Joaquín Valverde Durán

Joaquín Valverde Durán (27 February 1846 in Badajoz – 17 March 1910 in Madrid) was a Spanish composer, conductor and flautist. As a composer he is known for his collaborations on zarzuelas (he has been described as "the collaborative musician par excellence"). He was a brilliant flautist, playing in military bands and theatre orchestras from the age of 13, and winning first prize in flute at the Conservatory in 1867. ). Between 1871 and 1889 he was a professional theatre conductor.

His first symphony Batylo was written in 1871. They worked together on Un maestro de obra prima (1877), La Canción de la Lola (1880), Luces y sombras and Fiesta Nacional (both 1882), Cádiz (1886), El año pasado por agua (1889), and other operas. Their masterpiece was La gran vía (Madrid, 2 July 1886), which was played in Spain, Mexico, Argentina, New York, Vienna, and many other theatres in Europe. It was premiered in London in 1906 as Castles in Spain.

A march from Cádiz (originally a hymn to a general, written in 1868 by Chueca alone) proved enormously popular in Spain, and it competed for popularity with the national anthem among the military. Both Valverde and Chueca were awarded the Military Grand Cross.

His son "Quinito" Valverde (Joaquín Valverde Sanjuán) carried on his father's tradition.