Goyescas Charlotte Hu

• Enrique Granados (1867 - 1916): Goyescas - Piano Suite:
• 1 Granados: Goyescas - Piano Suite: I. Los Requiebros 08:44
• 2 Granados: Goyescas - Piano Suite: II. Coloquio en la Reja 11:56
• 3 Granados: Goyescas - Piano Suite: III. El Fandango del Candil 05:57
• 4 Granados: Goyescas - Piano Suite: IV. Quejas o la Maja y el Ruiseñor 06:56
• 5 Granados: Goyescas - Piano Suite: V. El Amor y la Muerte: Balada 12:35
• 6 Granados: Goyescas - Piano Suite: VI. Epílogo (Serenata del Espectro) 08:15
• 12 Danzas españolas:
• 7 Granados: 12 Danzas españolas: No. 2, Oriental 05:28
• 8 Granados: 12 Danzas españolas: No. 5, Andaluza 03:47
• Total Runtime 01:03:38

Info for Goyescas

Pianist Charlotte Hu presents Goyescas, an album featuring Granados’ monumental Goyescas alongside two Spanish Dances. A cornerstone of Spanish piano literature, Goyescas was inspired by the paintings of Francisco Goya and unfolds as a richly poetic suite where passion, tenderness, shadow, and light coexist across six vividly characterised movements. From the playful charm of “Los requiebros” to the lyrical intimacy of “La maja y el ruiseñor” and the profound emotional summit of “El amor y la muerte,” Granados’ masterwork reveals a world of dramatic contrasts and refined storytelling. Hu captures both the virtuosic brilliance and the deeply intimate narrative of the music, illuminating its modern harmonic language and unmistakable Spanish spirit with freshness and reverence.

Complementing the suite are two Spanish Dances: the hauntingly introspective No. 2, “Oriental,” and the vibrant, guitar-inflected No. 5, “Andaluza.” Together, they offer concentrated glimpses into Granados’ expressive range – from quiet longing and poetic reflection to radiant joy and folkloric vitality. This release marks her second album on PENTATONE, following her debut, Liszt: Metamorphosis, released in 2024.

“Recording this album has been a journey of deep engagement with a composer whose music continues to reveal new dimensions with each encounter,” Charlotte Hu says. “My first encounter with Granados’ Goyescas came during my years as a student at Juilliard. I was immediately captivated by the vivid world Granados had created on the keyboard. What struck me most was not simply the technical brilliance of the writing, but rather the poetry embedded within — the nuanced characters, the narrative arc that unfolds across the entire suite, the distinctly Spanish flavors interwoven with profound emotional depth, and the virtuosity that never overshadows the music’s intimate storytelling. Here was a masterwork that seemed to contain entire worlds: passion, tenderness, humor, shadow, and light all coexisting within its six movements. That fascination never left me. Years later, I decided that I wanted to explore this work in its complete form, to understand every layer of Granados’ genius. It is my hope that this recording will help bring Goyescas back into concert halls, where this beautiful masterwork deserves to be heard far more often than it currently is.”

Described as a “first-class talent” (Philadelphia Inquirer) possessing a “superstar quality — musical, energetic, and full of flair” (Jerusalem Post), Taiwanese-American pianist Charlotte Hu has been praised by audiences and critics across the globe for her dazzling virtuosity, captivating musicianship, and magnetic stage presence.

As a soloist, Hu has astounded audiences across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, performing sold-out concerts at many of the world’s most prestigious venues — including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw, Taipei National Concert Hall, and Osaka’s Symphony Hall. She is a frequent guest at music festivals such as the Aspen Music Festival, Ruhr-Klavier Festival, and Oregon Bach Festival. Concerto engagements have included performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and Taiwan Philharmonic, among others. Recent and upcoming highlights for Charlotte Hu include performances presented by Newport Classical, the Mansion at Strathmore, the Gilmore Piano Festival, the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra, the Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotá, the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, Taipei Concert Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Center, National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, and the Taichung Opera House.

Goyescas was inspired by the work of painter Francisco Goya. Hu writes in her liner notes for the album, “Enrique Granados drew his inspiration from the paintings of Francisco Goya, the 18th-century Spanish master whose dark, sensual works explore themes of love, desire, flirtation, and the human condition. Each movement of Goyescas corresponds to a painting or draws from Goya’s visual universe, allowing Granados to translate visual art into musical narrative.”

From the playful charm of “Los requiebros” to the lyrical intimacy of “La maja y el ruiseñor” and the profound emotional summit of “El amor y la muerte,” Granados’ masterwork reveals a world of dramatic contrasts and refined storytelling. Complementing the suite are two Spanish Dances: the hauntingly introspective No. 2, “Oriental,” and the vibrant, guitar-inflected No. 5, “Andaluza.”

With this pairing, Hu captures both the virtuosic brilliance and the deeply intimate narrative of the music, illuminating its modern harmonic language and unmistakable Spanish spirit with freshness and reverence.

Charlotte Hu, piano

Charlotte Hu
An active recording artist, Charlotte Hu’s debut album of Chopin works on ArchiMusic was named Best Classical Album of the Year by Taiwan’s prestigious Golden Melody Award, and recordings released on Naxos/CAG Records and BMOP/sound with Boston Modern Orchestra Project have received overwhelming critical acclaim. Her Rachmaninoff album on Centaur/Naxos received a five-star review by the U.K.’s Pianist magazine, which called it “essential listening for Rachmaninoff admirers.”

With a dedication to making classical music more accessible, Charlotte Hu presents captivating programs that tell human stories inclusive of gender and race. By juxtaposing audience favorites with underperformed treasures and newly commissioned works, Charlotte’s recitals consistently offer musical and narrative contrasts that encourage people to listen deeply and discover anew the work of even the most well-known composers.

A Steinway Artist, Charlotte Hu serves as an artist in residence at Temple University in Philadelphia, in addition to her busy performance schedule. She is a frequent guest artist, leading master classes and artist residencies at universities and music festivals worldwide. She holds degrees from The Juilliard School, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Germany’s Hanover University of Music, Drama, and Media, where she studied with Herbert Stessin, Sergei Babayan, and Karl-Heinz Kammerling, respectively.

Described as a “first-class talent” (Philadelphia Inquirer) possessing a “superstar quality – musical, energetic, and full of flair” (Jerusalem Post), Taiwanese-American pianist Charlotte Hu has been praised by audiences and critics across the globe for her dazzling virtuosity, captivating musicianship, and magnetic stage presence. As a soloist, she has astounded audiences across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, performing sold-out concerts at many of the world’s most prestigious venues, including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw, Taipei National Concert Hall, and Osaka’s Symphony Hall. She is a frequent guest at music festivals, such as the Aspen Music Festival, Ruhr-Klavier Festival, Oregon Bach Festival. Concerto engagements have included performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and Taiwan Philharmonic, among others.

At the heart of her success is a story of strength, dedication, and resilience that has powered her dream of becoming a world-class artist. Moving to the United States from Taiwan at age 14 without her parents to begin studies at The Juilliard School was the first of many challenges Charlotte overcame in building her illustrious career – one that has included winning top prizes at the 12th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition and the Concert Artists Guild Competition, performing on classical music’s biggest stages, and fostering the next generation of musicians as an advocate for classical music through entrepreneurial and philanthropic initiatives.

Today, in addition to her prolific performing career, Charlotte is the founder of two piano festivals across two continents: the Yun-Hsiang International Music Festival in Taipei and the PYPA Piano Festival in Philadelphia. Now in its 12th year, PYPA has become an important fixture in the classical music world, cultivating a deeper appreciation for classical music and serving as a bridge of cultural partnerships between West and East. A tireless advocate for humanity, Charlotte raised $27,000 for youth education charities through a Hope Charity Concert live-streamed on her Facebook page in June 2020. The online concert reached more than 140,000 people across the globe.

A Steinway Artist, Charlotte Hu serves as an artist in residence at Temple University in Philadelphia, in addition to her busy performance schedule. She is a frequent guest artist, leading master classes and artist residencies at universities and music festivals worldwide. She holds degrees from The Juilliard School, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Germany’s Hanover University of Music, Drama, and Media, where she studied with Herbert Stessin, Sergei Babayan, and Karl-Heinz Kammerling, respectively.

Booklet for Goyescas