Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 5, No. 11 (1931-08)

August 1931, Vol. V, No. II 305 Spanish Gold By WILLIAM SEWALL MARSH Nuggets from various lists T HE Spanish zarzuelas, those characteris- tic musical entertainments for which many of Spain’s best known composers have not disdained to write, contain much de- lightful and amusing music. Considerable of this has been recorded, and may be found in the various lists jf one knows how to identify it. The writer has lately had the opportu- nity of hearing recordings from several of these zarzuelas, and has made brief notes on them, which will serve as a guide to those who are interested in Iberian music. No attempt has been made to give bio- graphical data, as most of the composers are fairly well-known. There is one young man, however, about whom most of us do not know so much, who is writing a great deal of the light music lately produced on the Spanish stage; and I should like to tell you briefly something about Jacinto Guerrero y Torres, who was born in Ajofron (Toledo), August 16, 1895. He began his musical studies when a choir boy in the Toledo Cathedral; and later studied under Benito Laparra and Conrado del Campo at the Madrid Conservatory. His one-act zarzuela, La Alsaciana, met with great success, and placed the young man among the most popular composers of zar- zuelas. Later he wrote La Monteria, in two acts, which has been presentetd hundreds of times in Spain and Latin America and Los Gavilanes, in three acts, which attained so great a success at one time that it was pre- sented simultaneously at five theatres in Bar- celona ! Guerrero’s music is gay and nearly always pleading and inspired. Besides stage music, he is also the author of various religious works, a symphonic poem, and Himno a Tol- edo, written in his early youth — his first triumph. Those who saw La Argentina will perhaps remember her charming dance, “La Lagar- terana,” the music for which was written by Guerrero; and, by the way, there is a Colum- bia recording of this vals jota, played by the composer’s own orchestra: Columbia 3936X. GUERRERO: ( Los Gavilanes (The Spar- row Hawk)— Romanza de la Flor (Romance of the Flower). Victor 46462. This roman- za illustrates the pleasing qualities of this very successful zarzuela. There is also an older recording, Mi Aldea (My Little Vil- lage), which is very good—Columbia 2596-X. Composer of “La Viejecita,” etc. (From a caricature by Dr: Ricardo M: Aleman) GUERRERO: Abajo las Coquetas (Down with the Coquettes) —Baraja Espanola (Deck of Cards); Schottisch. Victor 81912. Instrumental numbers, also played by Or- questa Iberica de Madrid (directed by Con- cordio Gelabert^. Baraja Espanola is in the form of a paso doble; the schottisch, of course, is as the Spaniard conceives it. Typi- cal popular Spanish music of the present time. CHUECA y VALVERDE: La Gran Via (Broadway)—Schottische; Jota de las Ratas (Pickpockets’Jota) Victor 46859. Caballero de Gracia (Elegant Cavalier); Tango de la Menegilda, Victor 46858. The four most popular songs from this internationally suc- cessful zarzuela in one act—a success easy to understand after listening to these gay and engaging songs, now electrically recorded. BARBIERI: Pan y Toros (Bread and Bulls)—Selection, Columbia 52039-X. Played by Banda Real del Cuerpo de Guardias Al- barderos de Madrid. Records of the “selec- tion” type are apt to be rather unsatisfac- tory, as they seem too fragmentary. This disk is of interest in that it contains melo- dies from one of the older zarzuelas (pro- duced in 1864), which is, perhaps, the most outstanding and significant work of its kind, from an ethnical standpoint. BARBIERI: Los Diamantes de la Corona (The Crown Diamonds)—Bolero, played by Orquesta Regal de Madrid. The bolero form has lately gained prominence through Rav-