Manuel Palau facts for kids

Manuel Palau Boix (born January 4, 1893 – died February 18, 1967) was a famous Spanish composer and music teacher. He taught at the Valencia Conservatory. Manuel Palau wrote many different kinds of music. These included pieces for orchestras, wind bands, choirs, and small groups of instruments.

He was one of the most important composers of his time in Spain. He even won the Spanish National Music Award (Premio Nacional de Música) twice! He won it first in 1927 and again in 1945. His music is known for its "Mediterranean" style. Other Spanish musicians like Vicente Asencio and Oscar Esplá also used this style.

Some cities in Spain have named streets after him. These include Valencia, Alfara del Patriarca, Llíria, Alaquàs, and Xirivella. There is also a Spanish choir named Manuel Palau to honor him.

Biography

Manuel Palau lived through some very interesting times in Spain. He was alive when many great artists and scientists were making important discoveries. But he also lived through difficult times, like a war and its aftermath. Despite these challenges, he kept composing music. He found joy and satisfaction in creating his own works.

Palau was born in Alfara del Patriarca, a village near Valencia, on January 4, 1893. He began his music studies at the Conservatory of Music in Valencia. He learned composition from famous French composers like Charles Koechlin and Maurice Ravel. Their "impressionism" style of music influenced many of his own compositions.

He won the important Premio Nacional de Música (Spanish National Music Award) in 1927 and again in 1945.

Manuel Palau was a teacher at the Conservatory of Valencia. He later became the principal of the conservatory in 1951. Some of his students became well-known musicians. One example is the conductor Manuel Galduf.

Manuel Palau Boix passed away in Valencia on February 18, 1967.

Musical Style

Manuel Palau often looked to French music for ideas. Many different art styles were popular at the time, and they all influenced his music. But one of the biggest influences on his music was the Valencian folklore. Folklore means the traditional music, stories, and customs of a certain area.

Palau grew up in a small village in the Valencian countryside. He heard folk music sung at parties and weddings. This traditional music became a constant source of inspiration for him. Sometimes, he would use actual folk tunes in his music. Other times, he would create new melodies that sounded like folk music.

This made his music special and different from other Spanish music of that time. Many composers then looked to the South of Spain for inspiration. But Manuel Palau wanted to show the unique "color" of Valencian culture in his works.

Recordings

Many famous orchestras have recorded Manuel Palau's music. These include the National Orchestra of Spain (ONE) and the Spanish Radio TV Orchestra (ORTVE). The Joven Orquesta de la Generalitat Valenciana has also recorded his works. Famous soloists like Narciso Yepes and Rafael Serrallet have performed his music. The conductor Manuel Galduf, who was one of Palau's students, has also recorded his pieces.

Legacy

In 2013, Manuel Palau's family gave his musical materials to the Valencian Library and the Valencian Musical Institute (IVM). This huge collection included:

• 3,069 books and music scores from his personal library.
• 196 recordings of his music.
• 109 published works.
• 1,242 documents from his personal files, including 840 handwritten music scores.

This donation helps preserve his important musical legacy for future generations.

Works

Manuel Palau wrote a lot of music during his life. Even though he was very productive, some of his works are not as well-known today. He wrote interesting pieces for the guitar. He also composed a major guitar concerto called the "Concert of Valencia." This piece is not often performed now.

Manuel Palau wrote more than a hundred Lieder (songs). He also composed two piano concertos and three symphonies. His works include music for choirs, ballets, and an opera called Maror.

Here are some examples of the types of music he wrote:

Orchestra Music

Palau wrote many pieces for a full orchestra.

• Coplas de mi tierra (1919)
• Escenes i paisatges valencians (1920)
• Tres danses valencianes (1921)
• Siluetes - Suite (1927)
• Gongoriana (1928)
• Simfonia núm 1 (1940)
• Simfonia núm. 2 en re major - Murciana (1944)
• Concert of Valencia (Concierto Levantino) for guitar and orchestra (1947/1959)

Wind Orchestra (Banda de Música)

He also composed many pieces for wind orchestras, which are very popular in Spain.

• Himne a la bandera (1920)
• Marxa valenciana n. 2 (1921)
• Poemas de juventud (1925)
• Manises Anthem (1946)
• Marcha solemne (1956)

Theatre Music

Palau wrote music for the stage, including zarzuelas (Spanish musical plays) and ballets.

• Beniflors, a Valencian zarzuela (1918)
• Lliri blau, a ballet in two acts (1938)
• Maror, an opera (1956)

Choir Music

He composed many pieces for choirs, sometimes with other instruments.

• Aclamaciones for male choir (1941)
• Two songs from Alicante (1950)
• Sega, segador (1958)
• La Santa Cena (1965)

Other Works

Palau also wrote music for organ, and pieces for soloists with choir and orchestra.

• Gozos al Patriarca San José for choir and organ (1918)
• Ave María for tenor, choir, and orchestra (1945)
• Anthem a Sant Vicent Ferrer for choir and organ (1954)

See also

In Spanish: Manuel Palau Boix para niños