Isaac ALBÉNIZ (1860-1909)
Rapsodia Española for piano and orchestra, T16: original orchestration,
edited by Jacinto Torres (1886-87) [11:21]
Navarra, T106, completed by Pilar Bayona (1909) [5:42]
Piano Sonata No.5, T85 (1888) [18:56]
Troisième Suite Ancienne, T76 (1887) [6:12]
Azulejos, T107 (1909) [7:00]
Piano Concerto No. 1, T17 Concierto Fantástico (1887) [25:10]
Miguel Baselga (piano)
Tenerife Symphony Orchestra/Lü Jia
rec. December 2007 Auditorio y palacio de congresos, Zaragoza, Spain (solo
piano pieces); July 2009 Auditorio de Tenerife, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (concertos).
DDD
BIS-CD-1743 [75:43]
I was first introduced to the piano music of Isaac Albéniz whilst still at
school. One of the ‘advanced’ pupils used to play for me the ‘Córdoba’ from
the Chants d'Espagne. It was a warm romantic piece that I loved, and
I guess that he must have been very tolerant of me to play it over and over
again. I have remained grateful to him over nearly forty years. What I did
not understand at that time was that there were two sides to the composer’s
style. Listening to Córdoba, there is no doubt that the influence of Spain
was pervasive – both the rhythms of the local dance music and the impressionistic
colours of the country are clearly present. This is also true of Albéniz magnum
opus, Iberia. However, I remember being surprised on hearing a recording
of the Piano Sonata No.5 (which is played on this disc). Here was music that
had little connection with the sights and sounds of Spain. The truth is that
the stylistic parameters of Albeniz’s music are not straightforward.
The present CD makes a fine introduction to the composer’s piano music, covering
as it does the ‘Spanish’ music as well as pieces that derive from the mainstream
classical music of Germany and France: it explores works from the early days
of the composer’s career through to his last year. In addition there are two
‘concertante’ works recorded which provide the listener with a rare treat.
The Rapsodia Española for piano and orchestra is the earliest work on this
CD, dating from 1886-87. It was originally written for two pianos but was
also ‘dished up’ in a variety of other versions or arrangements by other composers,
including George Enescu, André Breton and Cristobal Halffter. However, in
this present recording, Miguel Baselga has chosen the edition produced from
the original fragments by the Spanish musicologist and Albéniz scholar Jacinto
Torres.
This was the first time I have heard this lovely work. For me, it balances
a subtle use of Spanish idioms, whilst remaining fairly and squarely in the
Lisztian world of pianism. However, the most surprising thing about this piece
is the occasional use of a kind of Iberian impressionism that nods towards
Debussy. The overall impression of this happy work is of exuberant fun and
bright sunshine. A contemporary writer after hearing this piece wrote that
‘the name of Albeniz is destined to signify a major personality in European
music.’
For every listener that knows the great Iberia suite or the ‘Tango
in D’ there will be only a handful that have heard the Piano Concerto No.1
‘Concierto Fantastico.’ This was composed during 1887 at a time when Albéniz
was largely engaged on small scale salon pieces. The programme notes are quite
correct in suggesting that the ‘fanastico’ element of the title is actually
‘quite discreet.’ Stylistically this three movement concerto owes more to
the music of Mendelssohn and Schumann rather than to the folk traditions of
Andalusia or Catalonia. Yet this is not to belittle the work: there is wide
range of ‘romantic’ piano concertos that have the same allegiances. Albeniz
brings his own magic to this piece – for example the second subject of the
first movement is a truly gorgeous and memorable theme that is up there with
the best of Rachmaninov. It is important to note that the ‘fantastico’ of
the title emerges in the second movement, which the sleeve notes tell us is
supposed to represent ‘the vagueness of a dream.’ This movement is in two
sections- the first uses a theme from the first movement and the second is
a regular Mendelssonian ‘scherzo’ with a fine swing to the main theme. Although
I do not believe that the work is formally ‘cyclical’ the final allegro does
clearly allude to music from the opening movement.
This concerto has a perfect balance between the piano and orchestra, with
beautiful tunes being presented to the listener one after the other. The listener
may not feel that this is the ‘greatest’ romantic concerto from the late nineteenth
century, but it is certainly worthy of the composer and deserves to be in
the repertoire. There are some totally perfect moments in this music that
raise this work well above average. For me, it is one of the loveliest of
Albeniz’s works in spite of the lack of Spanish colouring!
The Sonata No. 5 was composed in 1888. Strangely, there are alleged to be
twelve works in this form, however only three seem to have survived. There
is certainly little to tie this work down to Spain – in fact it comes straight
from the romantic tradition – and is none the worse for that! There are four
movements here with the gorgeous ‘Reverie’ placed third. The structure of
the Sonata is a little unbalanced, the first movement being longer that the
other three combined. Look out for echoes of Chopin and Mendelssohn, whilst
Scarlatti features in the closing ‘allegro.’ All in all this is a good, competent
and thoroughly enjoyable Sonata, although if one heard it with an innocent
ear, one would never associate it with Albeniz.
Albeniz wrote three Suite anciennes (1887). The first two were recorded
by Miguel Baselga in volumes 4 and 5 of this BIS edition of the piano music.
In the third suite there are only two movements – a minuet and a gavotte.
These were originally written as a sight-reading test for the position of
assistant professor at the Escuela Nacional de Musica. These pieces can be
regarded as Scarlatti seen through the eyes of a Chopin, a Schumann, a Liszt
or a Weber. They exploit the interest in period forms from the past. Once
again there is little of Spanish colour in these two pieces, although the
programme notes point out that a ‘seguidilla rhythm’ is discreetly heard in
the Minuet.
Azulejos is my favourite piece on this CD. Originally entitled Prelude
in A major, it was completed by Enrique Granados after Albeniz’s death. The
word ‘Azulejos’ refers to pieces of mosaic and was originally intended to
be a part of a piano suite or cycle. Unfortunately only this movement was
written. Interestingly, Miguel Baselga does not use Granados’ realisation:
he finds that ‘it completely misses the point’ with its ‘nonsensical modal
ending. So he has devise done of his own that recapitulates the opening music.
This he feels is more typical of some of the composer’s other music. Azulejos
is a million miles away from the concerto. The listener will be immediately
reminded of Debussy in both melody and harmony. It is effectively a ‘danse
lente.’
I have always enjoyed Navarra, which was intended to be a part of Iberia,
but never quite made it. Albeniz himself felt that it was ‘scandalously lame’
and did not deserve its place in his masterpiece. Unfortunately it was not
complete at the time of the composer’s death. The piece was dedicated to the
pianist Marguerite Long, but was premièred in 1912 (three years after the
composer’s death) by Blanche Selva. It was first heard in a version prepared
by Albeniz’s pupil Déodat de Séverac. However, Miguel Baselga was not satisfied
with this version - he felt that it was over-cautions – ‘on tip-toes, too
sparing with the turmoil. So he has chosen another arrangement by the Spanish
pianist Pilar Bayona (1897-1979). He believes that Bayona’s version ‘corresponds
entirely with Albeniz’s style.’ It is ‘deft, simple but well considered.’
Navarra is in many ways a reflective piece, in spite of the above noted
demand for ‘turmoil. It is really a musical portrait of the land south of
the Pyrenees. Strangely, in spite of the composer’s misgivings it has become
one of the best loved and most popular of his piano pieces. It has been arranged
for both orchestra and guitar, most of which are musically successful. But
I have to hand it to Miguel Baselga: Pilar Bayona’s realisation is superb.
I enjoyed this CD immensely. The playing is stunning and Miguel Baselga manages
to express the dichotomy between the ‘Spanish’ music and the more classically
and romantically orientated pieces: it is playing that is characterised with
sympathy and understanding. This is a well produced CD; although I would have
liked a wee bit more detail in the liner-notes as not all these works are
familiar to me.
John France
see also review by Dan
Morgan
Stunning playing that characterises the music with sympathy and understanding.