RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Isaac ALBÉNIZ (1860-1909)
Rapsodia Espańola Op. 70 [12:51]
Suite from The Magic Opal (Overture [8:46]; Prelude to Act II [2:11]; Ballet, Act II [3:39])
Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 78 Concierto fantástico [24:43]
Suite Espańola (Castilla (Seguidillas) [2:50]; Granada (Serenata) [6:12]; Sevilla (Sevillanas) [4:52]; Asturias (Leyenda) [7:05]; Aragón (Fantasía) [5:11])
Martin Roscoe (piano)
BBC Philharmonic/Juanjo Mena
rec. MediaCityUK, Salford, England, 17 September, 30 November, 1 December 2015.
CHANDOS CHAN10897 [79:42]
The problem with the orchestral music of Isaac
Albéniz is that most of it was not orchestrated by the composer himself.
In fact that's not much of a problem, especially when it is so expertly
arranged as it is here, with every colour of the orchestra shining through.
As the booklet states “Albéniz would have been amazed but surely not
displeased.”
The disc opens with the Rapsodia espańola as orchestrated two years
after the composer’s death by George Enescu. This is a wonderful piece
of orchestration with the original suiting the gypsy character of Enescu’s
style. The result is a twelve minute tour de force for piano and
orchestra, one in which the Spanish elements music come well to the fore.
The piano plays an important role in this piece, and here Martin Roscoe gives
a stellar performance.
The next three pieces form the Suite from ‘The Magic Opal’.
These are the only pieces that seem to be orchestrated by the composer. They
are new to me. The Suite comes from a comic opera that tells the story of
an opal ring that causes members of the opposite sex to become infatuated
with the wearer. The three pieces display Albéniz’s deep roots in Spanish
music with the influence of his homeland clearly in evidence; this despite
the story being set in Greece. The Suite is a delight and a very welcome addition
to my collection of Albéniz’s music.
The main piece here is the Piano Concerto No. 1, which was orchestrated
during the composer’s lifetime by J. Trayter (Tomás Bretón y Hernández).
Although the concerto is described as No. 1, this three movement work was
the only one that Albéniz actually composed, although he did plan at least
one other. Whilst the Concerto is not as overtly Spanish in nature as the
Rapsodia espańola, there are clear nationalistic elements in this
music which Martin Roscoe proves very adept at bringing out. I have been collecting
Bis’s excellent series of Albéniz’s piano music and Volume 6 (BIS-CD-1743)
contains both the concertante works featured on this disc. Whilst I hold Miguel
Baselga’s performance of these pieces in high regard, I find Roscoe’s
performance and that of the BBC Philharmonic preferable.
The final work is the Suite espańola, here arranged and orchestrated
by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. More than one person has attempted to orchestrate
these five wonderful depictions of Spanish life but none seems to bring out
the sparkle and élan that Frühbeck de Burgos achieves. The booklet points
to his having added a few notes and counterpoints here and there to emphasise
specific passages. This can be forgiven when the result is so wonderful.
I have already praised Martin Roscoe’s performance, but the BBC Philharmonic
under their Spanish conductor Juanjo Mena should be equally praised. Mena
has the BBC Phil sounding more Spanish than most Spanish orchestras in this
music. Gerald Larner’s booklet notes are extremely informative and aid
the enjoyment of this wonderful disc which also has excellent sound.
Stuart Sillitoe
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