Juan de Dios Filiberto
Encyclopedia
Juan de Dios Filiberto was an Argentine violinist, conductor, poet and composer who became prominent in the Argentine tango
genre.
descendant of one of the founding fathers of Argentina, Martín Rodríguez, and Juan Filiberti, a Genoese
immigrant. An uncle in the pampas town of Lobos introduced him to tango at the age of six, though he was forced to leave school at age nine, entering the labor force as a newsie and, later, bricklayer. He later worked as a stevedore
and, eventually, shift supervisor for the local Mihánovich shipyards.
The advent of organized labor in Argentina and poor working consitions helped lead Filiberto and most of his colleagues to join the stevedores' union affiliated with the Argentine Workers' Federation, where he supported an anarchist line and actively participated in a series of strikes in 1907.
Given his first music lessons by Héctor Polzinetti, a carpenter at the dockyards, Filiberto and a number of friends created a musical outfit known as "Orfeón Los del Futuro" ("The Orpheum of the Future"), for whom he played a pipe organ
in theatres. A gift of a ticket to a Teatro Coliseo performance of Amilcare Ponchielli
's opera La Gioconda
resulted in an argument the following day, when Filiberto's negative opinion of the tenor's voice met with his friend's dismissive reply. Dejected, Filiberto made it a goal to become a trained musician, and, in his words, "at that moment I made up my mind about my future."
He secured a post as a machine assistant at Buenos Aires famed Colón Theater, where a performance of Ludwig van Beethoven
's Ninth Symphony
inspired him to join the local Pezzini-Sttianessi music conservatory, in 1909. There, he studied the violin
, music theory
and solfège
and eventually, he was granted a scholarship to attend maestro Alberto Williams
' prestigious National Conservatory
, where he was given lessons on counterpoint
, piano
and guitar
.
Chronic health problems and the advice of Dr. José Ingenieros
, his friend and a prominent local physician, led Filiberto to relocate to the dry climes of Guaymallén
, a suburb of Mendoza
. The name of the town inspired the title of his first composition, Guaymallén, written in 1915 in homage to a group of friends. A tango with distinctly indigneous chords, Filiberto crafted music which could "emphasize the nativist character of the new Argentine musician."
His health recovered, he returned to Buenos Aires in 1920, where local tango orchestra leader Eduardo Arolas
agreed to play a number of his compositions. Some of his early tangos written for Arolas were: "Cura segura" ("Sure Medicine"), "De mi tierra" ("From My Land"), "Suelo argentino" ("Argentine Soil"), "Se recomienda solo" ("It’s Better Alone"), "Quejas de bandoneón" ("The Bandoneón
’s Woes"), among numerous others. A well-known name in tango by 1921, he wrote: "El besito" ("The Little Kiss"), "La porteñita" ("Little Girl from Buenos Aires"), "Clavel del aire" ("A Carnation from the Wind"), and his most enduring composition, "Caminito" ("Little path"). With lyrics by Gabino Coria Peñaloza, the 1926 ode to a La Rioja Province
rural road to which sentimental memories were attached, it became one of the most recognizable tangos. In 1955, it helped inspire local artist Benito Quinquela Martín
to restore a La Boca
neighborhood alley, the Caminito
, creating an enduring city landmark.
Following this success and that of "Botines viejos" ("Old lace shoes") in 1932, Filiberto formed his own group, the "Orquesta Porteña". A departure from the normal "Orquesta típica
" format, his included uncommon instruments to the genre at the time, such as clarinet
s and flute
s. He made his debut with this group at the Café Tortoni
, performing in the city's numerous theatres and in Mar del Plata
, during the summer tourist season. His orchestra was brought on for Luis Moglia Barth
's ¡Tango!, a 1933 film notable for its being the first made with Movietone
sound in Argentina.
His orchestra became a fixture on Buenos Aires radio stations, during the 1930s, and they recorded twenty-five numbers for the Odeon
label, between 1932 and 1936. RCA Victor recorded twenty more between 1941 and 1959, almost all of them were instrumentals, and featuring Patrocinio Díaz and, later, Jorge Alonso as lead vocalists. A vigorous advocate of Copyright Law, he was a founding member of the Argentine Society of Authors and Music Composers
(SADAIC), in 1936.
The creation of the Municipal Popular Orchestra of Folk Art in 1939 led to Filiberto's appointment as its director, a position he kept when President Juan Perón
made it the National Popular Music Orchestra (Pops), in 1948. His retirement as director on October 18, 1959 was honored with an homage at Caminito Street, closing with the unveiling of a bust of the artist at the site of an open-air art gallery.
Juan de Dios Filiberto died in 1964, at age 79. Ten years after his death and in his honor, the Juan de Dios Filiberto National Orchestra of Argentine Music was created; its conductors have included maestros José Rosa, Osvaldo Requena, Osvaldo Piro and today, Atilio Stampone
.
His modest home on 1140 Magallanes Street was acquired by the city in April 2007. His address in La Boca
from 1932 until his death, the house was notable also for a mural created for him by his friend, artist Benito Quinquela Martín
.
Argentine tango
Argentine tango is a musical genre of simple quadruple metre and binary musical form, and the social dance that accompanies it. Its lyrics and music are marked by nostalgia, expressed through melodic instruments including the bandoneon. Originated at the ending of the 19th century in the suburbs of...
genre.
Life and work
He was born Oscar Juan de Dios Filiberti in 1885 to Josefa Roballo, a mestizoMestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
descendant of one of the founding fathers of Argentina, Martín Rodríguez, and Juan Filiberti, a Genoese
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....
immigrant. An uncle in the pampas town of Lobos introduced him to tango at the age of six, though he was forced to leave school at age nine, entering the labor force as a newsie and, later, bricklayer. He later worked as a stevedore
Stevedore
Stevedore, dockworker, docker, dock labourer, wharfie and longshoreman can have various waterfront-related meanings concerning loading and unloading ships, according to place and country....
and, eventually, shift supervisor for the local Mihánovich shipyards.
The advent of organized labor in Argentina and poor working consitions helped lead Filiberto and most of his colleagues to join the stevedores' union affiliated with the Argentine Workers' Federation, where he supported an anarchist line and actively participated in a series of strikes in 1907.
Given his first music lessons by Héctor Polzinetti, a carpenter at the dockyards, Filiberto and a number of friends created a musical outfit known as "Orfeón Los del Futuro" ("The Orpheum of the Future"), for whom he played a pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
in theatres. A gift of a ticket to a Teatro Coliseo performance of Amilcare Ponchielli
Amilcare Ponchielli
Amilcare Ponchielli was an Italian composer, largely of operas.-Biography:Born in Paderno Fasolaro, now Paderno Ponchielli, near Cremona, Ponchielli won a scholarship at the age of nine to study music at the Milan Conservatory, writing his first symphony by the time he was ten years old.Two years...
's opera La Gioconda
La Gioconda (opera)
La Gioconda is an opera in four acts by Amilcare Ponchielli set to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Angelo, tyran de Padoue, a play in prose by Victor Hugo, dating from 1835...
resulted in an argument the following day, when Filiberto's negative opinion of the tenor's voice met with his friend's dismissive reply. Dejected, Filiberto made it a goal to become a trained musician, and, in his words, "at that moment I made up my mind about my future."
He secured a post as a machine assistant at Buenos Aires famed Colón Theater, where a performance of Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
's Ninth Symphony
Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven)
The Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, is the final complete symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven. Completed in 1824, the symphony is one of the best known works of the Western classical repertoire, and has been adapted for use as the European Anthem...
inspired him to join the local Pezzini-Sttianessi music conservatory, in 1909. There, he studied the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, music theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
and solfège
Solfege
In music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable...
and eventually, he was granted a scholarship to attend maestro Alberto Williams
Alberto Williams
Alberto Williams was an Argentine symphonic composer and conductor.-Life and work:Alberto Williams was born to in Buenos Aires, in 1862. A maternal grandfather, Amancio Jacinto Alcorta, had been a respected government and banking policy-maker, as well as a well-known composer of sacred music...
' prestigious National Conservatory
Conservatorio Nacional Superior de Música (Argentina)
The Conservatorio Nacional Superior de Música is a music school in Buenos Aires, and the leading conservatory in Argentina.The Conservatorio Nacional was founded, among others, by Argentine musician Carlos López Buchardo on July 7, 1924, during the presidency of Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear...
, where he was given lessons on counterpoint
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
.
Chronic health problems and the advice of Dr. José Ingenieros
José Ingenieros
José Ingenieros was an Argentine physician, pharmaceutic, positivist philosopher and essayist.He was born Giuseppe Ingegneri in Palermo , and graduated from the University of Buenos Aires School of Medicine in 1900...
, his friend and a prominent local physician, led Filiberto to relocate to the dry climes of Guaymallén
Guaymallén Department
Guaymallén is a central department of Mendoza Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 250,000 inhabitants in an area of 164km², and its capital city is Villa Nueva, which is located around 1,090km from Capital Federal....
, a suburb of Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
. The name of the town inspired the title of his first composition, Guaymallén, written in 1915 in homage to a group of friends. A tango with distinctly indigneous chords, Filiberto crafted music which could "emphasize the nativist character of the new Argentine musician."
His health recovered, he returned to Buenos Aires in 1920, where local tango orchestra leader Eduardo Arolas
Eduardo Arolas
Eduardo Arolas was an Argentine tango Bandoneon player, leader and composer.Arolas first learned to play the guitar before learning the bandoneon which became his instrument of choice. His nickname was El Tigre del bandoneón .Arolas composed his first tango in 1909 before he could even read or...
agreed to play a number of his compositions. Some of his early tangos written for Arolas were: "Cura segura" ("Sure Medicine"), "De mi tierra" ("From My Land"), "Suelo argentino" ("Argentine Soil"), "Se recomienda solo" ("It’s Better Alone"), "Quejas de bandoneón" ("The Bandoneón
Bandoneón
The bandoneón is a type of concertina particularly popular in Argentina and Uruguay. It plays an essential role in the orquesta típica, the tango orchestra...
’s Woes"), among numerous others. A well-known name in tango by 1921, he wrote: "El besito" ("The Little Kiss"), "La porteñita" ("Little Girl from Buenos Aires"), "Clavel del aire" ("A Carnation from the Wind"), and his most enduring composition, "Caminito" ("Little path"). With lyrics by Gabino Coria Peñaloza, the 1926 ode to a La Rioja Province
La Rioja Province (Argentina)
La Rioja is a one of the provinces of Argentina and is located in the west of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Catamarca, Córdoba, San Luis and San Juan.-History:...
rural road to which sentimental memories were attached, it became one of the most recognizable tangos. In 1955, it helped inspire local artist Benito Quinquela Martín
Benito Quinquela Martín
Benito Quinquela Martín , 1890 – January 28, 1977) was an Argentine painter born in La Boca, Buenos Aires. Quinquela Martín is considered the port painter-par-excellence and one of the most popular Argentine painters...
to restore a La Boca
La Boca
La Boca is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavour, with many of its early settlers being from the Italian city of Genoa. In fact the name has a strong assonance with the Genoese neighborhood of Boccadasse , and some people believe that...
neighborhood alley, the Caminito
Caminito
Caminito is a street museum and a traditional alley, located in La Boca, a neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina...
, creating an enduring city landmark.
Orquesta típica
Orquesta típica, or simply a típica, is a Latin-American term for a band which plays popular music. The details vary from country to country. The term tends to be used for groups of medium size in some well-defined instrumental set-up.- Argentina :In Argentina, a típica is a tango orchestra...
" format, his included uncommon instruments to the genre at the time, such as 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...
s and flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s. He made his debut with this group at the Café Tortoni
Café Tortoni
The Café Tortoni is a coffeehouse located at #825 of Avenida de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Inaugurated on 1858 by a French immigrant whose surname was Touan, it was named Tortoni after the local in Paris at Boulevard des Italiens where the elite of the Parissiense culture gathered in the 19th...
, performing in the city's numerous theatres and in Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
, during the summer tourist season. His orchestra was brought on for Luis Moglia Barth
Luis Moglia Barth
Luis Moglia Barth was an Argentine film director and screenwriter, and one of the influential directors in the Cinema of Argentina of the classic era. He directed some 30 films between 1927 and 1959, often screenwriting for his pictures.He directed films such as Los tres berretines and Amalia...
's ¡Tango!, a 1933 film notable for its being the first made with Movietone
Movietone
Movietone may refer to:*Movietone , a Bristol-based British music group*Movietone News, a company producing cinema newsreels from the 1920s onwards*Movietone Records, Movietone was a budget subsidiary of 20th Century Fox' record division...
sound in Argentina.
His orchestra became a fixture on Buenos Aires radio stations, during the 1930s, and they recorded twenty-five numbers for the Odeon
Odeon Records
Odeon Records was a record label founded in 1903 by Max Straus and Heinrich Zuntz of the International Talking Machine Company in Berlin, Germany. It was named after a famous theatre in Paris, whose classical dome appears on the Odeon record label....
label, between 1932 and 1936. RCA Victor recorded twenty more between 1941 and 1959, almost all of them were instrumentals, and featuring Patrocinio Díaz and, later, Jorge Alonso as lead vocalists. A vigorous advocate of Copyright Law, he was a founding member of the Argentine Society of Authors and Music Composers
Sociedad Argentina de Autores y Compositores de Música
Sociedad Argentina de Autores y Compositores de Música is the entity that gathers all musicians and authors of Argentina, and the Argentine performance rights organisation that keeps registry of musical works, and collects and distributes royalties on behalf of the artists.Founded on June 9,...
(SADAIC), in 1936.
The creation of the Municipal Popular Orchestra of Folk Art in 1939 led to Filiberto's appointment as its director, a position he kept when President Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
made it the National Popular Music Orchestra (Pops), in 1948. His retirement as director on October 18, 1959 was honored with an homage at Caminito Street, closing with the unveiling of a bust of the artist at the site of an open-air art gallery.
Juan de Dios Filiberto died in 1964, at age 79. Ten years after his death and in his honor, the Juan de Dios Filiberto National Orchestra of Argentine Music was created; its conductors have included maestros José Rosa, Osvaldo Requena, Osvaldo Piro and today, Atilio Stampone
Atilio Stampone
Atilio Stampone is an Argentine pianist, composer and arranger prominent in the Tango genre.-Life and work:He was born to Romana Zangone, from Calabria, and Antonio Stampone, a pasta maker from Napoli, in the middle-class San Cristóbal section of Buenos Aires...
.
His modest home on 1140 Magallanes Street was acquired by the city in April 2007. His address in La Boca
La Boca
La Boca is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavour, with many of its early settlers being from the Italian city of Genoa. In fact the name has a strong assonance with the Genoese neighborhood of Boccadasse , and some people believe that...
from 1932 until his death, the house was notable also for a mural created for him by his friend, artist Benito Quinquela Martín
Benito Quinquela Martín
Benito Quinquela Martín , 1890 – January 28, 1977) was an Argentine painter born in La Boca, Buenos Aires. Quinquela Martín is considered the port painter-par-excellence and one of the most popular Argentine painters...
.