Manuel de Falla (1876–1946) was the greatest Spanish composer of the 20th century, who combined vivid national colour with the refinement of French Impressionism and the clarity of Neoclassicism. In his music the spirit of Spain comes alive, especially the ardent Andalusia with its flamenco.
His most famous works are the ballet “El amor brujo” with its celebrated “Ritual Fire Dance,” the ballet “The Three-Cornered Hat,” and the symphonic impressions “Nights in the Gardens of Spain” for piano and orchestra. De Falla masterfully embodied in sound the rhythms of Spanish dances, the play of the guitar, and the singing of the cantaor. His work became the summit of the Spanish national musical school and won worldwide recognition, placing Spanish music on a par with the leading European traditions.
