Guillermo Uribe Holguín
Encyclopedia
Guillermo Uribe Holguín (17 March 1880 – 26 June 1971) was a Colombia
n composer
and violin
ist and one of the most important Colombian cultural figures of his generation. He composed prolifically in many genres and founded the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia (previously the orchestra of the National Conservatory).
. His father was Guillermo Uribe and his mother Mercédes Holguín. While studying at the School of Engineering, he simultaneously studied violin with Ricardo Figueroa, and composition with Santos Cifuentes and Augusto Azzali, at the National Academy of Music. He became dissatisfied with his progress, and sought out a private teacher, Narciso Garay. He completed his engineering studies. In 1903 he visited New York
and for the first time he heard professional orchestras and opera. It was there that he started his series of 300 trozos, based on folk melodies, written for various instruments. In 1905 he was appointed professor of violin and harmony at the Academia. There, in December 1905, he conducted his Victimae Paschali for solo voice, chorus and orchestra.
He obtained a scholarship from the Colombian government to study in Paris. In 1907, at the Schola Cantorum
, he commenced violin studies with Armand Parent, and composition with Vincent d'Indy
, alongside fellow students Erik Satie
and Joaquín Turina
. He later took violin lessons in Brussels
with César Thomson
and Émile Chaumont. In 1909, his Violin Sonata No. 1 was played at a concert of the Société Nationale de Musique in Paris, by Gabriel Vuillaume and Ricardo Viñes
. As a result of his Parisian studies, there is a marked French influence in the works he wrote prior to 1930. In Paris, he met the pianist Lucía Gutiérrez. They married in 1910, and she was often soloist in his works. She died in 1925.
In 1910 he returned to Colombia and became Director of the newly reorganized National Conservatory of Music in Bogotá. In 1932 the French government appointed him a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
. He resigned from the Conservatory in 1935 in order to dedicate himself to composition. In 1939 he was decorated with the "Medalla Cívica del General Santander". In 1941 he produced an autobiography. He was reappointed director in 1942, a position he held until 1947. His final composition was Doce canciones, Op. 120, written in 1962. He died in Bogotá in 1971.
Since 2005 there has been a revival of his music by Colombian guitarist Nilko Andreas who has been editing and promoting Uribe's works worldwide. Andreas performed the premier of Pequena Suite, Op. 80, No. 1, written for Andrés Segovia
but never played. He is organizing a concert of never-performed music by Uribe Holguín in New York City and around the world including; Violin Sonata, Piano Trio, one string quartet, songs, and guitar music.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist and one of the most important Colombian cultural figures of his generation. He composed prolifically in many genres and founded the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia (previously the orchestra of the National Conservatory).
Biography
Uribe Holguín was born in BogotáBogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
. His father was Guillermo Uribe and his mother Mercédes Holguín. While studying at the School of Engineering, he simultaneously studied violin with Ricardo Figueroa, and composition with Santos Cifuentes and Augusto Azzali, at the National Academy of Music. He became dissatisfied with his progress, and sought out a private teacher, Narciso Garay. He completed his engineering studies. In 1903 he visited New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and for the first time he heard professional orchestras and opera. It was there that he started his series of 300 trozos, based on folk melodies, written for various instruments. In 1905 he was appointed professor of violin and harmony at the Academia. There, in December 1905, he conducted his Victimae Paschali for solo voice, chorus and orchestra.
He obtained a scholarship from the Colombian government to study in Paris. In 1907, at the Schola Cantorum
Schola Cantorum
The Schola Cantorum de Paris is a private music school in Paris. It was founded in 1894 by Charles Bordes, Alexandre Guilmant and Vincent d'Indy as a counterbalance to the Paris Conservatoire's emphasis on opera...
, he commenced violin studies with Armand Parent, and composition with Vincent d'Indy
Vincent d'Indy
Vincent d'Indy was a French composer and teacher.-Life:Paul Marie Théodore Vincent d'Indy was born in Paris into an aristocratic family of royalist and Catholic persuasion. He had piano lessons from an early age from his paternal grandmother, who passed him on to Antoine François Marmontel and...
, alongside fellow students Erik Satie
Erik Satie
Éric Alfred Leslie Satie was a French composer and pianist. Satie was a colourful figure in the early 20th century Parisian avant-garde...
and Joaquín Turina
Joaquín Turina
Joaquín Turina was a Spanish composer of classical music.-Biography:Turina was born in Seville but his origins were in northern Italy . He studied in Seville as well as in Madrid...
. He later took violin lessons in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
with César Thomson
César Thomson
César Thomson was a Belgian violinist, teacher and composer.He was born in Liège in 1857. At age seven, he entered the Liège Conservatory of Music, and studied under Jacques Dupuis and Lambert Massart. By age 16, he was considered to have "a technique unrivalled by any other violinist then living"...
and Émile Chaumont. In 1909, his Violin Sonata No. 1 was played at a concert of the Société Nationale de Musique in Paris, by Gabriel Vuillaume and Ricardo Viñes
Ricardo Viñes
Ricardo Viñes was a Spanish pianist. He first publicly performed many important works by Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Erik Satie, Manuel de Falla, Déodat de Séverac and Isaac Albéniz. He was also the piano teacher of composer Francis Poulenc and pianist Léo-Pol Morin.He was born in Lleida,...
. As a result of his Parisian studies, there is a marked French influence in the works he wrote prior to 1930. In Paris, he met the pianist Lucía Gutiérrez. They married in 1910, and she was often soloist in his works. She died in 1925.
In 1910 he returned to Colombia and became Director of the newly reorganized National Conservatory of Music in Bogotá. In 1932 the French government appointed him a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
. He resigned from the Conservatory in 1935 in order to dedicate himself to composition. In 1939 he was decorated with the "Medalla Cívica del General Santander". In 1941 he produced an autobiography. He was reappointed director in 1942, a position he held until 1947. His final composition was Doce canciones, Op. 120, written in 1962. He died in Bogotá in 1971.
Since 2005 there has been a revival of his music by Colombian guitarist Nilko Andreas who has been editing and promoting Uribe's works worldwide. Andreas performed the premier of Pequena Suite, Op. 80, No. 1, written for Andrés Segovia
Andrés Segovia
Andrés Torres Segovia, 1st Marquis of Salobreña , known as Andrés Segovia, was a virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist from Linares, Jaén, Andalucia, Spain...
but never played. He is organizing a concert of never-performed music by Uribe Holguín in New York City and around the world including; Violin Sonata, Piano Trio, one string quartet, songs, and guitar music.
Opera and ballet
- Furatena, music-drama, Op. 76 (1940; lyric tragedy in 3 acts and 4 scenes)
- Tres ballets criollos, Op. 78
Choral and vocal
- Victimae Paschali (solo voice, chorus and orchestra)
- Requiem, Op. 17 (soloists, chorus and orchestra; written in memory of his wife, who had died in 1925)
- Marcha Triunfal, Op. 18 (tenor and orchestra)
- Himno, Op. 42 (tenor, chorus and orchestra)
- Improperia, Op. 65 (barítone and orchestra)
- Mass (children's à cappella choir and solo voices)
Orchestra
- 13 symphonies (including No. 2, Sinfonía del terruño, Op. 15)
- symphonic poem Bochica, Op. 73
- Tres Danzas
- Serenata
- Carnavalesca
- Marche funebre
- Marche de fête
- Suite típica
- Ceremonia Indígena (Himno a Zúa y danza ritual)
Concertante
- 2 Violin Concertos (Opp. 64 and 79)
- Concerto for viola and orchestra, Op. 109 (1962)
- Concierto a la Manera Antigua, for piano and orchestra
- Villanesca, for piano and orchestra
Chamber music
- 10 String Quartets
- 2 Piano Trios
- Piano Quartet
- 2 Piano Quintets (Opp. 31 and 66)
- 7 violin sonatas
- Sonata for viola and piano, Op. 24 (1924)
- 2 cello sonatas
- Divertimento for flute, harp, horn and string quartet, Op. 89
- Pequeña suite (Little Suite) for violin, viola and flute, Op. 96 (1955)
Piano
- 300 Trozos en el sentimento popular (based on folk dances)
- many other piano pieces
Guitar
- Tres Bosquejos
- Suite in Three Movements Pequeña Suite, Op. 80 no 1(1946; written for Andrés SegoviaAndrés SegoviaAndrés Torres Segovia, 1st Marquis of Salobreña , known as Andrés Segovia, was a virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist from Linares, Jaén, Andalucia, Spain...
)
Songs
- many songs, to words by Victor HugoVictor HugoVictor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
, Paul VerlainePaul VerlainePaul-Marie Verlaine was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the fin de siècle in international and French poetry.-Early life:...
, Charles BaudelaireCharles BaudelaireCharles Baudelaire was a French poet who produced notable work as an essayist, art critic, and pioneering translator of Edgar Allan Poe. His most famous work, Les Fleurs du mal expresses the changing nature of beauty in modern, industrializing Paris during the nineteenth century...
, Henri BarbusseHenri BarbusseHenri Barbusse was a French novelist and a member of the French Communist Party.-Life:...
, Paul FortPaul FortPaul Fort was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. At the age of 18, reacting against the Naturalistic theatre, Fort founded the Théâtre d’Art...
and others.
Sources
- Classical Composers Database
- Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 5th ed.
- Don Michael Randel, The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music
- Gran Enciclopedia do Colombia (Spanish)
- Compositores Colombianos (Spanish; contains a biography and a list of his works).