Manuel de Falla

[A Lark Ascending]

We had a Bruckner and Bartok thread a few days back.

So any da Falla fans out there.

I recall being played a piece in school and it stuck in my head. When I got into classical music in the 70's I started to track down what I could find - and there's not a huge amount.

Special recommendations for the early ballets (The Three Cornered Hat and El Amour Brujo), full of Spanish flavouring (and the source of one of the Sketches of Spain tunes); for the heady nocturnal world of 'Nights in the Gardens of Spain', a sort of impressionistic piano concerto; and then for the cold spring shower of his beautiful, late, neo-romantic pieces, especially the Harpsichord Concerto.

You can pick up most of the key pieces on a Decca 2CD compilation in their Double Decca series.

Much cheaper than a fortnight on the Costa del UK Lager Lout!

Edited May 22, 2003 by Bev Stapleton

[J.A.W.]

By the way, isn't it De Falla?

The only two De Falla discs in my collection are:

Noches en los jardines de España

(plus Isaac Albéniz: Rapsodia española; Joaquín Turina: Rapsodia sinfónica)

- Alicia de Larrocha / London Philharmonic Orchestra / Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos

Decca 410289

El amor brujo

- Orchestre symphonique de Montréal / Charles Dutoit

Noches en los jardines de España

- Alicia de Larrocha / London Philharmonic Orchestra / Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos

(plus Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez by the MSO / Dutoit)

Decca 430703

Not much, I admit...

Haven't played them for a long time, so I can't really comment.

Edited May 22, 2003 by J.A.W.

[A Lark Ascending]

You are quite right. De Falla! What's in a vowel?

[Alexander Hawkins]

Bev,

Count me in as someone very keen on the guy's music. The only piece I'm particularly familiar with is the wonderful 'El Amor Brujo', but I've been fascinated by all else I've heard.

I think they performed a large part of his work at the Proms last year, didn't they? I remember reading a fascinating article about the guy in one of the papers leading up to the performances. He seems to have been a really interesting character; trying never to write the 'same piece twice', and turning his hand to a whole variety of styles, in the search to produce one 'chef d'oeuvre' in each.

Great moment in 'El Amor Brujo' when the bells come in!

[A Lark Ascending]

Red,

I strongly recommend branching out to the other de Falla material. There's not alot but what he did write covers a huge range.

I'd put in a special plea to try the Harpsichord Concerto. In the same vein as Stravinsky's neo-classical pieces of the time but with a very un-Hollywood Spanishery about it.

If you like El Amor you are certain to love The Three Cornered Hat.

And as for Nights in...but I;m repeating myself.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Thanks, Bev - will do!

[Use3D]

You are quite right. De Falla! What's in a vowel?

Allow me..

[A Lark Ascending]

Many thanks, Use3D. My shame is covered! (I've already written it out 100 times!)