José Bernardo Alcedo
Encyclopedia
José Bernardo Alcedo was the most important Peruvian composer of the nineteenth century.
Alcedo was born in Lima
, Peru
. He studied music at the Convento de San Agustín and, at 18 years of age, composed the Misa en Re Mayor (Mass in D Major).
Alcedo was the winner of an 1821 contest sponsored by General José de San Martín
to choose a himno nacional
(national anthem) for Peru. This anthem was "Somos libres, seámoslo siempre," to words by José de la Torre Ugarte
.
In 1822 Alcedo went to Chile
as a soldier in a military band. In Santiago de Chile he left the military and dedicated himself to music. In 1833 he entered the choir of the Cathedral of Santiago. In 1846 he became kapellmeister
. He resided in Chile for 40 years, returning to Peru in 1864. He became director of the Peruvian military band and president of the Philharmonic. He spent the last years of his life in Peru. He wrote the book Filosofía Elemental de la Música (Elementary Philosophy of Music) (1869), where he explored the subject of the music of the Quechuas. He composed folk songs, numerous religious works, and military music.
Alcedo was born in Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. He studied music at the Convento de San Agustín and, at 18 years of age, composed the Misa en Re Mayor (Mass in D Major).
Alcedo was the winner of an 1821 contest sponsored by General José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
to choose a himno nacional
National Anthem of Peru
The Peruvian National Anthem is the national anthem of Peru. This anthem was adopted in 1821.-History:After Peru declared its independence, the general José de San Martín began a public contest to select the National March, which was published on 7 August 1821 in the Gaceta Ministerial...
(national anthem) for Peru. This anthem was "Somos libres, seámoslo siempre," to words by José de la Torre Ugarte
Jose de la Torre Ugarte
José de la Torre Ugarte y Alarcón was a Peruvian lyricist. He wrote the Peruvian national anthem....
.
In 1822 Alcedo went to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
as a soldier in a military band. In Santiago de Chile he left the military and dedicated himself to music. In 1833 he entered the choir of the Cathedral of Santiago. In 1846 he became kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
. He resided in Chile for 40 years, returning to Peru in 1864. He became director of the Peruvian military band and president of the Philharmonic. He spent the last years of his life in Peru. He wrote the book Filosofía Elemental de la Música (Elementary Philosophy of Music) (1869), where he explored the subject of the music of the Quechuas. He composed folk songs, numerous religious works, and military music.
Selected works
- "Somos libres, seámoslo siempre", national anthem of Peru
- "Himno al 2 de mayo", march
- Miserere (1872)
- Misa en Re mayor
- Misa en Mi bemol
- Misa en Fa mayor
- "Canción para la Batalla de Ayacucho"
- "Pasión para el Domingo de Ramos"
- "Pasión para el Viernes Santo"
- La Araucana, military overture for orchestra
- "La Chicha", "La Cora" and "La Pola", popular songs