Homage
of
To
José Enrique Pedreira
by José Raúl Ramírez
Homage
of
To
José Enrique Pedreira
by José Raúl Ramírez
JOSÉ ENRIQUE PEDREIRA was born on february 2, 1904 at San Juan, Puerto Rico. His parents were don José María Pedreira and doña Rosa Kehrham de Pedreira. José Enrique was one of 4 children.
He began to study music when he was 8 years old. His first piano teacher was doña Rosa Sicardo. Later he studied with the sister of Rosa Sicardo.
During the silent movie era, during the first world war young PEDREIRA played at the Parque Borinquen movie theater.
After completing high school in 1925, he traveled to New York City, where he studied piano with the illustrious maestro SIGISMUND STOJOWSKI, himself a student of the famous PADEREWSKI, and harmony with MADAME CONRAD KORZNUESKA. He lived in New York City 5 years and in 1931 returned to Puerto Rico.
That year he realized an extensive concert tour throughout PUERTO RICO playing the CONCIERTO EN LA MENOR OF ROBERT SCHUMAN with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Ponce directed by maestro DOMINGO CRUZ, (“Cocolía”).
In 1933 he married Srta. Alicia Hutchinson who was his student and together they founded the ACADEMIA DE PIANO that existed until his death.
From that matrimony there was one child, JOSÉ ENRIQUE, “Quique” who was a well respected banker and business person until his premature death in 1993.
At 16 years of age JOSE ENRIQUE composed his first work, the waltz “Alicia” that was of course, dedicated to the girl that would become his wife. In 1934 he won the Elzaburu del Ateneo Puertorriqueño prize with his “CANCIÓN CRIOLLA”. in 1936 in an artistic festival at the Universidad de Puerto Rico, he inaugurated his CONCIERTO EN RE MENOR PARA PIANO Y ORQUESTA with the Orquesta Sinfónica de San Juan directed by don Jesús Figueroa. In 1942 he composed his first danza, “ENSUEÑO DE MARTA”. I the danza genre he would go on to compose more works, all of them in concert form and not for dancing.
in 1944 he composed his “ESTUDIO DE CONCIERTO EN DO SOSTENIDO MENOR”. This study was inaugurated by his then disciple, the pianist JOSÉ RAÚL RAMÍREZ during one of the annual auditions that were offered by the Academia Pedreira. This study was dedicated by the author to pianist HILDA ANDINO who included it in her concert at Carnegie Hall on october 22, 1946. That same year he won the a competition sponsored by the JULLIARD SCOOL OF MUSIC of NEW YORK with the danza “TUS CARICIAS” that he dedicated to his wife Alicia Hutchinson. During the celebration of Juan Morel Campos 100th. birthday in 1957, José Enrique Pedreira won First Prize with his danza “Siempre”.
In 1948 he composed his very successful “RITMO ZAPATEADO” that he dedicated to maestro JESÚS MARÍA SANROMÁ who premiered it and played it frequently in his concert tours. Also in 1948 he began his association with famous soprano GRACIELA RIVERA who was then at the peak of her career and for whom he composed his songs “REGRESO” and “CAJITA DE MÚSICA” with lyrics by EVELIO OTERO and JOSEPH ZUMJAK respectively, his songs “TRES DIÁLOGOS CON EL SILENCIO” with lyrics by ALFREDO MATILLA were first sing by soprano MARÍA ESTHER ROBLES in 1954 at UNIVERSIDAD DE PUERTO RICO. His works for violin, which were all, except the first one, dedicate to his brother-in-law, violinist HENRY HUTCHINSON (senior) are: “ELEGIA INDIA” (1924), “ELEGIA” (1941); “SOUVENIR” para Violín (1942);, “POEMA” (1942); y “CAPRICHO” (1953).
In 1956 he premiered his ballet “EL JARDÍN DE PIEDRA” with an arrangement for ORGAN, PIANO and VIOLIN together with JOSÉ RAÚL RAMÍREZ, LUZ and HENRY HUTCHINSON in a production of LOTTI TISCHER.
In 1953 together with José Raúl Ramírez who was at first his disciple, created the Dúo Piano-Organo “Pedreira-Ramírez”. This new kind of combination has great acceptance and was invited to present a weekly radio program in Puerto Rico and later, when television was introduced, the group moved to the new medium. The Dúo Piano Organo played in numerous concert halls including several times in New York and other U.S. cities until his death in january, 1959.
The major part of the pianístic repertoire of JOSÉ ENRIQUE PEDREIRA has been edited and recorded by JOSÉ RAÚL RAMÍREZ, who became the custodian of his works by petition of his widow Alicia Hutchinson and his son Quique. This pianistic repertoire, together with some works for violin, cello and voice, these lasts arranged for 2 pianos by Ramírez himself have been recorded by JOSÉ RAÚL RAMÍREZ and published in the first 4 volumes of compact disks. In early 1999 José Raúl Ramírez published 3 additional compact disks of works by Pedreira including his ballet “El Jardín de Piedra”, his Concierto en Re Menor Para Piano y Orquesta and other works arranged for symphony orchestra by Ramírez. All of the musical works composed by José Enrique Pedreira has been revised, re-written by José Raúl Ramírez, and published in 12 folios that include the symphonic arrangements made up to the present.
Like those of many pianist composers, his works are mainly for the Piano. Musically he is among the last romantics. His compositions for the instrument are very pianistic and technically difficult, with emphasis on the left hand which PEDREIRA dominated admirably.
Nevertheless if we go to the essence of his music we find it to be predominately melodic with very interesting rhythms, not only in his piano music but in the music for Violín, Cello and for Voice. And of course, one cannot speak of JOSÉ ENRIQUE PEDREIRA without talking of his teaching. His great technical formation influenced his disciples and his Academia produced many successful pianists such as IRMA ISERN, ADINA PIÑERO, ALBA ROSA CASTRO, MILAGROS ARRILLAGA, SAUDHI ADELINA RAMÍREZ, MORAIMA SACARELLO, PEDRO LUIS RAMÍREZ and myself, JOSÉ RAÚL RAMÍREZ among others.
In addition to his important teaching PEDREIRA always dedicated time to help and stimulate young artists that canme to him for help and thus we remember youngsters that became distinguished along the path of music such as: MARTA MONTAÑEZ, later de CASALS, OLGA IGLESIAS, EDGARDO GIERBOLINI, and many others.
JOSÉ ENRIQUE PEDREIRA died on january 6, 1959, still young, this man of a smiling and generous soul, great musician of PUERTO RICO.
(Revised in june, 1999. Traduced to english on March, 2001)
