Godowsky’s Magical “Concert Version” of Albéniz’s Tango

Isaac Albéniz (1860–1909)
España, Op. 165, II. Tango (1890)
Arranged for concert performance by Leopold Godowsky on July 12th, 1921

Performance: PianoCurio
Instrument: Shigeru Kawai (Pianoteq)

Godowsky tended to write the kind of music that makes you want to give up at first sight. His style might be described as "concert maximalism," wherein he composed intricate contrapuntal lines that weave throughout the texture, whether serving as a gloss on an arrangement of a Bach cello suite or as the DNA of an original composition. In this arrangement, Godowsky took Albéniz's already excellent Tango and appended luxurious inner and outer voices that complement the famous melody and its gently rocking accompaniment. It is an ideal encore piece.

Whereas Godowsky's complex arrangements can sometimes overpower the original music while overwhelming the listener and performer, I find that this one really works well. It is rich, to be sure, but it all falls easily enough within the hands for Godowsky's standards. The expressive possibilities far outweigh the difficulties, which is not always a given in this style. My interpretation is slower than the prescribed tempo and other recordings out there, offering a more indulgent perspective of Godowsky's craftsmanship and Albéniz's exquisite melody.

Godowsky wrote many of these arrangements to pass the time while traveling or touring, often completing one movement or more per day, sometimes without a piano at hand. It's incredible to imagine him doing so with the sophistication and quality of pieces like this one, which dates from July 12th, 1921 in Chicago, USA.

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