unbelievable beautiful (I thought), if it impressed the composer so much that he created such rich and powerful music composition.
After that experience I love impressionism, it’s real pleasure to be able understand the art and music in this style, but never mind, that composition “La puerta del vino” in that day made me interested in Alhambra, I was searching for information, study every corner in this fortress complex. This music pushed my interest in history of Spain and architecture. And of course from that day I have a dream to visit Alhambra, still didn’t had a chance, but I am sure one day it will happen and I will visit Alhambra, palace and fortress complex in Granada, the place I fall in love with even before I sow it, but I heard about it through music, and that what I heard was awesome…
Ironic thing is that Claude Debussy never was in Alhambra, he made his “La puerta del vino” because in 1911 he received Christmas cards from his Spanish friend with the following inscription:
“The photo shows the famous Alhambra monument. Decorated with coloured relief and shadow of the trees, the monument is in contrast with sunny road, which is visible in perspective through another arch”. As a result, the music composition “La puerta del vino” was born.
