My new piece “Open window in Collioure” is a homage to one of my favorite artists: Matisse, and his painting “Open window, Collioure, 1905.

Matisse spend the summer 1905 in Collioure together with other fauve artists. They were attracted to the light and mediterranean colors. Collioure is a picturesque fishing village between the sea and the mountains, and has inspired many artists. It belongs to the Roussillon region, close to the spanish border.

Matisse´s painting seems spontaneous, and you can follow every brushstroke he made. By leaving spaces with unpainted canvas, Matisse wants to make sure you are looking at a painting, and not actually out of a window. Matisse uses colors in a interesting way, contrast colors and bright and dark.

In “Notes of a painter” Matisse explains: “The entire arrangement of my picture is expressive. Composition is the art of arranging in a decorative manner, the diverse elements at the painters command to express his feelings.”

I try to look out of the window of Matisse and capture the atmosphere of the moment, the smells of the mediterranean and the evolution of the day.

My piece uses the pentatonic 5 tone scale, which is originally ancient greek.I use this scale in remembrance to the first population living in this area of Roussillon in 450 BC: The Greek.

In some parts of the piece, I use a brush on the guitar, to connect with the painting. With the brush I want to capture the light in the early morning over the sea.

The music slowly develops with a little more movement, but still peaceful. AT the end it gets poetic and thoughtful.

My family and I have a very close bond to Collioure. My father vacationed there as a child, and afterwards my family spent the summers there with joy.

It definitely gave me the passion for the Mediterranean culture.

New videos has been added on my Youtube Channel: @millebureau

Two of the compositions are inspired by the coastline south of Barcelona: Playafels and La Mar.

Happy New Year to everyone who wants to follow my page.

2024 was a year full of exiting projects. Especially composing music for guitar, and turning it into a concert programme for guitar. I played my programme in different concerts , and at the end of the concert, having a small dialouge with the audience was also interesting.

I also recorded live my pieces which can find on my Youtube channel: @millebureau

My wish for the new year is continuing composing and developing my skills.

I would like to play a few concerts as well, but I prefer quality before quantity.

Here you can listen to – and see the Suite Granaína in its correct form. Suite Granaína is a musical Suite of 7. movements, dedicated to the city of Granada. The number 7 was the lucky number of the gipsies and Manuel de Falla.

I 1998 I lived in Granada, where I studied spanish history of music and flamencology at the “Universidad de Filosofía y letras”. I also joined flamenco dance classes with La Presy in the flamenco school “Carmen de las Cuevas” and “Pena la Platería”. I went to the Music conservatory in Sevilla for Guitar courses.

I lived in the nicest house in the Albaycin, with Jazmin flowers, Granada apple tree and a view over the Sierra Nevada. Granada is a city full of history and you feel the presence of different civilazations living here. The art of the Nasrid Dynasty and the expression of the gipsies makes it a very special place. My appreciation for Granada manifested into a musical Suite that describes Granada through my vision: Cultural events, places, aromas and a very special person.

The 1. movement is rather moorish, but turns into a Mozarabic atmosphere, just like Boabdil who lost the keys of Granada in 1492.

The 2. movement is inspired by a flamenco jazz club, where I used to hear the Morente family.

The 3. movement is a Homenaje to Alhambra and the style ” Granaína”, the fandango from Granada.

The 4. movement is inspired by the Holy Week.

The 5. Movement is inspired by Pilgrimage and the Fandango.

The 6. Movement is a description of the aroma of the jazmin flower in Albaycin.

The 7. Movement is a dedication to my friend and mentor Jorge Aguilera.

This Suite is the first piece I have composed for guitar.

Please read more details underneath each video.

The videos are recorded live by my brother Emil Bureau

My channel is called: Mille Bureau

I started composing a new piece in Homenaje to the cordobese artist Julio Romero de Torres. In my opinion, he has been a very important artist to illustrate flamenco and Andalucism. Here he painted Pastora Imperio in 1922. He also painted female guitarists several times. I love his art, and I will try create a “Zapateado” that reflects his work.

I finished a new piece for my collection of Spanish Pieces called “La Mar”.

Mar is typically a masculine word in spanish, and therefore it should be called “el mar.” However, if you talk about something in a poetic way, it will switch to the opposite sex.

This is a chill out piece without a lot of melodic material. More meditating and brainstorming by the Mediterranean. The piece wants to end, but starts up again, like the waves and tide that never ends. Just inviting to let ones thoughts blow away.

Feel free to read further about my compositions and what inspired me in the process.

That is what the last posts is about.

Flor de Azahar – Soleares

The soleares is a flamenco style coming from Sevilla and it´s region. In this piece I am inspired by the flamenco guitar and creators like Sabicas, Montoya and Niño Ricardo. I make reference to guitar”falsetas” from the time, where the flamenco guitar was defined as an art and profession. However the piece develops with my own contributions.

”Flor de azahar” means orange flower in Spanish. Azahar is originally an Arabic word adopted in the Spanish dictionary, as many others. Like in words, you feel the Arabic heritage present in Andalusía. In the ”Real Alcazar de Sevilla”, I was sitting in the yard, enjoying the blossom and the aroma from the orange flowers planted. Afterwards I was drinking the flowers as a tea. Walking around Sevilla is a feeling of authentic art and centuries flowing in the air.

The beauty is captured in the art of Julio Romero de Torres, which paintings I always preserve in my mind.

En la sombra de Madrid

Madrid is a city full of art. Artists nowadays can benefit from a history with the most important composers and musicians of their time. Visiting the Royal Palace in the heart of Madrid, is my favorite way to imagine the real life of Scarlatti and Boccherini. As I stand in the hall I imagine them walking by, with their splendid clothes and wigs. The art of Goya and Velazquez helps me get in tune.

My piece wants to reflect the connection between centuries. The modern world can enjoy the seeds planted centuries back. There is a certain atmosphere of the folkloric Spain, the majestic guitar of the court, mixed with new dissonances.

In the middle of everything Joaquin Rodrigo’s ”Cucu” suddenly appears.

Pinceladas de Picasso.

When I walk in Malaga, I feel the natural presence of Picasso. Funny enough, I also vacationed other places where Picasso lived: Madrid, Barcelona, Collioure, Antibes and Paris. And who knows what more?

Picasso liked painting guitars. Broken guitars, that the viewer should put together, or the old man with the guitar. However, what inspired me for this piece, was a video I once saw of Picasso. He stood by his canvas and painted a beautiful flower vase. With one brushstroke he turned the painting into a sailboat. And again he changed the painting with one single touch, continuing for a long time. What a talent. 

My piece is turning around a constant rhythm, counting on the eight note. But it has a certain touch of irregularity, because it changes between 5/8, 6/8, 7/8, 9/8, 10/8, 11/8 and 12/8. I dip my brush with a musical motive, and make variations with restricted material.

The introduction is rather “Ad Libitum”, without a firm time signature, as a jazzy improvisation.