Lorenzo Barcelata
Encyclopedia
Lorenzo Barcelata was a Mexican
composer and actor born in Tlalixcoyan
. He died in Mexico City
from cholera
, shortly before his 45th birthday.
Barcelata came from a musically oriented family. He wrote his first song, "Arroyito", at the age of 14. He later moved to Tampico where he formed the quartet "Cuarteto Tamaulipeco", with composer Ernesto Cortázar
. Their fame quickly spread throughout the region and they received international fame when the Mexican government sent them on a tour of Cuba. While there, they were signed to perform a 52 week tour of the United States. After two of the members were fatally injured in an automobile accident, Barcelata returned to Mexico. He reformed the quartet as his fame continued to grow. Beginning in 1932, he entered the Mexican film industry and became a prominent film composer until his death. He also achieved fame as an actor as he played roles in several films.
His most famous song is María Elena
, which was originally written for the First Lady of Mexico, the wife of president Emilio Portes Gil
. Maria Elena was featured in the Mexican film by the same name. A version of it was also included on the soundtrack to the American film Bordertown
. It was later translated into English and performed by the Lawrence Welk
orchestra. Another English version was recorded by Jimmy Dorsey
. Dorsey's version topped the charts in 1941. Wayne King
also recorded an English version which reached the number 2 position during the week of June 14, runner-up only to the Dorsey version. A vocal version by Tony Pastor
also reached the top 10 during that month. Maria Elena has since been recorded internationally by several different musicians. In 1958, the Brazilian group Los Indios Tabajaras
recorded a version that became popular throughout Latin America and later reached the number 6 position in the US charts in 1962.
The popularity of Maria Elena resulted in Barcelata touring the United States once again. He returned to Mexico in 1943 where he was scheduled to produce several radio programs. However, he died on July 13, before recording could begin. In total, he left behind a catalog of 214 songs, including Por ti aprendí a querer, and El Cascabel, among others.
A recording of "El Cascabel" was one of the pieces of music on the Voyager Golden Record
. This version was a mariachi
interpretation performed by Antonio Maciel y Las Aguilillas with El Mariachi México de Pepe Villa. The 12 inch album (complete with stylus, cartridge and instructions for use) which was launched into deep space aboard the Voyager
space probes in the late 1970s.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
composer and actor born in Tlalixcoyan
Tlalixcoyan
Tlalixcoyan is a municipality in Veracruz, Mexico.Tlalixcoyan is bordered by: Alvarado, Medellín, and Cotaxtla and is on Mexican Federal Highways 180 and 190....
. He died in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
from cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
, shortly before his 45th birthday.
Barcelata came from a musically oriented family. He wrote his first song, "Arroyito", at the age of 14. He later moved to Tampico where he formed the quartet "Cuarteto Tamaulipeco", with composer Ernesto Cortázar
Ernesto Cortazar
Ernesto Cortazar was a contemporary classical composer and pianist.He started his music career in Mexico at the age of 18 composing the background music for the motion picture La Risa de la Ciudad....
. Their fame quickly spread throughout the region and they received international fame when the Mexican government sent them on a tour of Cuba. While there, they were signed to perform a 52 week tour of the United States. After two of the members were fatally injured in an automobile accident, Barcelata returned to Mexico. He reformed the quartet as his fame continued to grow. Beginning in 1932, he entered the Mexican film industry and became a prominent film composer until his death. He also achieved fame as an actor as he played roles in several films.
His most famous song is María Elena
María Elena
María Elena is a Chilean city and commune in Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region. According to the 2002 census, the commune population was 7,530 and has an area of .- History :...
, which was originally written for the First Lady of Mexico, the wife of president Emilio Portes Gil
Emilio Portes Gil
Emilio Cándido Portes Gil was President of Mexico from 1928 to 1930.-Biography:Portes Gil was born in Ciudad Victoria, the capital of the state of Tamaulipas in northeast Mexico....
. Maria Elena was featured in the Mexican film by the same name. A version of it was also included on the soundtrack to the American film Bordertown
Bordertown
-Film and television:*Bordertown , a film starring Paul Muni and Bette Davis*Bordertown , a 1989 made-for-television film*Bordertown , a television series*Bordertown , a 1995 television production...
. It was later translated into English and performed by the Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
orchestra. Another English version was recorded by Jimmy Dorsey
Jimmy Dorsey
James "Jimmy" Dorsey was a prominent American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, and big band leader. He was known as "JD"...
. Dorsey's version topped the charts in 1941. Wayne King
Wayne King
Wayne King was an American musician, songwriter, singer and orchestral leader. He was sometimes referred to as "the Waltz King" because much of his most popular music involved waltzes; "The Waltz You Saved For Me" was his standard set closing song in live performance and on numerous radio...
also recorded an English version which reached the number 2 position during the week of June 14, runner-up only to the Dorsey version. A vocal version by Tony Pastor
Tony Pastor
Tony Pastor was an American impresario, variety performer and theatre owner who became one of the founding forces behind American vaudeville in the mid-to-late nineteenth century...
also reached the top 10 during that month. Maria Elena has since been recorded internationally by several different musicians. In 1958, the Brazilian group Los Indios Tabajaras
Los Indios Tabajaras
Los Indios Tabajaras was a guitar duo of two brothers from Ceará, in the Northeast of Brazil.Their beginnings are not clear, though most stories have them becoming accomplished guitar players after finding a guitar near Ceará, Brazil. Playing in Rio de Janeiro, they found success as Natalicio and...
recorded a version that became popular throughout Latin America and later reached the number 6 position in the US charts in 1962.
The popularity of Maria Elena resulted in Barcelata touring the United States once again. He returned to Mexico in 1943 where he was scheduled to produce several radio programs. However, he died on July 13, before recording could begin. In total, he left behind a catalog of 214 songs, including Por ti aprendí a querer, and El Cascabel, among others.
A recording of "El Cascabel" was one of the pieces of music on the Voyager Golden Record
Voyager Golden Record
The Voyager Golden Records are phonograph records which were included aboard both Voyager spacecraft, which were launched in 1977. They contain sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth, and are intended for any intelligent extraterrestrial life form, or for...
. This version was a mariachi
Mariachi
Mariachi is a genre of music that originated in the State of Jalisco, in Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico. Throughout the history of mariachi, musicians have experimented with brass, wind,...
interpretation performed by Antonio Maciel y Las Aguilillas with El Mariachi México de Pepe Villa. The 12 inch album (complete with stylus, cartridge and instructions for use) which was launched into deep space aboard the Voyager
Voyager
-Technology:*LG Voyager, a mobile phone model manufactured by LG Electronics*NCR Voyager, a computer platform produced by NCR Corporation*Voyager , a computer worm affecting Oracle databases...
space probes in the late 1970s.