Composed between 1908 and 1911, this is one of Séverac's important works. It bears the subtitle "Five Picturesque Studies." Cerdanya is the name of a region straddling the Pyrenees, precisely on the border between Spain and France. Séverac spent his later years and ended his life in this land.

Throughout the suite Cerdanya, Pyrenean folk songs and rhythms are consistently employed, further deepening its regional color. Although not an Impressionistic work, its piano writing masterfully evokes the very essence of Spain. It is a masterpiece often compared to Albéniz's piano suite Iberia. The approximate performance time is 30 minutes.

1. En tartane / No.1 "En tartane"

"Arrival in Cerdanya." From the outset, an improvisatory recitative is sung expansively, as if the vast landscape of Cerdanya unfolds before one's eyes. This is followed by the pleasant sound of donkey hooves, and the heart dances to a light rhythm. In the middle section, marked "Hope," a beautiful melody, using the same mode as the recitative, is sung with luster. The recitative's melody is revisited at the end of the piece, making the folk character of the music even more vivid.

2. Les fêtes / No.2 "Les fêtes"

"Memories of Puigcerdà." The recitative begins subtly from the outset. Like stepping into an unfamiliar town, a mix of anticipation and unease stirs deep within. It is a festival in Puigcerdà, a town on the Spanish border. In the subsequent Allegretto, the material from the recitative is treated with a lively rhythm. The sparkling succession of high notes with accents is striking. Furthermore, the sweet and poignant melody sung in "Enchanting Encounters" is breathtakingly beautiful. Interweaving episodes such as a fanfare by "Light Cavalry" and an encounter with the beloved Albéniz, the piece concludes quietly after recalling the opening recitative. It is dedicated to Albéniz's daughter, Raoul Albéniz.

3. Ménétriers et glaneuses / No.3 "Ménétriers et glaneuses"

In 4/4 time, unlike the first and second pieces, this one begins with grandeur and power. It is composed on a theme from a Cerdana (a folk dance of Cerdanya and Catalonia). In contrast to the lively dancing atmosphere accompanying the rhythm, the middle section possesses a religious solemnity, to be played "with pious feeling, very expressively." As there are many changes in musical idea, one should clearly differentiate the mood of each section.

4. Les muletiers devant le Christ de Llivia / No.4 "Les muletiers devant le Christ de Llivia"

An elegy with the most melancholic and meditative atmosphere in the suite. Séverac stated that he "attempted to express in this short piece" a Spanish Christ on the cross, which he considered "one of the most moving, mystical-realistic works," assigning this piece the role of a "rest" between the third and fifth pieces. Following the introduction, the liturgical hymn Ave Crux, spes unica ("Hail, Cross, Our Only Hope") is sung with sorrow. As the sound rises, could it be the clinging thoughts of people in prayer? In the ceiling-like melody played ppp with melting sextuplets, there is the warm light and tranquility that people ceaselessly seek.

5. Le retour des muletiers / No.5 "Le retour des muletiers"

A piece characterized by lightness and humor, contrasting with the previous one. In the middle section, the beautiful theme from Les fêtes reappears, recalling past events as if in a dream. This cyclical technique strengthens the overall unity and narrative quality of the suite. The figures of the muleteers gradually recede, and the piece concludes by fading away ppp.