Ruperto Chapí Facts for Kids

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Chapí and the second or maternal family name is Lorente.

Ruperto Chapí, a famous Spanish composer.

Ruperto Chapí y Lorente (born March 27, 1851 – died March 25, 1909) was a very important Spanish composer. He helped start the Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers, which protects the rights of artists and writers.

Ruperto Chapí's Early Life and Musical Journey
Becoming a Famous Composer
Important Musical Works by Ruperto Chapí
See also

Ruperto Chapí's Early Life and Musical Journey

Ruperto Chapí was born in Villena, a town in Spain. His father was a barber. When he was just nine years old, Ruperto joined a music band called Música Nueva. This band is now known as the Villena Municipal Band.

He quickly became a very skilled musician. By the time he was 15, he was already the director of the band! Ruperto became famous for his performances, especially at the Moors and Christians Festival in Villena. People from nearby towns also wanted him to play for them. In areas where people spoke Valencian, they called him "el xiquet de Villena," meaning "the boy from Villena," because he was so brilliant.

Becoming a Famous Composer

Ruperto Chapí continued his music training in Villena and later in Madrid when he was 16. He wrote many different kinds of music. This included pieces for orchestras, bands, and choirs. He also wrote chamber music, which is for a small group of instruments.

Chapí became especially known for his zarzuelas and operas. A zarzuela is a Spanish musical play that mixes singing with spoken dialogue. An opera is a play that is mostly sung. He studied with Emilio Arrieta at the Madrid Conservatory, a famous music school. Another student there was Tomás Bretón, who also became a well-known composer.

Ruperto Chapí was one of the most popular composers of his time. He wrote many zarzuelas, both long ones (called zarzuela grande) and short ones (called género chico). His most famous work is La revoltosa, which is a short zarzuela. Many of the opening pieces (called preludes) from his zarzuelas are still played today in Spanish orchestral concerts. These include preludes from El tambor de granaderos and La patria chica.

Ruperto Chapí passed away in Madrid in 1909.

Important Musical Works by Ruperto Chapí

Ruperto Chapí created a wide range of musical pieces during his life. Here are some of his most important works:

Symphonies and Orchestral Pieces

Sinfonía en Re (Symphony in D) (before 1879)
Escenas de capa y espada (Scenes of Cloak and Sword), a symphonic poem (1876)
La Corte de Granada: Fantasía Morisca (The Court at Granada: Moorish Fantasy; 1873/1879)
Polaca de concierto (Concert Polka; 1879)
Los gnomos de la Alhambra (The Gnomes of the Alhambra; 1891)
Combate de Don Quijote contra las Ovejas – Scherzo (Don Quixote's Fight against the Windmills; 1902)
La Revoltosa, Orchestral Fantasy (1897)

Chamber Music for Small Groups

String quartet No. 1 in G major (1903)
String quartet No. 2 in F minor (1904)
String quartet No. 3 in D major (1905)
String quartet No. 4 in B minor (1907)

Main Zarzuelas and Operas

Roger de Flor, an opera in 3 acts (1878)
Música clásica, a zarzuela in 1 act (1880)
La serenata, an opera in 1 act (1881)
La tempestad, a zarzuela in 3 acts (1882)
La bruja, a zarzuela in 3 acts (1887)
El milagro de la Virgen, a zarzuela in 3 acts (1884)
El rey que rabió, a zarzuela in 3 acts (1891)
Curro Vargas, a zarzuela in 3 acts (1898)
El tambor de granaderos, a zarzuela in 1 act (1894)
Las bravías, a zarzuela in 1 act (1896)
La revoltosa, a zarzuela in 1 act (1897)
La chavala, a zarzuela in 1 act (1898)
El barquillero, a zarzuela in 1 act (1900)
El puñao de rosas, a zarzuela in 1 act (1902)
La venta de Don Quijote, a zarzuela in 1 act (1902)
Circe, an opera in 3 acts (1902)
La patria chica, a zarzuela in 1 act (1907)
Margarita la tornera, an opera in 3 acts (1909)

Ruperto Chapí facts for kids

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