Leyenda

[nanabush]

I've gone away from what people have suggested and I have chosen I am determined to learn this awesome peice by Albeniz.  My teacher plays it phenomonally, and it sends chills up my spine when I hear it.  I looked at the sheet music, and I was freaked out when I saw the mamoth leap in both hands opposite directions, the right hand having no rest between a single sixteenth note and a chord in the highest octave.  Does this just take slow practice constantly to get used to the range, and just be able to tell where your hand is?  I also heard a recording of it, and the performer slowed down a tiny bit, it was held back the huge chords.... Anyone played?  Comments?

And one more thing, I don't have the sheet music for myself, and I looked online and it's an edited simpler version... anyone have the original version for piano and could send it that'd be greatly appreciated...

nick_pelletier2000@hotmail.com

[JP]

I only know of the guitar piece, from Spanish suite..

Is this a transcription?

[nanabush]

Yes it is, and it's in the syllabus for the Canada performer's ARCT... It's actually extremely tough... You have to leap without a break, from middle d to the highest D major chord you can play...and It's fast....The rest comes easily, there's just about a page that is so sloppy and will ruin the entire piece if playd wrong.  go to sheetmusicarchive, and you'll see what I mean but it's a simplified version... I need the original.

[quantum]

This piece doesn't take that long to learn or memorize.  However interpretation technical difficulties may take some practice.  I too was taken by this piece, and challenged myself to learn it.  Learning and memorization only took me a few days.  Interpretation - far longer. 

Yes there is a Guitar arrangement.  I highly recommend you listen recordings of it.  This piece is modeled after guitar playing so it will give you some idea on stylistic awareness. 

As for the piano arrangement.  There are two different versions as far as I am aware.  First one is published by International Music, and the other by Schott.   The International  version is the one listed for Performers ARCT. 

My teacher recorded the entire Suite Espaniola and I believe she used the Schott version.  I use the International version, for reasons of ARCT.  However the more I study the score, the more I see the Schott version has some advantages. 

As to the chord jumps:  The actual main focus to the listener is the chord on the main beat.  They sort of have to be "snapped" to give the correct feel, you have to think you've arrived at this big moment with each chord.  The piece does not have to be played metronomically, so yes a slight slow down is acceptable.  The slow down is the best solution, as the alternate of making pauses does not sound as secure even though you may feel it (I worked this out with my teacher). 

The first couple of weeks, just get used to grabbing the notes of the chords and the relative arm movements you need to make.  Your security in this matter improves over time, so don't ponder on it too much. 

The issue of "where do I look!???"  There's the stuff in the middle, then suddenly the stuff on the outside.  You may all of as sudden find what you are playing is not within your visual window with the hand seperation being so wide.  What I do is when I'm playing the in the middle, quickly glance to the Left then Right in preperation of the big chord.  Let your limbs memorize their target from this quick glance.  When I play the big chord, I look in the middle in preperation for the return.  The idea is prepare - look before hand because there is little time to look during the operation. 

An excercise: without playing the keys, practice moving from middle, to outside chords, to middle to outside chords.  Slowly at first, then increaseing speed.  Don't play any notes, just concerntrate on positioning hands above correct notes. 

Then there is the issue of alternating hands and repeated notes.  This can be quite taxing at times, so take breakes if you feel tense.  For the alternating hands bit, think firm fingers but flexible wrist.  Don't try to play the repititions too loud at first, this will tire you faster.  Keep close attention to tension in the wrist and fore arm, if too much tension appears, relax the hands.  It is very easy to get caught up in getting the big jumps and forget about your wrists and forearms, and by the time you notice you might start feeling pain.  So be careful with this, again take frequent breaks. 

Above all else enjoy playing the piece.  It's really fun to play, and audiences love it. 

[quantum]

As to the score:

https://www.gamingforce.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1248140&highlight=albeniz+suite#post1248140
This is the entire suite.  Sorry, but I haven't downloaded to check it yet. 
You have to register, but it's well worth it. 

[JP]

I have the sheets..

Get it while its hot :
https://s39.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1HDNBXN0YNKVF2ER6D1KO8GQRA

[anda]

except for the "jumping" part, it's a pretty easy work. as for the jumps: practice throwing your hands as fast as you can landing ON the keys (without pressing the keys) - your hands will eventually learn the distance. as for visual control: i prefer looking at the central octave (where you have to play before and after the jump) - this way, i can still see both hands with a corner of the eye. also, as quantum said, delay a fraction of a second the chords - sounds good (emphasizes them a bit) and helps you not feel pressured by the jumps at full speed.

best luck

[nanabush]

It's such an amazing piece thanks alot.

[nanabush]

Is this the actual original version, I heard a recording and the way my music teacher plays, there is no rest for the high chords, the left and righ hand play at the same time, but on both scores it shows that the right hand has a 16th rest delay...w/e It's easier to play lol

[JP]

it should be the original..

[anda]

Is this the actual original version, I heard a recording and the way my music teacher plays, there is no rest for the high chords, the left and righ hand play at the same time, but on both scores it shows that the right hand has a 16th rest delay...w/e It's easier to play lol

thse score is correct, there's a 16th rest delay between the chord  in lh and the one in rh

[nanabush]

Ok good, I was thinking that that score was right, because if there was no rest it'd be near impossible for the right hand, so that makes it a whole lot easier.

[quantum]

Is this the actual original version, I heard a recording and the way my music teacher plays, there is no rest for the high chords, the left and righ hand play at the same time, but on both scores it shows that the right hand has a 16th rest delay...w/e It's easier to play lol

The version without the rest in the RH would be the one published by Schott.

[nanabush]

And is this version the One for performer's ARCT or is the one with the rest for performer's... Or should I just check the syllabus which probably has the edition I need.

[quantum]

And is this version the One for performer's ARCT or is the one with the rest for performer's... Or should I just check the syllabus which probably has the edition I need.

The one listed in the syllabus for ARCT lists International as the recommended publisher - which does have the 16th rest in the RH. 

[nanabush]

Nice!  I gotta tell my teacher this, this makes the piece all that much easier...I can't believe this is in same category as Scarbo or Feux d'artifice lol.