In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Lecuona and the second or maternal family name is Casado.
Ernesto Lecuona y Casado (Spanish pronunciation:[eɾˈnestoleˈkwona]; August 7, 1896[1] – November 29, 1963)[2] was a Cuban composer and pianist, many of whose works have become standards of the Latin, jazz and classical repertoires. His over 600 compositions include songs and zarzuelas as well as pieces for piano and symphonic orchestra.[3][4]
Ernesto Lecuona circa 1935
In the 1930s, he helped establish a popular band, the Lecuona Cuban Boys, which showcased some of his most successful pieces and was later taken over by Armando Oréfiche. In the 1950s, Lecuona recorded several LPs, including solo piano albums for RCA Victor. He moved to the United States after the 1959 Cuban Revolution, and died in Spain in 1963.
Lecuona was born in Guanabacoa, Havana, Cuba, Kingdom of Spain,[5] to a Cuban mother and a Canarian father. There are inconsistencies surrounding his birthdate, with some sources indicating the year 1895, and others still giving the day as August 6. He started studying piano at the age of five,[1] taught by his sister Ernestina Lecuona, a famed composer in her own right. As a child prodigy, he composed his first song at the age of 11.[6] He later studied at the Peyrellade Conservatoire under Antonio Saavedra and Joaquín Nin. Lecuona graduated from the National Conservatory of Havana with a gold medal for interpretation when he was 15 years old.[5] He performed outside of Cuba at the Aeolian Hall (New York) in 1916.[5]
In 1918, he collaborated with Luis Casas Romero, Moisés Simons, Jaime Prats, Nilo Menéndez and Vicente Lanz in setting up a successful player piano music roll factory in Cuba producing Cuban music and also copies from masters made by QRS in the US. The brand label was "Rollo Autógrafo".
He first traveled to Spain in 1924 on a concert tour with violinist Marta de la Torre; his successful piano recitals in 1927 and 1928 at the Salle Pleyel in Paris coincided with a rise in interest in Cuban music.[5] His popularity brought him to concert halls in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and Lima in South America, as well as Paris, Nice, Barcelona, Madrid, and London in Europe, followed by more engagements in New York.[1]
María la O, Lecuona's zarzuela, premiered in Havana on March 1, 1930. He was a prolific composer of songs and music for stage and film.[5] He scored some of the film music for The Cuban Love Song, Always in My Heart, and One More Tomorrow.[7] The entire musical score of the film Carnival in Costa Rica was penned by Lecuona.[1] His works consisted of zarzuela, Afro-Cuban and Cuban rhythms, suites and many songs which are still famous. They include "Siboney" ("Canto Siboney"), "Malagueña" and "The Breeze And I" ("Andalucía"). In 1942, his hit, "Always in my Heart" ("Siempre en mi Corazón") was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song; however, it lost to "White Christmas". Lecuona was a master of the symphonic form and conducted the Ernesto Lecuona Symphonic Orchestra, employing soloists including Cuban pianist and composer Carmelina Delfín. The Orchestra performed in the Cuban Liberation Day Concert at Carnegie Hall on October 10, 1943. The concert included the world premiere of Lecuona's Black Rhapsody. Lecuona gave help and the use of his name to the popular touring group, the Lecuona Cuban Boys, though he did not play as a member of the band. He did sometimes play piano solos as the first item on the bill.
In 1960, unhappy with Castro's new régime, Lecuona moved to Tampa, Florida and lived on West Orient Street in West Tampa with his relative, singer Esperanza Chediak. Lecuona lived his final years in the US. While traveling in the Canary Islands he died of a heart attack on November 29, 1963, in the town of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where he had gone to recuperate from a lung ailment.[2] He was interred at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York, but his will instructed that his remains be repatriated after the Cuban régime changes. A great deal of Lecuona's music was first introduced to mass American audiences by Desi Arnaz, a fellow Cuban and Lucille Ball's spouse.
Lecuona's talent for composition has influenced the Latin American world in a way quite similar to George Gershwin in the United States, in his case raising Cuban music to classical status.
Ernesto and Ernestina's cousin Margarita Lecuona was another accomplished musician and composer. She was the author of the song "Babalú", made popular in the Latin American world by Miguelito Valdés, and in the United States by Desi Arnaz.
^ abcdMarks, Edward (1928). "Malaguena - Piano Solo (Foreword)". Edward B. Marks Music Co. 9677–7.
^ ab"Cuban Composer Is Dead At 68". Times-Leader. Wilkes-Barre, PA. December 2, 1963.
^Orovio, Helio (2004). Cuban music from A to Z. Revised by Sue Steward. ISBN0-8223-3186-1 A biographical dictionary of Cuban music, artists, composers, groups and terms. Duke University, Durham NC; Tumi, Bath.
^Díaz Ayala, Cristóbal (1981). Música cubana del Areyto a la Nueva Trova. 2nd rev ed, San Juan P.R.: Cubanacan, p. 135 et seq.
^Brian Dyde, Caribbean Companion: The A-Z Reference, Macmillan, 1992, p. 98
^Bradley, Arthur (2009). A Language of Emotion: What Music Does and How It Works. Bradley erroneously calls the 1931 MGM film The Cuban Love Song "Under Cuban Skies" (which was the tagline in advertisements for the film). AuthorHouse. p. 192. ISBN978-1467056229.
External linksEdit
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Villaverde, Christina, (2011). Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations. Paper 5249.
ernesto, lecuona, ernesto, older, sister, ernestina, lecuona, this, spanish, name, first, paternal, surname, lecuona, second, maternal, family, name, casado, casado, spanish, pronunciation, eɾˈnesto, leˈkwona, august, 1896, november, 1963, cuban, composer, pia. For Ernesto s older sister see Ernestina Lecuona In this Spanish name the first or paternal surname is Lecuona and the second or maternal family name is Casado Ernesto Lecuona y Casado Spanish pronunciation eɾˈnesto leˈkwona August 7 1896 1 November 29 1963 2 was a Cuban composer and pianist many of whose works have become standards of the Latin jazz and classical repertoires His over 600 compositions include songs and zarzuelas as well as pieces for piano and symphonic orchestra 3 4 Ernesto Lecuonacirca 1935In the 1930s he helped establish a popular band the Lecuona Cuban Boys which showcased some of his most successful pieces and was later taken over by Armando Orefiche In the 1950s Lecuona recorded several LPs including solo piano albums for RCA Victor He moved to the United States after the 1959 Cuban Revolution and died in Spain in 1963 Contents 1 Early years 2 Rise to fame 3 Final years and legacy 4 Selected compositions 4 1 For piano 4 2 Waltz 4 3 Others 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksEarly years EditLecuona was born in Guanabacoa Havana Cuba Kingdom of Spain 5 to a Cuban mother and a Canarian father There are inconsistencies surrounding his birthdate with some sources indicating the year 1895 and others still giving the day as August 6 He started studying piano at the age of five 1 taught by his sister Ernestina Lecuona a famed composer in her own right As a child prodigy he composed his first song at the age of 11 6 He later studied at the Peyrellade Conservatoire under Antonio Saavedra and Joaquin Nin Lecuona graduated from the National Conservatory of Havana with a gold medal for interpretation when he was 15 years old 5 He performed outside of Cuba at the Aeolian Hall New York in 1916 5 In 1918 he collaborated with Luis Casas Romero Moises Simons Jaime Prats Nilo Menendez and Vicente Lanz in setting up a successful player piano music roll factory in Cuba producing Cuban music and also copies from masters made by QRS in the US The brand label was Rollo Autografo Rise to fame Edit nbsp Ernesto Lecuona dedicated to Gonzalo RoigHe first traveled to Spain in 1924 on a concert tour with violinist Marta de la Torre his successful piano recitals in 1927 and 1928 at the Salle Pleyel in Paris coincided with a rise in interest in Cuban music 5 His popularity brought him to concert halls in Buenos Aires Rio de Janeiro and Lima in South America as well as Paris Nice Barcelona Madrid and London in Europe followed by more engagements in New York 1 Maria la O Lecuona s zarzuela premiered in Havana on March 1 1930 He was a prolific composer of songs and music for stage and film 5 He scored some of the film music for The Cuban Love Song Always in My Heart and One More Tomorrow 7 The entire musical score of the film Carnival in Costa Rica was penned by Lecuona 1 His works consisted of zarzuela Afro Cuban and Cuban rhythms suites and many songs which are still famous They include Siboney Canto Siboney Malaguena and The Breeze And I Andalucia In 1942 his hit Always in my Heart Siempre en mi Corazon was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song however it lost to White Christmas Lecuona was a master of the symphonic form and conducted the Ernesto Lecuona Symphonic Orchestra employing soloists including Cuban pianist and composer Carmelina Delfin The Orchestra performed in the Cuban Liberation Day Concert at Carnegie Hall on October 10 1943 The concert included the world premiere of Lecuona s Black Rhapsody Lecuona gave help and the use of his name to the popular touring group the Lecuona Cuban Boys though he did not play as a member of the band He did sometimes play piano solos as the first item on the bill Final years and legacy Edit nbsp The grave of Ernesto Lecuona in Gate of Heaven CemeteryIn 1960 unhappy with Castro s new regime Lecuona moved to Tampa Florida and lived on West Orient Street in West Tampa with his relative singer Esperanza Chediak Lecuona lived his final years in the US While traveling in the Canary Islands he died of a heart attack on November 29 1963 in the town of Santa Cruz de Tenerife where he had gone to recuperate from a lung ailment 2 He was interred at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne New York but his will instructed that his remains be repatriated after the Cuban regime changes A great deal of Lecuona s music was first introduced to mass American audiences by Desi Arnaz a fellow Cuban and Lucille Ball s spouse Lecuona s talent for composition has influenced the Latin American world in a way quite similar to George Gershwin in the United States in his case raising Cuban music to classical status Ernesto and Ernestina s cousin Margarita Lecuona was another accomplished musician and composer She was the author of the song Babalu made popular in the Latin American world by Miguelito Valdes and in the United States by Desi Arnaz Selected compositions EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed September 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message For piano Edit Ante El Escorial Aragon Aragonesa San Francisco El Grande Siboney Suite Andalucia Cordoba Andalucia Alhambra Gitanerias Guadalquivir Malaguena Valencia Mora Zambra GitanaWaltz Edit Apasionado Crisantemo La bemol Maravilloso Poetico Romantico Si menor Rococo Vals AzulOthers Edit Afro Cuban suite Ahi viene el chino Al fin te vi Amorosa Andar Aqui esta Arabesque Bell Flower Benilde Burlesca Canto del guajiro Cajita de musica Como arrullo de palmas Como baila el muneco Dame tu amor Danza de los Nanigos Danza Lucumi Diario de un nino Ella y yo Echate pa lla Maria El batey El mirinaque El sombrero de yarey El tanguito de Mama tambien llamada A la Antigua En tres por cuatro Eres tu el amor Futurista Gonzalo no bailes mas Impromptu Jungle Drums La 32 La primera en la frente La Comparsa La conga de medianoche La habanera La danza interrumpida La mulata La negra Lucumi La Cardenense Los Minstrels Lola Cruz Lola esta de fiesta Lloraba en suenos Mazurka en glissando Melancolia Mientras yo comia maullaba el gato Mis tristezas Maria la O Muneca de Cristal Munequita Negra Merce Negrita No hables mas No me olvides No puedo contigo Noche Azul Orquideas Pensaba en ti Polichinela Por que te vas Preludio en la noche Que risa me da Mi abuela bailaba asi Rapsodia Negra Rosa la china Tu seras Tres miniaturas Y la negra bailaba Y sigue la lloviznita Yo soy asi Yumuri Zapateo y guajira ZenaidaSee also Edit nbsp Cuba portalList of Cubans Rafael A Lecuona Marcos MadrigalReferences Edit a b c d Marks Edward 1928 Malaguena Piano Solo Foreword Edward B Marks Music Co 9677 7 a b Cuban Composer Is Dead At 68 Times Leader Wilkes Barre PA December 2 1963 Orovio Helio 2004 Cuban music from A to Z Revised by Sue Steward ISBN 0 8223 3186 1 A biographical dictionary of Cuban music artists composers groups and terms Duke University Durham NC Tumi Bath Diaz Ayala Cristobal 1981 Musica cubana del Areyto a la Nueva Trova 2nd rev ed San Juan P R Cubanacan p 135 et seq a b c d e Colin Larkin ed 1992 The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music First ed Guinness Publishing p 1446 7 ISBN 0 85112 939 0 Brian Dyde Caribbean Companion The A Z Reference Macmillan 1992 p 98 Bradley Arthur 2009 A Language of Emotion What Music Does and How It Works Bradley erroneously calls the 1931 MGM film The Cuban Love Song Under Cuban Skies which was the tagline in advertisements for the film AuthorHouse p 192 ISBN 978 1467056229 External links EditSongwriters Hall of Fame Piano Rolls The Reproducing Piano Roll Foundation Villaverde Christina Cinco Canciones con Versos de Juana de Ibarbourou The Art Song Style Of Ernesto Lecuona 2011 Electronic Theses Treatises and Dissertations Paper 5249 Ernesto Lecuona recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ernesto Lecuona amp oldid 1176978501, wikipedia, wiki, 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