José Ángel Lamas

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Life

Born: 2 August 1775

Died: 10 December 1814

Biography: In English Language, by Wifred M. Sánchez Chicco, 23 December 2005:

José Ángel Lamas, Venezuelan classical musician and composer born in Caracas Venezuela. He was the main representative of the classical period in Venezuela.

Author of the immortal sacred piece, Popule meus, his most important and universally known piece. It was composed in 1801, and premiered in the Caracas Cathedral during the colonial-provincial period. Lamas, away from politics and the whirlpool of the independence war, dedicated his life to music and specifically the religious one. As a member of the School of Chacao, in 1789 he played Tiple and Bajón Chirimía in the Cathedral Orchestra. The Chirimía (pronounced chee-ree-mea), is an ancient medieval spanish instrument, which preceded the oboe. It had 9 or 10 holes, two canes, conical section, there are also single reed cylindric Chirimías. It can be buit in three sizes: as tiple or alto, tenor and bajón or bassoon. It's sound has elements of the microtonal arab structure, the instrument is well known in Spain and spreaded rapidly in Latin America. From 1796 until his death on the December 10, 1814, José Ángel Lamas was Maestro Bajonista or Main Bassoonist of the orchestra.

Among his pieces are, En Premio a tus Virtudes (As a Price to Your Virtues), Sepulto Domino (Buried Lord), Ave Maris Stella (Hail Star Mary), Misa en re (Mass in D), Benedicta et Venerabilis (Blessed and Venerable).

José Ángel Lamas, died at 39, on December 10, 1814. He was buried in Saint Paul's church in Caracas. His bones were never found, when later Antonio Guzman Blanco demolished the church and subsequently built the Teatro Municipal de Caracas' (County Theatre of Caracas) on it.

A publication of "Popule meus" was issued in 1943 with the score for voices and orchestra. The pdf file is available at http://www.comunidadandina.org/bda/docs/VE-CA-0024.pdf


Spanish.png Spanish translation

José Angel Lamas nació en Caracas el 2 de agosto de 1775. Músico y compositor, principal representante del clasicismo de nuestro país. Es el autor de la inmortal pieza Popule Meus, la más importante de todo el período provincial.Es la más conocida universalmente. Compuesta en 1801 para ser estrenada expresamente en la catedral de Caracas.

Fue alumno de Juan Manuel Olivares y protegido del padre Sojo. Miembro de la llamada Escuela de Chacao, demostró desde muy joven talento musical. En 1789 figuraba como tiple(Chirimía) de la catedral caraqueña, y desde 1796 hasta la fecha de su muerte fue el bajonista titular.

Aunque vivió el ambiente desastroso de la guerra independentista, nunca demostró interés por la política ni se dejó arrollar por el torbellino revolucionario. Por el contrario, se dedicó por entero a la música, especialmente a la religiosa. Otras obras suyas son: En Premio a tus Virtudes; Sepulto Domino; Ave Maris Stella; Misa en re, Benedicta et Venerabilis, etc.

José Angel Lamas murió a los 39 años de edad, el 10 de diciembre de 1814. Fue enterrado en el templo de San Pablo, que luego fue derrumbado por Antonio Guzmán Blanco para construir el Teatro Municipal. Sus huesos nunca fueron hallados.

View the Wikipedia article on José Ángel Lamas.

List of choral works

Publications

Popule meus, Venezuela, Caracas Cathedral, 1801

PDF file with

External links