Description

JUAN FRANCISCO GARCÍA MUÑOZ (SARRIÓN, MARCH 8, 1896 – BUENOS AIRES, JULY 17, 1969)

 

 

 

 

His early musical education took place at home in Sarrión. His father, a blind organist and director of the local rondalla, taught him the basics of music theory, while his mother introduced him to the jota—a genre he would remain faithful to throughout his career. He later continued his studies with his uncle, the parish priest of Valbona, with whom he lived for a time. It was his uncle who secured him a place at the Salesian school in Sarriá, Barcelona, where, at the age of eleven, he trained as a bookbinder. After finishing his studies, he worked as a typographer, though he never abandoned his musical ambitions.

In 1921, he made his first steps on stage at the Tívoli Theatre, performing in the chorus of Emilio Sagi-Barba’s company. Around 1924, determined to refine his musical training, he moved to Milan. To finance his studies, he took on all manner of jobs, “even as a house painter.” While painting a façade, he was overheard singing the aria Ecco ridente from The Barber of Seville by the celebrated soprano Toti Dal Monte, who helped him secure his first appearance in a small Milanese theater.

His breakthrough came at the Teatro Comunale in San Remo with Rigoletto. From that point on, his reputation grew rapidly, first in Italy and then in Spain. At Barcelona’s Tívoli Theatre, he triumphed in Manon, a success so great that he was soon invited to repeat the role at the Gran Teatro del Liceo. Particularly acclaimed was his Barber of Seville during the 1927–28 season at Madrid’s Teatro de la Zarzuela.

At the end of 1925, however, he found himself stranded and penniless in Egypt, after Pietro Mascagni’s company abruptly returned to Spain without him. The reasons behind his stay and the details of the ten months he spent there were never clarified. García himself only spoke of the episode in a playful, exaggerated manner, claiming he had sung “in harems and palaces full of beautiful houris.”

The crisis of the Spanish opera industry in the early 1930s, combined with the intrigues of the operatic world, prompted him to devote himself increasingly to zarzuela. He achieved notable successes with Alonso’s La picarona, Fernández Ardavín and Guerrero’s El ama, and Luna, Romero, and Fernández Shaw’s La moza vieja. He also appeared in two films: Do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, o la vida privada de un tenor (Edgar Neville, 1934) and Corre, mulilla (Benito Perojo, 1935).

García was also active as a lyricist and composer of songs. His piece Morucha, set to music by Juan Quintero, became widely popular and made him a regular presence on the radio. In 1934, he founded his own ensemble, “Juan García y su orquesta,” which brought him greater artistic freedom. The orchestra’s success led to an extensive tour of Spain and Portugal the following year.

With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, García moved to Buenos Aires, where he was engaged by Radio Belgrano. In view of the worsening situation in Europe, he settled permanently in Buenos Aires, where he married, though he had no children.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

¡Ayer y hoy! (César Ibarbia) Parlophon B. 25.828-II 129.126

Amparo Vals melodía (F. Baró, F. Ledesma y R. Oropesa) Columbia R 18261 C 3515

Así es el amor canción (Telmo Vela) Parlophon B. 26039-I 76750

Aurora del peregrino (Juan Quintero – Federico Spaventa) Parlophon B. 26.088 II 129.637

Ay, ay, ay (Osman Pérez Freire) Parlophon B. 26036-I 76679

Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Se il mio nome Parlophon B. 26007-I  76195

Cádiz (Isaac Albéniz – Carlos Luis de Cuenca) Parlophon P 55501-II 71021

Camagüeyana (Guillermo Cases) Disco Gramófono GY 165

Chiclanera Pasodoble canción (L. Vega, R. Oropesa y A. Carmona) Columbia R 18261 C 3514

Chiquita (vals) (Mabel Wayne – F. Carretero) Parlophon B.26008-I  76.279

Cicatrices (tango) (Adolfo R. Avilés) Parlophon B. 26004-II 78212

Copos de nieve (jota popular) Parlophon B. 26.023-II 76.434

Coqueta (José Lucio Mediavilla – Dr. Bramks y Riesgo) Parlophon B 26.012

Despacico y callandico (Juan Quintero – Juan García) Parlophon B. 26072-II 129466

Doña Francisquita (Amadeo Vives) (romanza de Fernando)  Parlophon P 55505 2-71032

El ama (Jacinto Guerrero) Tonada castellana Disco Gramófono 110-2939 DA 4238 OJ 1033

El bello Danubio Azul (vals) (Johann Strauss, hijo – Fidel Prado) Parlophon B. 26.088-I 129.635

El beso que tú me diste jota para violín, piano y canto (J. Quintero, J. Fernández, J. García) Parlophon B 25851-I 129636

El cigarrillo canción (Modesto Romero, Estremera y César G. Iniesta) Parlophon B 26018-I 76462

El cuello t’han afeitau (Juan García) Parlophon 76671 B 26032-I

El fantasma (Salvador Giner) (Romanza) Parlophon P 55.506

El huésped del sevillano (Jacinto Guerrero) Canto a la espada Parlophon B 26035-I 76656

El huésped del sevillano (Jacinto Guerrero) Mujer de los ojos negros Parlophon B 26035-II 76657

El perdón (Leopoldo Magenti – José M.a López) Parlophon B 26076-II 129403

El sentimiento (jota aragonesa) Parlophon 26009-II 76192

El trust de los tenorios (José Serrano) Parlophon B. 26.046-II 129030

Emigrantes (Tomás Barrera, Rafael Calleja, Pablo Casés) Parlophon B. 26.049-I

En Aragón e nacio (Manuel Beltrán – Fidel Prado) Parlophon B. 26.020-II 76. 460

En un pueblecito de España (Mabel Wayne – Enrique Cadícamo) Parlophon B 26016-II 76439

España mía (José Lucio Mediavilla – Mariano Muzas) Parlophon B 26.003

Eterno Genitor (Salvador Giner Vidal) Parlophon P 55.506

Gigantes y cabezudos (Manuel Fernández Caballero) Parlophon B 26.031-II 76665

Gitana mía (José Lucio Mediavilla – Mariano Muzas) Parlophon B 26019-I 76441

Granada (Isaac Albéniz – Carlos Luis de Cuenca) Parlophon P 55501-I 71020

Guajiras (aire popular cubano) (J. García) Parlophon B. 26.004-I 76.201

Guitarra mía canción (Modesto Romero y E. G. del Castillo) Parlophon B 26018-II 76463

Himno de Riego (himno republicano espanol) (Jose M. de Peart) Parlophon B. 25.843 129.381

La alegría de la huerta (Federico Chueca) Parlophon B 26048-I 129033

La calesera (Francisco Alonso) (Romanza) Parlophon B 26.006 76210

La castañuela (Francisco Alonso) Canción de la guitarra Parlophon B. 26.054-II 129.212

La castañuela (Francisco Alonso) Serenata de los dragones del rey Parlophon B. 26.054-I

La Dolores (Tomás Bretón) Introducción y jota Parlophon P. 55505 2-71033

La fematera (jota aragonesa) Parlophon B. 26.009-II 76.192

La linda tapada (Francisco Alonso – J. Tellaeche) Canción del gitano Parlophon P 55504-I 71035

La parra (jota aragonesa) Parlophon 26009-II 76192

La partida (Fermín Álvarez – Eusebio Blasco) Parlophon B 26040-II 76751

La picarona (Francisco Alonso) Canto a Segovia Parlophon P 55.503

La picarona (Francisco Alonso) Cuerda de presos Parlophon B 26.029

La picarona (Francisco Alonso) Dúo de Ginés y Maribel (con Matilde Vázquez) Parlophon B 26.042

La picarona (Francisco Alonso) Dúo de Montiel y Maribel (con Matilde Vázquez) Parlophon P 55.503

La picarona (Francisco Alonso) Madrigal Parlophon B 26.028

La romanza en fa leyenda (Antonio M. Gamero y C. Riesco) Parlophon B. 26039-II 76744

La ronda que pasa (Ignacio Tabuyo – Francisco Moya Rico) Parlophon B 26.010

La Terolana (Fdez. Caballero y José Casares) Parlophon B 26.020

Labios Rojos (Fernando Gravina -Carlos Rubio – Pro Hormaenza) Parlophon B 26.019

Leonor (vals) (Samaniego – F. Carretero) Parlophon B 26.008

Los de Abejuela y Titaguas (Juan Quintero – Juan García) Parlophon B. 26072-I 129465

Los de Aragón (José Serrano) Agüita que vas al mar Parlophon B 55.018

Manon (Massenet) En fermant les yeux Parlophon B 26.007-II 76213

Mira (vals) (Guillermo Cases – Juan García – L. Marianau) Disco Gramófono GY 165

Morucha (Juan García – Juan Quintero) Parlophon B. 26071-I 129.454

Mujer morena (Florencio Ledesma – M. Álvarez Diez) Parlophon B 26.011

No necesitamos himnos (Juan Quintero – Juan García) Parlophon B. 26072-II 129466

Noches de Sibur (Modesto Romero – M. Maura) Parlophon B 26.040

Pajarico triguero (Francisco Alonso – Luis F. Ardavín) Parlophon B 26.029

Panis Angelicus (misa solemne) (César Frank) Parlophon P. 55.507

Pava regional (Francisco Alonso – S. y J. Álvarez Quintero) Parlophon P 55504-II 71036

Piropo baturro (jota aragonesa) Parlophon B 26.010

Plegaria (Fermín María Álvarez – S. Trullol y Plana) Parlophon P. 55.507

Por un cariño (Gerardo Alcázar – Demon) Parlophon B. 25820-I 129082

Princesita (-La Corte del Amor-) (José Padilla) Parlophon B. 26036-II 76704

Quietud (José Lucio Mediavilla – Antonio Martín Gamero) Parlophon B 26.002

Riau-Riau (jota pupular) Parlophon B 25.021

Sarrionera Jota Parlophon B 26.010

Tengo una cita de amores (José Lucio Mediavilla, Branks y Riesco) Parlophon B 26.003

Un barberillo alegre (seguidillas) (J.L. Mediavilla – F. Prado) Parlophon B 26011-I 76274

Una andaluza y un maño (Juan García) Parlophon B 26.032

Vieni sul mar (canción napolitana) Parlophon B 26.016

Y no te besé (Juan García) Parlophon B. 25820-II 129085

Ya no monta el potro blanco canción argentina (J. Quintero) Parlophon B 25851-II 129634