Jaime Prats
Encyclopedia
Jaime Prats was a Cuban flautist
, composer and orchestral director. He also played the clarinet
, violin, double bass
and piano He started to study music at seven, and in 1893 went to Cienfuegos
, where he continued to study music as well as taking a first degree, graduating at 17.
In 1899 he could be found in Havana playing first flute in the orchestra of the Azzali Opera company, with which he toured several countries of the Americas. On return, he took the post of director of the Municipal band of Sagua la Grande. He graduated from the Conservatorio Peyrellade in 1904, and from 1906 directed orchestras of theatrical companies, touring with them again to Central America. In 1913 he graduated as a doctor of pharmacy
. He worked as musical director of the Bufo Company of Arquímedes Pous when it went to New York.
In 1922 he founded the Cuban Jazz Band in Havana, one of the first of its type in Cuba. The personnel, all Cubans, included his son Rodrigo Prats
on violin, the great flautist/saxophonist Alberto Socarrás
, who later emigrated to New York, and Pucho Jiménez on slide trombone
. The line-up would probably also have included double bass, kit drum, banjo, and cornet.
His last years were devoted to teaching the history of music at the Iranzo Conservatory, and giving classes on harmony
and composition
at the Conservatorio Ramona Sicardó. He composed the bolero
Ausencia, and other pieces.
Flautist
A flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
, composer and orchestral director. He also played 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...
, violin, double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
and piano He started to study music at seven, and in 1893 went to Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos is a city on the southern coast of Cuba, capital of Cienfuegos Province. It is located about from Havana, and has a population of 150,000. The city is dubbed La Perla del Sur...
, where he continued to study music as well as taking a first degree, graduating at 17.
In 1899 he could be found in Havana playing first flute in the orchestra of the Azzali Opera company, with which he toured several countries of the Americas. On return, he took the post of director of the Municipal band of Sagua la Grande. He graduated from the Conservatorio Peyrellade in 1904, and from 1906 directed orchestras of theatrical companies, touring with them again to Central America. In 1913 he graduated as a doctor of pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
. He worked as musical director of the Bufo Company of Arquímedes Pous when it went to New York.
In 1922 he founded the Cuban Jazz Band in Havana, one of the first of its type in Cuba. The personnel, all Cubans, included his son Rodrigo Prats
Rodrigo Prats
Rodrigo Prats was a Cuban composer, violinist, pianist and orchestral director. The son of a musician, Jaime Prats, Rodrigo began to study music at the age of nine...
on violin, the great flautist/saxophonist Alberto Socarrás
Alberto Socarras
Alberto Socarrás Estacio, , was a Cuban-American flautist who played both Cuban music and jazz....
, who later emigrated to New York, and Pucho Jiménez on slide trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
. The line-up would probably also have included double bass, kit drum, banjo, and cornet.
His last years were devoted to teaching the history of music at the Iranzo Conservatory, and giving classes on harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
and composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
at the Conservatorio Ramona Sicardó. He composed the bolero
Bolero
Bolero is a form of slow-tempo Latin music and its associated dance and song. There are Spanish and Cuban forms which are both significant and which have separate origins.The term is also used for some art music...
Ausencia, and other pieces.