El Amor Brujo for Guitar Quartet by Manuel de Falla

El amor brujo

"El amor brujo" is a story of a young Andalusian gypsy girl named "Candela". As a girl, she was promised to marry another man, despite her affections were directed to "Carmelo". After many years, Candela's unfaithful husband is murdered, but he continues to haunt his wife. The entire village know that she is the haunted, but still they call her insane, because she dances every night with her Husband's ghost (Danza del terror). After a conversation with other women of the village, Candela finally comes to realize that her husband was unfaithful to her, despite all the efforts that she did to make their marriage work, her husband's lover was revealed to be "Lucía". Candela and Carmelo get advice that a ritual dance is necessary to cast the ghost off (Danza ritual del fuego), but it does not work. The ghost is still obsessed with Candela's soul. Candela manages to trick Lucía to come that night, with the excuse of hooking her up with Carmelo. As she turns up, the nightly ritual of Candela's dance with her husband's ghost begins, but at the last moment Candela moves away from her husband and Lucía is taken away by her now dead lover (Danza del juego de amor). Dawn breaks, Candela and Carmelo are now truly free to enjoy their love.

• This set of transcription is based on orchestral version of El amor brujo in two acts.
• All dynamics and tempo marks are from orchestral version.
• All guitaristic directives, such as rasgueado, tasto, ponticello, glisando and percussion, are attempts by the arranger to reflect the effects of the orchestra.
• Performers are encouraged to listen to orchestral version and interpret the work as they see fit.
• Much of this music is difficult, requiring experienced guitarists who usually prefer to choose their own fingerings but some fingerings are suggested by arranger.

A few notes on performance:

• In some cases in Guitar I part, a 7-string guitar is needed but if it's not available a standard guitar is good and some bass notes can played one octave higher than written notes. (Last measure of section VII, measure No.64 in section X and entire XII section)
• In En la cueva in measures 5 to 8 Guitar I should play, with right hand, exactly 12 frets above where notes are written to imitate wind instruments.(tasto XII)
• In Danza del terror in measures 118-119 there is a glisando on 1st string in Guitar III which can be played by up and down strikes of i finger.
• In Danza ritual del fuego for a more expressive performance, guitarists are encouraged to employ cross-string trills.

This suite is performed by Cedar Guitar Quartet and recorded in their album titled "CEDAR" in 2016.