Isaac Albeniz is best known for his influential piano works and a style that draws on Spanish folk music idioms. But his remarkable catalogue of...

Isaac Albeniz is best known for his influential piano works and a style that draws on Spanish folk music idioms. But his remarkable catalogue of songs successfully combines tradition and modernity, adapting a myriad of compositional techniques to create a uniquely personal and innovative style. These evocative and at times introspective songs look forward to the composer’s masterpiece Iberia. Renowned mezzo-soprano Magdalena Llamas has been admired for her ‘expression and sensuality’ by The New York Times.

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REVIEW:

Magdalena Llamas gives a very projective reading of these songs. She is rather in her own way as individual as the composer, and we do find the music filtered by her artistry to a significant extent. Nevertheless you hear everything with the emphasis that the composer no doubt intended. One no doubt will find much to like in Maestro Gonzalez’s piano accompaniment. It and the piano writing itself are high points to my mind of this set.

Recommended for anyone interested in the Modern period of Spanish musical art. and too for those who would like a bit of musical adventure!

– Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review