España: Rhapsody for Orchestra

• After leaving civil service to be a fulltime musician, Chabrier worked as a rehearsal pianist, secretary and choir master for a concert series (Société des Nouveaux Concerts) by conductor Charles Lamoureux. In turn, Lamoureux programmed and premiered several of Chabrier’s works, including España (1883).¹ It was received so well that it was encored at its premier.²
• España was one of the first pieces that brought Chabrier fame as a composer, especially because it became popular in piano arrangements for home music making.³ (Chabrier initially conceived España as a piano work).⁴
• España was inspired by the sights and sounds of Spain which Chabrier experienced when he visited the country with his wife in 1882.⁵
• Listen for: at the opening of España, Chabrier imitates the sound of a guitar with the whole orchestra.
• Listen for: Spanish dance rhythms, which Chabrier collected while visiting Spain.⁶

One day Chabrier came, and he played his España for me. It sounded as if a hurricane had been let loose. He pounded and pounded the keyboard. [The street] was full of people, and they were listening, fascinated. When Chabrier reached the last crashing chords, I swore to myself I would never touch the piano again […] Besides, Chabrier had broken several strings and put the piano out of action.”

Aline Charigot, wife of Pierre-August Renoir⁷

1. Steven Huebner, “Chabrier, (Alexis-)Emmanuel,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed August 19, 2019, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000005351.
2. Thomas May, “España: About the Work,” The Kennedy Center, accessed August 19, 2019, https://www.kennedy-center.org/artist/composition/2738.
3. Huebner, “Chabrier, (Alexis-)Emmanuel,” Grove Music Online.
4. May, “España: About the Work,” The Kennedy Center.
5. Paul J. Horsley and Christopher H. Gibbs, program notes, “Viva España,” The Philadelphia Orchestra, February 7, 8 and 9, 2019, PhilOrch.org, accessed August 19, 2019, https://www.philorch.org/sites/default/files/concert/pdfs/Viva%20Espan%CC%83a.pdf.
6. May, “España: About the Work,” The Kennedy Center.
7. Robert James Stove, César Franck: His Life and Times(Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 2012), 236.