Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)

[Serial_Apologist]

Surprised this imo very important composer has not been featured COTW during the lifetime of the forum, if that is correct? From what I can make out the last time he was was in 2007.

Here's the link for those hard of time.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000xrk4

The first episode includes passages from La Vida Breve, Falla's not often heard pre-Debussy-influenced opera.

[oddoneout]

Surprised this imo very important composer has not been featured COTW during the lifetime of the forum, if that is correct? From what I can make out the last time he was was in 2007.

Here's the link for those hard of time.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000xrk4

The first episode includes passages from La Vida Breve, Falla's not often heard pre-Debussy-influenced opera.

From what I heard this morning I got the impression that Debussy had a fair bit of influence on the final version, but I'm guessing that wasn't the kind of influence you meant?

[Serial_Apologist]

From what I heard this morning I got the impression that Debussy had a fair bit of influence on the final version, but I'm guessing that wasn't the kind of influence you meant?

Yes it seems either Debussy or Ravel advised Falla on revisions to his opera, maybe both did. In the larger part it didn't affect the idiom, but tweaked the orchestration. This is turning out to be a fascinating new twist on this composer - we heard little or nothing about his reception on arrival in Paris last time around.

[Richard Barrett]

Not a composer whose work I know at all really, except that I do know his name doesn't contain an accented ñ. I'm looking forward to catching up on these programmes. I guess with his relatively small output they'll contain most of his work, right?

[Serial_Apologist]

Not a composer whose work I know at all really, except that I do know his name doesn't contain an accented ñ. I'm looking forward to catching up on these programmes. I guess with his relatively small output they'll contain most of his work, right?

From Radio Times it seems largely so; there are probably folk tune settings and the like that are not included. Thanks, Richard, for the spelling correction!

[Simon Biazeck]

Nor is his surname pronounced "de falia"! https://forvo.com/word/manuel_de_falla/

[Serial_Apologist]

Nor is his surname pronounced "de falia"! https://forvo.com/word/manuel_de_falla/

I was also once told to leave out the "de" when referring to the composer by his surname.

[Simon Biazeck]

"Fyer?"

Exactly; as in the sound clip in the link. [maˈnwel ðe ˈfaʎa]

[Serial_Apologist]

I've asked one of our hosts to correct the thread heading.

Edit: now done, courtesy EA!

[LeMartinPecheur]

We had this discussion on certain aspects of Falla's works a while back http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...orded-composer

[gurnemanz]

My de Falla collection consists mainly of a very good Decca twofer (The Essential) which includes Marilyn Horne singing the Siete Canciones Populares Espanolas with piano.

Making my collection rather lop-sided, I have acquired no fewer than seven further versions of the Seven Songs in various compilations, sung by Zara Dolukhanova, Gérard Souzay, Victoria De Los Angeles with Alicia de Larrocha, and the composer himself accompanying Maria Barrientos (rec 1930). Also a cello/piano version from Jacqueline du Pré, a violin/piano version with David Oistrakh and a viola/piano version from Karen Dreyfus.

[vinteuil]

Nor is his surname pronounced "de falia"! https://forvo.com/word/manuel_de_falla/

... yes, very surprising (and irritating) that Donald Macleod for his five programmes can't get to pronounce Falla's name correctly.

But I am enjoying some of it...

.

[Sir Velo]

Surprised this imo very important composer has not been featured COTW during the lifetime of the forum, if that is correct? From what I can make out the last time he was was in 2007.

Will try to make time for these programmes, although I can feel my BP rising at the references to the mispronunciation of Falla's name!

Without thinking too deeply about this, the Noches might just be my favourite concertante piece for piano from the last century. The Fantasia Baetica is a spectacular piece of piano writing, of which none have better realised its combination of brooding Iberian melancholy and virtuoso writing than de Larrocha. Also a lot of time for the harpsichord concerto and the quixotic world of Master Peter's Puppet Show.

[Simon Biazeck]

... yes, very surprising (and irritating) that Donald Macleod for his five programmes can't get to pronounce Falla's name correctly.

But I am enjoying some of it...

.

Indeed - as am I! I was reminded of singing in the 2002 BBC Proms performance of La Vida Breve. The only thing I can recall clearly from it is the scene with the ballad singer. https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/erj4fx

SBz

SBz.

[Serial_Apologist]

Will try to make time for these programmes, although I can feel my BP rising at the references to the mispronunciation of Falla's name!

Without thinking too deeply about this, the Noches might just be my favourite concertante piece for piano from the last century. The Fantasia Baetica is a spectacular piece of piano writing, of which none have better realised its combination of brooding Iberian melancholy and virtuoso writing than de Larrocha. Also a lot of time for the harpsichord concerto and the quixotic world of Master Peter's Puppet Show.

Yes, it is the works composed between 1908 and 1919 that I find the most appealing. Those, such as the Harpsichord Concerto, written after that period seem according to what I've read somewhere to have been composed in a spirit of regret for the "over exuberance" of the earlier works such as 'Noches" and in a quest for an austere purity more in accordance with his religious beliefs.