One of the most important works in the Spanish piano
literature. Iberia is a wonderful mixture of Spanish
music with impressionist influences. It is probably one
of the most dificult Spanish works, with Granados'
Goyescas or Falla's Fantasía Baetica.
In the first book, we find Evocación, a little easy
introduction to Iberia; El Puerto - de Cádiz? - [The
Cadiz Port], a very funny zapateado - an Andalusian
dance; and the impressive El Corpus en Sevilla [The
Corpus-Christi in Seville],...(+)
One of the most important works in the Spanish piano
literature. Iberia is a wonderful mixture of Spanish
music with impressionist influences. It is probably one
of the most dificult Spanish works, with Granados'
Goyescas or Falla's Fantasía Baetica.
In the first book, we find Evocación, a little easy
introduction to Iberia; El Puerto - de Cádiz? - [The
Cadiz Port], a very funny zapateado - an Andalusian
dance; and the impressive El Corpus en Sevilla [The
Corpus-Christi in Seville], a musical version of the
story of these celebrations.
The Rondeña is the first dance in Iberia's second
book. It is based in peteneras, Andalusian dances with
continuous metric change - 3/4 and 6/8. After that
comes the famous Almería with the copla based in a
fandango - a Spanish dance. Triana - a popular
Sevillian district - is probably the most brilliant
piece in the whole collection. It is a fireworks'
spectacle of Andalusian essence with an important
gitana influence.
In Albaicín, Albéniz expresses his vision of
Granada's gyspy district. It has more melancholy than
any other piece in Iberia. El Polo is a palo flamenco,
a flamenco dance in which the cantaor sings with a
supernatural anguish. Lavapiés, not "feet washing" but
one of the most popular Madrilenian districts, is a
habanera - a Spanish dance with Cuban origins - devoid
of Spanish frivolities, but with an apotheosis of lo
castizo. The spectacular Málaga is full of movement so
typical of the malagueñas - Andalusian dances in
flamenco style. It demands a completely overwhelming
virtuosity. In Jerez - a little Spanish city between
Huelva and Portugal with an important agricultural
industry -, Albéniz gives us one of the most exquisite
coplas with a dense compositional texture. Finally, the
brilliant and happy Eritaña has a determination that
hardly requires further interpretation.
Section Listing
Cahier 1 (1906)
1. Evocación
2. El puerto
3. El Corpus en Sevilla
Cahier 2 (1906)
4. Rondeña
5. Almeria
6. Triana
Cahier 3 (1907)
7. El Albaicín
8. El Polo
9. Lavapiés
Cahier 4 (1908)
10. Málaga
11. Jérez
12. Eritaña