program notes by composition > G > Gallito
Gallito
Santiago Lope
Gallito A pasodoble (Spanish: double-step) is a lively style of dance in march-like duple meter. It is based on music typically played in bullfights during the bullfighter’s entrance to the ring or during the passes just before the kill. Gallito, “little cock,” is dedicated to the memory of Joselito Gomez Ortega, a young and talented matador who died during a corrida (bullfight.)
Santiago Lope Gonzalo (1871–1906) was born in Ezcaray, Spain. He studied piano and piccolo and became a member of the town band at the early age of six. He studied at the Royal Conservatory in Madrid and went on to become conductor of the Romeo Theater Orchestra and La Banda Municipal de Valencia. In his short life he composed 18 “zarzuelas,” 12 symphonic pieces, and 8 pasodobles.
Last updated on April 17, 2015 by Palatine Concert Band