BOOKS
Ricardo has written and published two books.
Opus Perseverat. Five composers from Western Norway.
ISBN 978-3-00-053026-5
A book about Harald Sæverud (1897 – 1992), Edvard Hagerup Bull (1922 – 2012), Ketil Hvoslef (b. 1939), Magnar Åm (b. 1952) and Kenneth Sivertsen (1961 – 2006).
Having worked extensively with these composers for many years, in 2013 Ricardo realized that he held a wealth of information about them that could not be found elsewhere, particularly in the English language. He also felt he had gained the necessary overview and basic understanding of their work to put it in writing. The book Opus Perseverat (“the work continues”) was the result of these reflections. Ricardo finished writing it in 2014 and MPH published it in 2016.
The chapter on each composer is structured as follows: 1) a biographical sketch; 2) Ricardo’s relationship to the composer and a description of his work with him; 3) an in-depth examination of all the important aspects of the composer’s music; 4) comments of several works. There are plenty of examples in music notation. The book also contains plentiful annotations, and appendix and a complete list of works and available recordings up to 2016.
The book can be purchased here:
https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/en/product/odriozola-ricardo-book/
Cannonball! The music, words and images of Judge Smith
ISBN: 978-3-00-079158-1
Judge Smith was one of the two founding members of the British underground band Van der Graaf Generator. Having listened to VdGG since 1979 and thoroughly assimilated their work, Ricardo was thrilled to be contacted by Judge Smith in the summer of 2007, following a suggestion from David Jackson. They met in London for the first time in December of that year and began a working partnership and personal friendship that has continued to the present day. As with his previous book, in 2021 Ricardo felt he had assimilated the essence of Judge Smith’s work to the point where he could present his views of it in print.
Cannonball! Takes on the work of Judge Smith as a composer, songwriter, poet, film maker and spiritual seeker. The book examines every single track of Smith’s published albums up to 2022, but also his earlier, unrecorded work as a composer and librettist. With plenty of music notation examples, the book also pays homage to the many musical partners, engineers and benefactors that have contributed to the Judge Smith story. It opens with a wonderful foreword by David Jackson and many remarkable artists offer their views on Judge and his work throughout. It ends with a generous amount of notes accompanied by QR codes that facilitate the access to relevant links for the modern reader.
Ricardo finished writing the book in January 2023 and MPH published it in 2024.
It can be purchased here:
https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/en/product/odriozola-ricardo-9/
