He was a pianist and composer born in Camprodon, Catalonia, Spain who was a child prodigy and made his first performance when he was four. Although he passed the entrance examination for the Paris Conservatoire when he was seven he was refused admission because he had broken a window with a ball he had taken out of his pocket to play with.
When he was eight his mother took him to Madrid to study at the Royal Conservatory of Music, where he stayed until he was a teenager. There was a legend that said that after he had become restless with his studies he stowed away on a ship to Argentina and played in cafes and performed concerts until he was able to afford enough to travel to Cuba and Puerto Rico. This, of course, was untrue and has been proven several times over.
He continued to perform nonetheless and had given international concerts by the time he was fifteen. When he was sixteen he studied at the Leipzig Conservatory and in Brussels but after he had traveled to Budapest to study with Franz Liszt he discovered he was in Germany.
After meeting the composer Filipe Pedrell he was inspired to write Spanish music which would bring him great acclaim.
He lived in Paris and London and continued to compose even after becoming ill with kidney disease. His compositions include the suites Suite Espanola, Iberia, theatrical works, opera and many piano pieces.
He died when he was 48 years old in 1909 at Cambo-les-Bains , France .
Manuel Barrueco recordings
Suite Espanola, Opus 47, Manuel Barrueco, guitar – EMI 66574
Julian Bream recordings
Suite Espanola
RCA 88697-04606-2 (CD: Popular Classics for Spanish Guitar)
Guitar – Julian Bream
Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra recordings
Spanish Rhapsody, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra – Graf, Angela Cheng, piano – CBC 5195
Chicago Symphony Orchestra recordings
Feste-dieu a Seville, Chicago Symphony Orchestra./Reiner – RCA 09026 62586 – 2
Triana, Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Reiner – RCA 62586
Cincinnati Pops recordings
Fete-Dieu a Seville, Cincinnati Pops/Kunzel – Telarc 80129
Dallas Wind Symphony recordings
Feast Day in Seville, Dallas Wind Symphony / Frederick Fennell – Reference Recordings RR-52CD
Adam Del Monte recordings
Granada, Adam Del Monte-Guitar – GSP 1020
Duo Erato recordings
Iberia – El Puerto, Dou Erato – GSP 1029
English Chamber Orchestra recordings
Asturias, English Chamber Orchestra, Williams, Conn, guitar – London 425 201
Janina Fialkowska recordings
Navarra, Janina Fialkowska, piano – CBC 1114
Nicola Hall recordings
Suite Espanola – Granada, Nicola Hall – Guitar – London 448 560
Pierre Huybregts recordings
Gavotte, P. Huybregts, piano – CRC 2231
Suite Espanola, Pierre Huybregts – Piano – Centaur CRC 2231
Ruth Laredo recordings
Songs of Spain, Ruth Laredo, piano – MCA 6265
Suite Espanola, Ruth Laredo, piano – MCA 6265
Alicia de Larrocha recordings
Asturias, Alicia de Larrocha – Piano – London 417 795
Book IV, Alicia de Larrocha, piano – EMI 64504
Malaguena, Alicia de Larrocha, piano – EMI 64523
Navarra, de Larrocha (piano) – DG 289476 1490
Pavana Capricho, de Larrocha (piano) – Decca 289 467 687 – 2
Puerta de Tierra, de Larrocha (piano) – Decca 289 467 687 – 2
Sevilla, de Larrocha (piano) – Decca 289 467 687 – 2
Sevilla, Alicia de Larrocha (piano) – London 417 795 – 2
Triana, Alicia de Larrocha (piano) – London 417 795 – 2
London Symphony Orchestra recordings
Iberia, London Symphony Orchestra/Daniel, John Williams, guitar Sony 48480
La Vega from La Alhambra, London Symphony Orchestra – Elmer Bernstein; Christopher Parkening, guitar – Angel 56859
Moscow Symphony Orchestra recordings
El Corpus in Seville, Moscow Symphony Orchestra/Golovchin – Naxos 8.553023
El Puerto, Moscow Symphony Orchestra/Golovchin – Naxos 8.553023
Iberia, Moscow Symphony Orchestra/ Golovchin – Naxos 8.553023
New Philharmonia Orchestra recordings
Suite Espanola, New Philharmonia Orchestra/Burgos – London 417 786 – 2
Newton-Oltman Guitar Duo recordings
Espagne (Souvenirs), Newman-Oltman Guitar Duo – Musicmasters 67181
Orchestre de Paris recordings
Iberia, Orchestre de Paris/ Barenboim – Erato 2292-45266
Iberia, Orchestra of Paris/Barenboim – Erato ECD 88255
Christopher Parkening recordings
Leyenda, Christopher Parkening – Guitar – EMI 47194
Malaguena, Christopher Parkening – Guitar – EMI 47194
Angel Romero recordings
Asturias (Leyenda), Angel Romero, guitar – Telarc CD-80213
Sevillanas, Angel Romero-Guitar – Seraphim 74015
Tango, Angel Romero-Guitar – Seraphim 74015
David Russell recordings
Asturias (Leyenda), David Russell, guitar – Telarc CD-80576
Suite Espanola: Sevilla; David Russell, guitar – Telarc CD-80576 (Reflections of Spain)
Goran Scholler recordings
Granada, Goran Sollscher, guitar – D. G. 413 720-2
Trio Campanella recordings
Iberia Suite; Rondena and Triana, Trio Campanella – NAX 8.557064
John Williams recordings
Asturias, John Williams (guitar) – CBS MK 44794
Asturias (Leyenda), John Williams, guitar – CBS MDK 45648
Asturias (Leyenda), John Williams, guitar – Sony SK 89141
Sevilla, John Williams, guitar – CBS MK 44794
Sevilla, John Williams, guitar – CBS MDK 45648
Jason Vieux recordings
Sevilla, Jason Vieux, guitar – AZICA 71224
Narcisco Yepes recordings
Asturias, Op 47, Narcisco Yepes, guitar – DG B000400-02
Asturias, Yepes (guitar) – DG 289 476 7152
Sources:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Albeniz
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isaac-Albeniz
- http://www.allmusic.com/artist/isaac-alb%C3%A9niz-mn0000759834/biography
- http://www.52composers.com/albeniz.html
- http://www.lib.umd.edu/PAL/YALE/albeniz2.html
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/192322-Isaac-Alb%C3%A9niz