Falla began working on the stage music El amor brujo in 1914, commissioned by the Gypsy dancer Pastora Imperio, and completed it in 1915. However, due to the unfavorable reception of its premiere, Falla revised it and re-released it in 1916. The piano arrangement was published in 1921.

Ritual Fire Dance is one of the pieces from the ballet El amor brujo, and it is the most popular piece in the entire work. It has a highly brilliant effect and is often performed independently.

Synopsis of El amor brujo

The main plot of El amor brujo is as follows:

• The widow Candelas falls in love, but the ghost of her deceased husband becomes jealous and tries to interfere.
• To counter this, Candelas has her friend Lucía seduce the ghost of her late husband, thereby allowing her to achieve her own love.

Ritual Fire Dance is the music for an exorcism. In front of a blazing fire, Candelas dances intensely, performing the exorcism ritual.

2/4 time. Allegro ma non troppo.

A magical melody is sung over a lively two-beat accompaniment. The trilling flames, flickering and burning, further enhance the piece's mysterious atmosphere. The climax, building up like a possessed frenzy, is dramatic and highly effective in performance.