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Rapsodia Española (Albéniz)

partitura con parte de piano

Piano y Orquesta sinfónica

ALBÉNIZ, Isaac

Reg.: B.3694

32,00 €
P.V.P. (VAT included 4%) Add to cart

  • Review: MESTRE, Melani
  • Ensemble: Symphonic orchestra: With soloist(s).
  • Genres: Classical / contemporary: Symphonic.
  • Product format: Partitura + particella solista
  • Difficulty level: Advanced-superior
  • Period: 1st half S. XX
  • Publishing house: Editorial Boileau
  • Collection: Siglo XX
  • No. of pages: 84
  • Measure: 31,00 x 23,00 cm
  • Lenght: 13'
  • ISMN: 979-0-3503-1010-2
  • Available in digital: No
  • Available for rent: Yes

Solo Piano
2[1.pic] 2 2 2 — 4 2 3 1 — tmp+2 — str 
perc: cast, tambn
THE MATERIALS HAVE TO BE HIRED

It has long been believed that Isaac Albéniz resisted making the orchestrations of his Works for piano and orchestra. This theory was supported in the writings of Tomás Bretón in his personal diary. This idea was also supported by the fact that Albéniz himself requested that his close friend orchestrate both the Rapsodia española, [Spanish Rhapsody], Op. 70 and the Concierto fantástico [Fantasy Concerto], Op. 78.

In 1911, only a two years following Albéniz’ death, George Enescu was commissioned to create and orchestration based on the second piano part of the Rapsodia española which was originally published for two pianos by Romero in Madrid. It appears that the original score as well as the parts for the orchestra of the version which the composer performed throughout his lifetime had been lost.

Later, numerous other composers made similar orchestrations. Two of the most notable were the Italian composer and pianist Alfredo Casella (in 1922) and the Spaniard Ernesto Halffter (in 1960) who made a fantasy version, adding more than seven minutes of his own music and completely transforming the structure, style and character of the original work.

In The compete catalogue of Albéniz’ works, written in 2001 by the widely recognized authority on the subject, musicologist Jacinto Torres, the original orchestration, and the only one during the Albéniz’ lifetime, is the one by Tomás Bretón. This version was published as the original version by the Instituto de Bibliografía Musical, directed by Jacinto Torres. This publication supports the fact that it was likely the version performed at the premiere in Madrid at the Salón Romero on March 21, 1887, with the composer at the piano and conducted by Bretón.

This edition presents the authentic and original version for piano and orchestra of the score for the Rapsodia española orchestrated by Albéniz before it was orchestrated by Bretón. It might be believed that this original version was not the one premiered at the Salón Romero since there is no evidence to support that idea. Also, Bretón almost always directed the concerts in which Albéniz performed the work as soloist. Consequently, it is possible that the original version never saw the light of day.

One hypothesis in support of this it that possibly Albéniz sent the orchestrated score to Bretón or he might have had access to it for some reason and that perhaps Bretón later made a second orchestration of the work which was somewhat less pedantic and more Spanish than the original orchestration. Bretón’s orchestra is more in the style of his zarzuelas, with brilliant effects, less use of the brass instruments and with more prominent use of the percussion. In addition, Bretón’s orchestration for the Rapsodia española is similar to that of the Concierto fantástico Op. 78 which was published by UME. Both orchestrations use the same instruments and their style is identical.

For all these reasons it is clearly possible that the original version by Albéniz was never performed. It is important to remember that the original manuscript was given by Albéniz to his colleague, the pianist Leonardo Moyua following a concert at the Casino in San Sebastián on August 20, 1889 during which Albéniz performed the work under the direction of Bretón. Along with the manuscript Albéniz also gave Moyua a copy of the published score for two pianos.

During more than 120 years the manuscript has been preserved in San Sebastián, first in the library of the Casino (which had its own orchestra during many years), and later in the Municipal Archive of the Town Hall.  Ultimately the manuscript was taken to the Conservatorio Superior de Música, now the Conservatorio Profesional de Música Francisco Escudero, where it has remained until the present. The manuscript is catalogued with the original number, R. Orq. 8.

Consequently, this is the first publication of the original version of the Rapsodia española. Albéniz’ version reveals that his skills in orchestration were more closely related to the stylistic and performance necessities of his time and, at the same time, are more geared to academic technical concepts rather than following Bretón’s style of Spanish Nationalism filled with percussion and tambourines.  .

The original version was premiered in Glasgow, Scotland, by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, directed by Martyn Brabbins and pianist Melani Mestre. The concert was recorded by Hyperion Record in January, 2012, the first recording of the original version of this work. 

Melani Mestre

Kit Digital