Emanuel Alexis Chabrier

Habanera, D 63

Habanera, composed for piano in October 1885, explores a folk tune that Emmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894) collected on his five-month trip to Spain. The habanera derives its name from Havana, Cuba, characterized by duple meter and accented offbeats. Dedicated to Marguerite Lamoureux, Chabrier later constructed an orchestra arrangement which premiered in Angers on November 4, 1888. It is a more delicate work than Espana, which also uses themes that the composer discovered in his travels through Spanish towns and villages. The piece is effective and memorable as an encore. Instrumentation: 2.1.2.1: 2.2.0.0: Timp.Perc(1): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set). Reprint edition.