Manuel de Falla, a leading figure of Spanish music, successfully combined French influences, gained during his 1907-1914 stay in Paris, with native Spanish idioms.
Composer Biography
Heitor Villa-Lobos, a Brazilian composer, traveled extensively throughout his country, collecting musical material from urban areas, the countryside, and indigenous communities, similar to Bartók in Hungary.
Performer Biography
The NOVA Guitar Duo, described as 'lyrical and powerful' by Classical Guitar, was formed by Nelly von Alven and Luiz Mantovani while they were studying at the Royal College of Music in London.
Instruments
The NOVA Guitar Duo uses a unique instrumentation of a regular 6-string guitar and an 8-string 'Brahms' guitar, which substantially increases the ensemble's available range.
Album & Artwork
The album title, 'sortilegios,' is a Spanish word evoking magic, enchantment, and irresistible attraction, and is also a movement in Manuel de Falla's 'El amor brujo'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The three composers on this album—Manuel de Falla, Federico Mompou, and Heitor Villa-Lobos—all incorporated the folklore and popular traditions of their native countries into their music.
Compositional Technique
Federico Mompou's 'Canciones y danzas' (Songs and Dances), composed between 1918 and 1972, combine the lyricism of folk songs with Catalan dance rhythms.
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