Role

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Composer

Period

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Contemporary

 

Alvaro Company was a Spanish composer born on January 1, 1949, in Barcelona, Spain. He was the son of a music teacher and grew up in a family that was passionate about music. Company's father was a pianist, and his mother was a singer, which exposed him to music from an early age. He began playing the piano at the age of six and showed a natural talent for music. Company's musical education began at the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu in Barcelona, where he studied piano, harmony, and composition. He later continued his studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid, where he studied with composer Luis de Pablo. Company's early works were influenced by the avant-garde music of the 1960s, and he was particularly interested in the works of Pierre Boulez and Karlheinz Stockhausen. In the 1970s, Company began to develop his own unique style, which combined elements of traditional Spanish music with contemporary techniques. His music was characterized by its use of complex rhythms, unconventional harmonies, and a wide range of instrumental colors. Company's works were often inspired by literature, art, and history, and he was known for his ability to create vivid musical portraits. One of Company's early works, "Cantata de la Paz" (Cantata of Peace), was written in 1972 and was inspired by the Spanish Civil War. The work is scored for choir, soloists, and orchestra and features texts by Spanish poets such as Federico García Lorca and Antonio Machado. The work was well-received and helped establish Company as a rising star in the Spanish music scene. In the 1980s, Company's music began to gain international recognition, and he was invited to participate in several prestigious festivals, including the Darmstadt International Summer Courses for New Music in Germany. In 1985, he was awarded the National Prize for Music by the Spanish Ministry of Culture, which recognized his contributions to contemporary music. One of Company's most famous works is "El Jardín de las Hespérides" (The Garden of the Hesperides), which was written in 1987. The work is a symphonic poem that tells the story of the mythical garden of the Hesperides, which was guarded by a dragon and contained golden apples. The work is scored for a large orchestra and features a wide range of instrumental colors, including percussion, harp, and celesta. The work has been performed by orchestras around the world and is considered one of Company's masterpieces. Another notable work by Company is "El Pintor de Batallas" (The Painter of Battles), which was written in 2005. The work is a concerto for guitar and orchestra and was inspired by the novel of the same name by Spanish author Arturo Pérez-Reverte. The work features virtuosic guitar writing and a wide range of orchestral colors, and has been performed by some of the world's leading guitarists. Throughout his career, Company was also a dedicated teacher and mentor to young composers. He taught at several institutions, including the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu in Barcelona and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid. He was also a member of several important musical organizations, including the Spanish Society of Contemporary Music and the International Society for Contemporary Music. Sadly, Alvaro Company passed away on December 31, 2019, at the age of 70.

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