Carlos Surinach

Short bio Carlos Surinach

Birthday: 1915 in Barcelona, Spain

Died: 1997 in New Haven, CT

Active: 1940s - 1980s

Genre: Classical,Latin

Period: 20th Century, Modern

Full biography Carlos Surinach

Carlos Surinach was a Spanish-born American composer and conductor, born on March 4, 1915, in Barcelona, Spain. He became a U.S. citizen in 1959. He is best known for his ballet compositions, which were often staged by the Martha Graham Dance Company. Though primarily known for his ballet scores, Surinach composed for many other genres including orchestral, chamber, vocal, and band music.

Surinach had a unique style that was influenced by Spanish folk music, Catalan rhythms, and contemporary classical music. His compositions often featured driving rhythms, colorful instrumentation, and intense energy. Surinach also had a great admiration for other contemporary composers and often spoke about them in interviews, showing his deep love for music.

Throughout his career, Surinach composed for many performers, including Isaac Stern, John Williams, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among others. He also received numerous awards for his work, including the Carlos Surinach Prize from BMI , the Morton Gould Young Composer Award , and the BMI Student Composer Award.

Surinach passed away on November 12 , 1997, in New Haven, Connecticut, leaving behind an impressive legacy of music. His compositions continue to be performed and celebrated today, and his contributions to the world of music will always be remembered.

Compositions featuring Carlos Surinach

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	Concerto for String orchestra	27:02 min	Chamber Music	1978
2	String Quartet	23:02 min	Chamber Music	1974
3	Piano Concerto	25:08 min	Concerto	1973
4	Cantares (3) for voice & piano	7:21 min	Vocal Music	1971
5	Via Crucis, cycle of 15 saetas for chorus & guitar	29:28 min	Choral	1970
6	Flamenco Cyclothymia	9:12 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	1967
7	Melorhythmic Dramas, for orchestra	21:49 min	Orchestral	1966
8	Symphonic Variations, for orchestra	15:50 min	Orchestral	1962
9	Paeans and Dances of Heathen Iberia, for band		Band Music	1959
10	Sinfonía Chica	13:07 min	Symphony	1957
11	Feria Magica Overture	5:12 min	Orchestral	1956
12	Concertino for piano, strings & cymbals	17:47 min	Concerto	1956
13	Hollywood Carnival, for flute/piccolo, clarinet, trumpet, bass, timpani & percussion	7:28 min	Chamber Music	1956
14	Madrid 1890, suite for chamber orchestra		Orchestral	1956
15	Tales from the Flamenco Kingdom, for piano		Keyboard	1955
16	Doppio Concertino, for violin, piano & chamber ensemble	16:00 min	Concerto	1954
17	Tientos, for English horn, timpani & piano	6:31 min	Chamber Music	1953
18	Sinfonietta Flamenca	12:38 min	Symphony	1953
19	Songs of Spain (3) for voice & piano	3:59 min	Vocal Music	1952
20	Cantos Berberes (3) for flute, oboe, clarinet, viola, cello & piano	9:53 min	Chamber Music	1952
21	Ritmo Jondo, for trumpet, clarinet & percussion (or symphonic band/chamber orchestra)	7:05 min	Chamber Music	1952
22	Chansons et danses espagnoles (3) for piano	9:17 min	Keyboard	1950
23	Symphony No.2		Symphony	1949
24	Danza Andaluza, for orchestra		Orchestral	1947
25	Piano Quartet	21:54 min	Chamber Music	1942
26	Sonatina for guitar	4:50 min	Chamber Music	-
27	Soleriana, for band	15:23 min	Band Music	-
28	Acrobats of God, piano suite		Keyboard	-
29	Melismas sinfónico	24:55 min	Orchestral	-
30	Concerto for flute, string bass & chamber orchestra ("Double concerto")	18:55 min	Concerto	-
31	Canciones del alma		Choral	-

Albums featuring Carlos Surinach

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	Carlos Surinach / Aliana de la Guardia, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Gil Rose – Acrobats Of God(SACD, Stereo, Album)	2023	BMOP/sound
2	Melorhythmic Dramas, Symphonic Variations, Feria Magica Overture, Sinfonietta Flamenca(CD, Compilation)	2005	First Edition Music
3	Albéniz, Turina, Montsalvatge, Surinach, Alicia De Larrocha, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Rafael Frühbeck De Burgos – Concertos From Spain(CD, Compilation)	2004	Decca
4	Mompou · Falla · Turina · Halffter · Montsalvatge · Nin-Culmell · Suriñach - Alicia De Larrocha – Música Para Piano IV · Piano Music(2×CD, Compilation)	1998	Decca
5	Carlos Surinach - Bronx Arts Ensemble / Pablo Zinger – Doppio Concertino / Flamenco Cyclothymia / Concerto For String Orchestra / Piano Quartet(CD, Album)	1993	New World Records
6	Castelnuovo-Tedesco / Surinach / Ginastera - Santiago Rodriguez (3) / George Manahan / Richmond Sinfonia – Castelnuovo-Tedesco / Surinach / Ginastera(CD, Album)	1989	Elan Recordings
7	Falla – Orquesta Radio Sinfonica De Paris, Carlos Surinach – El Amor Brujo(LP)	1981	Zacosa
8	Alicia De Larrocha, Frühbeck De Burgos, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Concertos From Spain / Surinach • Piano Concerto / Montsalvatge • Concerto Breve	1981	Decca
9	Henry Cowell / Carlos Surinach - The Louisville Orchestra, Jorge Mester – Sinfonietta / Melorhythmic Dramas	1975	First Edition Records
10	Suriñach / H. Campos Parsi – Dos Ballets Puertorriqueños - Los Renegados / Urayoan(LP)	1974	Instituto De Cultura Puertorriqueña
11	Samuel Barber, London Symphony Orchestra, Jose Serebrier / Carlos Surinach, Harkness Symphony Orchestra, Jorge Mester – Souvenirs / Spells And Rhymes For Dancers(LP, Album, Stereo)	1969	Desto
12	Arne, Purcell, Byrd, Chamber Orchestra, Carlos Surinach – Judgement of Paris Overture / Abdelazar Suite / Fantasie No. 1 for Strings	1966	Heliodor
13	Alan Hovhaness - Maro Ajemian, Anahid Ajemian, Carlos Surinach – Lousadzak: Concerto No. 1 For Piano And String Orchestra, Op. 48 / Concerto No. 2 For Violin And String Orchestra, Op. 89a	1966	MGM Records
14	Peggy Glanville-Hicks and Robert Graves, Teresa Stratas, The Athens Symphone Orchestra and Chorus, Carlos Surinach – Nausicaa - Opera In Three Acts(LP, Album, Stereo)	1964	Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI)
15	L'orchestre Radio-Symphonique De Paris, Carlos Surinach, Manuel De Falla, Isaac Albéniz – El Amor Brujo, El Polo, Sinfonietta Flamenca	1960	Montilla
16	Falla - Albeniz, Orquesta Radio Sinfonica De Paris Director: Carlos Suriñach – Danza De La Vida Breve / Málaga(7", 45 RPM)	1960	Montilla
17	Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados, Gran Orquesta Sinfonica Paris, Carlos Surinach – Navarra-Oriental(7", 45 RPM, Single)	1960	Montilla
18	Granados, Orquesta Radio Sinfonica De Paris Director: Carlos Suriñac – Andaluza / Rondalla(7", 45 RPM, Single)	1960	Zafiro
19	Manuel De Falla, Vittorio Rieti, Carlos Surinach, Sylvia Marlowe, The Concert Arts Players – Concerto For Harpsichord / Tientos / Parita	1958	Capitol Records
20	Marga Richter, Carlos Surinach, William Masselos, The M-G-M String Orchestra – Concerto For Piano And Violas, 'Cellos And Basses / Concerto For Piano, Strings And Cymbals	1957	MGM Records
21	Carlos Surinach / Joaquin Turina – The Philharmonia Orchestra Of Hamburg, Arthur Winograd, Sondra Bianca – Second Symphony / Rapsodia Sinfonica(LP, Mono)	1957	MGM Records
22	Alan Hovhaness - Carlos Surinach, The M-G-M Chamber Orchestra – Saint Vartan Symphony, Op. 80	1957	MGM Records
23	Heitor Villa-Lobos - Domingo Santa-Cruz / Carlos Surinach, M-G-M String Orchestra – Bachianas Brasileiras No. 9 - Sinfonia No. 2 Op. 25(LP, Mono)	1957	MGM Records
24	Jean Françaix – The M-G-M Chamber Orchestra, Carlos Surinach, Jacques Ibert – Symphony For Strings Divertissement(LP, Repress, Mono)	1956	MGM Records
25	Silvestre Revueltas – The M-G-M Chamber Orchestra, Carlos Surinach – The Music Of Silvestre Revueltas	1956	MGM Records
26	Peggy Glanville-Hicks, Carlos Surinach, The M-G-M Chamber Orchestra – Glanville Hicks: Sinfonia Pacifica and Three Gymnopedies, Surinach: Hollywood Carnival	1956	MGM Records
27	Carlos Surinach / Carlos Chavez / Silvestre Revueltas – Maro Ajemian, Anahid Ajemian – Doppio Concertino / Sonatina / Three Pieces	1956	MGM Records
28	Albéniz , Transcribed For Orchestra By E. F. Arbos And Carlos Surinach - The Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy – Iberia (Complete)	1956	Columbia Masterworks
29	George Antheil / Henry Brant, Carlos Surinach Conducting The New York Percussion Group, Henry Brant Conducting Chamber Ensemble – Ballet Mecanique / Signs And Alarms / Galaxy 2	1955	Columbia Masterworks
30	Chávez / Revueltas / Surinach / Villa-Lobos – Izler Solomon, The M-G-M Chamber Orchestra – Spanish And Latin-American Music For Unusual Instrumental Combinations	1955	MGM Records
31	Ritmo Jondo (Flamenco Ballet)	1953	MGM Records
32	Carlos Surinach, Joaquín Turina / Arthur Winograd, Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg – Surinach, Sinfonietta Flamenca / Turina, Sinfonia Sevillana(LP, Mono)	-	MGM Records
33	Domingo Santa-Cruz, Jaime Mendoza - Nava / Carlos Surinach, The M-G-M Studio Orchestra – Suite for String Orchestra / Estampas Y Estampillas (For Orchestra Of Cellos)(LP, Album, Repress)	-	MGM Records
34	Carlos Surinach, The M-G-M Chamber Orchestra, François-Joseph Gossec, Pieter Van Maldere, André-Modeste Gretry, Louis-Nicolas Clérambault – Sinfonia in G Major, Op. 12, No. 2 / Danses From La Rosiere Republicaine / Symphony In B Flat Major, Op. 4, No. 3 /	-	MGM Records
35	Orchestre Philharmonique De Madrid , Direction Carlos Surinach – Chefs D'oeuvre De La Musique Espagnole - Vol. 1(LP, Album, Stereo)	-	Musidisc
36	Robert Kurka / Carlos Surinach – The Louisville Orchestra, Robert Whitney – Suite From “The Good Soldier Schweik” / Symphonic Variations(LP, Reissue, Stereo)	-	First Edition Records
37	Orchestre Philharmonique de Madrid, Carlos Surinach, Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados – Chefs D'Oeuvre De La Musique Espagnole - Vol.3(LP, Stereo)	-	Musidisc
38	Menahem Pressler, Joseph Battista, Theodore Bloomfield, Izler Solomon, Lenore Engdahl, Carlos Surinach – Music of Villa-Lobos(3×LP, Compilation)	-	MGM Classics