Happy Birthday to Isaac Albeniz

Today would have been Isaac Albeniz's birthday, he was born on the 29th May 1860.
Albeniz, the Spanish composer and pianist, is one of the most important figures in Spain's musical history.
He was a child prodigy who at the age of four, so amazed the audience with his performance, that they suspected trickery. Famously as a young child, he stowed away on a ship to South America where he entertained audiences by playing with his back to the piano and other amazing antics.
Albeniz performed for most of his life, and, continued composing until his death on the 18th May 1909.
Albeniz composed, 'Suite Espanola', of which the fifth movement is possibly one of the most famous classical guitar pieces, 'Asturias'.
Although originally composed for piano it was later transcibed for guitar by Francisco Tarrega, along with many other pieces by Albeniz.
In fact Albeniz once declared that he preferred Tarrega's transcription of Asturias to his own original piano version.
Asturias can be heard on Robin's, 'Virtuoso' album.


If you go over to Jessica Duchen's blog you will see that it is also Korngold's birthday!

Update on previous blogs:
The other day I mentioned an article by Ben Quinn on an elderly pop group called, 'The Zimmers'. Their version of 'My Generation', by The Who, has been viewed by more than two million people on YouTube. Read, 'Pensioners pop on course for number one', for the full story.
Well done to The Zimmers, and also to Tim Samuels of the BBC, for putting the group together, and highlighting the needs of the elderly - or not!
There's also a further twist to the tale about the 'code cracking' antics of Thomas and Stuart Mitchell. I first mentioned them on the 1st of May, and it appears that Stuart Mitchell has been contacted by a Mexican astronomer who claims the same hexagonal shape can be seen on Saturn.
Apparently, in musical terms, this shape represents a B natural, suggesting more code cracking is needed.
I'm not making it up, read Ausian Cramb's article, 'The Da Vinci chapel echoes to the sound of Saturn', for the full story.

Singapore for Robin - Da Vinci Code Cracking for Me

Robin has now arrived in Singapore and is settling into his room on Crystal Symphony. His first, of two concerts, isn't for a few days, which is excellent news, as I'm sure he needs a few days to recover from the journey.
You would think he would lay down and relax for a while, but no, when I spoke to him he was repairing a nail.
Before he left America, Robin e mailed me a new piece he has composed called, 'A Passage to New York'.
Sight reading isn't really my thing, and despite Robin assuring me I would be fine with it, I feel some work is required.

Not as much as Thomas and Stuart Mitchell though.
They were intrigued by the markings on the arches of a chapel of a church featured in 'The Da Vinci Code'. Using their musical knowledge they have unlocked the notes of a piece of music that has been hidden for centuries. It's an interesting story by Richard Alleyne which you can read here.
I look forward to hearing it and many congratulations to them for their perseverance.

Meanwhile, I must get back to my own code cracking. I'm keen to hear this new piece of Robin's, especially as it's dedicated to me.
At least I have the luxury of playing through it on Robin's Miguel Rodriguez guitar. He has the 'Churchdoor' with him, but his other concert guitar is here with me.
If you happen to be in Singapore, on Crystal Symphony, don't tell him that I'm torturing his music on his precious guitar....