José Castañeda (1898-1983)
21 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
in Guatemalan Art Music Tags: Jose Castaneda
Jose Castaneda was a composer, conductor and theorist. He founded the Orquesta Progresista in the early 1930’s under the original name Ars Nova after a period of studying in Paris. Under Jorge Ubico’s dictatorship, however, its name was changed, it was made the official state orchestra and finally became became militarized; Castañeda resigned at this point and returned to Europe. He eventually came back to Guatemala where he served as director of the National Conservatory. He influenced many young musicians over his many years of teaching at the Conservatory. As a music theorist, he developed a system of notation of music and choreography which he wrote extensively about in his book, Las polaridades del ritmo y del sonido (Guatemala City, 1967). His compositions included a satirical song La chalana (1922), an opera Imágenes de nacimiento, a ballet La serpiente emplumada in Guatemala City, three symphonies, and two string quartets.
Nuevo Signo with José Castañeda
Discography:
| Stage: Imágenes de nacimiento (op, M.A. Asturias), 1933; La serpiente emplumada, ballet, 1960; Emulo Lipolidón (op, Asturias) |
| Other: La chalana, song, 1922; La doncella ante el espejo cóncavo, suite, pf/orch; 2 str qts; 3 syms.
Bibliography: Lehnhoff, D. (n.d.).Jose Castañeda. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Retrieved October 14, 2010, from: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/47495
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Joaquín Orellana (b. 1930)
21 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
Orellana studied at the National Conservatory of Music and served as violinist in the National SO. . In 1958, at the age of 25, he won first prize for his piece El jardín encantado in the anual Central American Science, Letters and Fine Arts Competition. In 1965 the Third Inter-American Music Festival commissioned his String Trio. In the 1970s he began introduced flujos sonoro-sociales into his works, [incorporating soundscapes of Guatemala]. Electroacústica and Imposible a la X: historia en redondo (1976), were successful examples of his new techniques. both presented in several international forums. In 1982, he “created” instruments from magnetic tape in his piece Híbrido a presión. Because the marimba is considered to be Guatemala’s national instrument, he deconstructed a marimba grande in the hopes of reconstructing new instruments to incorporate a variation of the marimba sound into his works. These new original instruments, the ciclo-im, rastra-son and pandemarimbas, reproduce and expand certain aspects of the marimba’s timbre. Orellana’s 1974 work, Tzulumanachí features one of these instruments, a sonarimba. One work in particular, Evocación profunda y traslaciones de una marimba (1984), incorporates narrator, mixed chorus, magnetic tape and several original marimba-derived instruments.
Ciclo-im Joaquín Orellana playing his imbaluna (with his ciclo im, upper right corner).
Discography:
Algunas de ellas son Cantata dialéctica (1974); Rupestre en el futuro (1979); Imposible a la X (Imágenes de una Historia en Redondo) , compuesta en 1980 y premiada en Bourges, Francia; Piezas características para Cuarteto de Cuerdas (1983) y El violín valsante de Huisderio Armadel , ciclo para violín y orquesta compuesto entre 1986 y 1990.
Orellana
Bibliography:
Scruggs, T.M. (n.d.). Joaquin M. Orellana. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Retrieved October 14, 2010, from: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/46801
Biografias Y Vidas. (n.d.) Joaquin Orellana. Retrieved October 14, 2010, from: http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/o/orellana_joaquin.htm
José Eulalio Samayoa(1781–1866)
21 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
José Eulalio Samayoa founded the Philharmonic Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1813. He became the third tenor to the Guatemala Cathedral choir on the same day which he saw as a heavenly reward for establishing the Philharmonic Society. He would later include an extensive historical appendix on musical development in Guatemala, making him the first music historian of Central America.
Samayoa was one of the first symphony composers in the Americas. Because of his Cathedral composing experience, he was well versed in composing for voices with instrumental accompaniment. In 1804, Samayoa introduced the “sones” in response to the Cathedral chapter’s assertion that vernacular texts were not up to standard. These “sones” were short pieces that originated with the local Indians. He continued to study under Haydn and learned instrumental forms which led him to work his way up from those small “sone” to full symphonies. His first work in this form is his Seventh Symphony which he completed in 1834 and which he dedicated to the victory in present-day El Salvador.
Example of a Philharmonic Society
Discography:
Symphonies
“No.7 symphony”, My flat, orchestra.
“Civic symphony”, greater Do, orchestra.
“Historical symphony”, greater Re, orchestra.
Orchestral works
9 “Pieces to touch itself in the Church”, orchestra.
2 “Pieces of Church”, orchestra.
Allegro no. 9, greater Do, orchestra.
Instrumental works
Tocata no. 1, greater Re, 2 tubes, chords.
Tocata no. 2, greater Re, 2 tubes, chords.
Tocata no. 3, greater Fa, 2 tubes, chords.
Tocata no. 4, greater Fa, 2 tubes, chords.
Tocata no. 5, greater Fa, 2 tubes, chords.
Tocata no. 6, greater Re, prudent.
Tocata no. 7, the major, chords.
Tocata no. 8, My major, chords.
Tocata no. 9, the major, chords.
Allegro no. 10, greater Re, 2 tubes, chords.
Allegro no. 11, greater Re, prudent.
Tocata, greater Do, 2 tubes, chords.
Tocata “Pastorela”, greater Do, 2 tubes, chords.
Tocata, greater Do, 2 tubes, chords.
Tocata “The ridiculous statue”, tubes, chords.
10 “Pieces of Church”, organ.
Sacred works
“Misa to only”, tiple and organ.
“Taedet animam meam”, smaller Fa, tiple, tubes and chords.
“Taedet animam meam”, the minor, tiple, flutes and chords.
“Misa to Pair”, the major, two tiples and organ.
“Pairs to Santa Cruz”, My flat, 2 tiples, tubes and chords.
“Office of Deceaseds”, greater Re, 2 tiples, tubes and chords.
“It saves to 3”, smaller Do, 2 tiples, stop and chords.
“Parcemihi”, greater Re, tiple, stop, tenor and orchestra.
“Eves of our Lady”, 2 tiples, tenor and orchestra.
“Two Motetes”, 2 tiples, stop and orchestra.
“Misa of Mr. San jOse”, the major, choir to 3 voices and orchestra.
“Liberame Domine”, 2 tiples, stop, tenor and chords.
“Liberame Domine”, 2 tiples, stop, tenor and chords.
“Five Tonadas to the Loa de Concepción”, choir, tubes and chords.
“Two sung to the Santísimo”, 2 voices, chords.
“Requiem”, My flat, choir and orchestra.
Bibliography:
Kiwidepia. (n.d) Jose Eulalio Samayoa. Retrieved October 14, 2010 from: http://kiwidepia.com/kiwi/ai9vL3MvSm9zw6lfRXVsYWxpb19TYW1heW9hXzAxNTE=
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Jose Eulalio Samayoa. Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 14, 2010 from http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/6996462
Manuel José de Quirós (d. 1765)
21 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
Archivo Histórico Arquidiocesano
Manuel Jose de Quiros was a composer, teacher and collector. He was appointed maestro de capilla of Guatemala City Cathedral in 1738, and served there until his death in 1765. His 28 extant compositions, which are preserved in the Archivo Histórico Arquidiocesano ‘Francisco de Paula García Peláez’, Guatemala City, are villancicos which show a heavy influence by the indigenous culture. Within his works, are a few compositions in Latin, including a double-choir motet, Parce mihi, Domine. All of Quiros works have instrumental accompaniment and most are for two or four voices, however, some are for as many as seven.
In addition to composer, Quiros was also active as a teacher and musical collector. Among his students was his nephew, Rafael Antonio Castellanos, who would eventually succeed him as maestro de capilla in Guatemala.
As a collector, he collected compositions from Italian musicians Galuppi, Leo, Pergolesi, Porpora and Vinci, Spanish composers Sebastián Durón, José Nebra and José de Torres y Martínez Bravo, and by various other composers from the New World, like Manuel de Zumaya. Because of his collections, compositions of Gaspar Fernandes, Pedro Bermúdez, Palestrina and Victoria survived. His collections remain in the Archivo Histórico Arquidiocesano.
Discography:
Cándidos cisnes, solo voice, continuo
Oigan una xacarilla, solo voice, continuo
Venid, venid a las aras de Dios y de Juan, solo voice, continuo
Yo la tengo de cantar, solo voice, continuo
Cantad, gilguerillos, 2 treble voices, continuo
Clarines suaves, 2 treble voices, continuo
Jesús, Jesús, y lo que subes (1743), 2 treble voices, continuo
Hoy que en las sacras aras, 2 voices, continuo
Oh admirable sacramento, 2 voices, continuo
Vagelillo que al viento, 2 voices, 2 violins, continuo
Ay niña bella, 2 voices, continuo
Joseph Antonio, tus dos nombres, 2 voices, continuo
Oigan los triunfos de Domingo Santo, 2 voices, continuo
Qué bien, chorus, continuo
Ay Jesús, chorus, continuo
A el pan de los cielos den adoraciones, chorus, continuo
Lucid fragante rosa, chorus, continuo (1741)
Un hombre Dios, 4 voices, continuo
Luz a luz, y gracia a gracia
El baratillo (1758)
Liturgical works on Latin texts
Cor mundum, voice, two violins, continuo
Liberame, voice, two violins, continuo
Auditi meo, two choirs, continuo
Ne recorderis, chorus, continuo
Iod manum suam, solo voice, continuo
Parce mihi Domine,, two choirs, continuo
Laudate pueri Dominum, SATB chorus, 2 violins, continuo
Sanctus Deus (1760), chorus, continuo
Bibliography:
Lemmon, A. E., (n.d.). Manuel José de Quiros. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Retrieved October 15, 2010 from: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/41253
Hernando Franco(1532-85)
21 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
Spanish composer who served as choirboy in Segovia Cathedral and was employed by the Cathedral by the age of fourteen because of the high quality musicianship. Geronimo de Espinar was just one of his teachers. In all, Franco was at Segovia from 1542–1549. In 1573, Franco’s name appears in the records of Guatemala Cathedral where he is listed as maestro de capilla. This appointment was short because in 1574, Franco was appointed maestro de capilla of the Cathedral in Mexico City. Under Franco’s lead, the Cathedral music flourished earning the Cathedral generous financial support. Amidst this new financial fortitude, construction to a new cathedral was begun in 1573. In 1582, however, the financial security that the cathedral had seen disappeared leading to the resignation of Franco and the subsequent loss of the singers and instrumentalists. They later returned after pressures from musicians and the public. In 1584, Franco stopped teaching then died a year later in 1585.
His successor, Juan Hernández admired Franco so much that he commissioned a choirbook copy of Franco’s 16 Magnificat settings which has come to be known as the ‘Franco Codex’. Mexico City Cathedral archive.
Segovia Cathedral, Spain Franco served as choirboy in Segovia Cathedral and was employed by the Cathedral by the age of fourteen because of the high quality musicianship
Discography:
“Magnificent setting and lamentations: 14 Magnificat (on 6 of the 8 tones; 2 settings on 3rd tone lost), 3, 4, 6vv, Tepotzótlan, Viceregal Museum; ed. in Barwick (1965) Lamentations, 4vv, Mexico City, Cathedral Archive; ed. in Stanford (1965)”
“Motets: Asperges me, 4vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive Benedicamus Domino, 5vv, GCA-Gc Credidi [6th tone], 4vv, GCA-Gc Dixit Dominus [4th tone], 4vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive Dixit Dominus [5th tone], 4vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive Domine, ne in furore, 4vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive; ed. in Barwick (1949), Stevenson (1952), 108 Exaudivit Dominus, 4vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive; ed. in Barwick (1949) Lumen ad revelationem gentium, 5vv, GCA-Gc; Guatemala City, Jacaltenango Archive Memento mei Deus, 4vv, ed. in Tesóro de la música polifónica en México, i (Mexico City, 1952), Barwick (1949) Miserere mei Deus, 4vv, US-Cn; ed. in Barwick (1970) Monstra te esse matrem, 4vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive Parce mihi, 4vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive; ed. in Barwick (1949) Pater in manus tuas, 3, 4vv, Mexico City, Cathedral Archive Peccantem me quotidie, 4vv, ed. in Tesóro de la música polifónica en México, i (Mexico City, 1952), Barwick (1949) Qui Lazarum, 4vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive, US-Cn; ed. in Barwick (1949) Quoniam non est, 4vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive Regem cui, 4vv, inc., Puebla, Cathedral Archive Requiescat in pace, 4vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive Salve regina, 4vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive Salve regina ‘contra altos’, 4vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive Salve regina, 4vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive, formerly attrib. Pedro Bermúdez, ed. Stevenson (1982–3), 45–50 Salve regina, 5vv, Puebla, Cathedral Archive”
Bibliography:
Catalyne, A. R., and Brill, M. (n.d.). Hernando Franco. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Retrieved October 15, 2010 from: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/10132
Gaspar Fernandes (1566-1629)
21 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
Gaspar Fernandes was a composer and organist of Portuguese decent who settled in Central America. In 1590 he worked at Évora Cathedral as a singer and organist. According to records from that time, he served as organist of Antigua Cathedral beginning in 1599 and was quickly made maestro de capilla. Fernandes left Guatemala in 1606 and was made maestro de capilla of Puebla Cathedral where he also taught and served as organist. He chose to stop teaching in 1608, but was put in charge of teaching again in 1616. He was dismissed from the cathedral in 1618 for providing unauthorized music during funerals but was reinstated after just a month.
In 1621, after the chapter had determined that the musical discipline had deteriorated, they brought on Juan Gutierrez de Padilla to assist Fernandes and the two men worked together until 1628. The Oaxaca Cathedral now houses the largest surviving collection of Fernandes works consisting mostly of chanzonetas and villancicos which he had composed for Puebla Cathedral between 1609 and 1620. “His Elegit eum Dominus is the earliest known Latin secular work by a New World composer; it celebrated the entry of the 13th Mexican viceroy into Puebla in 1612” (Stevenson, 2010).
Oaxaca Cathedral The Oaxaca Cathedral now houses the largest surviving collection of Fernandes works consisting mostly of chanzonetas and villancicos which he had composed for Puebla Cathedral between 1609 and 1620
Discography:
“2 masses, 3, 5vv (inc.); Magnificat, 4vv; 8 Benedicamus Domino, 4vv; hymn: Guatemala City Cathedral; Oaxaca Cathedral, Mexico (autograph) Over 250 festal chanzonetas and villancicos (Sp., Port., Tlaxcalan, Negro-dialect texts), org tientos, Lat. secular work, 5vv, 1612, Oaxaca Cathedral, Mexico (autograph); 1 guineo ed. in Stevenson (1968); 1 Lat., 11 vernacular works” ed. R. Stevenson, Latin American Colonial Music Anthology (Washington DC, 1975
Bibliography:
Stevenson, R. Gaspar Fernandes. (n.d.). Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Retrieved October 14, 2010 from: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/09491
Évora Cathedral Gaspar Fernandes worked in the Évora Cathedral as a singer and organist in 1590.
Ricardo Castillo (1891-1966)
21 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
Ricardo Castillo was the younger brother of Jesus Castillo. He studied the violin and composition in Paris, where he published his first works. In 1918 he and pianist Georgette Contoux married, and in 1922, they moved to Guatemala. He immediately began teaching music history, composition, and orchestration at the National Conservatory in Guatemala City and continued until 1960. Along with his brother, Jesus Castillo, he energized Guatemalan musical nationalism. Like his brother, Jesus, his works are tied closely with Guatemalan folk music. He also found inspiration in the Mayan culture and European Impressionism and neo-classicism. His works which include several piano works, two ballets, Estelas de Tikal and Paal Kaba, and ten orchestral works, are heavily laden with indigenous Guatemalan cultures.
Discography: [Principal publisher: Eschig]
“Stage: Ixquic (incid music, C.G. Cerna), 1945; Cuculcán (incid music, M.A. Asturias), 1947; Quiché achí (incid music, C.G. Cerna), 1947; Estelas de Tikal (ballet), 1948; Paal Kaba (ballet), 1951 Orch: Homenaje a Ravel, 1920; Guatemala, sym. movts, 1934; La procesión, 1935; La doncella ixquic, 1937; Xibalbá, 1944; Sinfonietta, 1945; Trópico, 1948; Cortejo nupcial, ov., 1952; Instantáneas plásticas, 1963; Abstracción, 1965 Chbr: Invocación, ww, tpt, str, 1944; Contrastes, ww qt, 1946; Homenaje a Ravel, vn, pf, 1954 Pf: Guatemala, 1926–34; 3 nocturnos, 1940–42; 8 preludios, 1950; Preludio, danza y nocturno, 1952” (Lehnhoff, 2010).
Bibliography:
Lehnhoff, D. (n.d.). Ricardo Castillo. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Retrieved October 14, 2010 from http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/05141
Jesús Castillo (1877-1946)
19 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
Jesus Castillo was a composer and ethnomusicologist. He studied piano under Miguel Espinoza and composition under Rafael Guzman in Quetzaltenango. Along with his brother, Ricardo Castillo, he focused in musical nationalism, and derived much of his inspiration from Guatemalan indigenous and folk music. Among these folk based compositions was, the Cinco oberturas indígenas (1897). He also taught music from about 1899 to 1929, while he collected folk music. These collections of folk music influenced his own compositions which featured indigenous melodies and rhythms. This is especially evident in his opera Quiché Vinak (1917–25). He published a book, La música maya-quiché: región de Guatemala (Quetzaltenango, 1941) based on his research in folk and indigenous music of Guatemala. . His works made up a significant part of the music collections being used by marimba bands, Guatemala’s national instrument, of Quetzaltenango.
Marimba, national instrument of Guatemala
Discography:
“Stage: Quiché Vinak (op), 1917–25, parts perf., Guatemala City, Abril, 1924; Nicté (op), 1933, unfinished; Guatemala (ballet); Rabinal Achí (ballet) Orch: 5 oberturas indígenas, 1897–1910; Tecún Umán, sym. poem, 1936; Vartizanic, sym. poem, 1941; Danza del ocaso; Guatemala, sym. poem; Minuet maya; Oda a la liberación de Guatemala; Ov., G; Preludio melodramático; Procesión hierática; El Quetzal, ov.; Las telas mágicas Pf: 25 compositions” (Lehnhoff, 2010).
Bibliography:
Lehnhoff, D. (n.d.). Jesus Castillo. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Retrieved October 14, 2010, from http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/41252
Rafael Antonio Castellanos (1725-1791)
19 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
Antigua Cathedral Rafael Antonio Castellanos trained under his uncle Manuel José de Quirós, who served as maestro de capilla of Antigua Cathedral
Rafael Antonio Castellanos trained under his uncle Manuel José de Quirós, who served as maestro de capilla of Antigua Cathedral from 1745-1765. One of his first compositions on the Second Lamentation of Jeremiah in 1740, was a voive and basso continuo that reflected his creative skills in baroque writing. In 1745, he served as first violin in the orchestra at Antigua Cathedral and occasionally played the harp. He composed several works in his baroque style along with his uncle to be used in liturgy and became the successor to maestro de capilla upon his uncle’s death. He conferred with Ignacio Jerusalem in the development and maintenance of the cathedral music. He taught at the Colegio de Seises and mentored several successful musicians including Manuel Silvestre Pellegeros and Pedro Nolasco Estrada Aristondo, who would later become his successor as chapelmaster.
In 1773, a massive earthquake eventually lead to the relocation of Antigua, previously named City of Santiago de Guatemala to where it is today. It became known as Antigua in 1775. In 1779 Castellanos arrived with his musicians and clergy to the new site of Antigua after being driven out of the original site.
Earthquake of 1773
Discography:
Among his 180 works, 10 were liturgical in Latin. Most of his remaining works were villancicos centering around special occasions or religious observances like the building of a new Cathedral or Christmas. These villancicos were primarily for one to eight voices with strings and continuo and included woodwinds and brass instruments. He pulled form Spanish, Italian, Indian, African, and Afro-Carribean styles in his works.
Bibliography:
Lemmon, A. (n.d.). Rafael Antonio Castellanos. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Retrieved October 14, 2010, from http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/41252
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Rafael Antonio Castellanos. Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 14, 2010 from http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/6987170
Pedro Bermúdez (1558-1605)
19 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
Granada Cathedral
He applied unsuccessfully for maestro positions in Málaga in February 1586 and Granada Cathedral in April 1592. He ultimately served as half chaplain at Capilla Real where he remained until he left for the New World around 1595. In 1597, he became maestro de capilla at Cuzco which he served until about 1598 when he became maestro de capilla at Guatemala City Cathedral; here, he remained until about 1603 when he left for Puebla. As chapel master, he composed a vast collections of church music which are still used today. He has been admired for his tremendous polyphony skills (combining several different melodies into one intricate melody).
“All but one of Bermúdez’s extant works are preserved in the choirbooks at Guatemala City Cathedral. The exception, Domine ad adiuvandum me, appears in the Puebla Libros de coro, which books also contain concordances to seven of the Guatemala works. All the works are liturgical and, except for the parody Misa de Bomba, based on the ensalada La Bomba by Mateo Flecha the Elder, they incorporate the monophonic music to which their texts were traditionally sung. Although not a composer of the stature of Guerrero or Victoria, Bermúdez was a well-trained craftsman capable of providing competently written polyphonic settings for liturgical use in New World churches” (Snow, 2010).
Discography:
“Masses: Misa de Bomba; Misa de feria, 4vv, N; Misa de feria, 5vv, N
Passions: Passio secundum Matthaeum, N; Passio secundum Lucam, N; Passio secundum Joannem, N
Hymns: Aurea luce; Christe redemptor omnium; Defensor alme; Hostis Herodes [2 settings]; Iste confessor [2 settings]; Jesu nostra redemptio [2 settings]; Lauda mater; Pange lingua; Veni creator
Antiphons: Christus natus est, 4vv; Christus natus est, 8vv; Lumen ad revelationem, 4vv; Lumen ad revelationem, 5vv; Salve regina, 4vv, N; Salve regina, 4vv, N; Salve regina, 5vv, N; Salve regina, 6vv, N; Salve regina, ed. Stevenson (1982–3), 45–50, formerly attrib. Bermúdez, actually by Hernandeo Franco
Other works: Cum invocarem, N; Qui habitavit, N; In manus tua, N; Nunc dimittis, N; Domine ad adiuvandum me; Lamentations of Jeremiah (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday), N; Miserere mei, N; O gloriosa Domina; Vidi aquam” (Snow, 2010).
Bibliography:
Snow, R. (n.d.). Pedro Bermudez. Oxford Music Online. Retrieved October 14, 2010 from http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezproxy.lib.umb.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/02833?q=pedro+bermudez&search=quick&pos=1&_start=1#firsthit
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Pedro Bermudez. Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 14, 2010 from http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/7009732
