Tag: Isaac Albeniz

Leonardo Garcia plays Mallorca by Isaac Albéniz

Published on by Leo GarciaLeave a comment

Here is a video I just recorded of Mallorca, one of my favorite pieces by Albéniz. I think it is one of the guitar repertoire’s most beautiful and evocative pieces, despite the fact that it was written for piano. It’s a relatively new piece for me, though I’ve grown up listening to it. When I first learned it, I worked from the editions of many guitarists (Andrés Segovia, Julian Bream, Rafael Andia, David Russell, Abel Carlevaro, and many others) and consulted the piano score. And, once there were too many scribbles on all those editions, I decided to create my own edition to suit my hands and taste. As always, it is a work in progress that I enjoy playing quite a bit.

Thanks for listening!

My edition: https://payhip.com/b/WjY3R

New Publication: Mallorca by Isaac Albéniz

Published on by Leo GarciaLeave a comment

Over the years, I’ve heard many great guitarists interpret this piece. Fortunately, many of them have also published arrangements. So when I finally decided to learn it this summer, I consulted the piano score and read through as many guitar editions as I could get my hands on: Segovia, Pepe Romero, Abel Carlevaro, David Russell, Rafael Andia, Paulino Garcia Blanco, Stanley Yates, among a few others. I listened to many players as well: Julian Bream, Marcelo Kayath, Jose Antonio Escobar, Alicia de la Rocha, to name a few. There are many great performances on YouTube as well. Each edition and player has something interesting, some way of doing something that is clever or that works well. Some simplify difficult passages and some editions are more or less “guitaristic” than others. And all of those editions work well. But I cannot help trying to find my own way of doing it. The edition here is the way I play it now. You can find the score here on my payhip page.

Goran Krivokapic plays Álbeniz’s Leyenda

Published on by Leo GarciaLeave a comment

Isaac Albéniz’s Leyenda (aka Asturias) is overplayed. Which is exactly why I’m posting Goran Krivokapic‘s wonderfully produced video of it. It stands high above most renditions. Goran’s playing has always interested me. He is always musical and supremely virtuosic. What draws me into this recording is the consistency of his articulation throughout the whole first third of the piece and the recap. I also love how he uses octaves in the slower, more introspective section. The choice imbues the melodic lines with elegance. The whole arrangement is a breath of fresh air, or perhaps, a gust of wind from southern Spain. The intensity and the clarity in Goran’s playing is a nice contrast to how calm he looks. Music is just being channeled perfectly here and fortunately for us, it was captured on video.

Drew Henderson playing Albéniz and Schubert

Published on by Leo GarciaLeave a comment

Here is a new video from Canadian guitar phenomenon, Drew Henderson, performing Isaac Albéniz’s Zambra Granadina. Drew’s playing is beautifully nuanced, crystal clear, and absolutely effortless. The production is wonderful at capturing both the sound of the Martin Blackwell guitar and the warmth of the room.

Before everyone rushes off to check out Drew’s other videos on his youtube channel, here is another great video of him playing Mertz’s arrangement of Schubert’s Lobder Tränen on a hauntingly beautiful romantic guitar by René Lacôte built in 1868.

 

Rafael Aguirre plays Albéniz

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Here is a video of acclaimed Spanish virtuoso, Rafael Aguirre, performing Issac Albéniz’s Torre Bermeja. This is one of the strongest performances of this piece I have ever seen. Aguirre’s sense of pulse, grounding, and time along with his crystal clear command of the instrument elevates his playing to some of the best piano renditions out there. Superb on so many levels. Enjoy!

Kupinski Duo playing Albéniz’s Asturias

Published on by Leo GarciaLeave a comment

Though most of us know Asturias as one of THE concert pieces to learn as a soloist, it is seldom heard in arrangement for guitar duo. I was drawn to this performance for two guitars by Polish guitarists Ewa and Dariusz Kupinski of the Kupinski Guitar Duo. Playing their arrangement beautifully with both virtuosity and flair presents a strong case for this beloved composition as a great piece for guitar duet.

For longer listening, here is a masterful arrangement of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue:

Happy plucking!