José Antonio Gómez y Olguín (1805-1876) y su Catálogo musical
Monday, March 7, 2016
John G. Lazos, who has cataloged hundreds of manuscripts in Mexico for RISM, has published a catalog of composer José Antonio Gómez y Olguín’s works in Mexican archives:
John G. Lazos. José Antonio Gómez y Olguín (1805-1876) y su Catálogo musical: Un acercamiento a la práctica musical del México decimonónico. Montreal: John G. Lazos, 2016.
Gómez is a key figure in the history of nineteenth-century Mexican music, an era that has until recently been unexplored. He was a musician at the cathedral in Mexico City for over four decades, though his music was disseminated outside of the capital as well. In his catalog, Lazos documents Gómez’s works as they are found in the following seven institutions:
- Archivo del Cabildo Catedral Metropolitano de México in Mexico City (MEX-Mc)
- Acervo Musical de la Basílica de Guadalupe in Mexico City (MEX-Mahbg)
- Acervo Musical de la Colegiata de Vizcaínas in Mexico City (MEX-Mahn)
- Fondo Reservado del Conservatorio Nacional de Música in Mexico City (MEX-Mcnm)
- Catedral Metropolitana de Guadalajara (MEX-Gcm)
- Archivo Histórico Diocesano de la Catedral de San Cristóbal de las Casas (MEX-SCah)
- Archivo Histórico Musical de la Parroquia El Sagrario de la Catedral de Tulancingo (MEX-Tahc)
All of the musical sources described are also documented in the RISM database. The catalog is cited in RISM as LazosG 2016. Research for this catalog was undertaken by Lazos last year, during which he was able to increase the number of Gómez’s works in RISM from 29 to 132.
The catalog includes an introduction in Spanish and English with an explanation of the fields and terminology used, so non-Spanish speakers will be able to use the catalog efficiently. Each of the seven parts of the catalog begin with an overview of the archive followed by the Gómez sources housed there. Lazos includes a representative image of each source, a detailed description according to RISM guidelines, the RISM number, and incipits.
Lazos’s catalog presents a glimpse into Mexico’s past and forms a basis for this music to be rediscovered.
Share Tweet EmailCategory: New publications
