Composers; Music -- 20th century -- History and criticism
In John Towers’s extraordinary compilation, “Dictionary-Catalogue of
Operas,” it is stated that Manuel Fernandez Caballero (born in 1835)
wrote sixty-two operas, and the names of them are given. He was a
pupil of Fuertes (harmony) and Eslava (composition) at the Madrid
Conservatory and later became very popular as a writer of zarzuelas. I
have already mentioned his _Gigantes y Cabezudos_ for which Echegaray
furnished the libretto. Among his other works in this form are _Los
Dineros del Sacristan_, _Los Africanistas_ (Barcelona, 1894), _El Cabo
Primero_ (Barcelona, 1895), and _La Rueda de la Fortuna_ (Madrid, 1896).
At a concert given in the New York Hippodrome, April 3, 1911, Mme.
Tetrazzini sang a Spanish song, which was referred to the next day
by the reviewers of the “New York Times” and the “New York Globe.”
To say truth the soprano made a great effect with the song, although
it was written for a low voice. It was _Carceleras_, from Ruperto
Chapí’s zarzuela _Hija del Zebedeo_. Chapí was one of the most prolific
and popular composers of Spain during the last century. He produced
countless zarzuelas and nine children. He was born at Villena March
27, 1851, and he died March 25, 1909, a few months earlier than his
compatriot Isaac Albeniz. He was admitted to the conservatory of Madrid
in 1867 as a pupil of piano and harmony. In 1869 he obtained the first
prize for harmony and he continued to obtain prizes until in 1874 he
was sent to Rome by the Academy of Fine Arts. He remained for some
time in Italy and Paris. In 1875 the Teatro Real of Madrid played his
_La Hija de Jefté_ sent from Rome. The following is an incomplete
list of his operas and zarzuelas: _Via Libra_, _Los Gendarmes_, _El
Rey que Rabio_ (3 acts), _La Verbena de la Paloma_, _El Reclamo_, _La
Tempestad_, _La Bruja_, _La Leyenda del Monje_, _Las Campanados_,
_La Czarina_, _El Milagro de la Virgen_, _Roger de Flor_ (3 acts),
_Las Naves de Cortes, Circe_ (3 acts), _A qui Base Farsa un Hombre_,
_Juan Francisco_ (3 acts, 1905; rewritten and presented in 1908 as
_Entre Rocas_), _Los Madrileños_ (1908), _La Dama Roja_ (1 act, 1908),
_Hesperia_ (1908), _Las Calderas de Pedro Bolero_ (1909) and _Margarita
la Tornera_, presented just before his death without success.
His other works include an oratorio, _Los Angeles_, a symphonic poem,
_Escenas de Capa y Espada_, a symphony in D, _Moorish Fantasy_ for
orchestra, a serenade for orchestra, a trio for piano, violin and
’cello, songs, etc. Chapí was president of the Society of Authors and
Composers, and when he died the King and Queen of Spain sent a telegram
of condolence to his widow. There is a copy of his zarzuela, _Blasones
y Talegas_ in the New York Public Library.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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