The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Falla, Manuel de

Born Nov. 23, 1876, in Cádiz; died Nov. 14, 1946, in Alta Gracia, Argentina. Spanish composer and pianist.

Falla studied piano with J. Tragó and composition with F. Pedrell. He first gained recognition with the opera La vida breve (Life Is Short), composed in 1905 and first performed in Nice in 1913, and several subsequent works based on Andalusian folklore. He also gave piano recitals. From 1907 to 1914, Falla lived in Paris, where he met Debussy, Dukas, and Ravel. The music of the French composers influenced Falla’s symphonic impressions for piano and orchestra Noches en los jardines de España (Nights in the Gardens of Spain, 1915). Other major works by Falla include the ballets El amor brujo (Wedded by Witchcraft; Madrid, 1915) and El sombrero de tres picos (The Three-cornered Hat; London, 1919) and the opera El retablo de Maese Pedro (Master Peter’s Puppet Show, 1923; based on Cervantes’ Don Quixote), which combines elements of the opera, ballet-pantomime, and puppet show of Castilian folklore.

Notable among Falla’s other compositions are Fantasía bélica for solo piano (1919), a concerto for harpsichord and chamber orchestra (1924), Siete canciones populares españolas (1914), Quatre Pièces espagnoles for piano (1909), and a composition for solo guitar (1920), dedicated to the memory of Debussy. Many of Falla’s works are known from adaptations for violin and piano by F. Kreisler and P. Kochański and for cello and piano by M. Maréchal.

Falla’s music combines elements of the Spanish national tradition with those of Western European music of the early 20th century. It is marked by clarity and perfection of form, a wealth of rhythmic effects, and lush orchestral color. Intensely expressive, it nevertheless demonstrates a discipline of emotion.

In late 1939, Falla emigrated from Franco’s Spain to Argentina, where he occasionally appeared as a conductor.

WORKS

In Russian translation:
Stat’i o muzyke i muzykantakh. Moscow, 1971.

REFERENCES

Krein, Iu. Manuel’ de Fal’ia. Moscow, 1960.
Ossovskii, A. “Ocherk istorii ispanskoi muzykal’noi kul’tury.” In his book Izbr. stat’i, vospominaniia. Leningrad, 1961. Pages 227–88.
Bronfin, E. “Manuel’ de Fal’ia kak muzykal’nyi pisatel’.” In M. de Falla, Stat’i o muzyke i muzykantakh. Moscow, 1971. (Translated from Spanish.)
Cúelar, J. M. de Falla. Madrid, 1968.

E. F. BRONFIN

References in periodicals archive

She'd had Spanish composer Manuel de Falla's Siete canciones populares espanolas (Seven Popular Spanish Songs) in her repertoire for some time, though hadn't performed them recently until North Carolina-based Zenph Sound Productions made an offer the soprano with a science background couldn't refuse.

Isabel Bayrakdarian

Although some repertoire by the Spanish Five--Enrique Granados, Manuel de Falla, Fernando Obradors, Joaquin Rodrigo, Joaquin Turina--is frequently performed and recorded, other songs remain obscure.

Seductively Spanish--programming ideas for Spanish song repertoire

THE name of the composer Manuel de Falla is remarkably well known, despite his comparatively small output of music, and the few opportunities there are to hear it live.

classical

A statement by Sabanci Foundation said on Tuesday that the orchestra began its concert with "el sombrero de tres picos" of Manuel de Falla and performed "nightwalker" of Mahir Cetiz and "prelude to the afternoon of a faun" of Claude Debussy.

(CUL) NATIONAL YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA GIVES A CONCERT IN BERLIN

Bach, Pablo Sarasate, Paganini, Manuel de Falla, Sulhan Tsintadse and P.Tchaikovsky.

Open Jordanian Youth Orchestra

She covers both major and minor composers, beginning with those born from 1775 to 1800 up to those born since 1875, from Manuel del Poulo Garcia to Manuel de Falla and Joaquin Rodrigo.

Art song composers of Spain; an encyclopedia

The Bahrain Sinfonia will perform classic orchestral magic, including works by Gershwin, Stauss and Manuel de Falla and resident conductor is Alistair Auld.

Dates for your diary