Rafael Anglés facts for kids
Rafael Anglés Herrero (Teruel, 1730 - Valencia, 1816) was a Spanish organist and composer. He was a very important musician who created beautiful music for the organ and harpsichord.
Contents
A Musician's Journey
Rafael Anglés started his journey by studying both general subjects (humanities) and music in a town called Alcañiz. He was very talented!
Early Career in Alcañiz
After his studies, Rafael Anglés became the chapel master in the main church of Alcañiz. This was a big job, as he was in charge of the music for the church services. He worked there until 1762.
Organist in Valencia
In 1762, Rafael Anglés got an even bigger job. He became the main organist at the grand Valencia Cathedral. This was a very important position, and he kept it for a very long time – fifty-four years! He followed another famous organist named Vicente Rodríguez in this role.
Rafael Anglés' Music
Rafael Anglés wrote many pieces, mostly for keyboard instruments like the organ and the harpsichord. His music often had a style similar to another famous composer, Domenico Scarlatti.
What Kind of Music Did He Write?
His music includes different types of pieces:
- Sonatas: These are pieces usually made up of several movements.
- Pasos or Fugues: These are complex pieces where a musical idea is repeated and layered by different parts.
- Psalms: These are musical settings of religious texts.
Where Can You Find His Music?
Today, you can find Rafael Anglés' original music scores in several important places. Many of his works are kept in the archives of the Cathedral of Orihuela, the Cathedral of Valladolid, and the Cathedral of Valencia. The Library of Catalonia and the French Institute of Madrid also have copies of his musical pieces.
Selected Works
Here are some of the musical pieces Rafael Anglés composed:
- adagietto
- sonata en fa (Sonata in F)
- aria en re menor (Aria in D minor)
- fugatto
- 2 sonatas
- 5 pasos para órgano (5 Steps for Organ)
- Salmodia para órgano (Psalmody for Organ)
- 20 sonatas
