The Essential Falla
I listened to “Nights in the Gardens of Spain” this morning. The pianist was one of the great performers of Spanish music, the late Alicia de Larrocha.
This 2-CD collection features a lot of Manuel de Falla’s wonderful compositions. The collection was published many years ago; but the music is timeless!
Specific pieces are listed below:
Falla:
- El Amor Brujo
Nati Mistral (soprano)
New Philharmonia Orchestra, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
- Concerto for Harpsichord & Chamber Ensemble
John Constable (harpsichord)
London Sinfonietta, Simon Rattle
- Homenaje a Debussy
Eduardo Fernandez (guitar)
- Psyche
Jennifer Smith (soprano)
London Sinfonietta, Simon Rattle
- Noches en los jardines de España
Alicia de Larrocha (piano)
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
- La vida breve: Interlude & Dance
L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet
- Siete Canciones populares españolas
Marilyn Horne (mezzo-soprano), Martin Katz (piano)
- Cuatro piezas españolas
Alicia de Larrocha (piano)
- El sombrero de tres picos
Colette Boky (soprano)
Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Charles Dutoit
The Penguin Guide, 2011 edition, wrote:
“[El amor brujo] enjoys exceptionally vivid sound, yet with plenty of light and shade, and the control of atmosphere in the quieter passages is masterful…de Larrocha’s later, digital version of Nights in the Gardens of Spain is unsurpassed among modern recordings”
Here is the late Ms. de Larrocha in the music I heard today: Nights in the Gardens of Spain. Press HERE to view/listen
And for another section of this music, press HERE
Tags: Manuel de Falla, Alicia de Larrocha, Spain, Gardens