page_title: Classical violin in Cuba
section_title: 19th century
hierarchical_section_title: Classical violin in Cuba / 19th century
caption_attribution_description: English: Cuban violinist and composer José White (1836-1918). Shown here after he received the 1st prize for violin at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1856.
context_page_description: The bowed string instruments have been always present in Cuba since its discovery, first as the viol or bowed vihuela and at a later time as the Italian violin. As other instruments and the culture in general, also the violin enjoyed in Cuba a period of great relevance during the 19th century. The violin was part of the instrumental ensembles that accompanied the Contradance and the Dance, the first Cuban musical genres, as well as other subsequent genres as the Danzón and the Cha cha cha. The violin also intoned some of the most beautiful melodies composed in Cuba, such as "La Bella Cubana" by José White. At all times, the Cuban violinists have been prominent representatives of the Cuban music throughout the entire world.
context_section_description: During the transition from the 18th to the 19th centuries, the Havanese Ulpiano Estrada (1777-1847) offered violin lessons and conducted the Teatro Principal orchestra from 1817 to 1820. Apart from his activity as a violinist, Estrada kept a very active musical career as a conductor of numerous orchestras, bands and operas, and composing many contradanzas and other dance pieces, such as minuets and valses. Similarly to Estrada and approximately during the same time period, José Mercedes Betancourt (17?-1866) developed an active career as violinist and professor, as well as conductor and composer, but this time in the city of Camagüey. Aldo Joaquín Gavira (1780-1880) was also a prominent violinist and professor in Havana. José Vandergutch, Belgian violinist, arrived at Havana along with his father Juan and brother Francisco, also violinists. They returned at a later time to Belgium, but José established his permanent residence in Havana, where he acquired great recognition. Vandergutch offered numerous concerts as a soloist and accompanied by several orchestras, around the mid-19th century. He was a member of the Classical Music Association and also a Director of The “Asociación Musical de Socorro Mutuo de La Habana.” Another important violinist from the first half of the 19th century was Secundino Arango. A disciple of Ramón Menéndez, he served as an organist in the La Merced Church. Arango composed many danzas and guarachas, as well as religious music, motets and salves. Near the end of his life he worked as an organist at the San Francisco Convent in Guanabacoa, Havana. José White dedicated his last study, from a series of six to Secundino Arango, thus highlighting with his homage the renown acquired by this Havanese musician during his lifetime.
  Within the universe of the classical Cuban violin during the 19th century, there are two outstanding masters that may be considered among the greatest violin virtuosos of all times; they are José White Lafitte y Claudio Brindis de Salas Garrido.
  After receiving his first musical instruction from his father, the virtuoso Cuban violinist José White Lafitte (1835-1918) offered his first concert in Matanzas on March 21, 1854. In that presentation he was accompanied by the famous American pianist and composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk, whom encouraged him to further his musical instruction in Paris, and also collected funds for that purpose. José White studied musical composition in the Conservatoire de Paris from 1855 to 1871. Just ten months after his arrival he received the First Price in the violin category on the Conservatorie's contest and was highly praised by Gioachino Rossini. At a later time he was a professor of the renowned violinists George Enescu and Jacques Thibaud. From 1877 to 1889, White was appointed as Director of the Imperial Conservatory in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, where he also served as court musician of the Emperor Pedro II. At a later time he returned to Paris where he stayed until his death. The famous violin named “Swan’s song” was his preferred instrument and his most famous composition is the Habanera “La bella cubana”. White also composed many other pieces, including a concert for violin and orchestra.
  Claudio Brindis de Salas Garrido (1852-1911) was a renowned Cuban violinist, son of the also famous violinist, double-bassist and conductor Claudio Brindis de Salas (1800-1972), which conducted one of the most popular orchestras of Havana during the first half of the 19th century, named “La Concha de Oro” (The Golden Conch). Claudio José surpassed the fame and expertise of his father and came to acquire international recognition. Brindis de Salas began his musical studies with his father and continued with Maestros José Redondo and the Belgian José Vandergutch. He offered his first concert in Havana in 1863, in which Vandegutch participated as accompanist. The famous pianist and composer Ignacio Cervantes also participated in that event. According with the contemporary critique, Brindis de Salas was considered one of the most outstanding violinists of his 
caption: José White in 1856, after receiving First Prize from the Conservatoire de Paris
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