Music of Spain

Albéniz – Complete Piano Music

I have loved the music of Spain for so many years. I really don’t know how this came about; perhaps I lived in Spain in a previous life. Or… maybe it is because I have always admired the playing of pianist Alicia de la Rocha…

On this CD, we have a wonderful set of compositions by Isaac Albeniz

Albéniz:

• Cantos de España (5), Op. 232

• 6 Mazurkas de salón, Op. 66

• Deseo – estudio de concierto, T 53

• L’Automne-Valse, T 96

• Marcha militar, T 45

• Improvisation, T 115 B

• Yvonne en visite!

Performed by Miguel Baselga, piano

Pianist Miguel Baselga performs the piano music by Isaac Albéniz on this disc concentrating on Albeniz’s earlier works, including “Marcha militar”, the very first piece that Albéniz is known to have composed.

The “Six Mazurkas de salon” gives us a taste of the salon-type music that Albéniz often included in his own recital programs. The mazurkas were written for (and named after) six of Albéniz’s piano pupils.

The most familiar work is “Chants d’Espagne”, partly because two of its five movements also appear in another work, Suite Espagnole.

The program also includes a transcription published in 2009 and the humorous “Yvonne en visite!” in which the composer describes in music the nervousness of a small girl forced by her mother to play for him.

Here is the Concierto Fantastico by Albéniz, with Miguel Baselga, piano

And here is Asturias Op. 232, no. 1 by Isaac Albéniz, transcribed for Guitar

Tags: Isaac Albéniz, Piano music, Miguel Baselga