LALO: Symphonie espagnole

It is not a symphony, nor is it Spanish. The Symphonie espagnole is a fabulously abundant violin showcase — non-stop fun to hear and, if you happen to be a prodigiously skilled violin virtuoso, a joy to play. Its Spanish-inspired melodies challenge the soloist to dig into the strings or skip fleetly over them by turns. So is it a concerto? With five movements and no cadenzas, not really — although it has won a place alongside the most popular violin concertos.

Édouard Lalo, the composer of this glorious anomaly, was born in 1823 in Lille, a city in the northern reaches of France. A gifted string player, he studied at the Paris Conservatory with François Habeneck (remembered for his antagonism to Berlioz) and later worked in Paris as a string teacher and player. In 1865 he married the French contralto Julie besnier de Maligny, who piqued his interest in opera. but Lalo’s forward-looking music dramas were perhaps too advanced for their time, and certainly — with their Wagnerian influence — insufficiently Gallic for the French taste. None but Le roi d’Ysis still performed. But his excellent Cello Concerto in d Minor and the beloved Symphonie espagnole have earned Lalo a cherished spot in the string repertory