Rafael José Maria Hernando y Palomar (31 May 1822, in Madrid – 10 July 1888, in Madrid) was a Spanish composer of zarzuelas, being that his contributions to the genre lead to the development of the zarzuela grande.
At fifteen he entered the Madrid Conservatory,[1] where he studied music theory and piano with Pedro Albéniz,[1] singing with Baltasar Saldoni,[1] and composition with Ramon Carnicer.
[2] In 1843, he moved to Paris, studying with Miguel García and befriending Daniel Auber.
[1] But following the outbreak of the Revolutions of 1848, and having received a message warning him of the impending death of his father, he returned to quickly Spain.
[2] He soon then joined other composers who would come to lead the revival of the zarzuela genre such as Francisco Asenjo Barbieri, Cristóbal Oudrid, José Inzenga and Joaquín Gaztambide.