Ángel Mislan
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Ángel Mislan (March 1, 1862 – February 1, 1911) was a composer of Puerto Rican Danzas.


Early years

Mislan (birth name: Ángel Mislan Huertas) was born in
San Sebastián, Puerto Rico San Sebastián (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the northwestern region of the island, south of Isabela, Quebradillas and Camuy; north of Las Marías; east of Moca and Añasco; and west of Lares. San Sebastián is sp ...
where he was raised and educated. The small town is located in the western part of
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
. His father was a music teacher who gave private lessons on the use of musical instruments. Mislan learned from his father how to play the clarinet and the
euphonium The euphonium is a medium-sized, 3 or 4-valve, often compensating, conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument that derives its name from the Ancient Greek word ''euphōnos'', meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced" ( ''eu'' means "well" o ...
(the latter is essential in the performance of Puerto Rican danzas). When he was very young he went to Spain to further his musical training by learning composition and harmony.


Musical career

In 1886, when Mislan was 24 years old, he returned to Puerto Rico and settled down in
Arecibo Arecibo (; ) is a city and municipality on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, located north of Utuado and Ciales; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta and Florida. It is about west of San Juan, th ...
. There he joined the Military Band of the Third Battalion of Volunteers; eventually, he became the director of that band. During this period he wrote his two best known danza compositions, "''Sara''" and "''Tu y Yo''" (You and I). His style differed from that of
Manuel Gregorio Tavárez Manuel Gregorio Tavárez Ropero (November 16, 1843 – July 1, 1883), was Puerto Rico's classical and danza composer. He has been called "The Chopin of America". Early years Tavárez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the son of a French fath ...
and
Juan Morel Campos Juan Morel Campos (16 May 1857 – 12 May 1896), sometimes erroneously spelled ''Juan Morell Campos'', was a Puerto Rican composer, considered by many to be responsible for taking the genre of danza to its highest level. He composed over ...
in that his danzas were typically shorter and humorous. In 1898, Mislan returned to his hometown where he became the director of the Municipal Band. This was an important position, held in high regard by the society of the time. In 1906, he met a young musician by the name of Juan F. Acosta and took him under his wing. The older performer taught Acosta music composition and harmony and, when Mislan moved from San Sebastian to the town of Barceloneta, he recommended that Acosta replace him as the new director of the San Sebastian Municipal Band.


Legacy

Mislan died in the town of
Barceloneta, Puerto Rico Barceloneta (, ) is a town and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the north region, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Florida (city and municipality in Puerto Rico), east of Arecibo, and west of Manatí. Barceloneta is spread over 3 ba ...
on February 1, 1911. Besides writing danzas, Mislan also wrote Puerto Rican folk music,
waltz The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the w ...
es and
marches In medieval Europe, a march or mark was, in broad terms, any kind of borderland, as opposed to a national "heartland". More specifically, a march was a border between realms or a neutral buffer zone under joint control of two states in which diff ...
. Most of his works are safeguarded in the
Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture ( es, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña), or ICP, for short, is an institution of the Government of Puerto Rico responsible for the establishment of the cultural policies required in order to study, preser ...
(Institute of Puerto Rican Culture). In 1948, Puerto Rican singer
Julita Ross Julita Ross (March 21, 1919 – June 29, 1981) was a singer of Puerto Rican music, Puerto Rican danzas, also known as "The Great Lady of the Danzas". Early years Ross was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Her parents Ramon and Clemencia moved to ...
recorded the danzas of Ángel Mislan. The City of San Sebastián honored Mislan's memory by naming a school after him and by placing a bust of his image in the center of its plaza.


Notes


See also

* List of Puerto Ricans


References


External links


Popular Culture
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mislan, Angel 1862 births 1911 deaths People from San Sebastián, Puerto Rico Puerto Rican musicians Puerto Rican composers Puerto Rican male composers Puerto Rican Army personnel People from Colonial Puerto Rico