Albéniz, Isaac (ēsäk` älbā`nēth), 1860–1909, Spanish pianist and composer. He made his debut as a pianist at the age of four. When still young, he ran away from home and traveled in North and South America and Spain, supporting himself by playing the piano. As a composer, he was influenced by Liszt and studied with D'Indy and Dukas, among others. He in turn influenced Debussy and Ravel in their piano compositions. Filipe Pedrell interested him in Spanish music. Although he wrote operas, songs, and many short piano pieces, he is best remembered for his later piano works (especially Iberia, 1906–9), which combine a stylized use of Spanish folk material with a brilliant pianistic idiom.

Albéniz, Isaac (Manuel Francisco)

(born May 29, 1860, Camprodón, Spain—died May 18, 1909, Cambo-les-Bains, France) Spanish composer. A piano prodigy by age four, he later studied in Leipzig and Brussels, returned to Spain to teach in Barcelona and Madrid, and then moved to France in 1893. His fame rests on his piano pieces, which, under the influence of Felipe Pedrell, utilize the melodic styles, rhythms, and harmonies of Spanish folk music. Iberia (1905–09) is a set of 12 virtuoso piano pieces; other piano works include the Suite española (1886), Cantos de España (1896), and five sonatas. He also wrote several operas.