Angel Mislan
Encyclopedia
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
Danzas.
Early years
Mislan (birth name: Ángel Mislan Huertas) was born in San Sebastián, Puerto RicoSan Sebastián, Puerto Rico
San Sebastián is a municipality of Puerto Rico located northwest of the island south of Isabela and Quebradillas; north of Las Marías; east of Moca and Añasco; and west of Lares. San Sebastián is spread over twenty-four wards and San Sebastián Pueblo...
where he was raised and educated. The small town is located in the western part of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. His father was a music teacher who gave private lessons on the use of musical instruments. Mislan learned from his father how to play the clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
and the euphonium
Euphonium
The euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"...
(the latter is essential in the performance of Puerto Rican danzas). When he was very young he went to Spain to further his musical training by learning composition and harmony.
Musical career
In 1886, when Mislan was 24 years old, he returned to Puerto Rico and settled down in AreciboArecibo, Puerto Rico
Arecibo is a municipality in the northern midwest coast of Puerto Rico and located by the Atlantic Ocean, north of Utuado and Ciales; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta, and Florida. Arecibo is spread over 18 wards and Arecibo Pueblo...
. There he joined the Military Band of the Third Battalion of Volunteers; eventually, he became the director of that band. During this period he wrote his two best known danza compositions, "Sara" and "Tu y Yo" (You and I). His style differed from that of Manuel Gregorio Tavarez
Manuel Gregorio Tavarez
Manuel Gregorio Tavarez , was Puerto Rico's first renowned classical and danza composer and the inspiration behind future generations of composers.-Early years:...
and Juan Morel Campos
Juan Morel Campos
Juan Morel Campos , sometimes erroneously spelled Juan Morell Campos, was a Puerto Rican composer, considered by many to be responsible for taking the genre of danza to its highest level.-Early years:...
in that his danzas were typically shorter and humorous.
In 1898, Mislan returned to his hometown, where he became the director of the Municipal Band. This was an important position, held in high regard by the society of the time. In 1906, he met an young musician by the name of Juan F. Acosta
Juan F. Acosta
Juan F. Acosta was a noted Puerto Rican composer and music teacher.-Early years:Acosta, who came from a numerous family, was born and educated in the town of San Sebastián, Puerto Rico located on the western part of Puerto Rico. His parents, realizedg that their son was gifted with musical...
and took him under his "wing". The older performer taught Acosta music composition and harmony and, when Mislan moved from San Sebastian to the town of Barceloneta
Barceloneta, Puerto Rico
Barceloneta is a municipality in Puerto Rico and is located in the north region, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Florida, east of Arecibo and west of Manati. Barceloneta is spread over 3 wards and Barceloneta Pueblo...
, he recommended that Acosta replace him as the new director of the San Sebastian Municipal Band.
Legacy
Mislan died in the town of Barceloneta on February 1, 1911. Besides writing danzas, Mislan also wrote Puerto Rican folk music, waltzWaltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
es and marches
March (music)
A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...
. Most of his works are safeguarded in the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. In 1948, Puerto Rican singer Julita Ross
Julita Ross
Julita Ross was a singer of Puerto Rican danzas, also known as "The Great Lady of the Danzas".-Early years:...
recorded the danzas of Angel Mislan. The City of San Sebastian honored Mislan's memory by naming a school after him and by placing a "bust" of his image in the center of its plaza.