Rafael José Maria Hernando y Palomar (31 May 1822, in

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

– 10 July 1888, in Madrid) was a Spanish composer of

zarzuela () is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular songs, as well as dance. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but some propose it may derive from the name o ...

s, being that his contributions to the genre lead to the development of the ''zarzuela grande.'' His body of work consists of 17 operettas and some religious works. None of his zazuelas has been in the repertoire of today.

Biography

Son of Pedro Hernando and Eugenia Hernando Palomar, his mother left him an orphan at the age of two. At fifteen he entered the Madrid Conservatory, where he studied music theory and piano with

Pedro Albéniz Pedro Albéniz y Basanta (14 April 179512 April 1855) was a Spanish pianist and composer. He was unrelated to Isaac Albéniz. Life Albéniz was born Logroño, La Rioja. He began his studies with his father Mateo Albéniz, a notable church mus ...

, singing with Baltasar Saldoni, and composition with Ramon Carnicer. In 1843, he moved to Paris, studying with Miguel García and befriending

Daniel Auber Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (; 29 January 178212 May 1871) was a French composer and director of the Paris Conservatoire. Born into an artistic family, Auber was at first an amateur composer before he took up writing operas professionally whe ...

. But following the outbreak of the

Revolutions of 1848 The revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the springtime of the peoples or the springtime of nations, were a series of revolutions throughout Europe over the course of more than one year, from 1848 to 1849. It remains the most widespre ...

, and having received a message warning him of the impending death of his father, he returned to quickly Spain. He soon then joined other composers who would come to lead the revival of the zarzuela genre such as

Francisco Asenjo Barbieri Francisco Asenjo Barbieri (3 August 1823 – 19 February 1894) was a well-known composer of the popular Spanish opera form, ''zarzuela.'' His works include: '' El barberillo de Lavapiés'', '' Jugar con fuego'', ''Pan y toros'', ''Don Quijote'', ...

Cristóbal Oudrid Cristóbal (Carlos Domingo Romualdo y Ricardo) Oudrid y Segura (, 7 February 1825 – 13 March 1877) was a Spanish pianist, conductor, and composer. He is noted for his many contributions to the formation and development of the zarzuela ge ...

José Inzenga José Inzenga y Castellanos (Madrid, 3 June 1828 – 28 June 1891) was a Spanish composer of zarzuelas and professor at the Conservatory of Madrid and academic of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando and one of the pioneers of fol ...

and

Joaquín Gaztambide Joaquín Romualdo Gaztambide y Garbayo (Tudela, Navarre, 7 February 1822 – Madrid, 18 March 1870) was one of the most prominent Spanish composers of zarzuela in the mid-nineteenth century. His contribution to the revival of the genre was hi ...

Works

*1849 ''El duende'' - Zarzuela - Libreto by Luis de Olona *1849 ''Palo de ciego'' - Zarzuela en 1 acto - Libreto by Juan del Peral *1849 ''Colegialas y soldados'' - Zarzuela en 2 actos - Libreto by Mariano Pina *1850 ''Bertoldo y comparsa'' - Libreto by Gregorio Romero y Larrañaga *1851 ''Escenas de Chamberí'' - Collective work - Libreto by Luis de Olona *1851 ''Segunda parte de El duende'' - Zarzuela en 2 actos - Libreto by Luis de Olona *1852 ''El novio pasado por agua'' - Zarzuela en 3 actos - Libreto by Manuel Bretón de los Herreros *1852 ''El secreto de la Reina'' - Co-authors Joaquín Gaztambide and José Inzenga *1853 ''Don Simplicio Bobadilla'' - Co-authors Joaquín Gaztambide, Francisco Asenjo Barbieri and José Inzenga - Libretto by Manuel Tamayo y Baus *1854 ''Cosas de don Juan'' - Zarzuela en 3 actos - Libreto by Manuel Bretón de los Herreros *1860 ''El tambor'' - Libreto by Emilio Álvarez

References

1822 births 1888 deaths 19th-century Spanish classical composers Spanish male opera composers Musicians from Madrid Spanish opera composers 19th-century Spanish male musicians {{Spain-composer-stub