Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Cuba

Birth

:

1817

Death

:

1870

Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Keyboard

 

Manuel Saumell (1817-1870) was a Cuban composer and pianist who is considered one of the pioneers of Cuban classical music. He was born in Havana, Cuba, on August 14, 1817, to a family of musicians. His father, Juan Saumell, was a Spanish musician who had settled in Cuba, and his mother, Maria del Carmen Hernandez, was a Cuban pianist. Saumell showed an early interest in music and began studying the piano at a young age. He received his first music lessons from his mother and later studied with several prominent Cuban musicians, including Jose Maria Vitier and Juan París. He also studied music theory and composition with the Italian composer and conductor Felice Giardini. Saumell's early compositions were influenced by European classical music, particularly the works of Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin. However, he soon began to incorporate elements of Cuban folk music into his compositions, creating a unique style that came to be known as the "danza." The danza was a popular dance form in Cuba in the 19th century, and Saumell's compositions helped to popularize it even further. His danzas were characterized by their lively rhythms, syncopated melodies, and use of Cuban percussion instruments such as the bongo and the claves. Saumell's most famous work is his collection of danzas, which he published in two volumes in 1852 and 1857. The first volume, titled "Danzas Cubanas," contained 17 danzas, while the second volume, titled "Nuevas Danzas Cubanas," contained 22 danzas. The collection was an instant success and helped to establish Saumell as one of the leading composers of Cuban classical music. In addition to his danzas, Saumell also composed a number of other works, including waltzes, mazurkas, and nocturnes. He also wrote several pieces for the guitar, including a set of variations on the Cuban folk song "El Cocoyé." Saumell was not only a composer but also a virtuoso pianist. He gave numerous concerts throughout Cuba and was known for his improvisational skills. He was also a respected music teacher and taught piano to many students, including his own son, Manuel Saumell Robredo, who went on to become a prominent Cuban composer in his own right. Despite his success as a composer and pianist, Saumell struggled financially throughout his life. He was forced to sell the rights to his danzas to a publisher in order to make ends meet, and he died in poverty in Havana on August 22, 1870. Today, Saumell is remembered as one of the most important figures in the history of Cuban classical music. His danzas continue to be performed and recorded by musicians around the world, and his legacy has inspired generations of Cuban composers and musicians.

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