Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 08/29/2012, uploaded on 12/26/2012

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

As a pianist, the Spaniard Isaac Albéniz was a child prodigy. Much of his compositional output was for personal concert use, comprising both sparkling salon pieces and substantial sonatas. He also put much energy into the creation of a nationalist musical scene in Spain, particularly in the domain of musical theatre. However, foremost in his compositional output is his impressionist masterpiece, Iberia. Composed between 1905 and 1909, Iberia (as the title suggests) is a late work of Spanish nationalist sentiment. It consists of four books, each with three pieces. Shortly before the composition of the third and fourth books, Albéniz had befriended the technical virtuoso Joaquín Malats, for whom the music was intended. The movements of Iberia depict areas and landmarks in Spain that held significance for the composer. Málaga and Jerez are both cities in the south of Spain, and Eritaña is an inn near the customs gates of Sevilla. The colorful and evocative nature of the pieces of Iberia, stemming from the Impressionist influence of the time combined with Albéniz’s deep knowledge of the piano’s full capabilities, makes this one of the great masterpieces of the entire piano literature.      Spencer Myer

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.