Orquesta Hermanos Palau
Encyclopedia
The Orquesta Hermanos Palau (Palau Brothers Orchestra) was one of the most renowned dance bands in Cuba
during the early 1930s and late 1940s, following the tradition of local jazz band
s started by the Jazz Band Sagua in 1914. These orchestras emerged as an influential sign of the American
music in Cuba, to achieving a bridge between popular music genres and the characteristic sound of American jazz big bands.
The original orchestra, which was founded in 1920, was originally known as Los Califates, but at the end of the decade changed its name to that of the Hermanos Palau. The decision was taken because five of its were all brothers. Manolo Palau was the pianist
and leader, Felipe and Luis played trumpet
, Rafael contrabass
, and Raimundo served as saxophonist and co-leader.
In 1931, the Palau Brothers orchestra appeared in the early sound film
The Cuban Love Song, which was directed by W. S. Van Dyke
and starred by Lawrence Tibbett
, Lupe Vélez
, Ernest Torrence
and Jimmy Durante
. This film brought to the screen for the first time the famous tune The Peanut Vendor
(El manisero), composed by Moisés Simons
and performed by Ernesto Lecuona
and the Palau Brothers' orchestra.
After that, the orchestra toured extensively in South America
and played mostly in the all white, up-scale venues. Their music ranged from jazz to popular, typical, and Afro-Cuban as well as classical
. Among others there in the orchestra were the trumpeter Julio Cueva
and the guarachero
Cascarita
(Orlando Guerra).
The Palau musical tradition passed from brother to brother, and from them through their own families via their children, so much that the end of the 1950s they were able to organize another orchestra, known as Hermanos Palau Junior, to maintain their family tradition alive.
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...
during the early 1930s and late 1940s, following the tradition of local jazz band
Jazz band
A jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...
s started by the Jazz Band Sagua in 1914. These orchestras emerged as an influential sign of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
music in Cuba, to achieving a bridge between popular music genres and the characteristic sound of American jazz big bands.
The original orchestra, which was founded in 1920, was originally known as Los Califates, but at the end of the decade changed its name to that of the Hermanos Palau. The decision was taken because five of its were all brothers. Manolo Palau was the pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and leader, Felipe and Luis played trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, Rafael contrabass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, and Raimundo served as saxophonist and co-leader.
In 1931, the Palau Brothers orchestra appeared in the early sound film
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
The Cuban Love Song, which was directed by W. S. Van Dyke
W. S. Van Dyke
Woodbridge Strong "Woody" Van Dyke, Jr. was an American motion picture director.-Early life and career:...
and starred by Lawrence Tibbett
Lawrence Tibbett
Lawrence Mervil Tibbett was a great American opera singer and recording artist who also performed as a film actor and radio personality. A baritone, he sang with the New York Metropolitan Opera company more than 600 times from 1923 to 1950...
, Lupe Vélez
Lupe Vélez
Lupe Vélez was a Mexican film actress. Vélez began her career in Mexico as a dancer, before moving to the U.S. where she worked in vaudeville. She was seen by Fanny Brice who promoted her, and Vélez soon entered films, making her first appearance in 1924. By the end of the decade she had...
, Ernest Torrence
Ernest Torrence
Ernest Torrence was a Scottish born film character actor who appeared in many Hollywood films, including Broken Chains with Colleen Moore,Mantrap with Clara Bow, and Fighting Caravans with Gary Cooper and Lili Damita...
and Jimmy Durante
Jimmy Durante
James Francis "Jimmy" Durante was an American singer, pianist, comedian and actor. His distinctive clipped gravelly speech, comic language butchery, jazz-influenced songs, and large nose helped make him one of America's most familiar and popular personalities of the 1920s through the 1970s...
. This film brought to the screen for the first time the famous tune The Peanut Vendor
The Peanut Vendor
The Peanut Vendor is a Cuban song based on a street-seller's cry, and known as a pregón. It is possibly the most famous piece of music created by a Cuban musician...
(El manisero), composed by Moisés Simons
Moisés Simons
Moisés Simons , was a leading Cuban composer, pianist and orchestra leader. He was the composer of the Peanut Vendor, possibly the most famous piece of music created by a Cuban musician...
and performed by Ernesto Lecuona
Ernesto Lecuona
Ernesto Lecuona y Casado was a Cuban composer and pianist of Canarian father and Cuban mother, and worldwide fame. He composed over six hundred pieces, mostly in the Cuban vein, and was a pianist of exceptional quality....
and the Palau Brothers' orchestra.
After that, the orchestra toured extensively in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and played mostly in the all white, up-scale venues. Their music ranged from jazz to popular, typical, and Afro-Cuban as well as classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
. Among others there in the orchestra were the trumpeter Julio Cueva
Julio Cueva
Julio Cueva was a Cuban trumpeter, composer and band leader. He was an important figure in the spread of Cuban popular music in the 1930s.- Life and career :...
and the guarachero
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...
Cascarita
Cascarita
Orlando Guerra [gayr'-rah] was a popular Cuban singer specialized in native musical forms such as guaracha, pregón and son montuno. Affectively nicknamed Cascarita, he was born on September 14, 1920 in Camagüey, the third largest city of Cuba and the capital of Camagüey Province.Guerra started his...
(Orlando Guerra).
The Palau musical tradition passed from brother to brother, and from them through their own families via their children, so much that the end of the 1950s they were able to organize another orchestra, known as Hermanos Palau Junior, to maintain their family tradition alive.
Selected soundtracks
- Acomodando
- Apriétame más
- La araña y la mosca
- Baltazar tiene un pollo
- Cómo se baila la suiza
- La conga de allá
- Dos cosas pa' tomá' con leche
- Mala maña
- La ola marina
- Perro huevero
- Pobrecitas mujeres
- Puntillita
- Rosas del pensil
- Sácale punta al lápiz
- Ta' bueno ya
- Tú verá' lo que tú va' ve
- Uampampiro
- Yo estoy aprendiendo inglés
Sources
- The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Feature Films, 1931-1940 – American Film Institute. Publisher: University of California Press, 1993. Language: English. ISBN 0520079086
- Cuba and its Music: from the first drums to the mambo – Ned Sublette. Publisher: Chicago Review Press, Inc., first edition, 2004. Language: English. ISBN 1556526326
- Diccionario de la música cubana: biográfico y técnico – Helio Orovio. Publisher: Ed. Letras Cubanas, second edition, 1992. Language: Spanish. ISBN 9591000480, ISBN 978-9591000484
- Los contrapuntos de la música cubana – Cristóbal Díaz Ayala. Publisher: Ediciones Callejón, 2006. Language: Spanish. ISBN 1881748480
- Música cubana del areyto a la nueva trova – Cristóbal Díaz Ayala. Publisher: Ediciones Universal, 1981. Language: Spanish.