OTA Berlin Apartments

Berlin    10-04-2010 As a continuation of our OTA-Berlin Constituency Blog Mini-Composer-Bios Series we present the first of the Spanish Composers for the new OTA-Berlin serviced apartments building opening in beginning of May 2010.          Issac Albeniz – www.foto-face.com   ‘Isaac Albéniz i Pascual’  [29 May 1860  – 18 May 1909,] was one of the greatest Spanish/ Catalan composers,  best known in his life time for his piano works based on Spanish folk music – many of which have since been popularized for the guitar. Albéniz’s influence on Spanish classical music was profound both during his short life and after his death.  As a conductor, performer and composer he raised the profile of Spanish music internationally and encouraged Spanish music and musicians in Spain itself.

Albéniz was a child prodigy who first performed at the age of four but was precocious in other ways as well. When he was 12, he had already made many attempts to run away from home and finally succeeded by stowing away in a ship bound for Buenos Aires.

He later went to the US via Cuba and gave concerts in New York and San Francisco and then returned to Europe and gave concerts in the major ‘L’ cities of the time; ‘Liverpool, London and Leipzig’.

At the 1888 Universal Exposition in Barcelona, the piano manufacturer Erard sponsored a series of 20 concerts featuring Albéniz’s music.

In transcription from piano, Albeniz’s works have become an important part of the repertoire of the classical guitar.  

Selections from Iberia have rarely been attempted on solo guitar but have been very effectively performed by guitar ensembles, such as the performance by John Williams and Julian Bream of Iberia’s opening “Evocation.”

The rock-band the “Doors”  incorporated “Asturias” into their song “Spanish Caravan”; and a guitar version of Granada functions as something of a love theme in Woody Allen’s 2008 film” Vicky Christina Barcelona”.

The apex of his concert career is considered to be 1890 when he had concert tours all over Europe and lived in both London and Paris.

During the late 1880s, the strong influence of Spanish style is evident in Albeniz’s music

In 1883, the composer married his student Rosina Jordana of and they had three children – one son ended up being a diplomat – but not before playing for Real Madrid football club!

In 1900 his health started to fail and he returned to writing piano music and in 1908 composed his most famous masterpiece, Iberia – a suite of 12 piano “impressions”.

Albéniz died on 18 May 1909 at the far too young age of 48 and is buried in the in Barcelona.

Tags: Isaac Albéniz i Pascual

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