She was a pianist born Alicia de Larrocha y de la Calle in Barcelona, Spain, who was married to the pianist Juan Torra. She started to study the piano when she was three, performed her first concert when she was six and made her orchestral debut when she was eleven.
After starting to tour in the international arena when she was 24 she became acclaimed and in 1954 she gave a tour with the Los Angeles Philharmonic throughout the United States. While she was young she performed mainly Mozart compositions but as she got older she championed Spanish and Latin music and became known for her performances of works by composers that include Isaac Albeniz, Enrique Granados and Antonio Soler.
She collaborated with artists and ensembles/orchestras that include Montserrat Caballe, Federico Mompou, the Guarneri Quartet, English Chamber Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Philharmonia Orchestra.
She received several awards including the Principe de Asturias Award for the Arts, the Padarewski Memorial Medal, honorary doctorates from the University of Michigan and Yale University, two Grand Prix du Disque and three Grammy Awards in 1975, 1989 and 1992 for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance.
She broke her hip in 2005 which gave her declining health problems and she passed away in Quiron Hospital, Barcelona, Spain in 2009 when she was 86 years old.
Isaac Albeniz recordings
Asturias (Leyenda)
London 417 795 (CD: Spanish Fireworks)
Piano – Alicia de Larrocha
Iberia – Book IV
EMI 64504 (CD: Albeniz: Iberia)
Piano – Alicia de Larrocha
Malaguena
EMI 64523 (CD: Albeniz: Piano Works)
Piano – Alicia de Larrocha
Navarra
DG 289 476 1490
Piano – Alicia de Larrocha
Pavana-Capricho
Decca 289 467 687 – 2 (CD: Favourite Spanish Encores)
Piano – Alicia de Larrocha
Puerta de Tierra
Decca 289 467 687 – 2 (CD: Favourite Spanish Encores)
Piano – Alicia de Larrocha
Sevilla
Decca 289 467 687 – 2 (CD: Favourite Spanish Encores)
Piano – Alicia de Larrocha
Sevilla
London 417 795 – 2 (CD: Spanish Fireworks)
Piano – Alicia de Larrocha
Triana
London 417 795 (CD: Spanish Fireworks)
Piano – Alicia de Larrocha
Mateo Albeniz recordings
Piano Sonata in D Major,
London 417 639 (CD: Spanish Encores)
Piano – Alicia de Larrocha
Sonata in D
Decca 289 467 687 – 2 (CD: Favourite Spanish Encores)
Piano – Alicia de Larrocha
Here she is performing Manuel de Falla’s “Ritual Fire Dance”…
Sources:
- http://www.aliciadelarrocha.com/
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8276446.stm
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alicia_de_Larrocha
- http://freespace.virgin.net/christa.phelps/larrocha.htm
- http://www.comopianoacademy.com/courses/Alicia%20de%20Larrocha/