Review

Isaac Albéniz
Three Pieces: from Suite Española

Arranged by Ralph Sauer

Bass trombone and piano

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2017
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and solo part

Primary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - with piano

The suite containing these three pieces is a wonderful evocation of the music of Spain. It was written in 1886 and assembled into a suite of four pieces a year later in honor of the queen of Spain. It was further expanded into an eight-part suite by the German publisher Hofmeister. The three pieces are familiar as solo piano works, and even more well known in versions for solo guitar. The pieces chosen for the publication under review divide the musical duties between the solo brass instrument and piano. The tuba, or bass trombone, in that version, mostly takes charge of the melodic line and the piano deals with harmonization and texture.

The first of the three pieces is Granada, (Serenata being the musical style of the region of Granada). Its melody flows smoothly against repeated chords in eighth notes. This accompaniment style changes at intervals to an arpeggiated pattern, while the melody also changes from a scale-like line to a more intervallic style. The texture and melody from the beginning return and are briefly exploited. The alternation between styles is itself repeated and the piece ends with an arpeggio.

The second piece, Asturias, (Leyenda), is an energetic work featuring a texture of constant sixteenth notes in evocation of the sound of the guitar. The tuba part consists largely of rapid, staccato eighth notes while the piano fills in the repeated sixteenths. The addition of open voiced chords on the downbeat of each 3/4 measure adds to the intensity of the piece. After an arpeggiated cadence the solo instrument plays a free melody, unaccompanied, which is interrupted by slow chords in the piano. The music then returns to the energetic style of the beginning and comes to a close in the style of the opening.

The third, Sevilla, (Sevillanas) takes on the guitar-like rhythmic style with fast-moving chromatic lines and fast repeated sixteenth notes. There is a recitative-like rubato section where the melodic line is mostly unaccompanied, interrupted by piano. The two voices then combine and work back to the style of the opening.

A general comment: to make the best musical sense of these arrangements, it is a good idea to listen to piano performances of the music, as Albeniz originally conceived it, or on guitar, as it is now most often performed. This will aid in developing a good sense of the rhythmic style of the music.