Albeniz - Suite Espanola [Larrocha]The first anniversary of Alicia De Larrocha's death comes up later this month, she recorded these works in 1986, and maybe these two discs are her greatest legacy.
The suite Espanola seems to have been kidnapped by Guitarists, just about every Guitarist has learnt one of these pieces [usually Asturias], , i know these pieces better in the Guitar garb than in the original myself, and of course they are very strumming/picking type of works, maybe Albeniz was trying to mimic the sound of the Guitar.
The Suite of eight pieces is very varied, on this listen i was very impressed with 1 & 3-5, with the fifth piece 'Asturias' being the gem of the whole set, and probably the most complex and difficult to play, it has flamenco rhythms, and at times it can seem that the left and right hands play against each other, the first section [0:00-1:33] starts off with the rippling piano [0:00+], which some treble is added to [0:22+], and then these 'outbursts' [0:33+], where both hands lunge at a chord, the left hand towards the bass, and the right hand towards the treble, creating wide leaps for the hands, this must be difficult to accurately play, especially at the speed indicated by Albeniz, here's a visual on YouTube played by Katherina Helmut, with a volume increase needed as well, this very section returns towards the end of the piece [3:43-5:12], a very exciting piece, with a middle 'moorish drone' to it all, it's certainly great in its guitar incarnation as well.
Here's Alicia De Larrocha playing 'Asturias' on YouTube.
