Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz y Pascual (May 29, 1860 - May 18, 1909) was a Spanish conductor, composer, and pianist. He was a child prodigy, and was performing at only four years old. 

Albéniz's talents were apparent at a young age. After taking piano lessons with Antoine François Marmontel, Albéniz passed the entrance exam for the Paris Conservatory, but was deemed too young. He began playing concerts around the age of 9, traveling with his father, who was a customs agent. By the time he was 15, he'd played concerts all over the world. He had a short stint at the Liepzig Convservatory, and then went to the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. In terms of his compositions, his early works are more along the lines of salon works, and in the middle period there is a stronger Spanish influence and style among his writing. His later works are similar to his middle period works, only musically more mature.

Les saisons, a four movement work (each movement named after a season) was written in 1891. Each movement is around two and half minutes, and is a brief glimpse in to his view of the season.  You can hear a Spanish influence, starting with Spring, which is a happy bright movement with near constant sixteenth notes in the right hand.  Summer follows, and has contrasting articulations, with a legato line followed up by a staccato theme. In Autumn, the left hand goes down in half steps, with short sixteenth note motif above, and throughout the work, there's a sense of melancholy. The last movement, Winter, is a more upbeat movement in 3/4, though in a minor key as well. A short and pleasant work, this would do well on a recital, or for your own personal enjoyment!

Here are some recordings of this work for you to enjoy!

Sira Hernandez
Antonio Ruiz-Pipo