Suite España, Op.165 - Isaac Albéniz

Isaac Albéniz - Suite España, Op.165

I. Preludio

II. Tango

III. Malagueña

IV. Serenata

V. Capricho Catalan

VI. Zortzico

Arranged for guitar by Alec Holcomb

This sheet music is digital only.

Files Included

1. Fingered Version (24 pages)
2. Unfingered Version (24 pages)
3. Fingering Symbol Guide

File Information

• Fingered version shows exactly how I've discovered to play this piece over countless performances. These fingerings are detailed, and I've also included a guide as to exactly how to understand the symbols.
• Unfingered version allows you to make choices and discoveries without influence.

Why this arrangement?

This project started over a decade ago, when I wanted to create my first album with Isaac Albéniz's music. I wanted to play this suite (Op.165) and Op.47 in their entirety. But finding ready-made transcriptions/arrangements was proving to be an impossible task for these reasons:

1. They were incomplete, with most publications being of the same 3 - 4 pieces. Some of these pieces from these suites were never published as arrangements for the guitar.
2. Many arrangements threw out necessary notes for the sake of simplicity for novice guitarists.
3. Some arrangements tried to keep every note, making the piece physically unplayable without injury.
4. Misconceptions and idiosyncrasies from guitarists would compound over time, when one arrangement was based on another arrangement for several generations, leaving the final piece not accurate to the source music.

This is why I set out to make my own arrangements. I started with the piano music, and didn't refer to any other arrangements or recordings to maintain a fresh outlook. Over countless iterations and performances, I've painstakingly balanced both playability and accuracy to the source material, as well as doing my best to honor its musical intentions.

My aim is for other guitarists who'd like to play this music to have a clean slate to learn from and work with. One where they can trust its accuracy, and know that no corners were cut or personal coloration was applied in creating it. This way, they can have fun making it their own.