(b Olot, Gerona, bap. 3 Dec 1729; d El Escorial, 20 Dec 1783). Catalan composer and organist. He first worked as maestro de capilla at Lérida. In 1752 he joined the Jeronymite monastery at El Escorial, becoming maestro de capilla in 1757; he also spent time in Madrid, studying with Domenico Scarlatti. He was keyboard instructor to Prince Gabriel and an authority on organ building.
Soler's best known works are his 120 keyboard sonatas. Like Scarlatti's, they demand a virtuoso technique, but they are suitable for the piano and vary more widely in form than Scarlatti's; many later ones have three or four movements. Phrases of irregular length are typical. His other instrumental music includes six quintets for organ and strings (1776), concertos for two organs and solo organ pieces. He also wrote over 300 vocal works (Latin church music, villancicos etc) and an important treatise on modulation, Llave de la modulación (1762).
Antonio Francisco Javier Jose Soler was an eighteenth century Catalan composer, priest, monk, student, teacher, mathematician, inventor, and organist. His life was spent serving both the Catholic Church and music. He was a prolific composer with over 400 compositions credited to him by the time of his death at age 54. Soler spent most of his life at monasteries, particularly El Escorial, the magnificent royal palace, chapel, and monastery built by King Philip II outside of Madrid two centuries earlier.
Soler apparently came from a musical family. His brother, Mateu, played bassoon in the monastery of Las Descalzas Reales and then in the court of Carlos III, and finally in the Capilla Real. His musical training began at a very early age. In 1736, he became a student at the Benedictine monastery choir school at Montserrat where he learned organ and composition. Between 1752 and 1757, while in his early twenties, Soler studied with Domenico Scarlatti, the Italian composer who served the Spanish court of Ferdinand VI and Maria Barbara.
Prior to going to El Escorial, where he spent the rest of his life, Soler was the maestro de capilla at Lerida and was ordained subdeacon in 1752. Later that same year, he joined the Hieronymite order of monks at El Escorial monastery and professed to the order in 1753.
Soler performed many duties at El Escorial. In 1757, he became maestro de capilla. In addition, he performed as first organist, wrote much of the church music, and taught music. Perhaps his most prestigious student was the son of Carlos III, Don Gabriel de Bourbon. Soler taught the young Don Gabriel keyboard and many of the Soler's harpsichord sonatas were written for him.
It is difficult for most to grasp Soler's level of productivity, particularly in light of his many other duties and interests. His musical compositions included over 120 sonatas for harpsichord, six quintets for organ and strings, six double organ concertos, 10 masses, five requiems, 132 villancicos, and many other works. His most famous was a sonata for harpsichord entitled Fandango.
Soler also wrote a treatise on harmony, Llave de la Modulación (1762) whose concepts remain valid today. This treatise, however, caused considerable controversy and rebuke by some of his peers. These criticisms caused Soler such dismay that in 1765, he responded with a written retort, Satisfacción a los reparos precisos, which spanned 67 pages and was supported by such noted authorities as Morales, Palestrina, and Scarlatti. The controversy did not end until a final defense was provided in Jose Vila's Respuestra y dictamen in 1766.
He developed another treatise in 1771 that demonstrated his interest and skill in mathematics. This book was on Castilian and Catalan currency exchange and was published in honor of Carlos III. Soler was a man of other talents in addition to those mentioned. He invented a tuning box that was used to demonstrate differences between tones and semitones to Don Gabriel. He was also expert in organ design and construction. In 1776, he developed the specifications for an organ for the Malaga Cathedral. ~ Bruce Lundgren, All Music Guide
Along with his cousin and dance partner Florencia Perez (aka Rosario), Antonio Ruiz Soler ranked among Spain's top flamenco dancers of the '40s. His renown led to his appearance in a few Hollywood films, notable Ziegfeld Girl (1941) and Honeymoon (1947). Ruiz Solar and Rosario parted ways in 1952, and he went on to form his own dance troupe. Ruiz Solar also choreographed and performed in several Spanish films from the '50s through the early '70s. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Antonio Francisco Javier José Soler Ramos, usually known as Padre Antonio Soler, (December 3, 1729 (baptized) – December 20, 1783) was a Spanish composer whose works span the late Baroque and early Classical music eras. He is best known for his keyboardsonatas, an important contribution to the harpsichord, fortepiano and organ repertoire.
Soler was born in Olot in the Catalan province of Girona. In 1736, when he was six, he entered the Escolania of the great Monastery of Montserrat where he studied with the resident maestro Benito Esteve and organist Benito Valls. In 1744 he was appointed organist at the Cathedral of La Seu d'Urgell and appointed as a subdeacon at the same time. Later in life, he held posts as chapel master in Lleida and El Escorial.
Ministerial lifestyle
Soler took Holy Orders at the age of 23 and his routine with the Hieronymite order near El Escorial, Madrid was a simple one for the next 31 years. His 20 hour days were filled with prayer, contemplation and farming - a simple and unadorned life. Yet, in these austere surroundings, Soler managed to produce more than 500 musical works. Amongst these were around 150 keyboard sonatas, many believed to have been written as sheet music for his pupil, the Infante Don Gabriel, a son of King Carlos III. Other pieces include Christmasvillancicos[1] and Latin church music including masses. No portraits of Soler are known to exist.
Compositions
Padre Soler's most celebrated works are his keyboardsonatas, which are comparable to those composed by Domenico Scarlatti (with whom he may have studied). However, Soler's works are more varied in form than those of Scarlatti, with some pieces in three or four movements; Scarlatti's pieces are in one or two movements. Fortunately, Soler's sonatas were catalogued in the early twentieth century by Fr. Samuel Rubio and so all have 'R' numbers assigned.
Soler's "Six Concertos for Two Organs" are still very much in the repertoire and have been often recorded. A fandango once attributed to Soler, and probably more often performed than any other work of his, is now thought by some to be of doubtful authorship.
Selected discography
Recordings of works solely by Soler
Soler: 8 Sonatas, Fandango. Played by harpsichordist Nicolau de Figueiredo. Passacaille 943
Soler: Los 6 Quintetos para clave y cuerda. Played by harpsichordist Genoveva Gálvez and the string quartet Agrupación Nacional de Música de Cámara. EMI CLASSICS
