Manuel de Falla y Matheu (Spanish pronunciation: [ma’nwel e ‘fa a], 23 November 1876 – 14 November 1946) was a Spanish composer and pianist. Along with Isaac Alb niz, Francisco T rrega, and Enrique Granados, he was one of Spain’s most important musicians of the first half of the 20th century. He has a claim to being Spain’s greatest composer of the 20th century, although the number of pieces he composed was relatively modest.