Growing Up Isn't Easy

 

I've come to a realization.

I am a lover of Nationalistic music in general, those which exhibit exoticisms from far-flung locales and which champion the local modes and colors of a culture. Yet, I have recently been less than moved by some recent orchestrations of music by Albéniz, Granados, Turina, Rodrigo, etc.

I think I have it pinned down. Many of these works exhibit influences of Impressionism, a genre I am not entirely smitten with, and I think these orchestrations maximize their Impressionistic effect. So too, they are often slow-moving, airy and atmospheric settings which leave me wanting in places.

These ideas are compounded in this recording, where Jesús López-Cobos really walks at a rather measured pace in these orchestrations of Albéniz's Iberia. On the other hand, we have the complete work here, instead of just including the Arbós Suite, which is usually what is put on record.

Telarc annoyingly splits this work across 2CDs, despite an 80-minute runtime, which now is easily put on one. Cincinnati plays beautifully, but I think I am just going to stick to the original piano versions.

A review from 2001

There are few recordings of Isaac Albeniz's complete Iberia scored for orchestra, especially one with a full & rich sound as well as a stunningly poignant interpretation by Jesus Lopez Cobos.


Albeniz, in his youth, after running away from home several times, was exposed to a great number of cultural and eventually musical influences. His travels took him around Spain, his homeland, as well as South America, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and even San Francisco. After settling down back in Spain, he took up friends and colleagues such as Faure, Dukas, Debussy, and Chausson, all leading composers and performers of the time, as well as bold influences on where music was going at that time.


Meanwhile, Albeniz, taking in all of these influences, composes some wonderfully rich music including a series of four books of music for piano, all tied together with a common theme, called Iberia: a musically romantic/impressionistic description of the beautiful lands and exciting events of his homeland. Each book contains three separate pieces of music, each a musical portrait of Spain, and each one exhibiting a spanish dance of some kind.


Traditionally, recordings of Iberia are fast and brash showstoppers, as recorded by Batiz on ASV, and it really misses the heart and the depth of Impressionism that Albeniz was trying to display. Instead, Cobos and the Cincinnati Symphony slow the tempos down for a majesterial and autthentic look at Spain. His tempos allow freedom to experience the sumptuous and often exotic rhythms and harmonies of the Spanish culture with out barreling right through them. In listening to this recording, Iberia becomes even more impressionistic than Debussy or Ravel and is quite a treat.


This is a real treat for the ears with Telarc's fine Digital sound, true excitement and passionate musicality in a fabulous recording of Iberia.

Listen on YouTube

Works
Iberia

Performers
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Jesús López-Cobos, conductor

Label: Telarc
Year: 1998
Total Timing: 82.16

My feelings over this recording have greatly tempered over time.

Orchestrations of these Spanish piano works haven't thrilled me lately either.

As The Worst Witch taught us, 'Growing Up...Isn't Easy'.

Find more Albéniz recordings Here!