Xavier Montsalvatge, 90; Composer, Key Spanish Music Figure

Xavier Montsalvatge, 90, an eclectic composer who was considered one of the leading figures of 20th century Spanish music, died May 7 of emphysema at his home in Barcelona.

Born into a family of bankers, Montsalvatge began studying music as a child and turned to composition as a young man.

His most famous works include a set of vocal pieces with piano accompaniment--”Cinco Canciones Negras” (Five Black Songs). They are about Cuba, and feature an exotic rhythm that reflects Montsalvatge’s fondness for the sounds of the West Indies. Written in 1945, they earned Montsalvatge international fame.

For all the music he created--he wrote more than 100 songs--Montsalvatge believed that his role as a composer was secondary.

“In music, the performer is more important than the author,” the newspaper El Mundo quoted him as saying.

“That’s the advice I always give young people. If they want their music to be played, as they write they should think about the performers. If there is no performer, music is just writing on paper.”