Lalo, Édouard

(1823-92)

French composer, whose work is noted for the richness and clarity of its orchestration and for its melodic charm.

Born in Lille of a family of Spanish descent, he studied at the Lille and Paris conservatories. In 1855, playing with equal skill on the violin and viola, he joined the Armingaud-Jacquard Quartet, which had been organized in Paris to promote the works of German masters.

His compositions include the violin concerto in F Major (1874); Symphonie Espagnole (performed 1875), for violin and orchestra, a vibrant, concerto-style work; the Symphony in G Minor (1887), the most successful of Lalo's purely orchestral works; and the opera Le roi d'Ys (1888), based on Breton folklore.