Fuego Fatuo has an interesting history. Manuel De Falla (1876-1946) often regarded as the greatest Spanish composer of the 20th century wanted to write an opera based around themes from Chopin whomhe greatly admired. The stage work was never finished; however several attempts have been made to arrange the work for orchestra most successfully by the Catalan conductor Antoni Ros-Marb .Despite its history this orchestral suite is far from being a mere mish-mash of Chopin melodies; it is more of a meditation on Chopin’s work in general with the focus on the harmonic and textural elements which De Falla drew from his work.It forms a fascinating insight into the mind of a great musician.
