Manuel Valls (composer)

This article is about the Spanish Catalan composer. For the French politician, see Manuel Valls.

Manuel Valls i Gorina (Catalan pronunciation: [mənuˈɛɫ ˈβaʎs]; 21 July 1920 – 1984) was a Catalan Spanish composer, pianist, music critic, and music educator.

Valls was born in Badalona. He studied at the University of Barcelona and the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu. At the Liceu he was mentored by Aita Donostia with whom he studied music theory, music composition, and orchestration. He became a successful composer writing symphonic works, chamber music, choral music, operas, art songs, and songs for solo piano. For many years he taught composition at the University of Barcelona and wrote music reviews for El País.. He died in Barcelona.

Manuel Valls is the composer of the music of "El Cant del Barça", the official anthem of FC Barcelona.

Selected works

• Estudio de danza en 5/8 (Study of dance in 5/8)
• Preludio para piano (Prelude for piano)
• Concierto de guitarra y orquesta (concerto for guitar and orchestra)
• Tocata per a piano (Tocata for piano)
• Seis canciones del Alto Duero para voz y piano (Six songs for Alto Duero for voice and piano)
• Fantasíass en forma de concierto para flauta solista y cuerda (Fantasy in the form of a concerto for flute and rope)
• La Mare de Déu (SATB chorus in traditional catalana)
• Poemes de Patrícia: Renaixença, Món, Nit (SATB chorus)
• Primera historia de Esther (1955 opera)
• CAL 33-33, o El bon samaritá (1967 opera)

Sources

• Música de tota mena. Barcelona, ed. Clivis, 1982. ISBN 84-85927-04-4.