Antonio Soler
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Antonio (Francisco Javier José) Soler (Ramos)
(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).
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Antonio Soler
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Antonio Ruiz Soler
Biography
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, RoviAMG AllMusic Guide to Classical Music :
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Antonio Soler
- Genres: Keyboard Music
Biography
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, Rovi
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Antonio Soler
For other uses, see Antonio Soller.
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Antonio Francisco Javier José Soler Ramos, usually known as Padre Antonio Soler, known in Catalan as Antoni Soler i Ramos (baptized 3 December 1729, died 20 December 1783) was a Spanish composer whose works span the late Baroque and early Classical music eras. He is best known for his keyboard sonatas, an important contribution to the harpsichord, fortepiano and organ repertoire.
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Early life
Soler was born in Olot (Catalonia, Spain) in the historical County of Besalú. In 1736, when he was six, he entered the Escolania of the Monastery of Montserrat where he studied music 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 at the Royal Court in El Escorial.
Ministerial lifestyle
Soler took Holy Orders at the age of 23 and his routine as a Hieronymite in El Escorial, Madrid was extremely busy. His 20 hour days were filled, yet 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 Christmas villancicos[1] and Latin church music including masses. He died at the monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. No portraits of him are known to exist..
Compositions
Padre Soler's most celebrated works are his keyboard sonatas, which are comparable to those composed by Domenico Scarlatti[says who?] (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. Soler's sonatas were catalogued in the early twentieth century by Fr. Samuel Rubio and so all have 'R' numbers assigned.
Soler also composed concertos, quintets for organ and strings, motets,[2] masses and pieces for solo organ. He also wrote a treatise, Llave de la modulación ("The Key to Modulation", 1762).
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: Fandango, 9 Sonatas. Played by harpsichordist Scott Ross. Erato
- Soler: Fandango & Sonatas. Played by harpsichordist David Schrader. Cedille 004
- Soler: Harpsichord Sonatas, vol. II. Played by harpsichordist David Schrader. Cedille 009
- Soler: Sonatas. Played by pianist Elena Riu. Ensayo 9818
- Soler: Complete Harpsichord Works. Played by Bob van Asperen (12 disks). Astrée
- Soler: Sonatas para piano. Played by pianist Alicia de Larrocha. EMI CLASSICS
- 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
- Soler: Sonatas for Harpsichord. Played by Gilbert Rowland. A multi-volume project on Naxos Records.
- Soler: Six Concertos for Two Keyboard Instruments. Played by Kenneth Gilbert and Trevor Pinnock. Archiv Produktion 453171-2
- Soler: Six Concertos for Two Organs. Played by Mathot and Koopman. Warner WEA/Atlantic/Erato ZK45741
- Soler: Six Concertos for Two Organs. Played by E. Power Biggs (Flentrop organ on the left) and Daniel Pinkham (Hess organ on the right). Recorded at the Busch-Reisinger Museum, Harvard University, 1961. LP: Columbia Masterworks Stereo MS 6208 (Library of Congress catalog card number R60-1383)
- Soler: 19 Sonatas. Played by Anna Malikova. Classical Records CR-049
- Soler: Keyboard Sonatas and the "Fandango". Played by Maggie Cole. Virgin Classics
- Recordings of works by Soler & other composers
- Favourite Spanish Encores. Played by pianist Alicia de Larrocha with Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. London/Decca Legends 467687
- Grandes Pianistas Españoles. Played by pianist Alicia De Larrocha. Rtve 65235
- Piano Español. Played by pianist Jorge Federico Osorio. Cedille 075
- The Emperor's Fanfare. pljayed by Michael Murray on his organ blaster cd.
- Soler: Keyboard Sonatas Nos. 1-15. Played by pianist Martina Filjak. Naxos 8.572515
Sources
- Soler, Antonio (Father)
- The Life and Times of Soler (includes audio and sheet music of Soler's keyboard works)
External links
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Oxford Grove Music Encyclopedia
The Concise Grove Dictionary of Music. Copyright © 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc.. All rights reserved.
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AMG AllMusic Guide to Classical Music
Copyright © 2012 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Mentioned in
Sainete
(music)
Santiago Ferrer
(Classical Artist)
The Way of the English
(2006 Drama Film)
Fandango
(music)
Soleriana, suite for orchestra
(Classical Work)
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