This Spanish composer wrote compositions for every genre, but the piano was undoubtedly his main focus. The 12 “Danzas españolas”, first published in four volumes between 1890 and 1895, are an important highlight in his early oeuvre. “My inspiration is founded above all in the singing of the people”, explained Granados. “Nevertheless, [these dances] are quite original and are no mere transcriptions”. They thus set themselves apart from the conventional folkloric pieces of the time, belonging instead in the tradition of the character pieces of Chopin or Schumann. Their rhythms and melodies borrow from dances from all over Spain, and this is what gives them their unique atmosphere. All available sources were consulted for this Urtext edition, including Granados’s own recordings.
