Edouard Lalo Program Notes and Sheet Music

Édouard Lalo (January 27, 1823 – April 22, 1892) was a French composer. He is best known for his Symphonie espagnole, a five-movement concerto for violin and orchestra, which remains a popular work in the standard repertoire.

Lalo was born in Lille, France, to a family of musicians. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire, where he was a student of François-Antoine Habeneck. After graduating from the Conservatoire, Lalo worked as a violinist and composer. He also taught at the Conservatoire.

Lalo's music is characterized by its lyricism, its melodic beauty, and its technical virtuosity. He was a master of the orchestra, and his orchestral works are some of the most challenging and rewarding of the Romantic period. Lalo's music was influential on many later composers, including Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.

In addition to the Symphonie espagnole, Lalo is also known for his opera Le Roi d'Ys, his cello concerto, and his string quartets. He also wrote a number of other works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, and solo instruments.

Lalo died in Paris in 1892. He is buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery.

Lalo's music is still performed today, and his Symphonie espagnole is considered to be one of the greatest violin concertos ever written. His music is also a valuable resource for students of music history, as it provides a glimpse into the development of French music in the Romantic period.