On Friday 5 March, the Spanish regional newspaper Ideal published a full-page spread about Professor Chris Collins's latest research project to produce a new edition of the published writings of the composer Manuel de Falla (1876-1946).
Working with Dr Elena Torres Clemente (Universidad Complutense de Madrid) and the Archivo Manuel de Falla in Granada, Chris has identified over 100 writings which have not seen the light of day since they were published in newspapers, magazines and concert programmes across Europe and America between 1907 and 1946.
Taken together, these writings form an intellectual self-portrait of Falla, revealing his likes and dislikes, his aesthetic and political positions, and the technical foundations of his music. They also provide a unique insight into the cultural life of Spain in the turbulent years of the first half of the twentieth century, as seen through the eyes of one of the country's most prominent artists.
The new edition is being prepared in Spanish- and English-language versions, and will be an essential resource both for scholars and for all aficionados of Spanish musical culture.
The article can be read online at https://www.ideal.es/culturas/afilada-pluma-falla-20210305214229-nt.html.
Prof Chris Collins - Published Article