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Music Education.
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This content downloaded from 132.77.150.148 on Wed, 30 Dec 2015 14:07:32 UTC
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Jose Mariano Elizaga and Music Education
in Early Nineteenth-Century Mexico
DAVID G.TOVEY
Most music educators in the United States are at least vaguely aware
that school music teaching as a profession extends back to the early
nineteenth century, and they often know something of the efforts of such
pioneers as Lowell Mason. Few North Americans realize, however, that
Mexico's history of music education (at least in the European-American
sense), while admittedly not constituting a single, unbroken tradition to the
present day, predates that of the United States by over three centuries. Even
fewer readers from north of the Rio Grande know that in the 1820s - a
decade before Mason's celebrated efforts in the Boston schools - a Mexican
musician and teacher briefly attained extraordinary prominence in his own
country, first as a performer and then as a conductor, teacher, and textbook
writer.
Scholars on both sides of the Rio Grande have noticed the striking
parallels between the careers of Lowell Mason and Jose Mariano Elizaga.
Robert Stevenson and Juan Jose Escorza have each remarked that the two
musicians occupy analogous positions in the musical histories of their
respective nations despite the fact that the cultural milieux in which they
functioned were vastly differentJ
Both men were multifaceted talents. Both Mason and Elizaga were
active in church music (Protestant church music for Mason, Catholic for
Elizaga), and both were involved at one point in music publishing. Each
expressed in his writing a concern for developing the musicality of his
country's youth. Curiously, each man published a successful book which,
iRobert Stevenson, Music in Mexico: A Historical Survey (New York: ThomasY.
Crowell Company, 1952), 189; and Juan Jose Escorza, "La ensenanza musical en Nueva
Espana: Un acercamientoinformal,"Heterofonia 104-105 (Enero 1991): 46.
126
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Jose ElJzaga and Music Education in Mexico 127
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128 David G.Tovey
3"De Valladolid," La Gaceta de Mexico, 2 Octubre 1792, died in Jesus C. Romero, Jose
Mariano Elizaga (Mexico City: Ediciones del Palaccio de Bellas Aries, 1934), 2.
4Gabriel Saldfvar, "Jose Mariano Elizaga," Heterofonia 95 (Octubre 1986): 42; and
Romero, Jose Mariano Elizaga, 15.
5Elisa Orsorio Bolio de Saldivar, "Jose MarianoDamian Elizaga y Prado,"in Memorias
del Segundo Congreso de la Sociedad Mexicana de Musicologia, (Morelia, Mexico: Sociedad
Mexicana de Musicologia, 1986), 73.
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Jose ElJzaga and Music Education in Mexico 129
classes and lower clergy (clero bajo) pushed for the introduction of
democratic reforms patterned after U.S. practices. Conservatives, fearing a
redistribution of land and wealth, hoped for a modified continuation of
monarchial rule under a Spanish prince who would move to Mexico.
Instability within Spain coupled with heavy French interference ultimately
precluded the latter scenario. In February 1822, the conservative Mexican
military leader Agustfn de Iturbide conspired to have himself offered the
crown as Emperor. Iturbide's wife, Dona Ana Huarte, persuaded him to
summon Elfzaga to the capital to accept the title of maestro de la capilla
imperial. In spite of the nature of the title, this post did not confine
Elfzaga' s activities to the field of church music. On the contrary, it appears
that Elfzaga gained visibility and influence which one might even compare to
that enjoyed by Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) 150 years earlier in
France.6
Elfzaga immediately became one of the most sought-after guests at the
most prestigious salons of the capital city. Fawning admirers from the
upper classes called him el Rossini mexicano, and he found himself in
constant demand as a solo performer. After only fourteen months,
however, the emperor was deposed. Although his imperial title had
disappeared and he was again only a private citizen, Elfzaga by this time had
laid preliminary steps for three projects which could not be halted: (1) the
publication of a solid music theory textbook capable of serving as a
welcome alternative to the pedantic approach of most European authors; (2)
the formation of an institution to provide high quality musical instruction to
young people; and (3) the establishment of the first music printing enterprise
within the Mexican republic?
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130 David G.Tovey
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JOSfi ELfZAGA AND MUSIC EDUCATIONIN MEXICO 13 1
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132 David G.Tovey
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JOSELfZAGA
ANDMUSICEDUCATION
INMEXICO 133
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134 David G.Tovey
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JOS6 ELfZAGA AND MUSIC EDUCATIONIN MEXICO 135
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136 David G.Tovey
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