Music 1010, Fall 2011~Amelia Solis History of the Composition

Asturias, La Vega and Music In the Late Romantic Period

My selected compositions, Asturias and La Vega were too obscure to find any in depth
materials on, so instead I decided to write about the circumstances influencing Isaac Albeniz
musical compositions. This paper will first give a brief overview of Isaacs life. Then, move forward
with a summary of defining events and attitudes of the Romantic Period. Next, it will reveal which
other great composers co-existed during the time, who inspired Albeniz, and who he studied with.
The final focus will be on what specifically made me choose the two works I did.
Isaac was a child prodigy born in Camprodn Gerona on May 29th 1860.1 He gave his first
solo concert at the age of four in Barcelona at the Romea Theatre.2 From the age of seven until he
was through teens, Isaac traveled the Americas (at times living as a vagrant) throwing concerts and
playing to earn money.3 Albeniz earned enough to return to Europe where he started settling into
becoming a serious musician at age twenty-three, and his music finally took on Spanish character for
the first time.4 In 1883 he married his pupil, Rosina Jordana, and studied with Felipe Pedrell,
marking the end of his Bohemianism. The latter half of Isaacs life was spent in comfort due to a
fortuitous working arrangement with the wealthy Francis Money-Coutts.5 He composed both
Asturias and La Vega in the year 1899.6 Nearly a decade later Albeniz died of Brights
Disease in 1909.7
The Romantic Period takes its name from the medieval tales and poems called, romances
that focus on heroic characters.8 Artists of all mediums favored, subjectivity and expression over
objectivity and form.9 The Industrial Revolution was taking full force as inventions like trains
connected commerce and people.10 During this time, Vienna, Paris, and Germany were the centers
1

Barulich, Frances M, Isaac Albeniz, www.macmcclure.com/compositors/albeniz/bioeng.html, last

visited10/13/2011
2
Spain Is Culture, www.spainisculture.com/en/artistas_creadores/isaac_albeniz.html, last visited 10/10/2011
3
Chase, Gilbert, The Music of Spain, Albeniz and Granados, pages 150-160
4
Chase, Gilbert, The Music of Spain, Albeniz and Granados, pages 150-160
5
Chase, Gilbert, The Music of Spain, Albeniz and Granados, pages 150-160
6
Barulich, Frances M, Isaac Albeniz, www.macmcclure.com/compositors/albeniz/bioeng.html, last visited
10/13/2011
7
Chase, Gilbert, The Music of Spain, Albeniz and Granados, pages 150-160
8
President and Fellows of Harvard College, Spanish Music in the 20th Century, Chapter 3, Setting the Stage;
Romantic Scene
9
President and Fellows of Harvard College, Spanish Music in the 20th Century, Chapter 3, Setting the Stage;
Romantic Scene
10
Ferrin, Craig E, The 19th Century or Romantic Era,
www.webcom3.grtxle.com/internal/getIndexPrintable.cfm?PageID=15076, last visited 9/3/2011

[Type text]

of musical activity.11 This is one thing that makes Albeniz unique; he was from a different area of the
world and still became famous as an artist. His ideal goal was to create national music with a
universal accent, which he managed to accomplish through his music.12 The Romantic Period
culminated until it ended with the disillusionment of World War 1.
There were three composers during Isaacs time that were considered, greats, Richard
Wagner of Germany(1813-1883), Johannes Brahms of Germany(1833-1897), and Peter Ilyitch
Tchaikovsky of Russia(1840-1893.)13 Above all of them though, Isaac was the greatest admirer of
Franz Liszt of Hungary (1811-1886.)14 Liszt was considered the best pianist of the Romantic Period
and symphonic poem inventor.15 At his request an explanation was printed on the programs every
time the work was performed, thus program music was born.16 Albeniz was most greatly
influenced by conversations/lessons he had with Felipe Pedrell (The Father of Spanish Music)17
named so for his reviving Spanish Music preserved in archives by promoting a national style of
composition.18
In summary, Isaac Albeniz may not have been considered an Immortal Composer,19 but he
was able to mark a place in history for himself and his country. Ive noticed that many of his pieces
were composed for the piano, but are most loved on guitar (which I also play with passion.) I chose
his works because he had a phenomenally adventurous life, and still ended up a good man. Unlike
many of the other composers I researched, there is no mention of him going from mistress to
mistress, which tells me he was faithful to his wife and children. The works I have selected have a
distinguishing Spanish feel to them, yet they are stirring, exciting, and full of the emotion that can
only be expected from a true Romantic Composer.

11

Estrella, Espie, Music of the Romantic Period, www.musiced.about.com/od/historyofmusic/a/romanticmusic.htm,

last visited 10/10/11
12
Spain Is Culture, www.spainisculture.com/en/artistas_creadores/isaac_albeniz.html, last visited 10/10/2011
13
President and Fellows of Harvard College, Spanish Music in the 20th Century, Chapter 1, pages 4-7
14
Fineman, Yale, Life of Isaac Albeniz, www.lib.umd.edu/PAL/YALE/albeniz2.html, last visited 9/17/2011
15
President and Fellows of Harvard College, Spanish Music in the 20th Century, Chapter 1, page 7
16
Einstein, Alfred, Music in the Romantic Era, Chapter 7, Page 69
17
Chase, Gilbert, The Music of Spain, Albeniz and Granados, pages 150-160
18
Britannica.com, Felip Pedrell, www.answers.com/topic/felipe-pedrell, last visited 10/13/2011
19
President and Fellows of Harvard College, Spanish Music in the 20th Century, Chapter 1, pages 4-7

[Type text]

Bibliography
1) Barulich, Frances M. "Isaac Albeniz." Biography. Macmcclure.com. 26 Sept. 2001.
Web. 17 Sept. 2011. <www.macmcclure.com/compositors/albeniz/bioeng.html>.
2) Chase, Gilbert. "Albeniz and Granados." The Music of Spain. New York: Dover
Publications, 1959. 150-60. Print.
3) Einstein, Alfred. "Berlioz and Liszt." Music in the Romantic Era. New York: W.W. Norton
&, 1947. 69. Print.
4) Estrella, Espie. "Music of the Romantic Period- Late Romantic Music." About.com.
About.com. Web. 10 Oct. 2011.
www.musiced.about.com/od/historyofmusic/a/romanticmusic.htm
5) "Felip Pedrell." Answers.com. Britannica.com, 2006. Web. 13 Oct. 2011.
<www.answers.com/topic/felipe-pedrell>.
6) Ferrin, Craig E. "Listen to the Music." Reading. The 19th Century or Romantic Era. 3
Sept. 2011. Www.webcom3.grtxle.com. SLCC, 2011. Web. 3 Sept. 2011.
<www.webcom3.grtxle.com/internal/getIndexPrintable.cfm?PageID=15076>.
7) "Isaac Albeniz." Www.spainisculture.com. Ministerio De Cultura. Web. 10 Oct. 2011.
<www.spainisculture.com/en/artistas_creadores/isaac_albeniz.html>.
8) Marco, Toma%u0301s. Spanish Music in the Twentieth Century. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard UP, 1993. Print.

[Type text]