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Donald Macleod introduces the brilliant, but little-known musicians of 17th and 18th-century Spain, where the collision of ancient and modern traditions, popular songs, and the ever-present spirit of Spanish dance produced a dazzling treasure-trove of masterworks that has yet to be fully explored.

The Italian invention of opera was rapidly taking Europe by storm but Madrid failed to be charmed by its new-fangled recitatives and arias. Donald considers how composers at the Spanish court looked for their own way of bringing music into the theatre. As a new generation of Spanish composers came of age and the influence of Italian forms strengthened, fierce debates raged about what constituted 'proper' Spanish music. Meanwhile, Spain was exporting a wealth of exotic dance styles to the rest of Europe.

As the 18th century progressed, the gradual insinuation of Italian styles into Spanish music became a tidal wave. The new Bourbon monarchy looked towards Europe and Spain and, at last, embraced opera.