Fernando Remacha facts for kids
Fernando Remacha Villar (born December 15, 1898 – died February 21, 1984) was a Spanish composer. He was part of a special group of musicians called the Group of Eight. This group was also connected to the Generation of '27, a famous group of Spanish artists and writers.
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Early Life and Musical Journey
Fernando Remacha was born in Tudela, Navarre, Spain. When he was nine, he started learning the violin. His first teacher was Joaquin Castellano, who led the choir at Tudela Cathedral.
In 1911, Fernando moved to Madrid. He planned to study to become an accountant. But he also kept up his music lessons. He took classes at the Madrid Conservatory. He quickly passed his first three music theory courses. He also had private violin lessons. His aunt, Isabel Soriano, encouraged him to study harmony after finishing his violin lessons.
This is how he met Conrado del Campo, his new teacher. In his classes, Fernando became friends with Salvador Bacarisse and Julian Bautista. These three musicians formed the first part of the "Grupo de Madrid."
Playing Music and Early Compositions
While studying in Madrid, Fernando also played in an orchestra. This orchestra performed at the Teatro Apolo. Playing there helped him earn money.
He started writing his own music during these years. Even his early works showed great talent. Some of these pieces include:
- The ballet "La Maja Vestida" (1919)
- The symphonic poem "Alba" (1922)
- "Tres Piezas para Piano" (Three Pieces for Piano) (1923)
In 1923, Fernando finished his composition studies. He then won the famous Premio de Roma (Rome Prize). This prize was for a cantata (a vocal piece), a motet (a choral piece), and an instrumental fugue.
Studying in Rome
Winning the Rome Prize allowed Fernando to travel to Rome. There, he studied with Gian Francesco Malipiero. He learned a lot about old masters like Monteverdi and Vivaldi. This helped him understand older music styles. He later used these ideas in his own modern compositions.
The prize meant four years of study in Rome. Fernando lived at the Accademia di San Pietro in Montorio. He lived with other talented young artists from Spain. These included an architect named Fernando Garcia Mercadal. He later designed the Pablo Sarasate Conservatory in Pamplona.
While in Rome, Fernando had to create new musical works each year. These works were judged by a group in Madrid. Some pieces from this time include:
- "Quam Pulchri Sunt" (1925), a motet for choir and orchestra
- "Sinfonia a tres Tiempos" (Symphony in Three Tempos) (1925)
- "Homenaje a Gongora" (Homage to Gongora) (1927)
The "Homenaje a Gongora" showed his connection to the ideas of the Generation of '27.
Return to Spain and Film Music
Fernando finished his time in Rome in 1927. In 1928, he won a spot as a violist in the Symphonic Orchestra of Arbos. He also played the viola in a small orchestra for Union Radio. His old teacher and friend, Conrado del Campo, played there too.
Fernando also worked in the film industry. He helped a company called Filmofono. At first, he synchronized records for silent films. Later, he became a manager and expert in film music. He wrote music for four Spanish films:
- Don Quintin el amargao (1935)
- La hija de Juan Simon (1935)
- ¿Quien me quiere a mi? (1936)
- Centinela alerta (1936)
He even worked with the famous director Luis Buñuel on some of these films.
The Group of Eight and Awards
The year 1930 was important for Fernando's career. The "Grupo de Madrid" (Group of Eight) was officially presented. This group included Fernando, Salvador Bacarisse, Julian Bautista, Gustavo Pittaluga, Juan José Mantecón, Rosa García Ascot, and the brothers Rodolfo and Ernesto Halffter. Their music became well-known during the time of the Spanish Republic.
Fernando won his first Premio Nacional de Música (National Music Prize) in 1933. This was for his "Quartet for Violin, Viola, Cello and Piano." In 1938, during the Spanish Civil War, he won his second National Music Prize. This was for his "String Quartet," which he composed in 1924.
The Civil War ended with Fernando and his wife in Barcelona. They had to seek safety across the French border. Fernando decided to return to Tudela. He had not been involved in politics or the army, so he felt it was safe.
Later Years and New Beginnings
Returning to Tudela greatly shaped Fernando's life. After the war, he became a very humble and modest person. In Tudela, he took over his family's hardware shop. This was a difficult time for him as a musician. He faced a "cultural silence" and had to start his life over.
Return to Music and Teaching
In 1947, he won a contest with his work "Cartel de Fiestas" ("Festival Poster"). This helped him become known again in Pamplona. In 1951, the Pamplona City Council asked him to compose "Visperas de San Fermin" ("On the Eve of San Fermin"). When this piece was performed in Madrid in 1952, Spanish music critics noticed him again. After this, he composed various works, like:
- "Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra" (1956)
- "Rapsodia de Estella" ("Rhapsody of Estella") (1958)
In 1957, Fernando moved to Pamplona. He started working at the Pablo Sarasate Conservatory. Under his leadership, the conservatory became very important in the Spanish music world. In 1963, he composed the cantata "Jesucristo en la Cruz" ("Christ on the Cross"). This work won him the Tormo de Oro Prize.
Later Life and Recognition
Fernando began to suffer from Parkinson's disease in the 1960s. By the time he retired in 1975, he was quite ill. Despite his illness, he received more honors:
- In 1980, he won the Premio Nacional de Música for the third time.
- In 1981, he received the Pablo Iglesias Prize.
The Institucion Principe de Viana also organized the Remacha Memorial. They held three concerts to share his music with more people. It seemed that in his final years, the music world wanted to make up for the silence he experienced after the war.
Fernando was always open to new musical ideas, even if he didn't always agree with them. This earned him the respect of many modern Spanish composers.
Fernando Remacha died on February 21, 1984. A special funeral was held for him in Tudela, where he was buried.
Fernando Remacha's Music
Fernando Remacha's life story shows how circumstances can affect a composer's career. The Spanish Civil War stopped his musical progress. After the war, he faced an "interior exile." This, along with Spain's isolation, changed his musical style. From 1957, his work as director of the Pablo Sarasate Conservatory also limited his time for composing. He focused mostly on teaching. As his Parkinson's disease worsened, he composed very little music in the 1970s.
Musical Style and Works
Fernando's return to music happened through teaching and writing for choirs. He also wrote music for piano. Before the war, he hadn't focused much on these types of music. But they became very important later.
Some of his piano works were inspired by the composer Bach. An example is "Prelude and Fugue in D minor" (1945). Other works were written for specific reasons. For example, the "Piano Sonatina" (1945) is a calmer piece. It was meant to be played by his friend Ricardo Urgoiti's daughter.
Sometimes, he wrote music for contests or special requests. This led to some regional themes in his work. He tried to blend these themes with his own unique style. Pieces like "Cartel de Fiestas" (1946) and "Rapsodia de Estella" (1958) show this. He also composed a lot of choral music, both original pieces and arrangements.
When he composed without any outside pressure, Fernando kept his connection to his pre-war style. He also developed a very unique, expressive vision. His music always had a strong emotional feeling. But it came from deep thought, not just sudden emotion. His music showed an original personal style.
Fernando himself mentioned his small collection of works when he received his third National Music Prize in 1980. He said, "For reasons beyond my control, I am a musician without music. For years I could hardly compose anything at all and later, on devoting myself to the Conservatory, I found myself in the same situation." He didn't always keep his scores carefully. This showed his disappointment with composing later in his life.
See also
In Spanish: Fernando Remacha para niños
