Francisco José Debali
Encyclopedia
Francisco José Debali was a Hungarian
-born composer who emigrated to Uruguay
in 1838. He authored the national anthem of Uruguay
and, possibly, the tune to Paraguayos, República o Muerte
, which became the Paraguay
an anthem.
name was Debály Ferenc József. His Christian names were later in Uruguay translated into the Spanish
version, but his surname is known to be spelled as Debali, de Bali, Debáli, Debály and Debally.
born in "Kinséen", a place in Oltenia
.
He played the oboe
. In 1820, he went abroad to pursue his musical career in the Kingdom of Sardinia
. There, in Alessandria
, he married Magdalena Bagnasco, from Genoa
. They had several children, some of which were born in Uruguay.
After a short stay at São Paulo
, Brazil
, which he fled because of a yellow fever
epidemic, Debali arrived in Uruguay in 1838. Here he was the director of the orchestra at the Sala de Comedias in Montevideo
from 1841 to 1848.
. It was played for the first time in public on July 19, 1845. Fernando Quijano
, his assistant, who had submitted the composition to the government's selecting contest, was credited with the authorship because of Debali's failure to grasp the content, in the Spanish language, of the governmental decree that adopted his composition as the country's anthem.
is officially credited only to the author of the lyrics, Francisco Acuña de Figueroa
, not mentioning who composed the music. It is thought that Debali composed the music, repeating the team of the Uruguayan anthem, but was not credited due to his difficulty to understand the Spanish language.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
-born composer who emigrated to Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
in 1838. He authored the national anthem of Uruguay
National Anthem of Uruguay
The "National Anthem of Uruguay" is the longest national anthem in terms of duration with 105 bars of music .The anthem's lyrics are by Francisco Acuña de Figueroa, who was also author of the lyrics to Paraguay's national anthem; "Paraguayos, República o Muerte".The lyrics were officially declared...
and, possibly, the tune to Paraguayos, República o Muerte
Paraguayos, República o Muerte
Paraguayos, República o Muerte is the national anthem of Paraguay. The lyrics were written by Francisco Acuña de Figueroa under the presidency of Carlos Antonio López, who at the time delegated Bernardo Jovellanos and Anastasio González to ask Figueroa to write the anthem Paraguayos, República o...
, which became the Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
an anthem.
Name
As ethnic Hungarian, his original Eastern orderPersonal name
A personal name is the proper name identifying an individual person, and today usually comprises a given name bestowed at birth or at a young age plus a surname. It is nearly universal for a human to have a name; except in rare cases, for example feral children growing up in isolation, or infants...
name was Debály Ferenc József. His Christian names were later in Uruguay translated into the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
version, but his surname is known to be spelled as Debali, de Bali, Debáli, Debály and Debally.
Biography
He was an Austrian subjectHabsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
born in "Kinséen", a place in Oltenia
Oltenia
Oltenia is a historical province and geographical region of Romania, in western Wallachia. It is situated between the Danube, the Southern Carpathians and the Olt river ....
.
He played the oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
. In 1820, he went abroad to pursue his musical career in the Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
. There, in Alessandria
Alessandria
-Monuments:* The Citadel * The church of Santa Maria di Castello * The church of Santa Maria del Carmine * Palazzo Ghilini * Università del Piemonte Orientale-Museums:* The Marengo Battle Museum...
, he married Magdalena Bagnasco, from Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
. They had several children, some of which were born in Uruguay.
After a short stay at São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, which he fled because of a yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
epidemic, Debali arrived in Uruguay in 1838. Here he was the director of the orchestra at the Sala de Comedias in Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
from 1841 to 1848.
National Anthem of Uruguay
In 1845 he composed what would be adopted three years later as the Uruguayan national anthem, to a text by Francisco Acuña de FigueroaFrancisco Acuña de Figueroa
Francisco Esteban Acuña de Figueroa was an Uruguayan poet.-Background:Acuña de Figueroa was born in Montevideo on September 20, 1790. Later, his father sent him to study in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but the city's invasion made him return to Montevideo, where he wrote poems while working for his...
. It was played for the first time in public on July 19, 1845. Fernando Quijano
Fernando Quijano
- Uruguayan National Anthem :Quijano was credited with the authorship of the Uruguayan national anthem. This came about through the governmental decree that adopted Debali's composition as such in 1848.- Death and reputation :...
, his assistant, who had submitted the composition to the government's selecting contest, was credited with the authorship because of Debali's failure to grasp the content, in the Spanish language, of the governmental decree that adopted his composition as the country's anthem.
Possible connection with Paraguayan national anthem's authorship
The national anthem of ParaguayParaguayos, República o Muerte
Paraguayos, República o Muerte is the national anthem of Paraguay. The lyrics were written by Francisco Acuña de Figueroa under the presidency of Carlos Antonio López, who at the time delegated Bernardo Jovellanos and Anastasio González to ask Figueroa to write the anthem Paraguayos, República o...
is officially credited only to the author of the lyrics, Francisco Acuña de Figueroa
Francisco Acuña de Figueroa
Francisco Esteban Acuña de Figueroa was an Uruguayan poet.-Background:Acuña de Figueroa was born in Montevideo on September 20, 1790. Later, his father sent him to study in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but the city's invasion made him return to Montevideo, where he wrote poems while working for his...
, not mentioning who composed the music. It is thought that Debali composed the music, repeating the team of the Uruguayan anthem, but was not credited due to his difficulty to understand the Spanish language.
See also
- National Anthem of Uruguay#Music