Iberia Suite

From both a technical and a musical standpoint, the Iberia Suite by Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909) is known as placing extreme demands on the pianist. The cycle is uncommonly densely textured and complicated with exotic tonalities, thickly woven passages, wide leaps, cross-rhythms, nearly unmanageable chords, abundant appoggiaturas, dynamic markings and enormously detailed performance indications. On more than one occasion, Albéniz contemplated destroying the manuscript for he considered it unplayable.

Enchanting
Still, alongside the virtuosity, a great deal of space was reserved for enchanting lyricism. Hushed passages with exquisite tone colors form in nearly every movement a counterbalance to the brilliant sections.

Masterpiece
Great masters such as Debussy, Poulenc and Messiaen praised the 'Twelve Musical Impressions,' as they were originally called, for their diversity and their richly colorful use of dissonance.

Flamenco and Liszt
Iberia consists of twelve pieces spread over four books. The rhythms, the melodies, the characters of the pieces, all breathe the atmosphere of Andalusia and the flamenco colors of the separate regions. Albéniz composed the Iberia Suite in Paris as Impressionism was emerging there. But it is largely the combination of Spanish folk music, namely the rhythms and song forms that determine flamenco, and the transcendental technique of Liszt that give this music its unique character. By mimicking the juerga (the whole of the flamenco scene), Albéniz was able to go beyond the limitations of the piano and give these pieces what in essence is an orchestral nature.

Swan song
Tragically, Albéniz died of kidney disease at the age of 49 just as he began to bring his unique style to great heights. He was gravely ill when he completed the last pieces of Iberia. One year later, he was dead.