Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909)
Piano Music Volume 9
Miguel Ángel R. Laiz (piano)
Santiago L. Sacristán (piano)
rec. 2016/19, Estudios FJR and Auditorio Manuel de Falla, Granada, Spain
Naxos 8.573927 [65]
After a quarter of a century, Naxos completes its traversal of the complete piano music of Isaac Albéniz, nine volumes recorded by Guillermo Gonzalez and five of his pupils. Santiago L. Sacristán who recorded Volume 6 (Naxos 8573295) and Miguel Ángel R. Laiz from Volume 8 (Naxos 8573779) now join together on two pianos to play Albéniz’ own transcription of his Rapsodia española along with a suite of five solo pieces arranged by Lola Espadas-Frías. Laiz completes the disc with the well-known Chants d’Espagne and a recently discovered Berceuse.
The Rapsodia española was commissioned as a work for piano and orchestra and a two piano piece, essentially having the orchestra in the second piano. The solo version played by Laiz on volume 8 came later. It has something of Liszt in its fantasy like nature, though it is more like Liszt’s Spanish rhapsodie than his Hungarian rhapsodies, which tend to follow the slow section – fast section format. Albéniz marks the melodies as they are played, Petenera de Mariani, Malaguena Juan Breva, Estudiantina and an original jota thrown in for good measure. The opening music returns at times to give the piece more cohesion. This is highly enjoyable music and the two piano format means that all the original detail is kept while the solo version of necessity leaves things out; the double trills of the malaguena are a case in point as is the fuller texture in the jota. It is all very atmospheric and dramatic, though I find that Laiz brings a little more fizz to the solo version. The two piano arrangements by Lola Espadas-Frías of solo pieces are arranged in a suite of dances, three faster numbers interspersed with two slower items. They are well transcribed and I like the little touches that Espadas-Frías brings to them; rhythms that occasionally have to be abandoned in the original due to the limitations of two hands can now be maintained more consistently as in the Célèbre sérénade espagnole – more popularly known as Suite española op.47 no.4 Cádiz. The trill that opens the stately Pavana-capricho is now brought in as a feature in more of the piece and the fuller texture suits all the pieces, especially the jaunty bolero Puerta de Tierra, another connection to Cádiz with its evocation of the gate in the old city walls.
The five Chants d’Espagne take up most of the rest of the disc. These are given perfectly decent performances though I must say that Martin Jones (Nimbus Records NI1711 review) makes more of the Orientale which is a little rigid rhythmically in Laiz’s hands; Laiz also plays a B natural in the opening chord which should be a B flat bringing that sense of anticipation to the harmony. Elsewhere he is quite effective with just the right amount of sway in the sensual sous le palmier, lovely tone in the reflective middle section of asturias and tastefully virtuosic in the seguidillas. Completing the disc is the tender Berceuse. The notes just say it was rediscovered a few years ago by Jacinto Torres who compiled a comprehensive catalogue of the works of Albéniz. It is a simple, lyrical little piece whose chordal melody sings out over simple pedal notes in much the same as Córdoba from the chants d’espagne though the mood is much lighter here; it is possibly the highlight of the disc for me. With the specially prepared Suite for two pianos Naxos have found a fine solution to filling this final album which would otherwise have been fairly short even if the Suite adds little to our knowledge of his music; it is enjoyable listening and the mix of pieces on the disc will appeal to the general listener as well as Albéniz completists.
Rob Challinor
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Contents
Rapsodia española, Op 70 version for two pianos (1887)
First Suite española, Op 47 No 6 Aragón, fantasia (1886/2019, arr. for 2 pianos, Lola Espadas-Frías)
Célèbre sérénade espagnole, Op 181 (c.1890/2019, arr. for 2 pianos, Lola Espadas-Frías)
Recuerdos de viage, Op 70 No 5 Puerta de Tierra, bolero (1886-87/2019, arr. for 2 pianos, Lola Espadas-Frías)
Pavana-capricho, Op 12 (1883/2019, arr. for 2 pianos, Lola Espadas-Frías)
First Suite española, Op 47 No 3 Sevilla, sevillanas (1886/2019, arr. for 2 pianos, Lola Espadas-Frías)
Berceuse, T.114bis (1886)
Chants d’Espagne, Op 232 (1891-94)
