DE FALLA – THE THREE CORNERED HAT: INTERLUDE & DANCE FROM LA VIDA BREVE (LP VINYL)

Manuel De Falla was one of Spain’s most important musicians of the first half of the 20th century. His image even appeared on Spain’s 1970 100-pesetas banknote. This timeless gem is performed by L’Orchestre De La Suisse Romande with the solo singing by the young mezzo-soprano Teresa Berganza and conducted by Ernest Ansermet. This is a performance to be known as one of the greatest. Powerful rolls of thunder, the click of castanets, lively rhythms and rich sonority conjure up a picture of fiery Spanish temperament so tangibly that any comment on the recording quality appears almost superfluous. In a nutshell: this record is, quite simply, incredibly good.