Manuel de Falla (1876-1946), one of the leading composers of modern Spain, skillfully blends Spanish nationalist elements with impressionist writing to combine passion and mystery.
The ballet music "El amor brujo" is one of de Falla's representative works, and the colors of the composer's home of Andalusia are very effectively incorporated. This score is an arrangement of two scenes of "Pantomima" and "Danza Ritual del Fuego".
The fanfare-style theme of the beginning of "Pantomima" is the same as the "Introduction" of the original song, and I wished to present a mood evoking the passionate atmosphere of Spain. The following scene of Tranquillo is in the unusual time signature of 7/8, but I would like you to portray the melody gracefully with an extremely natural flow. The second melody, "Danza Ritual del Fuego," is a very famous song that is often played alone as an orchestral piece. Here, if the tempo leans too far forward, the sense of rhythm will be lost. Please study dynamics and melodic expression so that you can perform this energetic music with a stable tempo.
This arrangement was written in 2008 by commission from Oume Daisan Junior High School band, and was premiered by the school's woodwind octet at the 2008 TAMA Ensemble Festa held in December of that year.

(Keiichi Kurokawa)