Ernesto Halffter facts for kids

Ernesto Halffter Escriche (born January 16, 1905 – died July 5, 1989) was a famous Spanish composer and conductor. He was part of a group of musicians called the Grupo de los Ocho (which means "Group of Eight"). This group was also part of a bigger artistic movement known as the Generation of '27. Ernesto was the brother of another well-known composer, Rodolfo Halffter.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Ernesto Halffter was born in Madrid, Spain. He was the third son of Ernest Halffter Hein, a jeweler from Prussia, and Rosario Escriche Erradón. His older brother, Rodolfo Halffter, also became a composer, and his nephew, Cristóbal Halffter, followed in their footsteps.

Ernesto showed musical talent from a very young age. He wrote his first musical piece when he was just six years old! In 1922, when he was 17, his piano teacher performed some of his early works at a fancy hotel in Madrid.

A very important moment in his life was meeting the famous Spanish composer Manuel de Falla in 1923. Ernesto sent Falla the music for his "Homenajes" trio. This started a long friendship, and Falla even gave Ernesto lessons in composing.

A Career in Music and Film

Ernesto Halffter wrote many different kinds of music. One of his early and best-known pieces is his Sinfonietta, which means "little symphony." This work shows the influence of an older composer named Domenico Scarlatti.

Later, his music started to sound more Spanish. For example, he wrote Rapsodia portuguesa (Portuguese Rhapsody) for piano and orchestra in 1938, during the Spanish Civil War.

Halffter also composed music for about a dozen films. One of his most famous film scores was for the 1947 movie Don Quixote de la Mancha. This film was based on the classic book by Miguel de Cervantes. He also helped adapt and conduct the music for the 1967 film El amor brujo, which was based on a ballet by his friend Manuel de Falla. This movie was even nominated for an Oscar!

In 1934, Halffter became the director and conductor of the Seville Conservatory of Music. However, because his wife, Alice Câmara Santos, was a Portuguese pianist, he chose to live in Lisbon, Portugal, until 1954. His only student was a Finnish composer named Ann-Elise Hannikainen, who later became his life companion.

Completing a Masterpiece

When Manuel de Falla passed away in 1946, he left his opera Atlántida unfinished. Ernesto Halffter was chosen to complete this important work. The opera first premiered in 1962. Halffter later revised it, finishing the second version in 1976.

In 1974, the Dalí Theatre and Museum opened in Figueras, Spain. Ernesto Halffter was a personal friend of the famous artist Salvador Dalí. Dalí asked Halffter to write a piece of music to celebrate the museum's opening. In response, Halffter composed Homenaje a Salvador Dalí (Homage to Salvador Dalí).

Ernesto Halffter was recognized for his amazing work. In 1984, he received Spain's Premio Nacional de Música (National Music Prize) for his compositions. He passed away in Madrid in 1989.

Notable Compositions

• Sinfonietta (1925)
• Rapsodia portuguesa for piano and orchestra (1939)
• Atlántida (completion of Falla's work: 1961; revision 1976)
• Concerto for guitar and orchestra (1969)
• Homenaje a Salvador Dalí (Homage to Salvador Dalí) (1974)
• Sonatina, a one-act ballet (first performed in 1928)

See also

In Spanish: Ernesto Halffter para niños