Repertoire: IBERIA by Albeniz, for both piano and orchestra

Isaac Albeniz's glorious piano suite is both the ultimate Spanish musical monument as well as one of the most extraordinary of all late romantic piano works. It is successful in both its original keyboard version as well as in arrangements for full orchestra by other hands. Here's a basic guide to Iberia's representation on disc.

[@etucker82]

This is one of the funniest reviews I've ever read/watched.

[@bobgold57]

A review of performances of the great Granados work, Goyescas, would be a pleasure. There's Alicia, and then a number of lesser known gems.

[@maudia27]

And the Spanish Dances which I love.

[@robinicus1133]

Very informative video. Helped expand my understanding and appreciation of both Isaac Albeniz and Alicia de la Roccha.

[@2906nico]

This was huge fun. Thank you! I didn't know about PRIMI. I'm a massive fan of Alicia.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

You're so welcome!

[@nathantrinkl4725]

Thank you Dave! The dramatic contrasts between the piano and orchestral versions are truly astonishing. This exploration of Iberia has made me interested in seeing you discuss other original works and their arrangements -provided that you believe that there are others worth discussing. Pictures at an Exhibition might be worthwhile. I know you have reviewed the Ravel orchestration before, but I believe there would be ample discussion material purely in the comparison between the versions. In addition to talking about and comparing the original piano version and Ravel's orchestration, you could explore the "hybrid" piano versions: the ones which have been created by certain pianists to emulate Ravel's orchestration or to add their own "orchestral sound" to the original piano version (Horowitz, Pletnev). Also, to those who like the original Iberia for piano, I'd highly recommend checking out the piano pieces La Vega and Azulejos by Albeniz.

[@AlexMadorsky]

I’d love to see this too. I’m a bit obsessed with “Pictures.” I have multiple recordings of the Ravel on disc, a couple of Gorchakovs, a Stokowski, and I hope to add Ashkenazy and others soon.

[@Janaceks_Dad]

I worship Alicia de Larrocha…even in an age where there are so many pianists who play well technically there will never be another pianist like her

[@philscott6085]

I heard Alicia de Larrocha's Iberia live in London in 1979, and she was sensational. One of the most memorable and astounding concerts I ever saw. I prefer her analogue Decca recording to the earlier one (again, piano tuning is a factor), and to the later one. My other favourite is by the underrated "pianist's pianist" Michel Block . His is an impressionist approach bar none. His recording appeared as a Connoisseur LP, but turned up in a French EMI box in CD form, with a bunch of Spanish piano music played by other people. There is also a lovely recent version by a young Israeli pianist who should interest you, Dave: Yoram Ish-Hurwitz. (He's great!)

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

As long as he spells it correctly, but why the Ish?

[@philscott6085]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Seems unnecessary doesn't it.

[@simonvaughan6017]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Because he is only somewhat Hurwitz. By the way, he has also recorded the Années de pèlerinage.

[@boonyboony100]

Thank you for the review, I hope that Rafael Orozco is also on people's radar, also outstanding.

[@AlexMadorsky]

Very rarely do I prefer piano music, ballet music, opera, etc., to the orchestral suites extracted from them. However (if I can quote a favored phrase of our host), I do actually think this piece makes more sense on the piano. Señor Arbos did a perfectly respectable job orchestrating Iberia as a tone poem, but the symphonic suite always sounded a bit more generically romantic to me than the delightfully idiomatic piano original. I’ll give Ansermet’s version a listen - he’s a wonderful maestro I’ve quite enjoyed discovering thanks to Dave.

[@AlexMadorsky]

@@Quotenwagnerianer fair enough. I don’t know Arbos’s work as a conductor or composer beyond Iberia, but his relative obscurity suggests to me he was not exactly an orchestrational genius. I listned to the other orchestral adaptation on Naxos mentioned in the comments. I didn’t find it horrible per se, but I also didn’t find it particularly interesting or worth listening to again.

[@alanmcginn4796]

Hello all. I was sifting around on Amazon music and found all of Heisser's Spanish piano music in one box, 6 discs in all, for $13.49. A steel. Including of course the complete Iberia, 2 discs of Granados, 1 of Falla, 1 of Mompou and then an orchestral disc of Albeniz, Turina and Falla. I am going to listen to all after Ms. Larrocha's Iberia.

[@Plantagenet1956]

Dave, That March is crying out for concert band!

[@nealkurz6503]

Thanks for this Dave! Did you know Ormandy/Philadelphia recorded all 12 (Arbos/Surinach)? It was a late mono release (1956). There’s no official reissue, but Mark Obert-Thorn did a nice transfer for Pristine Audio which is available as a download. Maybe one day we’ll get that Ormandy mega-box from Sony with it included! Btw, De Laroccha recorded it 4 times. There are 2 Hispavox recordings. The 1958 one seems to be mono only, and has not been reissued. It was available in the US on Columbia LP as M2L-268.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Yes, I know the Ormandy.

[@cosimagrundkotter906]

Thank you for putting this marvellous work on the table! You certainly know Claudio Arrau's Columbia recording of Parts I & II. What do you think about it?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

What's not to like?

[@aurelioperez7276]

Great work, our Iberia. Enrique Fernández-Arbós (1863-1939) was an important Spanish violinist and conductor, disciple of Vieuxtemps and Joachim, concertmaster in Berlin and Boston in 1903. Founder of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid, conductor since 1904, etc, etc. Details in a good entry of Wikipedia. Excellent recording by Guillermo González. Thankyou Aurelio

[@john11inchlhb40]

Orozco is also a very important rec! That's probably the #2 to piano people, as far as I'm aware; I had never even heard of the Heisser.

[@jorgereynosopholenz2865]

Abeniz used for "El Corpus..." the melody of an old villancico called "La Tarara" whose lyrics have a phrase vaguely referred to the Easter feast. Later on, the poet Federico García Lorca compiled that Sevillian song and frequently is erroneously attributed to him. Nice you liked the version conducted by Bátiz. Here in Mexico he is appreciated by the public, but the musicians under his baton have a different point of view about him. Here is La Tarara sung by Teresa Berganza: kzbin.info/www/bejne/on7JgIebnNdkq5o

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Thank you!

[@sfd373]

Goodness, I wish we had Ravel’s orchestrations of this work.

[@Plantagenet1956]

Another one. I have Larrocha’s but I will get Hamelin’s, though, as I’m a fan to say the least!

[@Plantagenet1956]

The Larrocha, I have is the Decca recording.

[@tchaffman]

Hey David, I'm loving all these videos! What are your thoughts on Miguel Baselga's recording?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I have to confess it did not make an impression on me, but perhaps it deserves another listen. Sometimes these complete editions can be a bit overwhelming and dilute the impact made by specific pieces. I remember going through the set and thinking that there was a lot of less interesting stuff in it, and so his Iberia didn't stand out for me.

[@josemilitano]

Hi Dave! Do you know the one conducted by Baremboim? And with works by Falla by Argerich... Is it any good?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Not really.

[@lisilisin]

Actually, Alicia de Larrocha recorded "Iberia" 4 times, not 3. The first: in 1958 with Hispavox LP-mono, the second: in 1964 with Hispavox LP-stereo, the third: in 1973 with DECCA (LP) and the fourth: in 1987(LP) 1988 (CD - Grammy award) also with DECCA. In my opinion, there is no such thing as "the best" and even less so in art (the best actor or actress, the best director, the best painter, the best version of..., etc.) It is something that cannot be measured.. As in everything, there are levels, but within the same level, the vision of each interpreter is valid, as long as the score is respected. Some will like this artist, and others another. For me it is more accurate to say "X is ONE OF the best..." or better "X is the painter that I like the most" or "X is the version of Iberia - or any other work - that I like the most", but People, especially fans of one artist or another, have the habit of classifying as "X is the best". Taste in art has a large part of subjectivity. Not all critics value an artist in the same way, and it is assumed that they are experts on the subject. Well, this is a topic on which we could spend hours philosophizing... Particularly, the Iberia (piano) that I like the most is that of Alicia de Larrocha, but I cannot be objective because she is my mother, but I recognize that there are many other fantastic recordings, like those of Esteban Sánchez, Rosa Sabater, Rafael Orozco and others... Each interpreter with his/her vision of the work and differences. As David HurwitzIt says, it's necessary to listen to different recordings and then decide which one you like the most, which does not mean that it is the best, because "the best" does not exist. Long live to the difference! And, by the way, I like the original Iberia for piano better than for orchestra. I think it is a very pianistic work and that there are nuances that transcriptions for orchestra do not capture in the same way. Sorry for the extension!!

[@armandodelromero9968]

Being a Spaniard from Navarra, and not precisely a member of PRIMI, I consider Esteban Sanchez' recording, also edited by Brilliant Classics, the absolute interpretation of the work. The virtuosity is completely at the service of the music, the sound, full of rich, coloristic and exquisite harmonies, is unparalleled. PS: The best living pianist today is, for me, Kristian Zimerman.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Zimerman, really? I think he's become rather narcissistic.

[@philscott6085]

@@DavesClassicalGuide You didn't like his recent DG Schubert disc?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

@@philscott6085 Well, it wasn't that recent, and I agree with Jed Distler on this one: www.classicstoday.com/review/zimerman-plays-schubert-master-micromanager/?search=1

[@tomgauterin1723]

Sanchez's entire set of Albeniz on Brilliant is wonderful - absolutely one of the best. A simpler, more direct approach than most but as fresh as new paint.

[@colinwrubleski7627]

Any comments on the Peter Breiner orchestration? I have a Naxos CD of it complete, albeit without the extra Navarra movement, recorded by a Moscow-based (!?!) orchestra, and I must confess to vacillating back-and-forth as to its merits. The only review i have read about the Breiner complained about the dessicated nature of the orchestration, far too dry in comparison with the sumptuous way it (or at least those orchestrated movements) had been done by Arbos. Comments one way or the other-?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I find it dull and ineffective.

[@AlexMadorsky]

David Hurwitz I started this recording on Spotify and did not finish it - dry and dull is right!

[@philscott6085]

Six movements were orchestrated in a more earthy style by an avant-garde Spanish composer Francisco Guerrero (1951-1997): Corpus, Malaga, Polo, Albacin, Almeria and Jerez. He died before he could finish it, but these movements were recorded. It's interesting. (Whoa: am I an Iberia terrorista!!?)

[@klassikconnaisseur4244]

Dear Dave, there exists a recording from 1946/47 from Claudio Arrau for Columbia (it was available in the Arrau The complete RCA Victor and Columbia Album Collection Box). What do you think about these performances? Arrau recorded not the complete Iberia, only Book 1 and 2

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I like Arrau very much in general, but I have only listened to these performances casually, for my own pleasure, and never in detail or comparatively.

[@klassikconnaisseur4244]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Thanks for your reply! I love Iberia very much (Larrocha, Ciccolini). I just heard a wonderful live performance of Book 1 and 2 with Nelson Goerner in Wetzikon near Zurich, Switzerland. Nelson recorded Iberia for Alpha which will be published next year in March. This will be really a great modern set. He told me that color is very important in this masterpiece! Arrau ist very intensive. I love his recording! All best wishes !

[@Rillotinspanish]

I would have never thought that the Esteban Sanchez fundamentalists had such an international echo! It was one of the greatest disappointments in my life. Yes, it is good, yes it is accurate. Is it polished, refined, folksy or colourful? Not to my ears. He is said to have been a great piano teacher. That is what he sounds to me, like a teacher following the score. Long live Alicia!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Fascinating! Thanks for adding your opinion.

[@diegoparra8178]

I laughed my head off when you started speaking in spanish.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Well, at least you recognized which language it was supposed to be!

[@alfredolabbe]

Me parece que su español es bastante aceptable

[@diegoparra8178]

@@alfredolabbe Sí, no habla nada mal, yo sólo digo que me hizo mucha gracia.