Calling all record collectors! If you're trying to navigate your way through the dauntingly huge world of Latin Classical music, don't fear - our resident expert is here to guide you. Join classical music addict and weekend journalist, Ray Picot, in a special live addition of his new ILAMS podcast, Journeys Through the Labyrinth, for an informal introduction to Albéniz' seminal piano piece, Iberia. Ray will highlight the key components of the work's antecedents, as well as revealing some lesser-known hidden gems in the composer's catalogue. Discover the seminal interpretations whilst learning about the music in context. Whether you're new to Albéniz, or a seasoned aficionado, this event has something for everyone.

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Isaac Albéniz was one of a triumvirate of Spanish composers, along with Enrique Granados and Manuel de Falla, to achieve international acclaim during the early years of the 20th century, as part of a movement that led to a new renaissance in Spanish music. His untimely death deprived Spanish music of one of its greatest composers shortly after the completion of his masterpiece, Iberia: four books of ‘impressions’ for piano, written between 1905 and 1908. Albéniz’ best-known work, Iberia has become a staple of the international repertoire through successive generations of performers, alongside the earlier music he wrote of popular Spanish character, stylistically light years away from Iberia. The transformation of Albéniz' music was achieved during the 1890s through his focus on music for the stage, the importance of which is only now being acknowledged. Through new and classic recordings, this podcast explores the rich legacy of the music Albéniz wrote at this time which culminated in Iberia.

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Ray Picot is Chief CD and Concert Reviewer at the Iberian & Latin American Music Society, and currently writes a popular monthly column for Echoes Magazine titled Ray's Round-Up. A regular guest speaker at recorded music societies around the country, Ray boasts an encyclopaedic knowledge of the field. Think of him as your go-to guide to Latin Classical discography!
 

Ray Picot host

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Organised by ILAMS as part of Echoes Festival 2020 in collaboration with the Instituto Cervantes