Agustín Lara was one of the most prominent Mexican song composers of the first half of the twentieth century, a self-taught musician who flourished for several decades beginning around 1930. Singers still frequently record his music; in 1998 the Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo released an entire album of Lara's music, entitled Por Amor. Part of his appeal lay in his ability to imprint a distinctively Mexican stamp on musical styles of diverse origin: in addtion to the waltz, ranchera song, and other characteristic Mexican genres, he worked effectively in Afro-Latin styles, wrote tango songs, and created a series of hits that drew on Spanish styles. These Spanish songs, many of which work well in arrangements featuring a guitar and feature the quasi-improvisatory style of Spanish guitar music, included Madrid, Clavel sevillano, and Granada—among the most popular Lara pieces of all.

© All Music Guide