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 On November 4, 2003, we were contacted by Cuban guitarist Ñico Rojas, who offered us two pieces to share within the society. Later discussions with this charming, 82-year-old gentleman led to an agreement where we would publish these pieces on our website, so we are proud to present them here! The first piece is a guajira dedicated to Sr. Rojas' mother, suitably entitled Guajira a Mi Madre. You can read the score in PDF format and/or listen to a recording of the piece performed by this master composer himself. The second offering is a lovely, impressionistic piece dedicated to his daughter and entitled Lilliam. Again, you can read the score in PDF format and/or listen to a recording by the composer. Later on, Sr. Rojas offered us a third piece, the haunting Retrato de un Medico Violonista (Portrait of a Medical Violinist). In his own words, "compuesta en los años 50 por este servidor suyo e inspirada en un medico violinista amigo mio que se esforzaba sobremanera por salvarle la vida a sus pacientes, para mi y para personalidades de la musica cubana mi mejor obra lograda." Translated, this means "composed in the 50's by this, your servant, and inspired by a doctor/violinist friend of mine who used to strive a lot to save the lives of his patients. For me and for personalities of Cuban music, my most accomplished piece." You will find this piece below in score form and as a recording as well. If you wish to contact Mr. Rojas, you may do so by sending e-mail to patricia.varona@infomed.sld.cu Here are direct links to the files: Guajira
a Mi Madre (PDF,
480 KB) Lilliam
(PDF, 328 KB) Retrato de un medico
(PDF, 328 KB)
El
Manisero (PDF,
288 KB) Guyun El Maestro (PDF, 168
KB) Sarka y Jiricek (PDF, 92 KB) Helenita y Jorgito (PDF, 368 KB) Helenita y Jorgito (MP3, 1 MB) Below is an autobiography of Sr. Rojas by the artist himself, first in English and then in Spanish. After the Spanish version is a list of his repertoire, including his own compositions. There are other sites on the web that contain information about this guitarist/composer. Enjoy!
Ñico Rojas was born August 3 of 1921 in the city of Havana. His parents encouraged in him a love for both classic and popular music and they insisted that he begin to study the guitar when he was 13 years old. But Ñico learned how to play autodidactically (self-taught) when he was 18 years old while beginning studies at the University of Havana to pursue a career in Civil Engineering. While studying this career he met a group of composers with whom he went on to found the "Feeling" Movement in 1942. The group composed the boleros "My Yesterday", "Now if I know that I love" and "You are conscious", among others that were recorded by the masters Pepe Reyes, Orlando Vallejo and Miguelito Valdés. He had the luck and honor of convincing that group of founders that they should be musicians and nothing else; today Glories of the Cuban Culture, like they were and are, José Antonio Méndez, Ski Aida Diestro, Niño Rivera, Felipe Durzaides, and Gilberto Aldanáz. Ñico convinced the other 13 founders of the "Feeling" that it was necessary to listen the music of the grand classics to achieve development in the movement and in the future compositions of the group. Upon graduating as a Civil Engineer, while working and living in the city of Matanzas, he combined the classic music of Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Debussy and Ravel, the popular music of Antonio Arcaño, Arsenio Rodríguez, Miguel Matamoros and Nat King Cole, of the rumberos of Matanzas, Saldiguera and Viiulilla, and the rural music that he listened while building highways and aqueducts. Consequently, from having the luck to create music for the guitar, in 1950 arose a form of composing instrumental music for guitar, a style that until that point had no antecedents, situated between classic and popular and based in different Cuban rhythms. According to diverse Cuban musicologists, Ñico Rojas is the creator of instrumentals for guitar with Cuban rhythms, which he dedicates in large part to his family, dear friends, people and places that he admires. In Matanzas, Ñico's 4 children were born, products of his marriage with Eva Montes. According to Ñico, the loyalty and love of his wife and their children, together with the affection and respect of the matanceros and the beauty of that city, inspired in him the different motivations to compose 52 instrumentals, of which 24 were interpreted and recorded in 2 disks of long duration in the EGREM, 1964 and 1977 respectively. The first one found great success in the "Expo Montreal 1967." He has composed 20 boleros and songs with texts and original music, which have been recorded by singers such as Elena Burke, Argelia, Omara Portuondo, Ester Borja, Vilma Valle, Lino Borges, Carlos Díaz, Nancy Alvares, Pablo Milanes, Luis Garcia, Raúl Mesa , Gilberto Aldanáz, Instrumental Quintet of Modern Music, Tito Bridges, Frank Emilio, trio si Rigual brothers', trio Thesis, Proposed trio 3 and José Antonio Méndez.
The EGREM publishes a first book with 7 instrumentals for guitar. EGREM plans to publish all music composed by Ñico, whom lately has composed a Suite homage to the Feeling, with 24 new instrumentals based in Preludes, Song, They Are, Mambo, Cha Cha Chá, Batanga, Tumbao, Bolero, Guajira, etc. All with "Feeling" inspiriations. His instrumental Tony and Jesusito were interpreted in the festival of Montreal in 1997. In several conservatories of Cuba, their works for guitar are used as study material. Ñico Rojas has offered many concerts and recitals in theaters, television, radio, museums, etc. In 1994 he received the annual prize UNEAC and the prize BUTTERFLY for merit of contributed musical work, he also bears the DISTINCTION FOR NATIONAL CULTURE and other national orders such as the RAÚL GÓMEZ GARCÍA y ARMANDO MESTRE awards. In January / 98 he was invited to the LINCOLN CENTER of New York where he offered 2 minstrel concerts, interpreting 3 of his original boleros. In Agosto/99 he recorded, along with the
formidable pianist Frank Emilio, a CD with 16 original songs. (English translation by Darci Van Duzer) Nombre: José Antonio
(Ñico) Rojas Beoto Ñico Rojas nació el 3 de agosto de 1921, en la ciudad de La Habana. Sus padres le inculcaron el amor por la música clásica y popular y trataron que estudiara la guitarra, cuando tenia 13 años. Pero Ñico la aprendió a tocar de forma autodidacta cuando tenia 18 años, en que comenzó los estudios en la Universidad de La Habana para la carrera de Ingeniería Civil. Estudiando esa carrera conoció y pasó a integrar el grupo de compositores fundadores del Movimiento "Feeling" en 1942. Compuso entonces los boleros "Mi Ayer", "Ahora si sé que te quiero" y " Se consciente", ente otros, que fueron grabados por los maestros Pepe Reyes, Orlando Vallejo y Miguelito Valdés. Tuvo la suerte y honor de convencer a ese grupo de fundadores que debían ser músicos y no otra cosa; hoy Glorias de la Cultura Cubana, como fueron y son José Aantonio Méndez, Aida Diestro, Niño Rivera, Felipe Durzaides, Gilberto Aldanáz. Ñico, convenció a los otros 13 fundadores del "Feeling" que había que escuchar la música de los grandes clásicos para lograr desarrollo en el movimiento y en las futuras composiciones del grupo. Al graduarse de Ingeniero Civil, trabajando y viviendo en la ciudad de Matanzas , combina la música clásica de Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Debussy y Ravel, la música popular de Antonio Arcaño, Arsenio Rodríguez, Miguel Matamoros y Nat King Cole, de los rumberos de Matanzas, Saldiguera y Viiulilla y la música campesina, que escuchaba cuando construía carreteras y acueductos. Así surgió en 1950 una forma de componer música instrumental para guitarra, hasta entonces sin antecedentes en ese estilo, teniendo la suerte de crear música para guitarra, ubicada entre lo clásico y lo popular, basada en distintos ritmos cubanos. Según diversos musicólogos cubanos Ñico Rojas es el creador de instrumentales para guitarra con ritmos cubanos, dedicados en su mayor parte a familiares, amigos queridos, personas y lugares que admira. En Matanzas nacieron sus 4 hijos, producto
de su matrimonio con Eva Montes. Según opinión
de Ñico la lealtad y amor de ella y sus hijos junto con
el cariño y respeto de los matanceros y la belleza de
esa ciudad, le hicieron brotar los distintos motivos para componer
52 instrumentales, de los cuales 24 fueron interpretados y grabados
en 2 discos de larga duración en la EGREM, 1964 y 1977
respectivamente. El primero tuvo gran éxito en la "Expo
Montreal 1967". La EGREM edito un primer libro con 7 instrumentales para guitarra. Ese organismo piensa editar toda la música compuesta por Ñico, el cual últimamente ha compuesto una Suite homenaje al Feeling, con 24 instrumentales nuevos que se basan en Preludios, Canción, Son, Mambo, Cha Cha Chá, Batanga, Tumbao, Bolero, Guajira, etc. Todos con motivaciones de "feeling". Su instrumental Tony y Jesusito fue interpretado en el festival Montreal 1997. En varios conservatorios de Cuba, sus obras para guitarra son utilizadas como material de estudio.
Ñico Rojas ha ofrecido muchos conciertos y recitales en teatros, televisión. Radio, museos, etc. En 1994 recibió el premio anual UNEAC y el premio MARIPOSA por mérito de obra musical aportada , además ostenta la DISTINCION POR LA CULTURA NACIONAL y otras ordenes nacionales, como la RAUL GOMEZ GARCIA y.ARMANDO MESTRE. En Enero / 98 fue invitado al " LINCOLN CENTER " de Nueva York donde ofreció 2 conciertos como trovador, interpretando 3 boleros de su autoría. En Agosto/99 grabó junto al formidable pianista Frank Emilio un CD con 16 canciones de su autoria . INSTRUMENTALES DEL CATALOGO DE JOSE ANTONIO
( ÑICO ) ROJAS 1.- GUAJIRA A MI MADRE..................................................guajira-son. SUITE HOMENAJE AL FEELING Para Piano : 50.- TONY Y JESUSITO.....................................................mambo-bop. BOLEROS Y CANCIONES 1.- MI AYER.........................................................................bolero |
