Ricardo Viñes

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Ricardo Viñes (5 February 1875 – 29 April 1943) was a famous Spanish pianist. He first publicly performed many important works by Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Erik Satie, Manuel de Falla, Déodat de Séverac and Isaac Albéniz. He was also the piano teacher of composer Francis Poulenc.

He was born in Lleida, Catalonia. He studied piano at the Paris Conservatoire, and composition and harmony with Benjamin Godard and Albert Lavignac. He was influential with Ravel supplying him many readings and was a member of the group known as Les Apaches.

Viñes premiered works including Ravel's Menuet antique (1898), Jeux d'eau (1902), Pavane pour une infante défunte (1902), Miroirs (1906), and Gaspard de la nuit (1909). Menuet antique and the second movement of Miroirs, "Oiseaux tristes" (Sad birds), were dedicated to Viñes. Ravel felt it was fun to dedicate such an unpianistic work to a pianist. Viñes was effeminate, and both he and Ravel were eternal bachelors. These facts have lead many to suspect that there was more to their friendship, although Viñes's ten-year diary of their times together makes no confirmation of this.

Viñes became known for presenting new music, especially of French and Spanish origin, although he had debuted Russian works as well. As a composer, the best known of his works are the Two Hommages, for Séverac and Satie. He also published writing about Spanish music in Spanish and French publications. Viñes died in Barcelona in 1943.