The year 1875, marked by the premieres of Georges Bizet's Carmen and Édouard Lalo's Symphonie espagnole, sparked a French fascination with Spain.
Vincent d'Indy, born in Ardèche, frequently showed his deep appreciation for popular musical traditions in his work.
For his Seguidilla à l'alameda de Séville, Vincent d'Indy specifically noted 'Guitarreros' in the score to capture guitar textures on the piano.
Mel Bonis, a talented composition student, left the Paris Conservatoire in 1881 due to her parents' opposition to her marriage plans.
Mel Bonis reconnected with the musical world by winning a composition prize in 1891 with her light music piece, Les Gitanos.
Composers on both sides of the Pyrenees were inspired by Spain's rich folk music tradition.
Maurice Ravel's love for the folk music of the south stemmed from his French Basque mother, who was born in Ciboure near Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
