Moreno Torroba, Federico(b Madrid, 3 March 1891; d Madrid, 12 Sept 1982). Spanish composer, conductor and critic. He first studied music with his father, José Moreno Ballesteros, an organist and teacher at the Madrid Conservatory, and with whom he collaborated on his first zarzuela, Las decididas (1912). He later studied composition with Conrado del Campo at the Royal Conservatory, where his tone poem La ajorca de oro was first performed in 1918. In 1924 he married Pilar Larregla, the daughter of a Navarrese composer; the folk music of Navarra along with that of Castile was to serve as a major source of inspiration in his music. Although not a guitarist himself, in the 1920s his growing friendship with Segovia inspired him to begin writing for the guitar, and the resulting compositions such as Sonatina (1924) and Piezas características (1931) are among his finest works. He also established himself as a composer for the stage, and his zarzuela La mesonera de Tordesillas was first performed to critical acclaim in 1925, while his most famous zarzuela, Luisa Fernanda (1932), is a representative of the last flowering of the zarzuela grande. Between 1925 and 1935 he was active as a music critic for Madrid periodicals, especially Informaciones, and used this position and his brief term in the Second Republic's five-member Junta Nacional de Música to promote greater government support for music. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1936, Moreno Torroba retreated to Navarra with his family, avoiding involvement in the conflict. With the ascendancy of Franco he became one of the dominant figures in Spanish music, along with Turina and Rodrigo. Rejecting the European avant garde, they embraced a conservative nationalist aesthetic that was accepted in the new political environment. In 1946 he formed a zarzuela company that toured the Americas for two seasons (he had directed productions of his zarzuelas in Buenos Aires annually since 1934). In the 1950s Moreno Torroba's satirical zarzuela Bienvenido, Mister Dolar (1954) reflected the growing political and military cooperation between the USA and Spain along with the influx of American capital and culture, while María Manuela (1957) became his most popular zarzuela of the decade. His output diminished as the public appeal of the zarzuela waned in the 1960s and his own work became increasingly seen as dated. Consequently, he devoted more time to conducting and recording, returning several times to Latin America to conduct performances of his own works. He continued to compose for the guitar, however, writing the Concierto de Castilla (1960) for Segovia, Homenaje a la seguidilla (1962) and Diálogos entre guitarra y orquesta (1977), among the best of his concertos. The two books of Castillos de España (1970 and 1978) for solo guitar are among his most notable successes in that genre. Among his last works is his second opera El poeta, first performed in 1980 with Plácido Domingo. Moreno Torroba was a major figure in Spanish music of the 20th century who flourished despite the political and social upheavals that surrounded him. His music has often been described as ‘castizo’, employing elements of folk and art music which are of distinctly Spanish ‘pure cast’. A nationalist, he believed that fidelity to Spain's heritage, rather than imitation of foreign models, would lead to the universality of Spanish music. His musical palette was not limited to strict folklorism, and he acknowledged a wider musical influence through the works of Debussy, Ravel, Franck, Wagner and, in later years, Bartók. His accessible, lyrical style maintains a strong sense of tonality through the use of conventional forms while judiciously employing extended triadic harmonies, modality, remote modulations and colourful orchestration. His zarzuelas also draw upon expressly regional motifs and references to traditional and contemporary urban culture. Moreno Torroba held many prominent positions including Comisario del Teatro Zarzuela, director of the Compañía Lírica and, from 1974, president of the Sociedad General de Autores de España, through which he served as a cultural diplomat. He was elected as the director of the Academia de Bellas Artes de S Fernando in 1978, and died four years later at the age of 91. WORKS stage La virgen de mayo (op, 1, P. Max and F. Luque), Madrid, Real, 14 Feb 1925 El poeta (op, 4, J. Méndez Herrera), Madrid, Zarzuela, 19 June 1980 Zars: Las decididas, 1912; Las fuerzas ocultas, 1920; La vuelta, c1925; La caravana de Ambrosio, 1925; Intiga de amor, 1925; La mesonera de Tordesillas, 1925; La pastorela, 1925; Los guayabitos, c1926; Mari-Blanca, 1926; Colasín, el chico de la cola, 1926; Las musas del trianón, 1926; Como los ojos de mi morena, 1927; El fumadoro, 1927; El divo, c1928; Artistas para fin de fiesta, 1928; La manola del portillo, 1928; La marchenera, 1928; Cascabeles, 1928; Una de caballeria, c1929; La marchenera, 1929; Mi mama política, 1929; María la tempránica, 1930; Baturra del temple, 1930 Azabache, 1932; Luisa Fernanda, 1932; La mujer de aquella noche, 1932; El aguaducho, 1932; Xuanón, 1933; La chulapona, 1934; Por la salud de mi madre, 1934; Luces de verbena, 1935; Paloma Moreno, 1935; La boda del Señor Brigas, 1936; Pepinillo y Garbancito en la isla misteriosa, 1938; Sor Navarra, 1936; Tú eres ella, 1938; El maleficio, 1939; Monte Carmelo, 1939; Cuidado con la pintura, c1940; Cascabeles, 1940; El que tenga un amor que lo cuide, 1940; Escalera de color, 1940; La maravilla, 1941; Boda gitana, 1942; La caramba, 1942; Despeherezada, 1942; Oro de Ley, 1942; Una reja y dos pelmazos, 1942; Una noche en Aravaca, c1943; Pizpireta, c1943; La ilustra moza, 1943; Polonesa, 1944; La niña del cuento, 1944; Baile de trajes, 1945; Soy el amo, 1945; ¿Usted gusta?, 1945; El duende azul, 1946; Lolita Dolores, 1946; Las laureles, 1947; Orgullo de Jalisco, 1947; La niña del Polisón, 1948; El cantar del organillo, 1949; Hoy y mañana, 1949; Un día en las carreras, 1950; Trio de ases, 1950 La media naranja, 1951; Huelga de los maridos, 1951; Pitusa, 1951; El tambor del brunch, 1951; Hola Cuqui, 1951; El diablo en Sierra Morena, 1952; Las matadoras, 1952; Bienvenido, Mister Dolar, 1954; A lo tonto, a lo tonto, 1954; Paka y paka, 1954; Olé y olé, 1955; La monda, 1955; María Manuela, 1957; Una noche en oriente, 1957; Un pueblecito espanol, c1958; Baile en Capitanía, 1960; Nacimiento, c1961; El rey de oros, 1961; El mundo quiere reir, 1965; Una estrella para todos, 1965; El fabuloso mundo del music-hall, 1966; Ella, 1966 Ballets: Mosaico sevillano, 1954 [for pf]; Fantasía de Levante, 1957; Parábola del convite, 1965; Don Quijote, 1970, rev. 1982; El hijo pródigo, 1976; Ensueño gitano, 1977; Cristo luz del mundo, 1978; Los novios, 1979; Te voy a contar un cuento, 1975 vocal Chorus: Ha nacido, 1959; La pastorela, 1959; Pastores venid, 1959; Niña merse, 1975; Desde lejos, 1981; Sabemos lo que somos, 1981; Ande pa Marimorena; Ayála; Boga, boga; Caminando, caminando; Cantos seranos; En el monte gorbea; España tiene un jardín; María y José Voice and orch: Estrella flamenca Solo voice and pf: Copla de Antaño, 1923; Lola de La Triana, c1950; Todo corazón, 1952; Barrio sud, 1955; Guayaba, 1955; Noche de la cestanera, 1955; Canciones españoles 1 & 2, 1956; Cholita, 1956; Amor que yo soñe, 1957; Adios amor, 1958; Amor legionario, 1960; Llegando al pinar, milagros, 1961; Siete canciones españoles, 1961; Valle verde, 1962; Camino de la fuente, 1968; Cantando a la mariana, 1968; En este llano, 1968; Sevilla es …, 1981; Perdón para un toro, 1982; Arenitas de mi amor; Ay Micaela; Gitana iglesia; Tenerife instrumental Gui solo: Sonatina, 1924; Nocturno, 1926; Burgalesa, 1928; Preludio, 1928; Piezas características, 1931; Scherzando, 1948; Alpujarrena, 1952; Madrileñas, 1953; Sonata fantasía, 1953; Punteado y taconeo clásico, 1955; Aire vasco, 1956; Anoranza, 1956; Ay malagueña, 1956; Bolero menorquín, 1956; Cancioncilla, 1956; Capricho, 1956; Chisperada, 1956; Danza prima, 1956; Fandango corralero, 1956; Humorada, 1956; Improvisación, 1956; Lejania, 1956; Marcha de cojo, 1956; Minueto del Majo, 1956; Montaraza, 1956; Nana, 1956; Niña merse, 1956; Nocturno No.2, 1956; Preludio, 1956; Quien te puso petenera, 1956; Romance de los pinos, 1956; Romancillo, 1956; Ronda, 1956; Rumor de copla, 1956; Segoviana, 1956; Sevillana, 1956; Sonata y variación, 1956; Sonatina, 1956 [not 1965]; Sonatina II, 1956; Tonada, 1956; Trianera, 1956; Zapateado, 1956 Guitarra española, 1960; Suite miniatura, 1960; Aires de La Mancha, 1966; Alegría malagueña, 1966; Habanera de mi niña, 1966; Éres Petenera, 1966; Castilla te llaman, 1966; Once obras, 1966; Contradanza, 1968; Jota levantina, 1968; Castillos de España I, 1970; En todo la quintana, 1970; Vieja leyenda, 1970; Jaranera, 1973; Tríptico, 1973; Ocho preludios, 1974; Las puertas de Madrid, 1976; Castillos de España II, 1978; Preludios (6), 1982; Chaconne; Verbenera Gui ens: Ráfagas, qt, 1976; Sonata fantasía II, qt, 1976; Estampas, qt, 1979; Invenciones, qnt, 1980; Sonatina trianera, qt, 1980 Gui(s), orch: Concierto de Castilla, 1960; Homenaje a la seguidilla, 1962, rev. 1981; Concierto en flamenco, 1962; Tres nocturnos, 1970; Romancillos, c1975; Concierto ibérico, gui qt and orch, 1976; Fantasía flamenca, 1976; Diálogos entre guitarra y orquesta, 1977; Tonada concertante, 1982 Orch: La ajorca de oro, 1918; Zoraida, 1919; Cuadros, 1919; Antequera, 1953; Gardens of Granada, 1953; Mosaico sevillano, 1954; Aires vascos, 1956; Danzas asturianas, 1956; Sevillanas populares, 1956; San Fermín, 1960; Zambra mora, 1960; Eritaña, 1979; Sonatina trianera, 1980; Aires de Andalucía; Aires de Aragón; Alpujarrena; Así es la jota; Capricho romántico; Danza de humo; En la reja sevillana; Iberiana; Las Hormagas; Preludio en Do menor; Suite madrileña Pf and orch: Fantasía castellana, 1980 Pf solo: Apetits Pas, 1913; El mate, 1915; Mosaico sevillano, 1954; Alegrías de Cádiz, 1957; Fandango corralero, 1957; Romance antiguo, 1957; Torerias, 1957; Chucares, 1958; El Tato, 1958; Noche sevillana, 1959; Alegría de Madrid, 1969; Cuadro Goyesco; Semblanza; Tre obras; [Untitled] Other works: Vaya por usted, accdn, 1959; Dedicatoria, fl, pf, 1973; Danza castellana, inst unknown, 1977 Principal publishers: Ricordi (Buenos Aires), Schott (Mainz), Unión musical Española; Ediciones Musicales de Madrid/Cadencia, Casa Latina, Jacobo, Cantabrian, Mendaur, Hispanovox, Música del Sur WRITINGS Discursos leidos ante la Academia de bellas artes de San Fernando en la recepción publica del Señor Don Federico Moreno-Torroba el dia 21 de febrero de 1935 (Madrid, 1935) BIBLIOGRAPHY GroveO (L. Salter) A. Olano, ed.: Homenaje a Federico Moreno Torroba (Madrid, 1982) W.C. Krause: The Life and Works of Federico Moreno Torroba (diss., Washington U., St Louis, 1993) WALTER AARON CLARK, WILLIAM CRAIG KRAUSE