Pedro Albéniz
Encyclopedia
Pedro Albéniz y Basanta was a Spanish
pianist
and composer
. He was unrelated to Isaac Albéniz
.
Albéniz was born Logroño
, La Rioja
. He began his studies with his father Mateo Albéniz
, a notable church musician in Spain. He furthered his education in Paris
, where he was instructed by eminent teachers and received musical advice from Rossini.
Returning to Spain, he served as organist
at the Church of Santa María in San Sebastián
and then became a professor at the Madrid Royal Conservatory, organist of the Capilla Real
, and the personal piano teacher of Queen Isabella II
. He died in Madrid
.
His career as a concert pianist did not maintain the splendor of its beginnings, because he dedicated himself instead to teaching. He was a mediocre composer who was subsequently remembered chiefly for his piano method
, which was studied by all Spanish pianists at the Madrid Conservatory during the mid-19th century.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. He was unrelated to Isaac Albéniz
Isaac Albéniz
Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz y Pascual was a Spanish Catalan pianist and composer best known for his piano works based on folk music idioms .-Life:Born in Camprodon, province of Girona, to Ángel Albéniz and his wife Dolors Pascual, Albéniz...
.
Albéniz was born Logroño
Logroño
Logroño is a city in northern Spain, on the Ebro River. It is the capital of the autonomous community of La Rioja, formerly known as La Rioja Province.The population of Logroño in 2008 was 153,736 and a metropolitan population of nearly 197,000 inhabitants...
, La Rioja
La Rioja (Spain)
La Rioja is an autonomous community and a province of northern Spain. Its capital is Logroño. Other cities and towns in the province include Calahorra, Arnedo, Alfaro, Haro, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and Nájera.-History:...
. He began his studies with his father Mateo Albéniz
Mateo Albéniz
Mateo Albéniz, also known as Mateo Antonio Pérez de Albéniz no relation to the better known composer Isaac Albénizwas a Spanish composer and priest....
, a notable church musician in Spain. He furthered his education in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he was instructed by eminent teachers and received musical advice from Rossini.
Returning to Spain, he served as organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
at the Church of Santa María in San Sebastián
San Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
and then became a professor at the Madrid Royal Conservatory, organist of the Capilla Real
Capilla real
with small text capilla real:* One of the musical Chapel Royals serving the kings of Spainwith capitalized text Capilla Real:* Royal Chapel of Granada, a mausoleum...
, and the personal piano teacher of Queen Isabella II
Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II was the only female monarch of Spain in modern times. She came to the throne as an infant, but her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognise a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars. After a troubled reign, she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of...
. He died in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
.
His career as a concert pianist did not maintain the splendor of its beginnings, because he dedicated himself instead to teaching. He was a mediocre composer who was subsequently remembered chiefly for his piano method
Method (music)
In music, a method is a kind of textbook for a specified musical instrument or a selected problem of playing a certain instrument.A method usually contains fingering charts or tablatures, etc., scales and numerous different exercises, sometimes also simple etudes, in different keys, in ascending...
, which was studied by all Spanish pianists at the Madrid Conservatory during the mid-19th century.