Asturias (Leyenda), named simply Prelude by its composer, is a musical work by the Spanish composer and pianist Isaac Albéniz (1860–1909).

thumbnail|The opening is shown here in piano score. The repeated [[D (musical note)|D is an example of the use of a pedal note.]]

The piece, which lasts around six minutes in performance, was originally written for the piano and set in the key of G minor. It was first published in Barcelona, by Juan Bta. Pujol & Co., in 1892 as the prelude of a three-movement 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, but rather of Andalusian flamenco traditions (although the drama of the music is congruent with the landscape of the region of Asturias). The origin of the presumably misattributed name was that in fact Albéniz did compose a piano work actually called (by himself) 'Asturias', which made part of a set of pieces of folk music from all over Spain for the then Queen of Spain, but this piece is lost, and maybe its name was passed on the now so called one. 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 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."

Rammstein's song "Deutschland" was inspired by the song.

Anne Clark's "Our Darkness" was inspired by Asturias.

Elley Duhé's song "Middle of the Night" is based on Asturias.

Jam & Spoon's song "Right in the Night (Fall in Love with Music)" was inspired by Asturias.

References

  • https://web.archive.org/web/20160325024430/https://www.stanleyyates.com/articles/albeniz/leyenda.html