Esteban Salas y Castro facts for kids

Esteban Salas y Castro (born December 25, 1725 – died July 14, 1803) was an important Cuban composer. He wrote mostly religious music. His music focused on vocal music, which means songs for singers. His works are great examples of the late Baroque style. This was a popular music style from the 1600s to the mid-1700s. Even though he was inspired by French and Italian music, his works also had a unique Latin American feel.

Life and Work

Esteban Salas was born in Havana, Cuba, on Christmas Day in 1725. He grew up to become a talented musician.

Music Career

In 1764, Salas became a teacher. He also became the head of music at the Chapel of Music. This chapel was part of the main cathedral in Santiago de Cuba. He worked there for many years, creating beautiful music for the church.

Becoming a Priest

Besides music, Esteban Salas also studied other subjects. He learned about theology, which is the study of religious faith. He also studied canon law, which are the laws of the church. In 1790, he became a priest in Santiago de Cuba. He continued to compose music even after becoming a priest. His last known carol was written for Christmas in 1801.

Rediscovery of His Music

For a long time, much of Esteban Salas's music was forgotten. But in the 1940s, a Cuban writer named Alejo Carpentier rediscovered many of his musical scores. A score is the written version of a piece of music. Thanks to Carpentier, people became interested in Salas's works again.

Not much is known about Salas's personal life. People generally described him as having a mixed background. He had both Spanish and African heritage.

Today, the music conservatory in Santiago de Cuba is named in his honor. A conservatory is a special school for music.

See also

In Spanish: Esteban Salas para niños