Description

JESÚS MARÍA SANROMÁ (CAROLINA, PUERTO RICO, NOVEMBER 7, 1902 – SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, OCTOBER 12, 1984)

 

 

 

 

Jesús María Sanromá (1902–1984) was a Puerto Rican pianist renowned for his extraordinary talent, collaborations with prominent composers, and contributions to classical music both in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Early Life and Education

Sanromá was born on November 7, 1902, in Carolina, Puerto Rico, to José María Sanromá, a Spanish immigrant and journalist, and María Torra de la Riba. He began piano lessons in Fajardo after his father recognized his talent, debuting at age 11 at the Teatro Municipal de Fajardo in 1913. His performance at the Puerto Rican Ateneo in San Juan in 1916 impressed poet and politician José de Diego, who secured a government scholarship to fund his education at the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) in Boston.

At NEC, Sanromá studied under David Sequeira and graduated in 1920, earning the prestigious Mason and Hamlin Prize. He continued advanced studies with Antoinette Szumowska-Adamowska, Alfred Cortot, and Artur Schnabel.

Career Highlights

Sanromá became the first official pianist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO), holding the position for 20 years. He premiered Maurice Ravel’s Concerto in G in North America in 1932 and recorded seminal works, including the first complete recording of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops in 1935.

His collaborations spanned a wide range of composers, including Sergei Prokofiev, Igor Stravinsky, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Paul Hindemith, and Leonard Bernstein. Sanromá also recorded extensively, producing over 38 albums and pioneering the recording of Edward MacDowell’s Second Concerto.

In 1952, Sanromá returned to Puerto Rico and became a musical consultant at the University of Puerto Rico. He organized the “Sanromá Concerts,” participated in the Pablo Casals Festivals, and played a vital role in establishing the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico.

Legacy and Recognition

Sanromá’s achievements earned him numerous awards, including honorary doctorates from institutions such as NEC, the University of Puerto Rico, and Boston College. He was knighted by Pope Paul VI into the Order of Saint Sylvester.

He passed away on October 12, 1984, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was buried in the Porta Coeli Cemetery in Bayamón. In his honor, a school in Carolina and a concert hall at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico bear his name. Sanromá is also commemorated in Carolina’s Gallery of Giants.

Among his notable students was Monserrate Ferrer, who continued his legacy as a distinguished pianist and educator.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

Rhapsody in blue (Gershwin)

Boston Pops Orchestra Arthur Fiedler (conductor)

11-8749 11-8750 11-8750

CVE-92806 CVE-92807 CVE-92808

Victor 1935

 

Piano concerto no. 2, in D minor (MacDowell)

1st movement  Larghetto calmato

Larghetto calmato – continued

Larghetto calmato – concluded Part 3

Boston Pops Orchestra Arthur Fiedler (conductor)

11953 11954 11955

CS-102847 CS-102848 CS-102849

Victor 1936

 

Piano concerto no. 2, in D minor (MacDowell)

2nd movement  Presto giocoso

Boston Pops Orchestra Arthur Fiedler (conductor)

11956 CS-102850

Victor 1936

 

Piano concerto no. 2, in D minor (MacDowell)

3rd movement  Largo

Largo – concluded

Boston Pops Orchestra Arthur Fiedler (conductor)

11957 11953

CS-102851 CS-102852

Victor 1936

 

Totentanz (Liszt)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Boston Pops Orchestra Arthur Fiedler (conductor)

12105 12105 12106 12106

CS-010982 CS-010983 CS-010984 CS-010985

Victor 1937

 

Sonata for viola and piano, op. 11, no. 4 (Hindemith)

First movement Fantasie; Second movement Theme

Second movement: Variations I, II, III, and IV

Third movement: Finale: Variation V; Variation VI (Fugato), part 1

Third movement: Variation VI, concluded; Variation VII (Coda)

11-0013 11-0013 11-0014 11-0014

CS-028979 CS-028980 CS-028981 CS-028982

Victor 1938

 

Song without words in A flat minor, no. 18 (Duetto) op. 38. Nr. 6 (Mendelssohn)

13618 CS-023951

Victor 1938