Manuel de Zumaya facts for kids
Manuel de Zumaya (around 1678 – December 21, 1755) was a very famous Mexican composer. He lived during the time when Mexico was called New Spain. His music was the best example of the Baroque style in the Americas. He was also the first person in the Western Hemisphere to write an opera in Italian. This opera was called Partenope, but sadly, it is now lost. Like the famous composer Antonio Vivaldi, Zumaya was a Roman Catholic priest his whole life.
A Composer's Life
Manuel de Zumaya was born in Mexico. In 1715, he became the chapelmaster of the Mexico City Cathedral. This was a big job, and he was one of the first Americans to get such a position. A chapelmaster was in charge of all the music for the church.
He worked there until 1738. Then, he moved to Oaxaca to follow his friend, Bishop Tomas Montaño. The Mexico City Cathedral really wanted him to stay.
Manuel de Zumaya passed away on December 21, 1755, in Oaxaca. He had lived there since 1738.
His Musical Style
Zumaya was a very talented composer. He could write music in both the older Renaissance style and the newer Baroque style.
In 1711, the new leader of New Spain, Don Fernando de Alencastre Noroña y Silva, loved Italian opera. He asked Zumaya to translate Italian opera stories and write new music for them. The story (called a libretto) for his first opera, La Parténope, still exists in the National Library of Mexico in Mexico City. However, the music itself is lost.
One of his pieces, Hieremiae Prophetae Lamentationes, uses an older style of music notation. It is similar to Gregorian chant.
In 1715, Zumaya wrote a fun and cheerful piece called Sol-fa de Pedro (Peter's Solfeggio). He wrote it during the tests to choose the Chapel Master at Mexico City's cathedral.
Another famous piece by Zumaya is Celebren Publiquen. This work shows how well he could handle the polychoral sound. This means using several choirs at once. He arranged the choirs into two groups of different sizes. This was a popular style in Spanish and Mexican churches in the early 1700s. The rich sounds and instrument parts show Zumaya's "modern" style. This is very different from his older Renaissance-style pieces.
Zumaya's processional piece, Angelicas Milicias, shows his skill at combining the Baroque orchestra and choir. He created a beautiful and grand piece to honor the Virgin Mary. The short musical interlude, Albricias Mortales, is written in a very similar style to Angelicas Milicias.
See also
- In Spanish: Manuel de Sumaya para niños
