''Asturias'' (''Leyenda''), named simply ''Leyenda'' by its composer, is a musical work by the Spanish composer and pianist
Isaac Albéniz
Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz y Pascual (; 29 May 1860 – 18 May 1909) was a Spanish virtuoso pianist, composer, and conductor. He is one of the foremost composers of the Post-Romantic era who also had a significant influence on his conte ...
(1860-1909).
![AlbenizAsturiasLeyenda](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/AlbenizAsturiasLeyenda.JPG)
The piece, which lasts around six minutes in performance,
[Some performers see the piece as a challenge to play as fast as possible, though the composer specified ''Allegro ma non troppo''. Sharon Isbin in the example cited takes over six minutes.] was originally written for the
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
and set in the key of
G minor
G minor is a minor scale based on G, consisting of the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has two flats. Its relative major is B-flat major and its parallel major is G major.
According to Paolo Pietropaolo, it is the cont ...
. It was first published in
Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
, by
Juan Bta. Pujol & Co., in 1892 as the
prelude of a three-
movement
Movement may refer to:
Common uses
* Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece
* Motion, commonly referred to as movement
Arts, entertainment, and media
Literature
* "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...
set entitled ''
Chants d'Espagne''.
The name ''Asturias (Leyenda)'' was given to it posthumously by the German publisher
Hofmeister, who included it in the 1911 "complete version" of the ''
Suite española'', although Albéniz never intended the piece for this suite. Despite the new name, this music is not considered suggestive of the folk music of the northern Spanish region of
Asturias
Asturias (, ; ast, Asturies ), officially the Principality of Asturias ( es, Principado de Asturias; ast, Principáu d'Asturies; Galician-Asturian: ''Principao d'Asturias''), is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in nor ...
, but rather of
Andalusia
Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...
n
flamenco
Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and ...
traditions
[Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About... ALBÉNIZ'S LEYENDA (Preludio-Asturias), http://stanleyyates.com/articles/albeniz/leyenda.html] (although the drama of the music is congruent with the landscape of the region of Asturias). ''Leyenda'', Hofmeister's subtitle, means ''legend''. The piece is noted for the delicate, intricate melody of its middle section and abrupt dynamic changes.
Albéniz's biographer, Walter Aaron Clark, describes the piece as "pure Andalusian flamenco". In the main theme the piano 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 melody with the thumb. The theme itself suggests the rhythm of the
bulería—a fast flamenco form.
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
The Phrygian mode (pronounced ) can refer to three different musical modes: the ancient Greek ''tonos'' or ''harmonia,'' sometimes called Phrygian, formed on a particular set of octave species or scales; the Medieval Phrygian mode, and the modern ...
which is typical of bulerías. The second section is 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.
Guitar versions
It is not possible to transcribe the piece note for note for guitar. The original version makes uses of the piano keyboard's wider range compared to the
tessitura
In music, tessitura (, pl. ''tessiture'', "texture"; ) is the most acceptable and comfortable vocal range for a given singer or less frequently, musical instrument, the range in which a given type of voice presents its best-sounding (or character ...
of the guitar, and the key is not suitable for the guitar.
Many have attributed the first transcription for guitar to
Francisco Tárrega
Francisco de Asís Tárrega Eixea (21 November 185215 December 1909) was a Spanish composer and classical guitarist of the late Romantic period. He is known for such pieces as Capricho Árabe and ''Recuerdos de la Alhambra''. He is often called ...
who put it in its most recognizable key, E minor. According to the guitarist and guitar scholar
Stanley Yates, the first guitar transcription of the piece was probably by Severino García Fortea, although
Andrés Segovia
Andrés Segovia Torres, 1st Marquis of Salobreña (21 February 1893 – 2 June 1987) was a Spanish virtuoso classical guitarist. Many professional classical guitarists were students of Segovia or their students.
Segovia's contribution to the m ...
's transcription is the most famous and most influential.
[ The piece has become one of the most important works of the classical guitar repertoire. ]Robbie Krieger
Robert Alan Krieger (born January 8, 1946) is an American guitarist and founding member of the rock band the Doors. Krieger wrote or co-wrote many of the Doors' songs, including the hits "Light My Fire", "Love Me Two Times", " Touch Me", and "L ...
, guitarist of The Doors
The Doors were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential ro ...
, uses a reworking of the melody from this classical piece in The Doors song "Spanish Caravan" from their 1968 album ''Waiting for the Sun
''Waiting for the Sun'' is the third studio album by the American rock band the Doors. The album's 11 tracks were recorded between January and May 1968 at TTG Studios in Los Angeles. Released by Elektra Records on July 3, 1968, it became the ban ...
''.
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
quotes Asturias in their songs Mother Russia
The personification of Russia is traditionally feminine and most commonly maternal since medieval times.
Most common terms for national personification of Russia are:
*Mother Russia (russian: Матушка Россия, tr. ''Matushka Rossiya'' ...
and To Tame A Land.
Also Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom was a Finnish melodic death metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993 as Inearthed, the final line-up of the group upon their split in 2019 consisted of Alexi Laiho (lead guitar, lead vocals), Jaska Raatikainen (drums), Henkka Sep ...
attributed their Angels don't Kill song to Asturias and Elley Duhé
Elley Duhé (born February 14, 1992) is an American singer. Born in Mobile, Alabama, she is best known for her 2018 single "Happy Now" with Zedd, which was certified platinum in the United States, and her 2020 single "Middle of the Night" which ...
song "Middle of the Night
''Middle of the Night'' is a 1959 American drama film directed by Delbert Mann, and released by Columbia Pictures.''Variety Film Reviews, Variety'' film review; May 20, 1959, page 6.''Harrison's Reports and Film Reviews, Harrison's Reports'' f ...
" is based on Asturias.
References
External links
* http://stanleyyates.com/articles/albeniz/leyenda.html
{{Authority control
Spanish compositions for solo piano
Compositions for guitar
Compositions by Isaac Albéniz
1892 compositions
1890s in Spanish music
Articles containing video clips