Chants d'Espagne
Encyclopedia
Chants d'Espagne op. 232, ( = Songs of Spain) is a suite of three, then five parts pieces for the piano
by Isaac Albéniz
. Prélude, Orientale and Sous le palmier were published in 1892, the pieces Córdoba and Seguidillas were added in the 1898 edition.
who put it in its most recognizable key, E minor
; it was subsequently made popular by Andrés Segovia
. The theme, or versions of it, is often used in film music and popular music
.
Albéniz's biographer, Walter Aaron Clark, describes the piece as "pure Andalusian flamenco" with a main theme that mimics the guitar technique of alternating the thumb and fingers of the right hand, playing a pedal-note open string with the index finger and a bass melody with the thumb. The theme itself suggests the rhythm of the buleria
— a song from the flamenco
repertoire. The ‘marcato
’/’staccato’
markings suggest both guitar sounds and the footwork of a flamenco dancer. The piece sounds as though it is written in the Phrygian mode which is typical of bulerias. The second section is a reminiscent of a copla — a sung verse following a specific form. Clark states that it is written in typical Albéniz form as it is “presented monophonically but doubled at the fifteenth for more fullness of sound. The music alters between a solo and accompaniment that is typical of flamenco. The short middle section of the piece is written in the style of a malagueña
— another flamenco style piece. The malagueña borrows two motives from the previous copla and builds on them. The piece returns to its first theme until a slow “hymn-like” passage ends the piece.
is established quickly. It is melancholic and reflective. The main theme is also based on an octosyllabic copla.
. When Ericourt describes how the rhythm should be played in these pieces, he writes,
At measure 17, the music moves to the parallel minor, a move seen in other pieces by Albéniz. Clark describes the power the shift creates when he writes, “(it) expresses a sadness that we can fully understand only if we recall the depression that underlay his outward sanguinity.” This sadness is touched on sparingly in the biographical works on Albéniz.
, the city of Córdoba
is home to Spain’s famous "great Mosque"
. The city is rich in history, both Christian and Moorish, and Albéniz captures the mood and feel of both in Córdoba. Clark states that the name of the piece may have been inspired by Albéniz's namesake, St. Isaac of Córdoba, who died defending his faith in this southern Andalusian city.
The piece begins with the sound of tolling church bells. The sound of a hymn in dorian mode
plays in a faux bourdon
style, rhythmically ambiguous so as to resemble liturgical singing. The first section ends in contrasting character, reminiscent of a gusla
playing a serenade with a Moorish sound. The second section sounds of flamenco dancers and Spanish folk song rhythms as it mounts to a moving climax. There is a repeat of the first section and then a brief coda . Ericourt states, "In view of the multifaceted nature of this piece, it would not be improper to consider this evocative composition a tone poem for the piano."
is a popular song or dance form composed from four to seven verses. The form is explained as,
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
by Isaac Albéniz
Isaac Albéniz
Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz y Pascual was a Spanish Catalan pianist and composer best known for his piano works based on folk music idioms .-Life:Born in Camprodon, province of Girona, to Ángel Albéniz and his wife Dolors Pascual, Albéniz...
. Prélude, Orientale and Sous le palmier were published in 1892, the pieces Córdoba and Seguidillas were added in the 1898 edition.
1. Prélude
The Prélude (Spanish: Preludio) is also known under the titles Asturias (Leyenda), titles given to it when it was incorporated into an extended version of Albéniz's Suite española, two years after the composer's death. It is probably more famous today in one of its guitar arrangements. Many have attributed the first transcription for guitar to Francisco TárregaFrancisco Tárrega
Francisco de Asís Tárrega y Eixea was an influential Spanish composer and guitarist of the Romantic period.-Biography:Tárrega was born on 21 November 1852, in Vila-real, Castelló, Spain...
who put it in its most recognizable key, E minor
E minor
E minor is a minor scale based on the note E. The E natural minor scale consists of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. The E harmonic minor scale contains the natural 7, D, rather than the flatted 7, D – to align with the major dominant chord, B7 .Its key signature has one sharp, F .Its...
; it was subsequently made popular by Andrés Segovia
Andrés Segovia
Andrés Torres Segovia, 1st Marquis of Salobreña , known as Andrés Segovia, was a virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist from Linares, Jaén, Andalucia, Spain...
. The theme, or versions of it, is often used in film music and popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
.
Albéniz's biographer, Walter Aaron Clark, describes the piece as "pure Andalusian flamenco" with a main theme that mimics the guitar technique of alternating the thumb and fingers of the right hand, playing a pedal-note open string with the index finger and a bass melody with the thumb. The theme itself suggests the rhythm of the buleria
Bulería
Bulería is the second CD released by David Bisbal, following Corazón Latino. It is primarily dance music, containing both slow and fast pieces. Two of the songs on the album were co-written by Bisbal...
— a song from the flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
repertoire. The ‘marcato
Marcato
Marcato is a musical instruction indicating a note, chord, or passage is to be played louder or more forcefully than surrounding music. The instruction may involve the word marcato itself written above or below the staff or it may take the form of an accent mark, ^ , an open vertical wedge...
’/’staccato’
Staccato
Staccato is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation it signifies a note of shortened duration and separated from the note that may follow by silence...
markings suggest both guitar sounds and the footwork of a flamenco dancer. The piece sounds as though it is written in the Phrygian mode which is typical of bulerias. The second section is a reminiscent of a copla — a sung verse following a specific form. Clark states that it is written in typical Albéniz form as it is “presented monophonically but doubled at the fifteenth for more fullness of sound. The music alters between a solo and accompaniment that is typical of flamenco. The short middle section of the piece is written in the style of a malagueña
Malagueñas (flamenco style)
Malagueñas is one of the traditional styles of Andalusian music , derived from earlier types of fandango from the area of Málaga, classified among the Cantes de Levante. Originally a folk-song type, it became a flamenco style in the 19th century. It is not normally used for dance, as it is...
— another flamenco style piece. The malagueña borrows two motives from the previous copla and builds on them. The piece returns to its first theme until a slow “hymn-like” passage ends the piece.
2. Orientale
This piece (Spanish: Oriental) too is based on the songs and dances of Andalusia in spite of its Asian name. Opening with a dissonant clash of chords, the Phrygian modePhrygian mode
The Phrygian mode can refer to three different musical modes: the ancient Greek tonos or harmonia sometimes called Phrygian, formed on a particular set octave species or scales; the Medieval Phrygian mode, and the modern conception of the Phrygian mode as a diatonic scale, based on the latter...
is established quickly. It is melancholic and reflective. The main theme is also based on an octosyllabic copla.
3. Sous le palmier
Sous le palmier (Spanish: Bajo la palmera = Under the Palm Tree), also known as Danse espagnole (Spanish Dance). As the piece has two names, it also has two feelings as it progresses. The gentle swaying of the palm trees coincides with the swaying of the Gypsy tangoTango music
Tango is a style of ballroom dance music in 2/4 or 4/4 time that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay . It is traditionally played by a sextet, known as the orquesta típica, which includes two violins, piano, double bass, and two bandoneons...
. When Ericourt describes how the rhythm should be played in these pieces, he writes,
“First, the rhythm is to be steady, with even beats throughout, but at the same time, give a supple and relaxed, even languid or voluptuous impression. The 'marcato' indication at the beginning means exactness, rather than a rigidity of rhythm. The music must flow uninterruptedly.”Ericourt also emphasizes the importance of moderation in expression: “Any exaggeration, tonal or otherwise, could easily bring vulgarity to this composition.”
At measure 17, the music moves to the parallel minor, a move seen in other pieces by Albéniz. Clark describes the power the shift creates when he writes, “(it) expresses a sadness that we can fully understand only if we recall the depression that underlay his outward sanguinity.” This sadness is touched on sparingly in the biographical works on Albéniz.
4. Córdoba
Córdoba celebrates one of Albéniz’s favorite cities. In the heart of AndalusiaAndalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, the city of Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
is home to Spain’s famous "great Mosque"
Mezquita
The Cathedral and former Great Mosque of Córdoba, in ecclesiastical terms the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción , and known by the inhabitants of Córdoba as the Mezquita-Catedral , is today a World Heritage Site and the cathedral of the Diocese of Córdoba...
. The city is rich in history, both Christian and Moorish, and Albéniz captures the mood and feel of both in Córdoba. Clark states that the name of the piece may have been inspired by Albéniz's namesake, St. Isaac of Córdoba, who died defending his faith in this southern Andalusian city.
The piece begins with the sound of tolling church bells. The sound of a hymn in dorian mode
Dorian mode
Due to historical confusion, Dorian mode or Doric mode can refer to three very different musical modes or diatonic scales, the Greek, the medieval, and the modern.- Greek Dorian mode :...
plays in a faux bourdon
Fauxbourdon
Fauxbourdon – French for false bass – is a technique of musical harmonisation used in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance, particularly by composers of the Burgundian School. Guillaume Dufay was a prominent practitioner of the form, and may have been its inventor...
style, rhythmically ambiguous so as to resemble liturgical singing. The first section ends in contrasting character, reminiscent of a gusla
Gusla
Gusła is the debut concept album of the Polish band Lao Che released in January 2002. The theme of the album is ancient Slavic culture and Slavic mythology.-Track listing:Titles in brackets are translated from Polish....
playing a serenade with a Moorish sound. The second section sounds of flamenco dancers and Spanish folk song rhythms as it mounts to a moving climax. There is a repeat of the first section and then a brief coda . Ericourt states, "In view of the multifaceted nature of this piece, it would not be improper to consider this evocative composition a tone poem for the piano."
5. Seguidillas
The final piece of the collection is Seguidillas. A seguidillaSeguidilla
The seguidilla is a quick, triple-time old Castillian folksong and dance form. The song is generally in the major key and often begins on an off-beat...
is a popular song or dance form composed from four to seven verses. The form is explained as,
"based on strong flamenco rhythms. Its seven "verses" are tied together by the similarity of the first three verses, the fact that the 4th and 5th verses begin in the same way as the first three, and that the 6th is based on their endings; the 7th verse is a free mixture of the beginning and ending materials just mentioned. The seven verses are enclosed by a four-bar introduction, which set the rhythm, and a 13-bar Coda which provides a brilliant ending."Exact rhythm is paramount in the performance of this piece to be true to the typical Spanish dance form.