EL AMOR BRUJO AND EL SOMBRERO DE TRES PICOS FOR SOLO PIANO
BY: MANUEL DE FALLA

DESCRIPTION:
-ALTHOUGH INFLUENCED BY THE IMPRESSIONISM OF DEBUSSY, DUKAS, AND RAVEL, MANUEL DE FALLA (1876–1946) REMAINED DISTINCTIVELY SPANISH, WITH ROOTS THAT DREW UPON BOTH ANDALUSIAN FOLK MUSIC AND HIS COUNTRY`S CLASSICAL TRADITIONS. WITH THESE TWO POPULAR BALLETS, EL AMOR BRUJO (LOVE, THE MAGICIAN) AND EL SOMBRERO DE TRES PICOS (THE THREE-CORNERED HAT), HE BROUGHT THE WORLD`S ATTENTION TO THE MUSIC OF SPAIN.

-IN EL AMOR BRUJO, A GYPSY LASS IS HAUNTED BY THE GHOST OF A FORMER SWAIN UNTIL HER NEW LOVER DEVISES A PLAN TO ENTICE THE SPIRIT AWAY. EACH OF THE BALLET`S SCENES EVOKES A DIFFERENT MOOD THAT IS SEAMLESSLY WOVEN INTO A BRILLIANT MUSICAL TAPESTRY. EL SOMBRERO DE TRES PICOS RECOUNTS AN ELDERLY MAN`S COMIC AND FRUSTRATING ATTEMPTS TO SEDUCE A MILLER`S WIFE. ITS PREMIERE — PRODUCED BY DIAGHILEV FOR THE BALLETS RUSSE, WITH CHOREOGRAPHY BY MASSINE AND DESIGNS BY PICASSO — MET WITH AN INSTANT AND LASTING SUCCESS.

-FALLA HIMSELF MADE THESE ARRANGEMENTS OF THE COMPLETE BALLETS FOR PIANO SOLO. SEVERAL OF THE INDIVIDUAL PIECES HAVE BECOME STANDARDS IN THE SOLO PIANO REPERTOIRE, INCLUDING 'THE NEIGHBOUR`S DANCE' AND THE GREAT FAVORITE, 'RITUAL FIRE DANCE.'