Spanish Piano Music

[zhiliang]

Dear all,

I would really need some advices on this. I am intending to start exploring the Spanish piano music genere. I really need some help in order to start.

I have heard a little about Granados, De Falla, Albeniz, Villa Lobos.... Could you all introduce any nice spanish piano piece to me, and maybe tell me why you like them, that could get me started in listening and learning?

Modern spanish pieces are welcome too.... Thanks....

Zhiliang

[BoliverAllmon]

Dear all,

I would really need some advices on this. I am intending to start exploring the Spanish piano music genere. I really need some help in order to start.

I have heard a little about Granados, De Falla, Albeniz, Villa Lobos.... Could you all introduce any nice spanish piano piece to me, and maybe tell me why you like them, that could get me started in listening and learning?

Modern spanish pieces are welcome too.... Thanks....

Zhiliang

I just got back from a 20th century mexican composer piano music seminar or something like that. I will look for my papers and give you some names.

[Brian Healey]

I absolutely love Latin composers Alberto Ginastera and Ernesto Lecuona, although neither is Spanish. Ginastera's Argentinian and Lecuona's Cuban. Ginastera's music is often percussive and he uses these great, crunchy chord voicings. His "Danzas Argentinas" is incredible. Lecuona's music is very lyrical, and his "Malaguena" is pretty well known. Another favorite of mine is "La Comparsa." Like I said, neither of these guys is technically Spanish, but they come from Spanish-speaking countries!


Ole,
Bri

[anda]

I have heard a little about Granados, De Falla, Albeniz, Villa Lobos....

villa lobos is brasilian.

question: only true spanish composers (from spain), or also latin-world composers? such as piazzolla (argentinian, he wrote about 600 tangos - most of them unbelivably great), ernesto lecuona (cubanese), ginastera, etc.

as for spanish composer - joaquin rodrigo, josep soler, maurice ravel (highly influenced by the french impressionism, but still very much a true spaniard), manuel infante (sorry, that's all i remember right now)

[shasta]

Hi Zhiliang, I play a lot of spanish music. Here are an assortment for you:

Albeniz (Issac)
  Iberia
  Navarra
  Sonata D major
  Suite Espanola
  Espana Op.165
  Pavana capricho
  Recuerdos de viaje
  Rapsodia Española
  Improvisations

Albeniz (Mateo)
  Sonata D major

Soler
  Sonata in G minor

Mompou 
  Fêtes Lointaines
  Cançones i dansas for piano
  Chopin variations
  Paisajes
  Impressions íntimes
  Charmes
  Scènes d'enfants
  Suburbis
  Preludes
  Cants magiques
  Pessebres

Espla
  Sonata Española for piano, Op. 53

Granados
  Goyescas
  Spanish Dances
  Danza lenta
  Valses poéticos
  Allegro de concierto
  Bocetos
  Cuentos de la juventud
  El pelele
  Escenas románticas

de Falla
  Spanish pieces, G 37
  Serenata andaluza
  Nights in the Gardens of Spain
  Nocturne G 3
  Fantasía Baetica
  Danza Espanola
  El Retablo de Maese Pedro
  3-Cornered Hat
  Ritual Fire Dance - from "El Amor brujo"

Montsalvatge
  Berceuse
  Divertimentos
  Sonatina for Yvette
  Concierto Breve
  Si, a Mompou, for piano (LH alone)
  Divagación

Turina
  Andalucian Dances
  Danzas gitanas
  Rapsodia Sinfónica

Rodrigo
  Danzas de España

Malats
  Serenata española

Morera
  Misc. modernism stuff, was a pupil of Albeniz

You maight also find misc piano pieces and/or transcriptions by the following:
Sarasate
Toldra
Villa-Lobos (Brasilian)
Ginastera (Argentinian)
Piazzolla (Argentinian)
Cervera
Balcells
Blancafort
Tintorer i Segarra
Penaforte
Barrueco
Llobet

[Floristan]

It's all wonderful music!

As maybe a place to start -- Granados "Spanish Dances" and "Escenas Romanticas" are good.

[Alfonso Van Worden]

Hello,

You should try with albeniz´s music, he has some pieces extremely usefull to start with that musical language, and I agree, there are a lot of composers whose works  are beautifull, not only spanish music but latin music:

Mexico:
Manuel María Ponce(one of the most important composers)
Mario Ruiz Armengol(he is one of the most icredible composers)
Ricardo Castro
Jordá

Cuba:
Saumell
Ernesto Lecuona(in fact he has a recording of all his piano works, you should try to get it)
Cervantes

If you are interested I can give you some  information about latin pianists´s recordings of this kind of music, you have no idea of how much latin music is composed .

I´m really enthusiastic with this topic, where are you from? Which recordings do you know? With what kind of pianists?

[apion]

Hi Zhiliang, I play a lot of spanish music. Here are an assortment for you:

Albeniz (Issac)
  Iberia
  Navarra
  Sonata D major
  Suite Espanola
  Espana Op.165
  Pavana capricho
  Recuerdos de viaje
  Rapsodia Española
  Improvisations

Albeniz (Mateo)
  Sonata D major

Soler
  Sonata in G minor

Mompou 
  Fêtes Lointaines
  Cançones i dansas for piano
  Chopin variations
  Paisajes
  Impressions íntimes
  Charmes
  Scènes d'enfants
  Suburbis
  Preludes
  Cants magiques
  Pessebres

Espla
  Sonata Española for piano, Op. 53

Granados
  Goyescas
  Spanish Dances
  Danza lenta
  Valses poéticos
  Allegro de concierto
  Bocetos
  Cuentos de la juventud
  El pelele
  Escenas románticas

de Falla
  Spanish pieces, G 37
  Serenata andaluza
  Nights in the Gardens of Spain
  Nocturne G 3
  Fantasía Baetica
  Danza Espanola
  El Retablo de Maese Pedro
  3-Cornered Hat
  Ritual Fire Dance - from "El Amor brujo"

Montsalvatge
  Berceuse
  Divertimentos
  Sonatina for Yvette
  Concierto Breve
  Si, a Mompou, for piano (LH alone)
  Divagación

Turina
  Andalucian Dances
  Danzas gitanas
  Rapsodia Sinfónica

Rodrigo
  Danzas de España

Malats
  Serenata española

Morera
  Misc. modernism stuff, was a pupil of Albeniz

You maight also find misc piano pieces and/or transcriptions by the following:
Sarasate
Toldra
Villa-Lobos (Brasilian)
Ginastera (Argentinian)
Piazzolla (Argentinian)
Cervera
Balcells
Blancafort
Tintorer i Segarra
Penaforte
Barrueco
Llobet

Dude! What a great list! 

[DarkWind]

I'd really try

Falla:
4 Spanish Pieces
Ritual Fire Dance
Danza del Molinero

Albeniz:
Cordoba

And there are a few other pieces which escape my mind. But you REALLY HAVE TO try the 4 Spanish Pieces, they are pure beauty, especially the last one, Andaluza. Rubinstein has recorded that one.

[zhiliang]

Wow, thanks everyone, really appreciate these.... Thats a great list to choose from. I am a little overwhelmed.... Oh yeah i was referring to both spanish and pieces with Latin flair....

Did Astor Piazzola write many good piano pieces? Is the Por Una cabeza written in piano too?

Thanks

[zhiliang]

Hello,

You should try with albeniz´s music, he has some pieces extremely usefull to start with that musical language, and I agree, there are a lot of composers whose works  are beautifull, not only spanish music but latin music:

Mexico:
Manuel María Ponce(one of the most important composers)
Mario Ruiz Armengol(he is one of the most icredible composers)
Ricardo Castro
Jordá

Cuba:
Saumell
Ernesto Lecuona(in fact he has a recording of all his piano works, you should try to get it)
Cervantes

If you are interested I can give you some  information about latin pianists´s recordings of this kind of music, you have no idea of how much latin music is composed .

I´m really enthusiastic with this topic, where are you from? Which recordings do you know? With what kind of pianists?

Hi, i am really quite a newbie when it comes to latin music..... Will need a lot of help from you and the others too. I have only heard Granados' Goyescas, his danzas espanolas, heard of Albeniz's Iberia.... On recordings of pianists, i believe De Larrocha is very good at spanish music. Have also heard Ciccolini and Kyriakou on Granados's Goyescas.

I am from Singapore, what about you? I love Rodrigo's guitar music too.....

Zhiliang

[ujos3]

Hi

You can try, from Isaac Albeniz,

Asturias (leyenda) Op.47 Nº5

Rumores de la Caleta (Malagueña from Recuerdos de viaje), Op. 71

I think they are somewhat easy (but not too much ) and really beautiful . They really sound Spanish (I am spanish myself so i can say it).

Besides You can play the famous Tango, also  from Albeniz. Easy.

Danza del Molinero from Falla is also well known but not so easy to play.

[iumonito]

Wow, thanks everyone, really appreciate these.... Thats a great list to choose from. I am a little overwhelmed.... Oh yeah i was referring to both spanish and pieces with Latin flair....

Did Astor Piazzola write many good piano pieces? Is the Por Una cabeza written in piano too?

Thanks

Piazzola wrote only a handful of pieces originally for piano.  Most of the piano scores available are transcriptions, some of them under Piazzola's supervision.  The pianist inspiring and probably instigating this is a great master: Pablo Ziegler.  He has a website where you can learn much more: https://www.pabloziegler.com/

[Alfonso Van Worden]

Hi, i am really quite a newbie when it comes to latin music..... Will need a lot of help from you and the others too. I have only heard Granados' Goyescas, his danzas espanolas, heard of Albeniz's Iberia.... On recordings of pianists, i believe De Larrocha is very good at spanish music. Have also heard Ciccolini and Kyriakou on Granados's Goyescas.

I am from Singapore, what about you? I love Rodrigo's guitar music too.....

Zhiliang

Hi, I think it is great that you are interested in this music, I´m from México, and of course I love all kind of Latin music, Here is a list of CDs that I hope everybody wll find interesting:

1.-"Americana Inventio 1" Raúl Herrera, piano. Quindecim recordings.
2.-"Música mexicana de salón" Raúl Herrera, piano. Luzam recordings.
3.-"Más Música mexicana de salón"Raúl Herrera, piano. Luzam recordings.
4.-"Música cubana" Ileana Bautista, piano. Quindecim recordings
5.- "Balada mexicana" Jorge Federico Osorio, piano Sapartacus recordings.
6.-"Impresiones Latinoamericanas" Gustavo Rivero Weber,piano.Quindecim recordings.
7.-"Musica mexicana para piano" Vol 1,2,3 Gustavo Rivero Weber,piano.Quindecim recordings.

In this cds there are music of this composers:
1.-Ernesto Lecuona (Cuba)
2.-Carlos Guastavino(Argentina)
3.-Manuel Saumell(Cuba)
4.-Ricardo Castro(Mexico)
5.-Moises Moleiro(Venezuela)
6.-Alberto nepomuceno(Brasil)
7.-Manuel M. Ponce(Mexico)
8.-Felipe Boero(Argentina)
9.-Francisco Mignone(Brasil)
10.-Alberto Ginastera(Argentina)
11.-Heitor Villa-Lobos(Brasil)
12.-Alfredo Carrasca(México)
13.-Alfonso de Elías(Mexico)
14.-Mario Ruiz Armengol(Mexico)
15.-Ignacio Cervantes(cuba)
16.-Felipe Villanueva(Mexico)
17.-Ernesto Elorduy(Mexico)

Now, I realize that It will be hard to found this recordings, maybe here you will find more information :www.quindecim.com.mx

Do you have an e-mail? Maybe I could send you some mp3s and some music sheets.

About Spabish music I agree, Alicia De la Rocha is the best performer!!!!!!, and that Lecuona also recorded his music.

[Sergey R]

Malaguena. 

[zhiliang]

Hi, I think it is great that you are interested in this music, I´m from México, and of course I love all kind of Latin music, Here is a list of CDs that I hope everybody wll find interesting:

1.-"Americana Inventio 1" Raúl Herrera, piano. Quindecim recordings.
2.-"Música mexicana de salón" Raúl Herrera, piano. Luzam recordings.
3.-"Más Música mexicana de salón"Raúl Herrera, piano. Luzam recordings.
4.-"Música cubana" Ileana Bautista, piano. Quindecim recordings
5.- "Balada mexicana" Jorge Federico Osorio, piano Sapartacus recordings.
6.-"Impresiones Latinoamericanas" Gustavo Rivero Weber,piano.Quindecim recordings.
7.-"Musica mexicana para piano" Vol 1,2,3 Gustavo Rivero Weber,piano.Quindecim recordings.

In this cds there are music of this composers:
1.-Ernesto Lecuona (Cuba)
2.-Carlos Guastavino(Argentina)
3.-Manuel Saumell(Cuba)
4.-Ricardo Castro(Mexico)
5.-Moises Moleiro(Venezuela)
6.-Alberto nepomuceno(Brasil)
7.-Manuel M. Ponce(Mexico)
8.-Felipe Boero(Argentina)
9.-Francisco Mignone(Brasil)
10.-Alberto Ginastera(Argentina)
11.-Heitor Villa-Lobos(Brasil)
12.-Alfredo Carrasca(México)
13.-Alfonso de Elías(Mexico)
14.-Mario Ruiz Armengol(Mexico)
15.-Ignacio Cervantes(cuba)
16.-Felipe Villanueva(Mexico)
17.-Ernesto Elorduy(Mexico)

Now, I realize that It will be hard to found this recordings, maybe here you will find more information :www.quindecim.com.mx

Do you have an e-mail? Maybe I could send you some mp3s and some music sheets.

About Spabish music I agree, Alicia De la Rocha is the best performer!!!!!!, and that Lecuona also recorded his music.

Hi,

Thats really very kind of you. Thanks so much and i really appreciate that. My email is zhiliang2929@yahoo.com and yes those discs you mentioned, i did a check at my local music stores and i dont see them availible.

For a start, i finished learning the Albeniz's famous Tango today and also got the scores for the Godowsky transcription of this Tango. Do you or anyone else play the Godowsky version? Also manage to get my hands on the Granados Danzas Espagnole and Albeniz Suite Espagnole, both are very nice too....

Do you also play Piazzolla?

[Alfonso Van Worden]

Hi,

Thats really very kind of you. Thanks so much and i really appreciate that. My email is zhiliang2929@yahoo.com and yes those discs you mentioned, i did a check at my local music stores and i dont see them availible.

For a start, i finished learning the Albeniz's famous Tango today and also got the scores for the Godowsky transcription of this Tango. Do you or anyone else play the Godowsky version? Also manage to get my hands on the Granados Danzas Espagnole and Albeniz Suite Espagnole, both are very nice too....

Do you also play Piazzolla?

No, problem! We can do this, I can send you some mp3s with musicof some composers, and you can tell me which one you prefer, and I can send you more, and if you go nuts about some piece I can send you the score.

I hope you will enjoy them!

[didi]

Hi Alfonso,

would you be so kind and also sent some more unknown and/or
your favourite South American compositions to didiwen@spymac.com?
I basically know a lot of Spanish music and got now aware more and more
of  South American one.
My favourite is for sure Danza Argentina no. 2 from A. Ginastera
(and will be hard to beat this one). Also some Ponce I like very much.
However I would be thankful for getting some new inspirations ....

Thank you very much!!

Best Regards // Didi

[didi]

And for all South American piano music lovers,
please be aware of this wonderful side from Mr. Hirokawa:

https://www.geocities.jp/latinamericapiano/index_eng.html

BR // Didi

[rafant]

A lot of Scarlatti's Sonatas. K99 is a good start.

[Jacey1973]

...as for spanish composer - joaquin rodrigo, josep soler, maurice ravel (highly influenced by the french impressionism, but still very much a true spaniard), manuel infante (sorry, that's all i remember right now)

Hey tell me if i'm wrong but wasn't Ravel french? I'm sure he was!

[DarkWind]

Hey tell me if i'm wrong but wasn't Ravel french? I'm sure he was!

Actually, he was born in the Basque region, which is French-Spanish, so he has some validity to his Spanish music. And Falla loved Ravel's works, acknowledging them as something highly worthy of a true Spaniard.

Also, along with others, I highly recommend Ginastera. My teacher's teacher used to be great friends with him.

[el_taiger]

Hi, who have the misc sheet of  Alfredo Carrasco "Adios"?
Thanks

[stormpack]

Hi!

Rumores de la Caleta from Albéniz is cool.

Its not that hard and and has a great Spanish sound.

[csharp_minor]

Wow what a cool topic! I'm a newbie to this cool music too, I'm hoping for my teacher to recommend some pieces for me, (she plays a lot of this) but I don't have a lesson for a while...

Is there any pieces of Latin American or Spainish origin that would be suitable for an early intermediate / late beginner like me??? I'm playing grade 3 -4 pieces. I would like to play something with some energy in it but as long as its not too technically demanding. Any kind of dance piece would be cool. No simplified arrangements please though!

Thanks

[billmaxwell]

Hello,
if you´re looking for sheet music of cuban composers, you can find a very good edition of the complete Cuban Dances of Ignacio Cervantes for piano in Cuatro 40 Ediciones www.cuatro40ediciones.com , and also there I´ve seen links to spanish composers like Albéniz or Granados.
Bye.

[john11inc]

This piece should be standard repertoire, IMO.

[soler]

Hello. You can find some Spanish piano music edited by Ars Hispana Project. They have published keyboard works by Sebastián Albero and Félix Máximo López:

https://www.arshispana.com

[commissiona]

Shasta and Alfonso, thank y'all so much for taking the time making those great lists, I'm going to have a lot of fun going through them.

My favorite Spanish keyboard music is of the 18th century, Sexias, Soler, and, of course, Scarlatti.  One classical era composer I like to promote as much as I can because of his outstanding sonatas, yet I rarely ever hear his name mentioned, is Manuel Blasco de Nebra (1750 - 1784).  He wrote nearly 200 in his short lifespan, but only a handful of them survive today. 

Here's a clip from his 1780 Op. 1 publication of 'Seis Sonatas', this is both parts of the same sonata, No. 5.

If your interested and have trouble finding them, let me know and I'll be happy to scan some of it,  I have the complete Op. 1.

[morrisross]

I am a professional pianist having studied at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. I studied privately with Olga Llano Keuhl for many years and I specialize in Spanish Piano Musicand I now compose Spanish Piano Music. I have several pieces that are well suited to your purpose. Listen and download sheet music at www.facebook.com/morrisrosscomposer. Click on the download music link to find the sheet music.

Amor Flor is probably the easiest to play and I would start there.

Enjoy.