Joaquin Turina Overview

He was born in Seville but his origins was of the Northern Italy (between Verona, Brescia and Mantova), and studied there and in Madrid. He lived in Paris from 1905 to 1914 where he took composition lessons from Vincent d'Indy at... [more]

He was born in Seville but his origins was of the Northern Italy (between Verona, Brescia and Mantova), and studied there and in Madrid. He lived in Paris from 1905 to 1914 where he took composition lessons from Vincent d'Indy at his Schola Cantorum, and studied the piano under Moritz Moszkowski. Like his fellow countryman and friend Manuel de Falla, he also got to know the impressionist composers Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy while there. With de Falla, he returned to Madrid in 1914 and worked as a composer, teacher and critic. From 1931 he was professor of composition at the Royal Conservatory there. His works include the operas Margot (1914) and Jardín de Oriente (1923), the Danzas fantásticas (1920, versions for orchestra and piano), La oración del torero (written first for a lute quartet, then string quartet, then string orchestra), chamber music, piano works, guitar pieces and songs. Much of his work shows the influence of traditional Andalusian music. [show less]