Antonio Rodríguez de Hita facts for kids

Antonio Rodríguez de Hita (born January 18, 1722 – died February 21, 1787) was an important Spanish composer. He lived during the 1700s and helped shape Spanish music, especially a type of musical play called zarzuela.

The Life of a Composer

Antonio Rodríguez de Hita was born in a town called Valverde de Alcalá, Spain. From a young age, he showed a talent for music.

Early Life and Training

His father, Marcos Rodríguez del Mercado, was a schoolteacher. He made sure Antonio studied at the college of the Cathedral of Alcalá de Henares. There, Antonio learned many important things. He studied Latin, music theory, and how to sing plainchant (a type of old church music). He also learned to play the organ and compose music.

In 1738, when he was just 16, Antonio became the second organist at the cathedral. Soon after, he became the maestro de capilla. This means he was the main music director and choirmaster. Later, he became a priest. His first known musical works were for Vespers, a church service, written in 1740.

Moving to Palencia and Madrid

In 1744, Rodríguez de Hita became the maestro de capilla at Palencia Cathedral. He stayed there for many years. In 1747, he became a priest. While in Palencia, he wrote a book called Diapasón instructivo in 1757. In this book, he supported newer French and Italian music styles. These styles used more harmonies and melodies working together, rather than the older Spanish style.

In 1765, Rodríguez de Hita moved to Madrid. He became the maestro de capilla at the Royal Convent of La Encarnación. By this time, he had already written about 250 sacred (religious) music pieces.

Working in Theater

Just three years after moving to Madrid, he started writing music for the theater. He worked with a famous writer named Ramón de la Cruz. Together, they helped create the Spanish zarzuela style. A zarzuela is a type of musical play that mixes singing and spoken parts.

Their first zarzuela was Briseida in 1768. It was a heroic story and a big success. After that, they created the comedy Las segadoras de Vallecas. The next year, 1769, they made another comedy called Las labradoras de Murcia.

Rodríguez de Hita tried another heroic zarzuela called Scipión en Cartagena. But this one was not as popular. After this, he focused more on writing sacred music again.

Later Life and Ideas

In 1777, Rodríguez de Hita was a respected figure in society. He wrote a report about music in Spain. He asked for a special Academy of Music to be created. He wanted this academy to help develop a unique Spanish music style. Interestingly, his idea of a "Spanish style" included many elements from French and Italian music.

He taught music to the poet and musician Tomás de Iriarte. Antonio Rodríguez de Hita passed away in Madrid in 1787.

Musical Works

Rodríguez de Hita wrote many different kinds of music.

Musical Treatises

• Diapasón instructivo (1757) – This was a book he wrote about music.

Sacred Music

This is music written for church services or religious themes.

• Vísperas a 2 coros (1740)
• Canciones instrumentales (1751)
• Completas (1751)
• Psalms for 8 voices: Credidi (1756) and Laudate Dominum (1759)
• Mass: Exsultavit ut gigas (1758)
• Villancicos (a type of Spanish song, often religious): Venid, escuchad, prestad atención (1746), Ha de este trono (1757), Esferas, qué es esto (1763), Alegres las campanas (1764), Venid al portal (1776), Oye, pues, divino amor (1776), Para quién es, gitanillas, el panderillo (1780), En fieros huracanes (1770), Alto alorbe (1777), Dadme consuelo (1775), and Oh Admirable (1780)
• Masses: O gloriosa virginum (1771), Pange lingua (1772), Jesu corona virginum (1774), Misa de difuntos (1778)

Theatrical Music

This is music written for plays and operas.

• El chasco del cortejo, a solo tonadilla (1768, Madrid, Teatro del Príncipe)
• Briseida (written with Ramón de la Cruz), a heroic zarzuela, 2 acts (1768, Madrid, Teatro del Príncipe)
• Las segadoras de Vallecas (written with Ramón de la Cruz), a funny zarzuela (1768, Madrid, Teatro del Príncipe)
• Las labradoras de Murcia (written with Ramón de la Cruz), a funny zarzuela, 2 acts (1769, Madrid, Teatro del Príncipe)
• Hormesinda (written with Nicolás Fernández de Moratín), a tragedy, 5 acts (1770, Madrid, Teatro del Príncipe)
• Scipión en Cartagena (written with Agustín Cordero), a heroic zarzuela, 2 acts (1770, Madrid, Teatro del Príncipe)
• El loco, vano y valiente, a zarzuela, 2 acts (1771, Madrid, Teatro del Príncipe)
• La república de las mujeres (written with Ramón de la Cruz), a sainete (a short, funny play) (1772, Madrid, Teatro del Príncipe)

Recordings

• Canciones instrumentales. La Grande Chapelle, dir. Albert Recasens (Lauda LAU005)
• Mass "O gloriosa Virginum". La Grande Chapelle, dir. Albert Recasens(Lauda LAU009)
• La Briseida, opera (extracts) Aria No. 4. Amor, sólo tu encanto. Aria No. 13. Deydad que las venganzas. María Bayo, Les Talens Lyriques, Naive. on Arias de Zarzuela Barroca. (Naïve 8885).

Editions

• De pena de susto. from Las labradoras de Murcia in Spanish Theater Songs – Baroque and Classical Eras: Medium High Voice/Medium Low Voice By Carol Mikkelsen

See also

In Spanish: Antonio Rodríguez de Hita para niños