The only surviving original recording of Albéniz’ piano playing is from 1903. On a visit to Ruperto Regordosa Planas he had sat down at the former’s piano and improvised three short pieces. Planas recorded the music on a phonograph cylinder. The pieces were, however, never written down on paper. With the help of modern technical resources, Milton Laufer, an expert on Albéniz, has been able to carefully reconstruct the musical text. Our first printing of the transcription thus enables us to have a unique “peep through the keyhole” into the workshop of the gifted pianist and composer.
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- Three Improvisations 1903
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Preface
Isaac Albéniz’s (1860–1909) reputation as an exceptional pianist is well documented. His early concert tours of Europe and the New World were received with exuberant acclaim from both audiences and critics. The later musical triumphs at the piano, between 1889 and 1897, firmly cemented his reputation as a virtuoso performer of epic proportions well beyond the Iberian … more
About the composer
Isaac Albéniz
He numbers among the most important Spanish composers. His oeuvre consists predominantly of piano music and stage works.
| 1860 | Born in Camprodón (Gerona province) on May 29; soon thereafter his family moves to Barcelona; first piano instruction with his sister at age three and a half, first public performance at age five, subsequent piano studies with Narciso Oliveras. |
| from 1867 | Eventful youth due to concert tours with his father and sister to Paris, the Spanish provinces, then on his own to Puerto Rico and Cuba. |
| 1876–79 | Studies in Brussels. |
| 1883–86 | Studies composition in Barcelona with Felipe Pedrell, who persuades him of the value of Spanish folk music. This results in piano compositions such as “Recuerdos de viaje,” Op. 71 (1886–87); “España: Seis hojas de album,” Op. 165 (1890); “Cantos de España,” Op. 232 (1891–94). |
| 1889 | Breakthrough as a pianist, concertizing in Paris and London. |
| 1890–93 | Engaged in London by the agent Henry Lowenfeld; operetta “The Magic Opal” (premiere 1893). |
| 1893 | Relocation to Paris, studies with Vincent d’Indy and Paul Dukas. |
| 1895/96 | Premieres in Barcelona of his operas “Henry Clifford” (1895) and “Pepita Jiménez” (1896) with Spanish colorings in the libretti and music. |
| 1898–1903 | He plans the trilogy “King Arthur” (“Merlin,” “Lancelot,” “Guenevere”), of which just “Merlin” is completed; concert performance of the original version does not take place until 1998. |
| 1905–08 | Composes “Iberia,” one of his chief works for piano, in which he reworks the sounds and rhythms of Spanish folk music. |
| 1909 | Death in Cambô-les-Bains (Basses-Pyrénées) on May 18. |
About the authors
Insgesamt eine willkommene Bereicherung der Literatur für die Mittelstufe und ein spannender Einblick in eine Kunst, die ihrer Natur nach dem unwiederholbaren Augenblick gehört.
Im Unterricht wird man den Drei Improvisationen durchaus gerne wiederbegegnen.
Das Vorwort des Herausgebers Milton R. Laufer zeugt von großer Gewissenhaftigkeit bei der Transkription und enthält eine Vielzahl von Hintergrundinformationen. … Das Notenbild ist wie immer bei Henle klar und edel. … Als reines Zufallsprodukt werden diese kleinen Erfindungen als präkompositorisches Rohmaterial fast noch interessanter, da sie die Schnittstelle zwischen dem virtuosen Interpreten und dem Komponisten Albéniz bilden. Darüber hinaus können sie wie eine Keimzelle und ein Kondensat von Albéniz’ Werk wirken, da sie die Summe alles Gelernten – und Vergessenen sein mögen.
Ein reizvoller Blick in die Werkstatt des Komponisten und eine spannende Bereicherung für das pianistische Repertoire...
Es ist ein Jammer: Von Isaac Albéniz ist so gut wie nichts überliefert, was an seine Rolle als überragender, von Liszt geschätzter Konzertpianist erinnert. Mit dieser Ausnahme.
Excellent music for students on the later grades who will really enjoy playing these! Highly recommended.
Le Tre improvvisazioni, … non furono mai trascritte e pubblicate; almeno fino alla presente edizione Henle.