Spanish - Guides
These recent books in print
are very useful, if you've a modicum of Spanish:
Emilio CASARES RODICIO (general
editor): Diccionario de la Zarzuela España e Hispanoamérica
(Vol.1) (962pp) (ICCMU, Madrid, 2002)
The first of two volumes
presenting the most comprehensive treatment of the romantic zarzuela that is
ever likely to be undertaken, and without doubt the 'Bible' of zarzuela studies
for the specialist and non-specialist alike. Many leading Spanish musicologists
have contributed to this lavishly illustrated, magnificent volume, full of
articles on composers, writers, singers and the works themselves as well as
more general themes; and there is little of consequence missing, whether from
Iberia, Cuba or South America.
Read full REVIEW
Emilio CASARES RODICIO (general
editor): Diccionario de la Zarzuela España e Hispanoamérica
(Vol.2) (1084pp) (ICCMU, Madrid, 2003)
The concluding volume of this
indispensible reference work boasts all the same virtues as its predecessor,
although some of the flaws in editorial policy and execution loom slightly
larger this time round. However, any faults are of minor consequence weighed
against the value and significance of the work as a whole.
Read full REVIEW
Roger ALIER: La zarzuela.
(498pp) (Ma Non Troppo, Barcelona, 2002)
Roger Alier has been for many
years the doyen of zarzuela studies, and this new book (a companion to his
3-volume Guía Univeral de la ópera) is valuable for
Alier's superbly readable, 130 page history of the genre. Other features of the
book are puzzling: although the graphics are of higher quality than Alier's
original El libro de la zarzuela (see below), the entries on composers
and especially the works themselves are very much shorter, and many fewer are
covered in any detail. There are helpful checklists of zarzuela films and
important works, but no discography - and, frustratingly, no proper
index.
Read full
REVIEW
Manuel GARCÍA FRANCO and
Ramón REGIDOR ARRIBAS: La Zarzuela (109pp) (Acento Editorial,
Madrid, 1997)
This pocket-size softback is a cogent chronological
history stuffed with useful facts and figures, together with a handful of
biographical entries on the major composers. There is no index or illustration
and ordering is inconsistent, but its value as an inexpensive guide is
enormous.
Ramón REGIDOR ARRIBAS:
Aquellas zarzuelas... (252pp) (Alianza Editorial, Madrid, 1996)
Full histories, synopses and brief musical discussions of 19 lesser-known works
from the 19th century, together with a fair sprinkling of illustrations. Some
of these are early or relatively obscure zarzuelas by major figures such as
Barbieri, Vives and Chapí, and there are useful chronological
biographies of all the composers. There is also a good introductory preamble,
covering the history of zarzuela up to the present day - though this largely
duplicates material in the author's brief guide written with Franco (see
above).
Joaquín Martín de
SAGARMÍNAGA: Diccionario de cantantes líricos
españoles (377pp) (Acento Editorial, Madrid, 1997)
An
invaluable treasure trove of information on over two hundred and thirty leading
Spanish singers of the 20th Century, including many of the great zarzuelists,
with a generous helping of photographs, full introduction and appendices
covering the 19th Century and the interrelation of the Spanish and Italian
"schools". There are very few quibbles about who's covered and who's not (Mary
Isaura?) and biography, discography and brief evaluations are all dependable.
Altogether invaluable.
Some out of print works which are
well worth seeking out:
Roger ALIER: El libro de la
zarzuela. (Daimon, Barcelona, 1982)
For some years the best known
handbook in Spanish, but now out of print and apparently replaced for good by
the new Alier La Zarzuela (see above). This is a pity, as despite many
misprints, inconsistencies, omissions and mistakes, El libro... has much
more detailed synopses of more works, and it remains a valuable guide. It also
has a fairly full LP discography of what was available in 1982.
Juan SALVAT: La Zarzuela (2 or
4 vols.) (Salvat Editores S. A., Barcelona, 1989)
Also out of print,
a superb source of photographs of posters, vocal score covers, productions,
composers and writers.
Antonio PEÑA Y
GOÑI: España desde la ópera a la zarzuela (Alianza
Editorial Madrid, 1976)
CamposDC writes: "This is a marvellous document
of how zarzuela was seen at the turn of the century. Peña y Goñi
(1846-1896) reviews the genre as it was evolving during his time and
contributes to a deeper view of 19th century zarzuela composers and their
world"
Individual composers
Nearly all in Spanish, and recent
enough to possibly be in print or available second-hand:
José MONTERO ALONSO:
Francisco Alonso (Espasa-Calpe, Madrid, 1987)
María Encina CORTIZO:
Emilio Arrieta. De la ópera a la zarzuela (ICCMU, Madrid,
1998)
Emilio CASARES RODICIO:
Francisco Asenjo Barbieri (ICCMU, Madrid, 1994)
Víctor SÁNCHEZ
SÁNCHEZ: Tomás Bretón. Un músico de la
Restauración (ICCMU, Madrid, 2002)
Luis G. IBERNI: Ruperto
Chapí (ICCMU, Madrid, 1995); Reprinted with corrections:
(Complutense, Madrid, 2009)
Ángel SAGARDÍA:
Chapí (Espasa-Calpe, Madrid, 1979)
Florentino HERNÁNDEZ
GIRBAL: Federico Chueca, el alma de Madrid (Lira, Madrid,
1992)
José PAREJO DELGADO:
Gerónimo Giménez: Un precursor de Manuel de Falla (El
Monte - Padilla Libros, Sevilla, 1997)
Josefina CARABIAS: El maestro
Guerrero fue así (Fundación Jacinto e Inocencio Guerrero,
Madrid, 2001)
Antonio FERNÁNDEZ-CID:
El maestro Jacinto Guerrero y su estela (Fundación Jacinto e
Inocencio Guerrero, Madrid, 1994)
Alberto GONZÁLEZ LAPUENTE
et. al: Jacinto Guerrero. De la zarzuela a la revista (SGAE, Madrid,
1995)
Jesús M. de AROZAMENA:
Jesús Guridi - Inventario de su vida y de su música
(Editora Nacional, Madrid, 1967)
Pablo BILBAO ARÍSTEGUI:
Jesús Guridi (Diputacion Foral de Alava - Departamento de
Cultura, Álava, 1992)
Jesús GÓMEZ CAIRO
et. al: El arte musical de Ernesto Lecuona (SGAE, Madrid,
1995)
José Manuel CASTELLANO GIL
/ José FERNÁNDEZ FERNÁNDEZ, tr. Rafael A. LECUONA:
Ernesto Lecuona: The Genius and his Music (R. A. Lecuona
Enterprises, Laredo, Texas, 2004) (Versions in English and
Spanish)
Carmela de LEÓN: El
maestro Ernesto Lecuona (Música Mundana, La Habana, 1995)
[Note: See also 1996 short guide by the same author, below]
Carmela de LEÓN:
Ernesto Lecuona (Letras Cubanas, La Habana, 1996) [Note: a
shorter guide, drawing on the author's 1995 book, but including song texts and
music reproductions]
Ángel SAGARDÍA:
Luna (Espasa-Calpe, Madrid, 1978)
Eugenia MONTERO: José
Padilla (Fundación Banco Exterior, Madrid, 1990)
Dulcila CAÑIZARES:
Gonzalo Roig (Letras Cubanas, La Habana, 1978) [Note: More
graphic-oriented than the author's 1999 sequel, see below]
Dulcila CAÑIZARES:
Gonzalo Roig - Hombre y creador (Letras Cubanas, La Habana, 1999)
[Note:more text than the author's 1978 book, fewer graphics, and copious
selections from the composer's letters]
Ángel SAGARDÍA:
El compositor José Serrano (Vida y obra) (Organización
Sala Editorial, Madrid, 1972)
Vicente VIDAL CORELLA: El
maestro Serrano y los felices tiempos de la zarzuela (Prometeo, Valencia,
1973)
Pablo SOROZÁBAL: Mi
vida y mi obra (Fundación Banco Exterior, Madrid,
1986)
Jaime ESTÉVEZ VILA:
Reveriano Soutullo Otero (Alpuerto, Madrid, 1995)
José MONTERO ALONSO:
Usandizaga (Espasa-Calpe, Madrid, 1985)
Sol BURGUETE: Vives
(Espasa-Calpe, Madrid, 1978)
Florentino HERNÁNDEZ
GIRBAL: Amadeo Vives, el músico y el hombre (Ediciones
Lírica, Madrid, 1971)
Federico SOPEÑA et. al:
Amadeo Vives (Radio Televisión Española, Madrid, 1974)