Antonio Jose

This name figures prominently among Spanish musicians and folklorists and
the first among the burgaleses. Who is ANTONIO JOSE? For many years there
was silence around the life and work of the teacher disappeared on a cold
morning of October fateful year 1,936, but gradually this curtain of silence
was lifted from the publication in the Semanario "Triumph" at the end of
1.971 of an extensive and documented report of Santiago Rodriguez
Santerbás studying life and work of our burgalés composer. Interesting things
in this work can be considered as the preface to the biography published in
the year 1980 Spanish Musical Union, sponsored by His Excellency they said.
Burgos City Council and the Directorate General of Music. The authors of this
first biography are Barriuso Jesus Gutierrez, Fernando García Romero and
Miguel Angel Palacios Garoz. That same year was published the work of
Antonio José COLLECTION OF POPULAR SONGS BURGALESES (NEW SONG
Burgales), which had reached the National Music Prize of 1,932. Several
articles published in the burgalesa local press, some of them signed by
journalist Felipe Source macho "FUYMA" did not cease to remember the need
to edit that essential and important work, especially on the occasion of a
tribute that was paid in the month of October 1977 upon completion of the 41
anniversary of his death. They stressed on that occasion the articles on the
life and work of burgalés composer wrote Jose Angel Esteban, Alberto Arnaiz
and Andrés Ruiz Tarazona and published in the newspaper El Pais in Music
section on 4 December 1977. " his undoubted professional worth, at both
composer and folklorist and collector of popular Spanish music and his
constant concern for the cultural work in grassroots organizations has fueled
her figure. Silence and obscurantism, the permanent burial by the official
regime led - allowed - execution, trying to disappear one of the most
important tasks of recovery and development of the Spanish culture have
been the root causes of their ignorance and, on the contrary, its lit
idealization. " this year 2002 the centenary of his birth and the city of Burgos
has organized various events to publicize and exalt the figure of this
outstanding musician and folklorist is met. Antonio José Martínez Palacios was
born in Burgos on December 23 of the year 1,902. His father, Rafael Martinez
Calvo, excellent confectioner master craftsman was "The Rojilla", the name
by which the whole city knew that the establishment Lastra family had a
passage in the Plaza Mayor. His mother, Angela Palacios Berzosa, came from
a family of farmers in Ibeas de Juarros, near the capital city. Everyone agrees
ensure simplicity, warmth and campechanía were the most outstanding
human traits of this couple who lived at number 15, 3rd floor street millinery,
old union cavalcade that was long ago the bakers. Virtues in turn present in
the life of Antonio José own and that of his brother Julio, born in 1899. Both
guide their existence to very different activities from traditional at home; the
firstborn will be public school teacher and journalist Pradoluengo; Antonio
José, from very young, show a special fervor for music. The two meet one day
death under identical circumstances. In 1909, not yet completed the seven

years, Antonio Jose goes to San Lorenzo Schools. These were based next to
the parish of the same name, in a large house in which I spent the time will
come to be located precisely the Orfeón Burgalés which will be director
Antonio Jose between 1,929 and 1,936. So alive is the vocation that her
parents They provide some lessons with Jose Maria Beobide, organist,
discoverer and patron of Antonio José who years later considers his
outstanding disciple. it is taught in these schools a traditional education, with
which many are then dissatisfied to remember it felt like himself Antonio José
with a commentary protest of lost time. Just we know from school small
successes, and yet, one of those instructors will be decisive in the life of the
National Music Prize. This is Julian Garcia Blanco, seminarian from St. Jerome
and prominent organist. His friendship with the family and the gifts you see in
the boy will tend to initiate him into the music theory, piano and organ. Over
the years Julian Garcia Blanco was director of the Choir of Valladolid, in 1927
and years later director of the Conservatory of Music in this city. He died in
the land of Galicia at the age of 85 years. Julian Garcia Blanco (1894-1979)
kept alive the emotional memory of his friend and so early student Antonio
José. These first steps and participation in some parish functions or in the
choir of the Catholic Circle of Workers increases so their interest even before
leaving school, music plays and most of the time the child master
confectioner. with it crosses the threshold of the composition. At twelve, in
1915, he created his first book, "Hunters of Chiclana"; minor work certainly,
but exponent of his first studies well used. From only 1,917 it is dedicated to
music. Their capacity to assimilate and create surprises everyone and when
you turn eighteen happens to be a singular author: over sixty titles - some
quality, with own label, with that as a hallmark of all his later work - place us
before a virtuoso who announces great promise of music. it is not our purpose
to collect all the biography of Antonio José which goes beyond the purpose of
this work. The data that we offer have taken from various sources and are
now in the public domain because his biography is already well known. Now
out when he joined the choir of the Congregation of the Jesuits and among
the choir director, Julian Garcia white and Jose Maria Beobide, organist at the
church of the Company, musically formed the boy, convincing his parents to
allow him to continue studying. With twelve years he has made since his first
piano score, "Hunters of Chiclana" and five years later, with the finished
musical studies, having about seventy prepared compositions, recording his
creative and musical ability. Renowned their capacity, Provincial Government
of Burgos granted a scholarship to perfect their training for 4 years in Madrid
between 1,920 and 1,924. Among his teachers, Emilio Vega and Bartolome
Perez Casas acknowledge having examined various compositions of Antonio
Jose and have found them artistic qualities as outstanding as unusual.
Antonio Jose took those years well and in 1921 composed "CASTELLANA
SONATA", a work for piano which it forms the basis of the "SYMPHONY
CASTELLANA", culminating two years later. He dedicated it to his parents. In

1921 he achieved the first prize in a contest with a unique composition which
nobody seems to know the title, but we think it is "POEM OF YOUTH", work
published two years later. Thus it is becoming known and is already secure
their presence in those cultural circles and grows his friendship with artists
and intellectuals of prestige. In 1924, while he composed his "Dance of
Jesters" begins the publication of his works, signing a contract with Musical
Union Spanish, selling them for publication cited "Poem of youth", "Three
Burgos dances for piano" and "final burgalesa Dance." contacted the writers
of the generation of '27, through his friend Regino Sainz de la Maza, also
burgalés and virtuoso guitarist. Known and relates to Falla, Turina and Arbos.
His fame is spreading and their works are gaining popularity level of the
Spanish State. Meanwhile it is held financially with his work as musical
director of a theater magazine, composing even to illustrate musically
projections of silent films. In 1924 again Burgos to perform military service
having appeared which is now its main musical line; their work shifts towards
the Spanish popular music and specifically to Burgos. Not abandon his
musical chores. On 20 November 1,924 runs in Comillas (Santander) the
premiere of his "Dance Burgalesa, number 3". A coral over a hundred voices,
organ and two pianos successfully interpret a composition rubs shoulders
with the best billboard. That same day, same time, the Choir of Bilbao runs
that composition of Antonio Jose. Everywhere showered praise for this dolphin
Spanish music as he called Regino Sainz de la Maza, for whom one day
consist Antonio Jose "Sonata Guitar." A tireless worker, he sits firmly his
vocation for music of Spanish popular root, more specifically burgalesa.
Reputation well earned moving to the city of Burgos to grant a financial
assistance to reside in Paris during the summers of 1,925 and 1,926, reaching
this way optimal to capture in its fullest sense the great avant - garde
flowering of European music conditions. And we are in a position to say that
was one of the first Spaniards to know directly all that novel form then
circulated around Europe. The same, enriched with this experience then has
to apply to his work, his own method, which concern and demand tell you
that will contribute to the beautiful and finished work. It investigates the roots
of burgalesa popular music, collections of Federico Olmeda collected in his
book published in 1902 and all the musical tradition of the province in the
Renaissance had already had two important figures in the musical field
Antonio de Cabezon and Francisco de Salinas, both blind and organists
palace. from then the Spanish popular music and Antonio José Martínez
Palacios are inseparable. Such a rich source linked to the technical quality of
the musician will result in one of the most important creations of the first
third of the twentieth century. In 1925 offered the professorship of music at
the College of St. Stanislaus, in the Malaga neighborhood Miraflores del Palo,
where it will remain until 1929, because this work provides some economic
stability sufficient to deal with the study and the work of creation. Four years
remains in Malaga. It is undoubtedly the most fertile time of burgalés

musician. There composes "Dance Burgalesa, No. 4" and "Sonata Gallega", a
work that won first prize and unique. The contest organizers refuse again and
again to edit the work by the fact that the author is not Galician, but
burgalés, with the aggravating circumstance of being written in Málaga and
that the author was never in Galicia. Only two years later, after many
hostilities and arduous efforts, Antonio Jose achieve its publication in the
Spanish Musical Union. In 1927 begins the most ambitious of all work. "The
muleteer" but never got to finish it . In 1927-1928 writes "DANCE BURGALESA
No. 4" and "SUITE INGENUA" win a new first prize in a contest held, this time
in Lleida. Antonio Jose returns to Burgos as he was appointed to head the
Orfeón Burgalés which had been founded late nineteenth century, but after
some periods of splendor had fallen into a deep crisis due to emigration. In
1914 the Choir was gone. But he came back with contributions from
sponsoring members and had attached entity as the Municipal School of
Music. Jose Antonio returns to his hometown to lead both organizations. In
February 1929 a historical meeting at the Ateneo de Burgos, in which
reconstitution of the old Choral Society decided Burgalés takes place. Antonio
Jose takes office on May 15 of that year. But on April 1, around a frustrated
concert in Bilbao, Burgos presented in some improvised by reading pages
that more than a simple greeting enclose almost a work program. "It is our
duty necessary - will say then - getting our popular song is known in Spain.
Do not feel you a little envious when the Basques, Galicians, Catalans,
Valencians, Andalusians sing their music, and praised above all others? What
do we do when we deny the undeniable existence of our beautiful songs? We
even doubted our lyrical spirit, and when we have said that Castilla does not
sing for not having what, we have done nothing to prove otherwise. Castilla
was never silent, as no region of Spain is. Castilla has its own feature and
music. The Burgos popular songs owe nothing to anyone, and if anyone
argues with you this truth, affirm categorically that these things do not
understand a word. " These are the most sensible and fair words we have
read about our regional folklore in particular and folklore in general. Two
months after his arrival has already prepared a mass choir of 148 voices and
the end of June 1929, in the feasts of St. Peter and St. Paul choral Society
offers the first concert with a work that Antonio himself José composed a year
earlier: "hymn to Castile , " which later after 1,931, wanted to propose as the
anthem of the Republic. Live a period of maximum activity that is only
interrupted by the civil war. Festivals, tributes and rain all requests to hear
the Choral Society. And the development of "COLLECTION OF POPULAR
SONGS BURGALESES", a work that in 1932 received the National Music Prize.
It was a golden age that the Orfeón Burgalés that transcends the boundaries
of a coral simple. Theory and history of music, research and communication
of vernacular folklore, recovery and creation. Jose Antonio This function
retrieves a forgotten: the study and dissemination of one of the riches of the
people, their own songs, one of the basic and most authentic forms of

expression and feeling of being collective. It is the connection with the telluric
substrate - folk, on the other hand so necessary in the recomposition of what
we now call identity of a land and its people. And all sifting through the
Choral Society to be gradually transformed into a musical institution of great
prestige. However, despite the profound difficulties that entails city caciques, jealousies, obscurantism - performed with an almost adolescent
enthusiasm. And in parallel, developing his journalistic and literary work,
criticism and musical theory. Since the spring of 1929, ANTONIO JOSE simplification of that Antonio J. Martínez Palacios to sign up 1,924 -. It
becomes a real checkered flag in that year is published in Paris "THREE
CANTIGAS OF ALFONSO X" and so is he our most celebrated author in Europe.
He praises his career and 150 works carried written about are published in
Paris or New York, as well as Madrid and Barcelona. In 1931 the publication of
"FOUR POPULAR SONGS Burgalesas" in Musical Union Spanish, takes place
and participates in the Castellanos foundation Studies Center. Post "FIVE
CASTELLANOS CHOIRS" and meanwhile, in the Municipal Theater of Madrid,
the Symphony Orchestra premieres "PRELUDE AND FOLK DANCE" fragments
"THE muleteer" directed by himself. Every day increases the repertoire. The
source is none other than the unrepentant work of Antonio Joseph, who,
accompanied sometimes by his friend Justo del Río - then and persevering
orfeonista in burgaleses folk themes - crosses the province scoring hundreds
and hundreds of songs, tunes and ditties , here of young maidens, beyond a
pastor, or the other of the impertinent bricklayer, across the street, cause
disturbances in their work. While consorts with his people as much likes. With
the Second Republic its work is also directed by the workers and popular
organizations, and the People's House organizes, in his own words, a chorus
of workers and peasants . Its political tasks, prompted by his brother Julio,
ugetista militant, are exclusively cultural, marginalizing from active politics,
but engaging in a work of revival of popular culture at all levels and mainly in
the musical. Tertulia also involved in Cypress, cultural center of the city and
collaborates in the magazine "Burgos Chart". In 1932 received the National
Music Prize for his book "COLLECTION OF POPULAR SONGS BURGALESES"
provided a great scientific rigor, prepared with all the material that has been
collected tirelessly throughout the province of Burgos. Along with the work of
the priest Federico Olmeda, this new burgalés songbook is a magnificent
monument, undoubtedly makes the province of Burgos in one of the richest
known in popular song. It is named corresponding member of the Academy of
Fine Arts of San Fernando. The year 1934 is the key year for him in his
musical activity. In Chicago he studied and interpreted as representative of
modern Spanish music. His prestige is consolidating at national and
international level, but, however, has its losing battle in their own land, where
resentments, jealousies , and cacique attitudes are shaping in Antonio Jose
desire to go and the feeling of being surrounded and rejected the official
bodies. in April 1936, the fifth anniversary of the republic, the Third National

Congress of Musicology is held. Pau Casals, Conrado del Campo, Higini
Angles, Oscar Esplá, Nemesio Otano, José Subirá, Manuel de Falla, Francesc
Pujol, Jordi Rubió, Joaquin Turina, Robert Gerhard, Macario Santiago Kostner,
Curt Sachs, khup Jeppessen, Fernando Liuzzi, Marius Schneider Heinrich
Besseler, Alfred Einstein, Ernst Krenek, etc. are some of the great figures
attending a Congress that has as chairman of its Committee of Honor of the
Generalitat, Lluis Companys. Jose Antonio is invited to participate in this
event to be held in Barcelona. On April 23, at the Institute of Catalan Studies,
Antonio José reads his paper "The Burgos folksong , " which is very favorably
received, representing the confirmation of his reputation as a musician and
folklorist. After explaining the difficult task supposed to collect popular, most
songs when it comes to the land of self, where friends and strangers
disbelieve often the very existence of a genuine songbook, intends to
controvert, "without passion or prejudice, false lyrical dryness that He
attributed to Castile. How is it possible not to sing - stresses - a town that
gave the world geniuses splendid colossal stature of those divine blind
Francisco de Salinas and Antonio de Cabezon? His is a brilliant speech in
which he analyzes a beautiful consciousness and refined melodies that
illustrate their own words and show a reality not hitherto unknown less
obvious. In the opinion of many, that legitimate obsession master burgalés
infected everyone making him the attraction of Congress. The press at the
time, to make the comment of the conference, dedicated laudatory epithets
Antonio José highlighting the presence of Castilla hand of this man of thirtythree, that rare musical genius, as would then kill the eminent Jewish
composer Albert Hemsi. Return to Burgos and the National Uprising the sense
of unease is radicalized and the desire to leave is more evident. His brother
Julio is arrested. TRAGICO Final Audition.- "I confess sincerely hope that policy
do not understand a word, - writes some time that takes over the Choral
Society - however can not be indifferent to the dissatisfaction we feel at this
style of political life" . it Never was a member of any political organization
which did not prevent merge their hopes with those of the weak and
oppressed and show there where he spent a solidarity activity against
injustice, mediocrity and strangulation of truth. He collaborated in
publications of the time as "Work" and "Burgos Chart" independent
progressive magazine that will be great entertainer with other burgaleses,
especially with Eduardo Ontañón Lebantini magazine trying to alleviate the
shortage of fresh ideas and free thought. In February of 1,936 the death of his
aunt and then her mother are to Antonio José the beginning of a tragic year
that coincides with the victory of the Popular front. Still part in the III
Congress of the International Musicological Society, held in Barcelona,
participating with his lecture on "SONG POPULAR BURGALESA" works in the
presentation of the ballet "March of toy soldiers" and makes the last efforts to
end its Opera "tHE muleteer" were the last compositions of the author. on July
19 the garrison of Burgos rises reaching in a few hours one of the comfortable

victories all military movement. Days later you look like holding his brother
Julio, ugetista, school teacher Pradoluengo and sometime editor of the Diario
de Burgos. Yet Antonio Jose, concerned does not adopt special measures. On
6 August 1936 he was arrested at his home by an armed group of Falangists
and is conducted to the prison, near the capital. Upon learning of his arrest
the fact produced a great effect, so that has always said that there were even
efforts to prevent his execution among them supporters of the uprising. The
causes must be sought in several directions. On the one hand envy and
rancor towards his work of cultural recovery and lifting the Spanish music at
levels that bothered the religious and caciquiles sectors of the city, and on
the other, and essentially, 'by the need of Fascism to eliminate the figures of
the cultural vanguard and in this case that of Antonio Jose. During the time of
his arrest, and while he maintained an attitude of relative confidence, friends
and orfeonistas performed out efforts for the release of the musician,
interviewing even with the military governor of the place. On September 11
received an anonymous threatening than saddens his last days which
concern for the fate of the prisoners leave the premises every morning, which
move back and not knowing anything about them is added. However, the
author of this anonymous had nothing to do with his end, nor the
circumstances, it was just a poor and jealous revenge of a hateful being,
because when I was Director of Choral Society, to cover a square that
individual anonymous was presented to that can be described as torturer,
and Antonio José felt he did not deserve to get the square to watch her fragile
musical preparation. in the morning from 8 to 9 October the usual sacks
every night occur and is quoted Antonio José in the list of those who take
direction Estepar and there on a hummock is shot, 20 kilometers from the
capital. Day 12 is executed his brother Julio. The execution was scheduled for
the same morning, but Julio ill and was left for a later expedition. Thus ends
this sad, miserable and wicked story of the death of our beloved musician
ANTONIO JOSE MARTINEZ PALACIOS. The songbooks of Federico Olmeda and
Antonio José definitely destroy the misconception that kept some by then
about the absence of this kind of traditions in land Castillian. The subsequent
recovery work songs and dances Burgos hand, among others, Domingo
Amoreti, Angel Juan Quesada, Jacinto River Justo Sarmiento or has had as a
stimulus previous works. All have drunk from these two important sources.
But the songbook of Antonio Jose was not published until 1980. Except some
voices from the media asking that the songbook was edited as a means to
begin to do justice to the memory of its author after the ominous silence that
followed his tragic death, tinged murder, almost everyone had forgotten this
first name. But Burgos was becoming increasingly large absence and debt
and deafening silence around the figure of Antonio Jose. "Red ink", Miguel
Angel Palacios, is the most complete work on the life of executed musician at
the beginning of the Spanish civil war. More than thirty years of research
supporting this work "in red ink. LETTERS AND OTHER WRITINGS OF ANTONIO

JOSE. " Although, as Miguel Angel Palacios Garoz says, is easier to investigate
the XVI century on the Civil War and its aftermath, this author has composed
a real cool what life was and the circumstances surrounding the death of
Burgos musician Antonio José, shot on 9 October 1936 and has made them an
entertaining and lucid book about an era. Antonio José "he confesses, she
undresses" in the words of Palacios, to through correspondence with friends,
colleagues music, politicians of the time or colleagues with whom he shared
talks at the Tertulia "Cypress", created in 1932 and which met Thursday night
at Cafe Bar Candelas , the Espolón promenade. Through his writings and
opinions, the author reveals a man who without more studies basic is
discovered as absolutely "modern and contemporary". "In red ink" includes
175 letters written between 1920 and 1936 to 14 different recipients ,
including Jose Subirá, music critic of the Socialist, her close friend Consuelo
Mediavilla or composer Norberto Almandoz. Complete with 24 of the 60
written that the researcher has collected and dating from the most
committed years between 1923-1936, reproductions of programs, covers of
their works or photographs of Burgos of the time. This work aims to bring the
figure of musician citizens and to heal, somehow forgetting that he
underwent for years. Palacios not hesitate to say that Antonio Jose had come
as or higher than Manuel de Falla in the musical universe: "At 34, Falla had
done nothing but youth small works and if Joaquin Rodrigo, a contemporary of
his, had died at the age of Antonio José, had not written the Concierto de
Aranjuez. " Serve these lines to vindicate one of our best musicians of Castile
and a great burgalés folklorist, truncated to the best of his age by a tragic
and incomprehensible destiny. That the acts scheduled to commemorate the
centenary of his birth make your life and work are counted as truly deserve
and that his personality, bright and appealing receive the prize of the general
popular esteem. ____________ REFERENCES: - the following biographies can be
found: Jesus Barriuso Gutierrez, Fernando Romero and Miguel Angel Garcia
Palacios Garoz .- JOSE ANTONIO, MUSICIAN IN CASTILLA. Spanish Musical
Union, SA Madrid, 1.980. Miguel Angel Palacios Garoz .- "IN RED INK. LETTERS
AND OTHER WRITINGS OF JOSE ANTONIO "Published by the Municipal
Institute of Culture. Burgos, 2,002. - And the following items: Santiago
Rodriguez Santerbás .- "In search of a lost musician. Antonio José ". TRIUMPH
magazine, No. 482, pp. 24 -29, 25 December, 1971. Felipe Source Macho
"FUYMA" in SHEET OF MONDAY, DE BURGOS, 25 June 1973 <. Jose Angel
Esteban, Alberto Arnaiz and Andrés Ruiz Tarazona in the music section of the
newspaper El COUNTRY, December 4, 1977.