The Siete canciones populares españolas ('Seven Spanish folksongs') were written in Paris just prior to his enforced return to Madrid due to the outbreak of war. They were written in response to a request from a Spanish singer who had performed in the Paris production of la Vide breve. At this time Falla had also been approached by a Greek singing teacher for advice on harmonizing Greek folk songs. Falla made a draft arrangement of a Greek song and, pleased with the result, decided to set songs from Spain. Luisa Vela with Falla at the piano first performed them in 1915 at the Ateneo in Madrid. Although the melodies are mostly original Spanish folk songs, Falla retouched some of the tunes and his brilliant accompaniments underpin both the regional feel of the songs and the inner meaning of the words.

El paño moruno ('The Moorish cloth') is from the province of Murcia. It concerns itself with a piece of Moorish cloth that, once soiled, is of lesser value. Seguidilla murciana ('Seguidilla from Murcia') is from the same province and tells much the same story. A girl's fickleness is likened to a peseta that is passed from hand to hand until it wears smooth and so, believing it to be false, is ignored. The Murciau Seguidilla is a literary form of a verse in four lines.

Asturiana ('Song from Asturias') is a sad lament in which a tree weeps in sympathy with the jilted lover.

Jota is a lively triple time dance from the Aragonese region. It is a tale of secret love. This form of song was traditionally accompanied by a little band called a rondalla.

Nana ('Lullaby') is an Andalusian song and there is a distinctly oriental feel to it.

Canción ('song') is an apparently breezy song which describes the feeling of renewed strength as the betrayed lover finally buries his feelings.

Polo is the liveliest of all the songs, a wild Andalusian song with harsh guitar figurations and shouts of 'Woe!' from the singer who has discovered love and all its sorrows. The form of this song is a canto jondo or 'deep song' and is probably an original melody by Falla.

Writer: Michael J. Easton
Translataed by: Nicoletto Pierce