Isaac Albeniz - Suite Espanola - New Philharmonia Orchestra - Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos - Analogue Productions  CAPC 6355 SA (2017)
SACD rip via PS3 to iso (1.59GB) | Only 2ch Hybrid | DR13 | Originally 1968 | Classical

The Suite española, written by the piano virtuoso & composer Isaac Albéniz, is 1 of the most outstanding works in the history of Spanish music. Albéniz invites the listener to join him on a musical journey through 8 great Spanish cities, each steeped in tradition, investing each scene with local colouring as an homage.
Albéniz made full use of musical folk idioms combined with dazzling virtuosity in many of his other works too, & deeply impressed Debussy & Ravel, as is testified by their own compositions.
Originally conceived for the piano, the Suite has been arranged for large orchestra by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos who makes the most of the orchestra’s tonal palette to underline the expressivity of the music. The final movement (Cuba) is replaced by Cordoba, a piano piece from Albéniz’s Cantos de España, op. 132, also arranged by Frühbeck de Burgos for orchestra. The obvious advantages of the arranger himself conducting the orchestra are well demonstrated by the present highly successful recording.
The precision of the rhythmic interjections and the melodic flow are highly impressive. The music evokes various scenes, such as the impression of a barren Spanish landscape in the shimmering heat or bustling life in the various cities of Spain.

Isaac Albeniz lived only to age 48 but he was a child prodigy in the Mozartian mold. He ran away from home in Spain & was performing in Costa Rica & USA at age 13 & the next year was accepted in the Leipzig Conservatory. Most of his life’s output of music was for the piano but it is in transcriptions for the guitar that his Suite Española is most heard, both live & on recordings. Conductor de Burgos took 7 selections from Albeniz’ Suite Española plus 1 from his Songs of Spain & arranged them for symphony orchestra.  His complete success at transferring the music from the keyboard to the orchestra – not always an easy task –  equals that of the famous example of Ravel in Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. The music is imbued with the strongest & most colourful flavour of Iberian music but never sounds the least bit kitschy. A couple of the selections are redolent of the sensual atmosphere of the southern Spanish locations described – much in the style of sections of Debussy’s Iberia.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Frt7quSF9M

    Tracks:

1-Castilla 2:30
2-Asturias 6:20
3-Cataluña 3:02
4-Aragon 5:05
5-Cadiz 4:55
6-Sevilla 4:00
7-Granada 5:35
8-Cataluña 2:50
9-Cordoba 5:10

    Time: 37:31

    Musicians:

New Philharmonia Orchestra
Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos: conductor

    Recorded: 

Nov 1967 at Kingsway Hall, London by Kenneth E. Wilkinson / Production: John Mordler
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Checksum for iso:
ea04e847f4d4e6be46f84069013657b7 *New Philharmonia Orchestra - Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, con - Albeniz Suite Espanola.iso