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Josep de Letamendi i de Manjarrés
1828 - 1897
Spain
Josep de Letamendi i de Manjarrés (11/03/1828 - 20/06/1897), a Spanish doctor, essayist, writer, politician, composer and painter; born in Barcelona, died in Madrid, Spain. University professor of Anatomy in Barcelona between 1857 and 1878 and later on University professor of General Pathology in Madrid.
Dies irae
Dies irae, in the occasion of 350.º anniversary of the death of Felipe II (= Phillip II of Spain, 1527-1598 ?)
Misa de réquiem
Josep de Letamendi i de Manjarrés dedicated himself to composition from 1885 , at the initiative of his circle of private friends, among whom were the tenor Godró (Montiano) and the pianist Miralles . He composed several concert works, for piano and singing , and for piano, violin and cello . These works, twelve in total, culminate in the Requiem Mass , which has its origins in a Dies irae de saló, premiered at the Saló Romero in June 1887 , which ended up becoming a Requiem Mass for orchestra. , with choirs and solos in four voices, by Joan Gil i Miralles(conductor of the El Escorial orchestra 1886-1889) premiered with a splendid performance on the birthday of Philip II , on September 13, 1888 , in El Escorial , in the chapel of the Augustinians. The work responds to Letamendi's temperament, and if it does not elevate the author to the category of great musician, it does reveal a facet of his personality that connects with the profile of the humanist doctor so typical of his time.
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