5 episodes
| Series | Episode | First Broadcast | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20080331 | Following a period of piano study in Madrid, Falla moved to Paris where he met his mentors - Debussy, Ravel and Dukas. El gran teatro del mundo (opening excerpt) Victoria de Los Angeles (mezzo-soprano) Cor Lieder Camera Orquesta de Cambra Teatre Lliure Josep Pons (director) Nocturno; Allegro de concierto Miguel Baselga (piano) El Gran Teatro del Mundo Victoria de Los Angeles (mezzo-soprano) Cor Lieder Camera Orquesta de Cambra Teatre Lliure Josep Pons (director) La Vida Breve (Act 2, first tableau) Manuel Mairena (Cantor) Juan Pons (El tio Salvador) Alicia Nafe (La abuela) Tesera Berganza (Salud) Paloma Perez Inigo (Carmela) Jose Carreras (Paco) Ramon Contreras Ambrosian Opera Chorus London Symphony Orchestra Garcia Navarro (conductor) Siete canciones populares espanolas Victoria de Los Angeles (mezzo-soprano) Gonzalo Soriano (piano). | ||
| 20080401 | Donald Macleod focuses on how Falla's success in Paris with his opera La vida breve opened doors for him in Madrid and how he returned to his homeland having taken on a distinct Parisian influence in his composing. Trois melodies Nuccia Focile (soprano) Ingrid Surgenor (piano) El amor brujo (original version 1915, Act 1) Claire Powell (mezzo-soprano) Aquarius Nicholas Cleobury (conductor) Noches en los jardines de Espana Martha Argerich (piano) Paris Orchestra Daniel Barenboim (conductor) Homenaje (Le tombeau de Claude Debussy) John Williams (guitar). | ||
| 20080402 | Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) 3/5. Donald Macleod explaing how World War I was to prove particularly beneficial for Falla, as Spain played host to a number of performing artists seeking refuge, including Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes, for whom Falla provided music. Oracion de las madres que tienen a sus hijos en brazos Montserrat Caballe (soprano) Miguel Zanetti (piano) El sombrero de tres picos Teresa Berganza (mezzo-soprano) Boston Symphony Orchestra Seiji Ozawa (conductor) Fantasia Baetica Alicia de Larrocha (piano). | ||
| 20080403 | Donald Macleod explains how after moving back to Andalucia, Falla ironically turned his back on the folk and flamenco music of the region, and became interested in the music of Spain's historic past instead. Psyche Annette Betanski (soprano) Susan Miron (harp) Jacques Zoon (flute) James Sommerville (horn) Catherine French (violin) Burton Fine (viola) Martha Babcock (cello) El retablo de maese Pedro Jordi Galofre (Maese Pedro) Natacha Valladares (El Truijaman) Ismael Pons-Tena (Don Quijote) I Cameristi Maurizio Dini-Ciacci (conductor) Concerto for harpsichord and five instruments John Constable (harpsichord) London Sinfonietta Simon Rattle (conductor) Pour le tombeau de Paul Dukas Josep Colom (piano). | ||
| COTW | 05 LAST | 20080404 | Donald Macleod explores how, in 1939, Falla was tempted to leave Granada by an offer to conduct a concert of his works in Argentina, and he remained there for the rest of his life, living in the mountains of Cordoba Sierra with his sister. Soneto a Cordoba Maria Kareska (soprano) S Nikolesco (harp) Homenajes Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela Eduardo Mata (conductor) Danse rituelle du feu Jean-Francois Heisser (piano) Atlantida (Part 2) Soloists of the Spanish National Youth Orchestra Balearic Islands University Choir La Laguna University Polyphonic Choir Navarro Reverter Choral Society Simon Bolivar University Choral Society Valencia Boys' Choir Edmond Colomer (conductor). |