Juan de Dios Alfonso
Encyclopedia
Juan de Dios Alfonso Armenteros (San José de Las Lajas, 1825 – Guanabacoa, 29 June 1877), was a black Cuban
band leader, composer
and clarinet
ist. He founded the small orchestra Flor de Cuba, which played at dances and in theatres in the middle 19th century in Havana.
In Havana, Alfonso played clarinet in Feliciano Ramos's band La Unión in 1856, and directed Las Almendares in 1859. It is not known precisely when he formed La Flor de Cuba, but it must have been in the 1860s. It became one of the most popular bands in the middle to late 19th century. They played contradanza
s, and other dances of the time. The orchestra was a típica
in format, based mainly on wind instruments.
Flor de Cuba also played in musical theatre
to zarzuela
s and bufos. Cuban Bufo theatre was a form of comedy, ribald and satirical, with stock figures imitating types that might be found anywhere. They contained a musical form, guaracha
s, with spicy lyrics on current events and personalities.
The band was playing in the Teatro Villanueva in Havana in 1869 when the Spanish Voluntarios attacked the theatre, killing some ten or so patrons who had been watching a bufo and applauding its revolutionary sentiments. The context was that the Ten Years' War
had started the previous year, when Carlos Manuel de Céspedes
had freed his slaves, and declared Cuban independence. Creole sentiments were running high, and the Colonial government and their rich Spanish traders were reacting. Not for the first time, politics and music were closely intertwined, for musicians had been integrated since before 1800, and "from 1800 to 1840, blacks were the clear majority of the professional musicians". Bufo theatres were shut down for some years after this tragic event.
Orquesta Flor de Cuba continued until its leader's death, when it was taken over by one of its long-term members, Raimundo Valenzuela
.
Culture of Cuba
The culture of Cuba is a complex mixture of different, often contrasting, factors and influences. Cuba is a meeting point of European, African and continental North American cultures; little of the original Amerindian culture survives. Since 1959, the Cuban Revolution has also greatly affected...
band leader, 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 clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
ist. He founded the small orchestra Flor de Cuba, which played at dances and in theatres in the middle 19th century in Havana.
In Havana, Alfonso played clarinet in Feliciano Ramos's band La Unión in 1856, and directed Las Almendares in 1859. It is not known precisely when he formed La Flor de Cuba, but it must have been in the 1860s. It became one of the most popular bands in the middle to late 19th century. They played contradanza
Contradanza
The Cuban contradanza was a popular dance music genre of the 19th century.- Origins and Early Development:...
s, and other dances of the time. The orchestra was a típica
Orquesta típica
Orquesta típica, or simply a típica, is a Latin-American term for a band which plays popular music. The details vary from country to country. The term tends to be used for groups of medium size in some well-defined instrumental set-up.- Argentina :In Argentina, a típica is a tango orchestra...
in format, based mainly on wind instruments.
Flor de Cuba also played in musical theatre
Cuban musical theatre
Cuban musical theatre has its own distinctive style and history. From the 18th century to modern times, popular theatrical performances included music and often dance as well. Many composers and musicians had their careers launched in the theatres, and many compositions got their first airing on...
to zarzuela
Zarzuela
Zarzuela is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular song, as well as dance...
s and bufos. Cuban Bufo theatre was a form of comedy, ribald and satirical, with stock figures imitating types that might be found anywhere. They contained a musical form, guaracha
Guaracha
The guaracha is a genre of Cuban popular music, of rapid tempo and with lyrics. The word had been used in this sense at least since the late 18th and early 19th century. Guarachas were played and sung in musical theatres and in low-class dance salons. They became an integral part of Bufo comic...
s, with spicy lyrics on current events and personalities.
Ten Years' War
The Ten Years' War , also known as the Great War and the War of '68, began on October 10, 1868 when sugar mill owner Carlos Manuel de Céspedes and his followers proclaimed Cuba's independence from Spain...
had started the previous year, when Carlos Manuel de Céspedes
Carlos Manuel de Céspedes
Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo was a Cuban planter who freed his slaves and made the declaration of Cuban independence in 1868 which started the Ten Years' War...
had freed his slaves, and declared Cuban independence. Creole sentiments were running high, and the Colonial government and their rich Spanish traders were reacting. Not for the first time, politics and music were closely intertwined, for musicians had been integrated since before 1800, and "from 1800 to 1840, blacks were the clear majority of the professional musicians". Bufo theatres were shut down for some years after this tragic event.
Orquesta Flor de Cuba continued until its leader's death, when it was taken over by one of its long-term members, Raimundo Valenzuela
Raimundo Valenzuela
Raimundo Valenzuela de Leon was a leading Cuban trombonist, composer and bandleader.- Life & career :...
.