Cordoba (from "Chants d'Espange")

Isaac Albeniz (1860 - 1909) was an advocate of a Spanish "national" school of composition. He composed a lot for piano, including "Cordoba", a movement from "Chants d'Espagne" (opus 232, no. 4). Beauty and romance, two charms of the Spanish city of Cordoba, inspired Albeniz to compose this piece, which also became famous in an arrangement for guitar. "Cordoba" opens with a short introduction, which subtly refers to church bells and Catholic liturgy. Then follows as a contrast a kind of flamenco serenade (from bar 53).