Page 39 - SRMF 2024 Season Program Book

opens with horns and oboes trading gestures, and quickly elderly parents. His family life largely prevented him from
incorporates the full ensemble in a typically grandiose and becoming a truly prolific composer, but the works he did
frenetic finish. complete stand out as gems and exemplify a unique style
that reflects both the time and place de Falla lived.
Nights in the Gardens of Spain
The following is the program note from the premiere of
Manuel de Falla Nights in the Gardens of Spain:
(November 23, 1876 – November 14, 1946) The author of these symphonic impressions for piano
and orchestra considers that, if his aims have been suc-
Noches en los jardines de España (Nights in the Gardens of cessful, the simple enunciation of their titles should be
Spain,) G. 49, composed for solo piano in 1909, edited guidance enough for their listeners.
and arranged for piano and orchestra in 1915, pre- Even though the composer of this piece - as must occur
miered 1916 with any work which legitimately aspires to be musical - has
I. En el Generalife (In the Generalife) followed a strict plan in terms of tonality, rhythm, and mo-
II. Danza lejana (A Distant Dance) tifs, a detailed analysis of its purely musical structure might
III. En los jardines de la Sierra de Córdoba perhaps divert us from the real reasons it was written,
(In the Gardens of the Sierra de Córdoba) which were none other than to evoke places, sensations,
Instrumentation: 3 flutes and piccolo, 2 oboes and and feelings.
English horn, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trum- Let us merely point out that the second and third noc-
pets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba, timpani, 1 percussionist turnes are joined without interruption by a period which
(cymbals and triangle), celesta, harp, and strings. scatters the notes beginning main theme of the Danza
Duration: 23 minutes lejana like distant echos (sic) under a melodic tremolo at
the violins’ upper register, bringing the period to an end
Born in the port city of Cádiz, Manuel de Falla is wide- with an ascending pattern of octaves on the piano, resolved
ly regarded as the finest Spanish composer of the 20th in the tutti which begins the third and final nocturne.
century, even though his output is relatively small. He grew The thematic element of this work is based (as is gener-
up in a wealthy household, receiving private tutoring at ally the case with this author’s compositions) on rhythms,
home rather than attending formal school. His mother was modalities, cadence, and ornamental factors which charac-
a pianist, and though she never formally taught Manuel, he terize Andalusian folk songs, but which are rarely used in
would listen to her play works by Chopin and Beethoven; their original form; the instrumental work is often marked
he would also improvise on the piano and harmonium him- by certain effects unique to folk instruments. Bear in mind
self. By age 10, he began formal piano lessons in Cádiz with that the music of these nocturnes does not try to be de-
a friend of his mother’s, eventually leading Manuel to split scriptive, but rather simply expressive, and that something
time between Madrid and Cádiz to further his studies. By more than the echos of fiestas and dances has inspired
1900, he had moved to Madrid to study at Real Conservato- these musical evocations, in which pain and mystery also
rio de Música y Declamación. His composition studies there play a part.
with Felip Pedrell sparked his interest in incorporating folk
music traditions from his native Andalusia (in particular
flamenco music) into his compositions. Ritual Fire Dance
After the completion of his studies, de Falla focused
on theatrical works in collaboration with Amadeo Vives; Manuel De Falla
the pair created several zarzuelas, a form of Spanish light (November 23, 1876 – November 14, 1946)
opera incorporating spoken dialogue, singing, and dancing.
De Falla grew somewhat bored with these works, quip- ‘Ritual Fire Dance’ from El amor brujo (Love the Magi-
ping that he thought them “...nothing but a copy of Italian cian), ballet composed and premiered in 1915, revised
opera in vogue at the time these works were produced.” He in 1916, and again in 1924 as the concert work we
completed a one-act opera, La vida breve, in 1905, which know today
won him an award and a promise to be produced in Spain. Instrumentation: 2 flutes (both double piccolo), 1
When this promise fell through, de Falla made his way oboe, 2 clarinets, 1 bassoon, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, tim-
to Paris to explore new avenues of music making among pani, piano, and strings.
the cosmopolitan cultural life in France. While in Paris, he Duration: 5 minutes
met many of the French musical luminaires, including Paul
Dukas, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky, and After his move back to Spain, de Falla enjoyed a surge
fellow Spainiard Isaac Albéniz. Debussy and Albéniz had a in local fame. His work on zarzuelas and opera helped
particularly strong influence on de Falla’s artistic viewpoint, change the Spanish public’s perception of folk music idioms
and while he remained in Paris for seven years, he began from “vulgar and solely suitable for the common people”
most of the works we know him for today, including Noches to something worthy of the grand concert hall in Madrid.
en los jardines de España. He completed the work once he Through his work on stage works, he met Maria and Grego-
moved back to Madrid, where he also had to care for his rio Martinez Sierra, a couple who stage directed and wrote
Continued on next page

SUNRIVER MUSIC FESTIVAL 541.593.1084 2024 - 39