- José Ardévol
José Ardévol (b.
Barcelona , March 13, 1911 - d.Havana , January 7, 1981) was aCuba n composer and conductor of Spanish derivation.As a child, Ardévol studied under his father, Fernando, who was a musician and conductor. He
emigrate d to Cuba in 1930, and from 1934 to 1952 was the director of the Orquestra de cámara de la Habana. He was a professor in Cuba from 1936 to 1951, teaching in universities in Havana andOriente . In 1942 he founded a movement called "Grupo de renovación musical", which included several of his students devoted to hisaesthetic ideals. Ardévol supported theCuban Revolution and was appointed head musical administrator afterFidel Castro came to power in 1959. As part of his duties, he conducted the orchestra of the government's Ministry of Education. He continued teaching, working as a professor of composition atHavana Conservatory from 1965 and at the National School of Music from 1968.Ardévol's early compositions fall generally into the style of
neoclassicism , but later in his life he began to explore the techniques ofaleatory music andserialism . Some of his vocal works praisecommunism and address other political/revolutionary topics.Works
"Note:this list is incomplete".
*3 symphonies
*2 Cuban suites for orchestra
*"Forma", ballet, 1942
*"La burla de Don Pedro a caballo", for soloists, chorus and orchestra, 1943
*"Cantos de la Revolución", vocal work, 1962
*"Che comandante", cantata, 1968
*"Lenin", vocal work, 1970
*"6 Sonate a 3", chamber work
*3 piano sonatas
*"Tensiones", for piano left handReferences
*
Don Randel . "The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music". Harvard, 1996, p. 24.
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