Music 3228 Topics in Music History Manuel de Falla

1. Music 3228Topics in Music HistoryManuel de Falla Music of Spain Room 402, WF @ 12:30 p.m. Dr. Dena Kay Jones

2. Review • During the 19th Century, not much musical activity other than ZARZUELA • HOWEVER, other musicians (predominantly French) are capitalizing on the “Spanish Idiom:” • Bizet’s Carmen (premiere March 3, 1875) • Chabrier’s España • Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnol

3. Felipe Pedrell (1841-1922)

4. Pedrell • Lyrical Opera, Los Pirineos • Most important: Philosophies on Spanish Nationalism • Collection of both Spanish Art Music AND folklore; Cancionero Popular Español, 1918-1922 Por Nuestra Musica, 1891

5. Pedrell’s nationalist philosophies: • 1) Using both cultivated and popular folklore music in current composition • 2) By using these melodies, harmonies, and rhythms, composers were simply carrying on an unbroken tradition of representing Spanish music • 3) The musical traditions were notable for their local differences (not only Andalucian)

6. IMPORTANT!! Historical material would be included in current compositions

7. What is the “Spanish Idiom” • PREDOMINANTLY, Musical language found in the Arab-influenced regions of Southern Spain

8. Three important events in the history of Spanish music • Spanish church of Byzantine liturgical music (middle eastern influenced = mozarabic) • Muslim invasion in Spain • Immigration and establishment of gypsies (gitanos)

9. Mozarabic Chant • Mozarabic chant: modes were favored (dorian and phrygian) • Passing notes incorporated into melodies • Absence of strict meter in the melodic line, which frequently modulated away from its tonal center.

10. Arab Invasion of 711 • CULTURE • Complex rhythms

11. Gypsies in Spain • Cante jondo • Smaller intervals in the scale • Portamento • Repetition of the same note • Strong reactions

12. Other Spanish Customs • Regional traditions • The guitar!!

13. Manuel de Falla (1876-1941)

14. Early Years • Born in Cádiz on November 23, 1876 • His father was from Valenica and his mother from Catalonia • La Morilla • Religious • Strong beginnings in music education

15. Madrid Years • By 1899 he is successful as a music student in the Madrid Conservatory • Allegro de Concierto (ca.1900) Premanuel Antefalla

16. One of ths most important aspects of Madrid Years • Meets Pedrell • Worked three years together • …Spanish music and its history “involves a perception not only of the pastness of the past, but of its presence.” (T. S. Eliott, 1932)

17. La Vida Breve • Music by Falla • Libretto by Carlos Fernández Shaw • Hurried composition for competition deadline • Academia de Bellas Artes • Staged, produced and performed in FRANCE

18. La Vida Breve • Two-act lyric opera drama • Synopsis: • Salud • Paco • Carmela • Verismo

19. Paris Years (1907-1914) • Friends: Debussy, Ravel, Albéniz, and Ricardo Vines • Two Major Works: • Siete canciones populares españolas (1907-1911) • Noches en las jardines de España (1911-1915)

20. Siete canciones populares españolas • El Pano moruno • Seguidilla murciana • Austuriana • Jota • Nana • Canción • Polo

21. Pedrell’s influence is evident • Actual folk melodies • Composed in the style of a particular region • Completely new

22. Siete canciones populares españolas • El Pano moruno – actual folk melody • Seguidilla murciana – actual folk melody • Austuriana – based on model • Jota – completely new • Nana – based on model • Canción – based on model • Polo – completely new

23. Nana • Repetition of harmony • Complex rhythms • Intermittent and intermediate pitches • E Major, Dorian, Phrygian, E Major with a lowered 2nd, 7th, and 8th

24. Noches en las jardines de España • En el Generalife (summer palace of the Moorish kings in Granada) • Danza lejana • En los jardines de la Sierra de Córdoba • Dedicated to Viñes • 1911-1915 • “Only true impressionistic work” • Each movement is monothematic • Full of complex rhythms, Andalucian harmonies, various guitar effects in the piano

25. El Amor Brujo • Falla returns to Spain: to Madrid in 1914 • El Amor Brujo – 1915 – Love the Sorcerer • Commissioned by the famous Russian choreographer and ballet commissioner, Sergei Diaghilev

26. Ritual Fire Dance, poster for El Amor Brujo

27. El Amor Brujo • The Gypsy Ballet • Synopsis • Candelas • Carmelo • Ghost • Lucía

28. El Sombrero de Tres Picos (1919) • Another comission for the Ballet Russe • Symopsis: • Corregidor • Miller • Miller’s Wife

29. Fantasia Baetica (1919) • Most difficult piano work • Commissioned by Artur Rubinstein • Represents Andalucía and all of its culture: flamenco, Arabic influence, Roman influence and even prehistoric Cádiz • Disjunct, difficult to play, harmonic and melodic material is complex…

30. Homenaje a Debussy (1920) • Written in response to the call for works in memoriam to Debussy • Only guitar work • Based on the Soirée dans Grenade by Debussy • Habanera rhythm • Very slow harmonic changes with lyrical and soulful melody • Direct quote

31. Concerto for harpsichord (or piano), flute, oboe, clarinet, violin and cello • Homage to Scarlatti • Written in a more modern musical language • 16th century villancico • Allegro, Lento and Vivace • 10 minutes

32. Harpsichord Concerto • Magnificent effects of sonority • “The last movement, marked flessibile, scherzando, with its characteristic sparkle; it is very Scarlattian, yet only Falla could have written it.” --Gilbert Chase • Commissioned by Wanda Landowska

33. El Retablo de Maese Pedro • Chamber opera for puppets • Synopsis: • Don Quixote • Maese Pedro • Boy

34. Puppet Show! • Premiered at a private home in 1923 • Large stage problems • Scored for a small orchestra = 25 • Calls for audience’s knowledge of Spain’s historical background of music: • Ties to Cervantes, • Seventeeth-century Spanish music • Spain’s folkloric traditions

35. HOMEWORK for Monday • Read from the Tomás Marco text: pp. 34-44 and 101-118