Not that anyone seems to care, as the music world prostrates itself yet again at the feet of the unassailable Amadeus, but today also happens to be the 200th anniversary of the birth of Édouard Lalo. Lalo may not have possessed the same level of extraordinary facility exhibited by Mozart, but he is a thoroughly accomplished and enjoyable composer, with a number of his works still hanging on around the periphery of the active repertoire. In particular, if I’m to judge by the frequency with which it is abused on public radio, his “Symphonie espagnole” remains very well known.

I don’t care how great you are; even genius can wear out its welcome. Thank god for the Édouard Lalos of this world. Joyeux bicentenaire, mon ami!

“Symphonie espagnole”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyKD0WOXY3c

Cello Concerto in D minor

Symphony in G minor

“Le roi d’Ys” Overture

“Rapsodie” (a.k.a. “Rapsodie norvégienne”)