María Teresa Vera
Encyclopedia
María Teresa Vera was a Cuba
n singer, guitarist and composer. She was an outstanding example of the Cuban trova
movement.
She started her career as a singer in 1911 in a theatre where she sang the criolla
Mercedes of Manuel Corona
. Her first guitar teacher was the cigar-roller José Díaz. Manuel Corona continued her musical education by explaining such things as the different methods for first and second guitar, and eventually taught her his compositions. That was without question of the greatest benefit to the young girl.
She formed a duo with Rafael Zequeira from 1916–1924, when he fell ill and died. They had made over a hundred recordings together in New York, most of which have not survived. Then she met Carlos Godinez, a composer, who taught her more about the guitar; the friendship lasted until his death in 1950.
She then formed the Sexteto Occidente in 1925 with Miguel García as first voice, clavé and Director (because he knew most about music), Ignacio Piñeiro
on double bass, Julio Torres Biart on tres, Manuel Reinoso on bongo and Francisco Sánchez on maracas. They were a group of talented musicians who would have sparkling careers.
She joined Lorenzo Hierrezuelo
as a duet in 1935, and this duet lasted for 27 years. For much of this time Hierrezuelo ran his duo with Vera alongside his partnership with Compay Segundo
(Francisco Repilado), as the duo Los Compadres.
One of her best compositions, the habanera
Veinte años, has been performed by a number of Cuban artists; Sólo pienso en ti, a bolero
-son
, is also well-known. In 1945 she was contracted to Circuito CMQ for the radio program Cosas de Ayer. In the 1950s, she appeared in the TV program El Casino de la Alegría and in the 1960s she received public tributes on her retirement in 1962.
said of her:
Pablo Milanes
contented himself with saying "María Teresa is for me the embodiment of Cuban song."
María Teresa Linares, the musicologist, said of her and Hierrezuelo:
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n singer, guitarist and composer. She was an outstanding example of the Cuban trova
Trova
Trova is one of the great roots of the Cuban music tree. In the 19th century a group of itinerant musicians known as trovadores moved around Oriente, especially Santiago de Cuba, earning their living by singing and playing the guitar...
movement.
She started her career as a singer in 1911 in a theatre where she sang the criolla
Criolla
Criolla is a genre of Cuban music and song. It is a type of countryside music, or música campesina. The term is said to derive from canción criolla, or creole song. This Cuban genre developed in the late 19th century, and it also occurred in Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico at about the same time...
Mercedes of Manuel Corona
Manuel Corona
Manuel Corona Raimundo was a Cuban trova musician, and a long-term professional rival of Sindo Garay....
. Her first guitar teacher was the cigar-roller José Díaz. Manuel Corona continued her musical education by explaining such things as the different methods for first and second guitar, and eventually taught her his compositions. That was without question of the greatest benefit to the young girl.
She formed a duo with Rafael Zequeira from 1916–1924, when he fell ill and died. They had made over a hundred recordings together in New York, most of which have not survived. Then she met Carlos Godinez, a composer, who taught her more about the guitar; the friendship lasted until his death in 1950.
She then formed the Sexteto Occidente in 1925 with Miguel García as first voice, clavé and Director (because he knew most about music), Ignacio Piñeiro
Ignacio Piñeiro
Ignacio Piñeiro Martínez was a black Cuban musician and composer whose career started in rumba, and flowered in the rise of the son. He was one of the most important composers of son music; in total he wrote about 327 numbers, mostly sones.Piñeiro was a brilliant rumbero who worked with musical...
on double bass, Julio Torres Biart on tres, Manuel Reinoso on bongo and Francisco Sánchez on maracas. They were a group of talented musicians who would have sparkling careers.
She joined Lorenzo Hierrezuelo
Lorenzo Hierrezuelo
Lorenzo Hierrezuelo was a Cuban trova musician, a singer, guitarist and composer. His face showed clear signs of Indian descent: he was an indo-mulatto . He was the son and nephew of soneros, and he grew up in the ambiance of this type of Cuban music and dance...
as a duet in 1935, and this duet lasted for 27 years. For much of this time Hierrezuelo ran his duo with Vera alongside his partnership with Compay Segundo
Compay Segundo
Compay Segundo was a Cuban trova guitarist, singer and composer.-Biography:...
(Francisco Repilado), as the duo Los Compadres.
One of her best compositions, the habanera
Habanera (music)
The habanera is a genre of Cuban popular dance music of the 19th century. It is a creolized form which developed from the contradanza. It has a characteristic "Habanera rhythm", and is performed with sung lyrics...
Veinte años, has been performed by a number of Cuban artists; Sólo pienso en ti, a bolero
Bolero
Bolero is a form of slow-tempo Latin music and its associated dance and song. There are Spanish and Cuban forms which are both significant and which have separate origins.The term is also used for some art music...
-son
Son (music)
The Son cubano is a style of music that originated in Cuba and gained worldwide popularity in the 1930s. Son combines the structure and elements of Spanish canción and the Spanish guitar with African rhythms and percussion instruments of Bantu and Arará origin...
, is also well-known. In 1945 she was contracted to Circuito CMQ for the radio program Cosas de Ayer. In the 1950s, she appeared in the TV program El Casino de la Alegría and in the 1960s she received public tributes on her retirement in 1962.
Opinions of her
In his biography Calderon gives the opinions of 32 Cuban composers and musicians on her career. Silvio RodriguezSilvio Rodríguez
Silvio Rodríguez Domínguez is a Cuban musician, and a leader of the nueva trova movement.He is considered Cuba's best known folk singer and known for his highly eloquent and symbolic lyrics. Many of his songs have become classics in Latin American music, such as Ojalá, Playa Girón, Unicornio and...
said of her:
- "Her voice was without vibrato, dry; hitting the notes, only prolonging a note so as to slide from one tone to another, which gave [her voice] a grace, or, much better, a singular character . Her production seemed nonchalent, natural, colloquial... Always there were variations on the original melody, [since] she was always interpreting [the piece] creatively."
Pablo Milanes
Pablo Milanés
Pablo Milanés Arias is a Cuban singer-songwriter and guitar player. He studied at a conservatory in Havana. He is considered one of the founders of the Cuban nueva trova, along with Silvio Rodríguez and Noel Nicola...
contented himself with saying "María Teresa is for me the embodiment of Cuban song."
María Teresa Linares, the musicologist, said of her and Hierrezuelo:
- "I believe the most important period [for them] was their 27 years as a duet, Lorenzo on first guitar, Vera on second. Hierrezuelo's voice was at its best... [and] María Teresa's voice was unrivalled at the time. The quality of their appoggiaturas, adornments, refinements, and their interpretation... reached its highest point. All in all, it was the most sublime expression of the Cuban song."