Favourite book of Iberia

[Madiel]

Iberia typically gets presented as a single work these days, but it was originally published and originally performed as 4 separate books, each with 3 pieces. Each triptych operates perfectly well as a suite in its own right.

So, which of these books is the one you like best?

[ritter]

In my case, Book 2 by a wide margin. It contains my two favourite pieces in the whole suite (and among the complete piano repertoire I know), mainly the rhythmically stunning Rondeña (IMO, one of the greatest transpositions of flamenco music into the classical tradition), and the beguiling Almería, with its subtle harmonic shifts.

But I love the whole suite, of course!

[Madiel]

Whoopsie! Thanks for pointing out the error (and for commenting too).

[Madiel]

I'm going with Book 1, though it only just edges out Book 4.

I think Book 1 does the best job of having pieces that contrast with each other and build up. It's the only book where the longest piece is at the end, and I think El Corpus Christi en Sevilla really works as a big climax.

Rightly or wrongly, my brain has decided that Rondeña and Almería are a bit similar to each other. And in Book 3, well... I've just never liked Lavapiés as much as any of the other pieces. To me the outer sections of that piece are the one time where Albeniz' love of notes got away from him.

[atardecer]

Book I for me. My favorite pieces by Albeniz are the first two movements of book I of Iberia, and La Vega. After the first two movements of Iberia, too much Liszt influence encroaches on the music for me. The music becomes to my ears a little busy, too dense, some clarity becomes lost. For this reason I prefer many of Albeniz salon pieces to the rest of Iberia.

I do think this preference is related to my tastes, and I consider Iberia a masterpiece for piano.

Interestingly when Ravel is influenced by Liszt it never bothers me. I think because Ravel reharmonizes the parts and completely absorbs it into his sound world. With Albeniz the influence seems to alter his essential style more.

[ChamberNut]

Because of the Rondena, I voted Book II.