Born in 1860, Isaac Albéniz is best known for piano
music that brilliantly evokes the spirit of Spain. As a
composer-virtuoso, Albéniz successfully melded
together composition and performance to create a
bravura style reminiscent of the music of Liszt,
seasoned with Spanish folk idioms. The work that most
convincingly represents this synthesis of virtuosity
and tradition is the enchantingly colorful and
atmospheric Iberia, a suite of 12 pieces recalling
Spanish (particularly Andalusian) places...(+)
Born in 1860, Isaac Albéniz is best known for piano
music that brilliantly evokes the spirit of Spain. As a
composer-virtuoso, Albéniz successfully melded
together composition and performance to create a
bravura style reminiscent of the music of Liszt,
seasoned with Spanish folk idioms. The work that most
convincingly represents this synthesis of virtuosity
and tradition is the enchantingly colorful and
atmospheric Iberia, a suite of 12 pieces recalling
Spanish (particularly Andalusian) places and dances.
Albéniz used folklore as his inspiration, but created
a singular melodic style, which eventually influenced
Debussy and Ravel. Believing that artistic originality
and an interest in one's national musical tradition do
not exclude each other, Albéniz likewise was largely
the creator of the Spanish musical idiom that would be
adopted and developed by Granados and de Falla.
Albéniz's popular set of six album leaves, España, is
the acme of his salon piano compositions. None of the
pieces is longer than approximately four minutes, and
none has the technical challenges and intricate
textures of his masterpiece Iberia. The rhythms, modal
harmonies, and subtle dramatics of its simple lines so
completely evoke Spain that anything more would be
gilding the lily. Together, the six pieces could be
viewed as Albéniz's take on the traditional keyboard
suite, made up as it is of a prelude followed by dances
with a couple of non-dance movements thrown in. The
prelude is really an introduction in the sense that its
opening phrases sound like a ceremonial fanfare
announcement. In between these are phrases where the
changing harmonies of triplets split between the hands
foreshadow what's to come in the Malagueña later. The
second album leaf is the famous Tango in D, Albéniz's
most recognized melody, frequently transcribed for
other instruments. The Malagueña places the fandango
rhythm in the right hand and the melody in the left
hand. The fourth piece, Serenata, alternates playful
staccato phrases with more legato, song-like melodies
while frequently changing harmonies color its
expressions. Fifth is the Capricho Catalan, a delicate
song played almost entirely in parallel thirds over a
constant offbeat accompaniment. The last piece is a
Basque dance in 5/8 meter, the Zortzico. It has a
distinctive, dotted-rhythm device that covers the
second and third beats of each measure, and often the
fourth and fifth also, normally beat out on a drum.
Although originally written for Piano, I created this
interpretation of the "Capricho Catalán" from the
Suite "España" (Op. 165 No. 5) for String Quartet (2
Violins, Viola & Cello).
PARTITION