Ricardo Viñes

Ricardo Viñes (Lleida, 1875 – Barcelona, 1943) was one of the most distinguished Spanish pianists of his generation and, above all, a resolute champion of the new music of his time. His career linked the Paris piano scene of the early twentieth century with the Spanish, Russian and Latin American composers who were beginning to become known in Europe.

He was first trained in Barcelona with J. B. Pujol. In 1887 he entered the Paris Conservatoire, where he studied piano with Charles-Wilfrid de Bériot, chamber music with Godard and harmony with Lavignac, and won the first prize in 1894. A year later he made his debut at the Salle Pleyel. His international career began in 1900 with a tour of Russia, followed by numerous tours across Europe. Between 1930 and 1936 he lived in Argentina, from where he also performed in Chile and Uruguay, and after returning to Paris in 1936 he maintained his concert activity until the end of his life.

Viñes was distinguished by an exceptional technique and an unusually wide repertoire. He was a close friend of Ravel, Debussy, Satie, Séverac, Falla and Granados, and premiered fundamental works by them, among them Ravel's Jeux d'eau, Miroirs and Gaspard de la nuit, or Debussy's Pour le piano and Images (first book). He also gave the first performances in France of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, Balakirev's Islamey and Prokofiev's Sarcasmes. Dozens of composers dedicated works to him, such as Ravel's Oiseaux tristes, Debussy's Poissons d'or and Falla's Noches en los jardines de España.

His legacy is twofold. On the one hand, he left recordings of Debussy's Poissons d'or and La soirée dans Grenade, as well as of pieces by Spanish composers. On the other, he taught figures such as Marcelle Meyer, Joaquín Nin-Culmell and Francis Poulenc. He composed some songs and piano pieces, wrote articles on music and kept a diary that is today a valuable source on his contacts with major musicians of the period.