Page 224 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained
P. 224
222
SPANISH MUSIC
WITH A UNIVERSAL
ACCENT
IBERIA (1906–1908)
ISAAC ALBÉNIZ
he piano suite Iberia Barbieri—a composer and critic
IN CONTEXT by Isaac Albéniz is a who helped to revive the native
T collection of 12 solo pieces, opera tradition, the zarzuela.
FOCUS published in four cuadernos (books). Catalan composer Felipe Pedrell
Nationalism in Spanish Influenced by his friend Claude also renewed interest in Spain’s
music
Debussy and the Impressionist art musical heritage, both in classical
BEFORE movement, Albéniz called these and folk and dance music.
1874 Francisco Asenjo solo pieces “impressions”—each Inspired by Pedrell, Albéniz and
Barbieri’s El barberillo de seeks to evoke a different place or his contemporaries drew on the
Lavapiés (“The little barber aspect of life in Spain. The pieces rhythms of Spanish dances, such as
of Lavapiés”) is his most in the last two cuadernos are the northern jota and the fandango
successful zarzuela (traditional challenging to play, inspired by the and zapateado from the south, as
Spanish opera), a form he virtuoso skills of Catalan pianist well as Arabic-inspired melodies
that evoked Spain’s history as
Joaquim Malats, for whom Albéniz
played a key role in reviving.
wrote them. Nearly all of the pieces Al-Andalus, a Muslim land. ■
1890 Felipe Pedrell publishes in Iberia are inspired by Andalusia,
Por nuestra música (“For our southern Spain, reflecting Albéniz’s
music”), in which he explores great love of the region. The single
Spain’s musical heritage. exception is “Lavapiés,” which
echoes the joyful buzz of the Jewish
AFTER quarter of Madrid. [Albéniz represents] the
1915 Manuel de Falla’s Noches reincorporation of Spain into
en los jardines de España Historical influences the European musical world.
(Nights in the Gardens of In the mid-19th century, Spanish Joaquín Rodrigo
Spain) mingles French music came alive after centuries Virtuoso pianist (1901–1999)
modernism with inspiration of domination by foreign sounds.
from Spanish folk music. Romantic nationalism swept
across Europe after the Napoleonic
1939 Joaquín Rodrigo’s Wars; in Spain, this gave rise to
Concierto de Aranjuez evokes figures such as Francisco Asenjo
the history of the former royal
summer palace of Aranjuez. See also: The Bartered Bride 206 ■ Pictures at an Exhibition 207 ■
Finlandia 220–221 ■ El sombrero de tres picos 223 ■ Appalachian Spring 286–287
US_222-223_Albeniz_deFalla.indd 222 26/03/18 1:01 PM
