Artur Pizarro - Granados: Goyescas, Albeniz: Iberia (2010) Hi-Res

Artur Pizarro explores the piano works of Spanish greats Albéniz and Granados.

Piano enthusiasts will be delighted with the release of Enrique Granados's Goyescas & Isaac Albéniz's Iberia from prize-winning pianist Artur Pizarro. Pizarro has a natural affinity to this music: the legacy of great Spanish composers permeates the Portuguese pianist's musical education and upbringing. In addition to being two of the most important piano works written in the twentieth century, these works represent the pinnacle of piano composition in Spain.

Enrique Granados composed Goyescas, his 'crowning achievement', in 1911. This suite for piano would later be transformed into an opera; the vocally-inspired writing and the romantically stylized love story would perfectly suit opera's requirements. Inspired by the works of Goya, Goyescas paints a picture of a Madrid of the past: the technically demanding, almost improvisatory flavour and Spanish-inspired melodies and harmonies create a sound world reminiscent of the city.

Also renowned for its great difficulty, Isaac Albéniz's Iberia was completed in 1909, with Olivier Messiaen stating "Iberia is the wonder for the piano; it is perhaps on the highest place among the more brilliant pieces for the king of the instruments." Each individual piece is a perceptive portrait of a different area or characteristic of Spain: hear the rhythms of a southern fandango and northern jota in 'Evocación'; the Andalusian flamenco sounds in 'Málaga'; and the evocative coplas in 'Jerez'.


Tracks:


CD1:
Granados - Goyescas: I. Los Requiebros
Granados - Goyescas: II. Coloquio en la reja
Granados - Goyescas: III. El Fandango del Candil
Granados - Goyescas: IV. Quejas, ó la Maja y el Ruiseñor
Granados - Goyescas: V. El amor y la muerte
Granados - Goyescas: VI. Epilogo
Albéniz - Iberia: Book 1 - 1. Evocatión
Albéniz - Iberia: Book 1 - 2. El Puerto

CD2:
Albéniz - Iberia: Book 1 - 3. Fête-Dieu à Seville
Albéniz - Iberia: Book 2 - 4. Rondeña
Albéniz - Iberia: Book 2 - 5. Almería
Albéniz - Iberia: Book 2 - 6. Triana
Albéniz - Iberia: Book 3 - 7. El Albaicín
Albéniz - Iberia: Book 3 - 8. El Polo
Albéniz - Iberia: Book 3 - 9. Lavapiés
Albéniz - Iberia: Book 4 - 10. Málaga
Albéniz - Iberia: Book 4 - 11. Jerez
Albéniz - Iberia: Book 4 - 12. Eritaña

Personnel:

Piano – Artur Pizarro