Serenata Espanola (Joaquin Malats) | Thu Le Classical Guitar

«Serenata Española, written by Spanish piano virtuoso Joaquim Malats, has been the most popular work among guitarists for more than a hundred years which served as the main basis for the composer’s fame in modernity. The first guitar transcriptions of Serenata Española were made in the early 20th century by classical guitar legend Francisco Tárrega and his pupil Severino García Fortea while perhaps the most influential adaptations belong to Andrés Segovia and Julian Bream. It is believed that the main merit of Joaquim Malats was his masterful interpretation of other composers' works including those of his friend and countryman Isaac Albéniz, who, in close collaboration with Malats, created his final masterpiece Iberia which is considered to be one of the most influential piano works. Joaquim Malats' incredible prowess as a piano player also showed itself during his extensive tours throughout Europe and America where listeners were amazed to hear his incredible piano technique. Unfortunately, Malats died from tuberculosis at the peak of his career, leaving a little more than a dozen of self-composed works.» Reference : Joaquín Malats y Miarons ( San Andrés de Palomar , March 5, 1872 - Barcelona , October 22, 1912) was a Spanish pianist and composer. He studied with Juan Bautista Pujol at the Municipal Conservatory of Music of Barcelona . After debuting at the age of fourteen (1886), he expanded his studies at the Paris Conservatory , where he won the first piano prize and...