Brilliant
Albéniz: Iberia; España; Recuerdos de viaje; Sonata No. 5
About This Album
Luckily for us Brilliant Classics has brought together in one package the three albums of Isaac Albéniz's piano music performed by Esteban Sánchez and previously released on the Spanish label Ensayo. Sánchez, who died in 1978, was a pianist who chose to teach rather than make a career out of performing. There is little to no information on him in most classical music reference resources. However, he could easily have become a well-known concert artist had he wanted to. In these works by his fellow countryman, Sánchez seems to become one with the music, so naturally does it flow through his fingers. At times his playing is just awe-inspiring. There is a real brilliance and life in it, especially in Albéniz's later works. The festival scene in Corpus Christi en Sevilla from Iberia is vibrant and exuberant, but it ends very reverently. It is not smoothly polished, which is not to say that it is technically imperfect, but it feels real and truly descriptive, not just a glassy reflection of a festival. In Albéniz's earlier works, such as España, which are by no means as virtuosic, but still full of Spanish flavor, many pianists have to work harder to control their tone, colorings, and dynamics, and that extra effort can often be heard. Not so with Sánchez. Sánchez's playing sounds entirely instinctive. These recordings were made between 1968 and 1974, so the sound is not perfect, but it is pretty good. Also, the highest notes of the piano sound too brassy on the first disc, but overall, the value of the performances outweighs any sound problems in the set. ~ Patsy Morita, All Music Guide
Track List

Disc 1

Iberia Suite For Piano, B. 47, Book 1
1.
2.
3.
Iberia Suite For Piano, B. 47, Book 2
4.
5.
6.
Piano Sonata No.5 In G Flat Major, Op. 82, B. 27
7.
8.
9.
10.
Pavana Capricho, For Piano In E Minor (also Arranged For 2 Pianos), Op. 12, B. 1
11.
Spanish Dances (2) (Morceaux Charactéristiques), For Piano, Op. 164, B. 36
12.
Piezas Características (12), For Piano, Op. 92, B. 29
13.

Disc 2

Iberia Suite For Piano, B. 47, Book 3
1.
2.
3.
Iberia Suite For Piano, B. 47, Book 4
4.
5.
6.
Recuerdos De Viaje, Pieces (7) For Piano, Op. 71, B. 18
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

Disc 3

España, Album Leaves (6) For Piano, Op. 165, B. 37
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Suite Española No. 1, For Piano, Op. 47, B. 7
7.
Cantos De España, Pieces (5) For Piano, Op. 232, B. 44
8.
Suite Española No. 1, For Piano, Op. 47, B. 7
9.
10.
11.
12.
Mallorca, Barcarola For Piano In F Sharp Minor, Op. 202, B. 41
13.
Suite Española No. 1, For Piano, Op. 47, B. 7
14.
La Vega, Fantaisie Espagnole For Piano, B. 46 (for The Incomplete Suite, "Alhambra")
15.