Harold Gramatges
Encyclopedia
Harold Gramatges was a Cuba
n composer, pianist, and teacher.
Gramatges was born in Santiago, Cuba. In 1941, he entered the conservatory in Santiago de Cuba to study under professor Dulce María Serret, and went on to study composition at the Municipal Conservatoire of Havana with Amadeo Roldán
and José Ardévol
(Rodriguez 2001), and with professor Flora Mora.In 1942, he travelled to United States to complete his studies at Berkshire Music Center under Aaron Copland
(composition) and Serge Koussevitzky
(conducting) (Rodriguez 2001).
He later founded and directed Cuba's Municipal Conservatory Orchestra, where he worked as professor of Harmony
, Composition, Aesthetics
and Music History
. In 1958, he received the Reichold of Caribbean and Central America Prize, conferred by the Detroit Orchestra for his Sinfonía en mi. In 1959, he created the Musical Department at Casa de las Américas. He has spent his life working on transforming and developing musical education in Cuba. In 1961 and 1964, he was the Cuban Ambassador to France
.
His work tends to bridge the forms of contemporary classical and modern Cuban or Latin American music. His catalog includes symphonic, chamber, vocal and incidental music for theater and movies. He died in December 2008 in La Habana, Cuba.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n composer, pianist, and teacher.
Gramatges was born in Santiago, Cuba. In 1941, he entered the conservatory in Santiago de Cuba to study under professor Dulce María Serret, and went on to study composition at the Municipal Conservatoire of Havana with Amadeo Roldán
Amadeo Roldán
Amadeo Roldán y Gardes was a Cuban composer and violinist. Roldán was born in Paris to a Cuban mulatta and a Spanish father...
and José Ardévol
José Ardévol
José Ardévol was a Cuban composer and conductor of Spanish derivation.As a child, Ardévol studied under his father, Fernando, who was a musician and conductor. He emigrated to Cuba in 1930, and from 1934 to 1952 was the director of the Orquestra de cámara de la Habana...
(Rodriguez 2001), and with professor Flora Mora.In 1942, he travelled to United States to complete his studies at Berkshire Music Center under Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later in his career a conductor of his own and other American music. He was instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition, and is often referred to as "the Dean of American Composers"...
(composition) and Serge Koussevitzky
Serge Koussevitzky
Serge Koussevitzky , was a Russian-born Jewish conductor, composer and double-bassist, known for his long tenure as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1924 to 1949.-Early career:...
(conducting) (Rodriguez 2001).
He later founded and directed Cuba's Municipal Conservatory Orchestra, where he worked as professor of Harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
, Composition, Aesthetics
Aesthetics
Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste...
and Music History
History of music
Music is found in every known culture, past and present, varying wildly between times and places. Around 50,000 years ago, early modern humans began to disperse from Africa, reaching all the habitable continents...
. In 1958, he received the Reichold of Caribbean and Central America Prize, conferred by the Detroit Orchestra for his Sinfonía en mi. In 1959, he created the Musical Department at Casa de las Américas. He has spent his life working on transforming and developing musical education in Cuba. In 1961 and 1964, he was the Cuban Ambassador to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
His work tends to bridge the forms of contemporary classical and modern Cuban or Latin American music. His catalog includes symphonic, chamber, vocal and incidental music for theater and movies. He died in December 2008 in La Habana, Cuba.
Works
- Music about Juan Ramón Jiménez, Góngora, Rafael Alberti and Justo Rodríguez Santos texts;
- Icaro, for percussion and piano. Ballet as request of Alicia Alonso;
- Sonata for piano;
- Duet for flute and piano;
- trio for clarinet, violoncello and piano;
- Prelude for Mensaje al futuro Ballet;
- Symphony in mi;
- Caprice for flute, clarinet, viola and violoncello;
- Concertino for piano and wind instruments;
- Serenade for strings orchestras;
- Two Cuban dances (Montuna and Sonera);
- Sinfonietta for orchestra;
- Triptico for voice and piano (having texts of José Martí);
- Woodwind quintet;
- Toccata for Bandoneon;
- In Memorian homage to Frank País, La Muerte de un Guerrillero for orchestra;
- Movil I for piano;
- Movil II for flute, corno, piano-celesta, Xilophono and percussion;
- Cantata for Abel;
- Concert for guitar and orchestra