The José Bernardo Alzedo Collection and more Peruvian sources now in RISM

Giancarlo Carreño Arce

Thursday, June 25, 2026

We have received the following from Giancarlo Carreño Arce (Universidad Nacional de Música, Lima, Peru), who started to contribute the first Peruvian manuscript descriptions to RISM in 2025 (Spanish below):

José Bernardo Alzedo (1788–1878) was a musician born in Lima, Peru. He began his musical education at a young age at the convent of San Agustín. Later, he studied with Fray Pascual Nieves at the Dominican convent, where he became acquainted with the works of classical composers such as Mozart and Haydn. He composed several sacred works in Lima before moving to Chile, where he developed most of his professional career as a cathedral musician, choirmaster, and composer. He also wrote music theory treatises, several patriotic songs and hymns, including the National Anthem of Peru (RISM ID no. 1001368991; RISM Catalog | RISM Online) in 1821. The José Bernardo Alzedo Collection is currently held by the Biblioteca Nacional del Perú.

Since late 2025, nearly 30 Peruvian sources have been added to RISM from two institutions: the Library of the Universidad Nacional de Música (Library siglum: PE-Lcnm; RISM Online | RISM Catalog) and the Biblioteca Nacional del Perú (Library siglum: PE-Lbnp; RISM Online | RISM Catalog). Highlights from the Library of the Universidad Nacional de Música include the Ñaupajñejen Mass (RISM ID no. 1001369897; RISM Catalog | RISM Online) by Ulises Lanao de la Haza (1913–1980), and two anonymous twentieth-century transcriptions of Hanacpachap cussicuinin (RISM ID no. 1001365628; RISM Catalog | RISM Online), the first printed polyphonic work published in the Americas in the seventeenth century by Juan Pérez Bocanegra. Both works include lyrics in the Andean Quechua language.

These sources are not only an important part of Peruvian cultural heritage, but also illustrate the cultural and musical syncretism that emerged as a result of the Spanish colonization of the Americas.

The process of incorporating Peruvian sources into RISM is still ongoing, and the current records are available to researchers around the world through RISM Online and the RISM Catalog. Digital copies of the Ñaupajñejen Mass and many other Peruvian manuscripts are accessible directly through the RISM records.

Images: Universidad Nacional de Música in Lima, Peru, and main entrance of the Biblioteca Nacional del Perú. Photos by Giancarlo Carreño, c2026.

La colección de José Bernardo Alzedo y otras fuentes peruanas ya están disponibles en el RISM

José Bernardo Alzedo (1788–1878) fue un músico nacido en Lima, Perú. Comenzó su educación musical a temprana edad en el convento de San Agustín. Posteriormente estudió con fray Pascual Nieves en el convento dominico, donde conoció las obras de compositores clásicos como Mozart y Haydn. Compuso varias obras sacras en Lima antes de trasladarse a Chile, donde desarrolló la mayor parte de su carrera profesional como músico de catedral, maestro de capilla y compositor. También escribió tratados de teoría musical, así como diversas canciones patrióticas e himnos, entre ellos el Himno Nacional del Perú (RISM ID No. 1001368991; RISM Catalog | RISM Online) en 1821. La colección José Bernardo Alzedo se conserva actualmente en la Biblioteca Nacional del Perú.

Desde finales de 2025, cerca de 30 fuentes peruanas han sido incorporadas a RISM desde dos instituciones: la Biblioteca de la Universidad Nacional de Música (Sigla de la Bibliotheca: PE-Lcnm; (RISM Catalog | RISM Online) y la Biblioteca Nacional del Perú (Sigla de la Bibliotheca: PE-Lbnp) (RISM Catalog | RISM Online). Entre los registros destacados de la Biblioteca de la Universidad Nacional de Música se encuentran la Misa Ñaupajñejen (RISM ID No. 1001369897; RISM Catalog | RISM Online) de Ulises Lanao de la Haza (1913–1980) y dos transcripciones anónimas del siglo XX de Hanacpachap cussicuinin (RISM ID No. 1001365628; RISM Catalog | RISM Online), la primera obra polifónica impresa publicada en América en el siglo XVII por Juan Pérez Bocanegra. Ambas obras incluyen letras en lengua quechua andina.

El proceso de incorporación de fuentes peruanas a RISM continúa en desarrollo, y los registros actuales se encuentran disponibles para investigadores de todo el mundo a través de RISM Online y el Catálogo RISM. Las copias digitales de la Misa Ñaupajñejen y de varios otros manuscritos peruanos pueden consultarse directamente a través de los registros de RISM (RISM Online | RISM Catalog).

Imágenes: Biblioteca nacional del Perú y Universidad Nacional de Música in Lima, Perú. Fotos de Giancarlo Carreño, c2026.

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Category: Library collections

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