Person:Antonio Romeu (2)

Romeu studied music in 1884 with Joaquín Mariano Martínez, and practiced the piano at a local church by the beach in Jibacoa. At twelve he played at his first dance, and composed his first work. In 1899 he moved to Havana and played in cafés. He was invited to play in the Orquesta Cervantes, one of several charangas founded at the beginning of the 1900s. Charangas supplanted the típicas as the standard instrumental line-up for the danzón. Initially called charangas francesas (though they have nothing to do with France), they were 'invented' at the start of the 20th century. The basic idea was to pitch the tone of the orchestra higher and brighter than the típica, by removing the brass, replacing the clarinet with a flute and replacing the kettle drums with a new invention, the pailas criollas, now called timbales. The Orquesta Cervantes is the earliest known charanga to have included a piano.

Compositions

Romeu wrote over 500 danzones, many of which have been adapted for other Cuban rhythms; some were completely original, others were adaptations of existing works. His most famous work was Tres lindas cubanas, which was an arrangement of a much older work. Other famous danzones were Siglo XX, La danza do los milliones, El servicio obligartorio, Cinta azul, El mago de las teclas, Jíbacoa, and La flauta magica (in collaboration with Alfredo Brito). Arrangements of Guarina and Perla marina (Sindo Garay), Mares y arenas (Rosendo Ruiz), Mercedes (Manuel Corona), Aquella boca (Eusebio Delfín), La cleptomanía (Manuel Luna) show his prowess as an arranger.

References 1.^ Giro, Radamés 2007. Diccionario encyclopédico de la música en Cuba. vol 4, La Havana. p84 2.^ Carpentier, Alejo 2001 [1945]. Music in Cuba. Minniapolis MN, p161. 3.^ Orovio, Helio 1981. Diccionario de la música cubana. La Habana. p283

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Romeu

Orquesta Romeu was founded around 1910 by Antonio María Romeu (1876–1955), this was for thirty years the most important charanga in Cuba. Romeu had previously played in Orquesta Cervantes, one of several charangas founded at the beginning of the 1900s, and became one of the most prolific composers of danzones. The orchestra recorded hundreds of numbers over many years, beginning in 1915, and issued a whole series of albums after 1950. It is not clear that Romeu was, as sometimes claimed, the originator of the charanga, but it is clear that his band was for many years the leading danzoneria.

The initial line-up for Orchestra Romeu was: Romeu (piano); Feliciano Facenda (violin); Alfredo Valdés (flute); Rafael Calazán (double bass); Remigio Valdés (timbal); Juan de la Merced (güiro): quite a small group.

Much later the orchestra included Francisco Delabart (flute); Augusto Valdés (clarinet); Juan Quevedo (violin); Aurelio Valdés and Félix Vásquez (güiro); Antonio Ma. Romeu (son, violin); Pedro Hernández (violin); Dihigo (trumpet); Regueira (trombone) and José Antonio Díaz (flute). The singers (introduced after the introduction of the sung danzón, known as the danzonete) were, at two different times, Fernando Collazo and Barbarito Diez. In the thirties it had become a big band, and included two brass instruments.

When Romeu died, the orchestra was led for a while by his son, also Antonio María Romeu, then by Barbarito Diez. It still played the traditional danzón, but now was called the Orquesta de Barbarito Diez

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Cuban_bands

Antonio Maria Romeu at piano

Antonio Maria Romeu Orchestra

Antonio Romeu Postage Stamp in Cuba