Steinhardt Lecture: Priscila Navarro: Beyond Exoticism and Musical Postcards: The World of Isaac Albeniz and Iberia

Abstract:

Isaac Albeniz spent four years near the end of his life composing a monumental set of twelve pieces inspired by various scenes of Andalucía. After being diagnosed with Bright's disease, he retired to a small town in the South of France, the country where he had spent most of his professional career. It was from this distant space that he composed a seminal work dedicated to his native land. While the piece has become a landmark in the piano repertoire, it is often reduced to its fiendishly virtuosic and exotic qualities, sometimes referred to as a set of "postcards" from Spain and not as the magnum opus of a composer who had been educated in the most prestigious institutions of his time and had one of the most cosmopolitan experiences. This presentation will explore how Iberia blends Spanish folk elements with Albeniz' own compositional language, infused with romantic virtuosism and shades of impressionistic sonorities.