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Carlos Curti

Carlo Curti (May 6, 1859 – 1922), also known as Carlos Curti, was an Italian musician, composer and bandleader. He moved to the United States whose most lasting contribution to American society was popularizing the mandolin in American music by starting a national "grass-roots mandolin orchestra craze" (that lasted from 1880 until the 1920s).

He also contributed to Mexican society in 1884 by creating one of Mexico's oldest orchestras, the Mexican Typical Orchestra. The orchestra under his leadership represented Mexico at the New Orleans Cotton Exhibition. As with his Spanish Students, Curti dressed his Mexican band in costumes, choosing the charro cowboy outfit. The patriotic value of having Mexico represented on the international stage gave a boost to mariachi bands (which had normally been repressed by social elites); the mariachis began using charro outfits as Curti's orchestra had done, expressing pride in being Mexican. Curti's Orquestra Típica Mexicana has been called the "predecessor of the Mariachi bands."

He was an orchestra leader, composer, educator at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música (Mexican National Conservatory of Music), xylophonist, violinist, mandolinist and author of a mandolin method. He directed the orchestra at the New York's Waldorf-Astoria hotel in his later career.

Also known as a composer of zarzuelas and dance music, among his most noted tunes are "La Tipica" and "Flower of Mexico". His brother was harpist Giovanni (Juan or John) Curti, who also was a member of his orchestra.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 6, 1859 (Gallicchio), Died May 8, 1922 (Mexico City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1902 - 1948

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 52 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1807 7-in. 11/29/1902 Saravia Antonio Vargas Baritone vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1807 10-in. 11/29/1902 Saravia Antonio Vargas Baritone vocal solo composer  
Victor B-1796 10-in. 10/20/1904 The flower of Mexico Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor B-2394 10-in. 3/22/1905 The flower of Mexico Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor B-6997 10-in. 4/16/1909 Tipica polka W. Eugene Page ; D. F. Ramseyer Mandolin and harp-guitar duet composer  
Victor B-15114 10-in. 8/4/1914 Blue ribbon Conway's Band Band, with whistling composer  
Victor C-25064 12-in. 4/29/1921 La tipica Trio Romano[ i.e., Cibelli's Neapolitan Orchestra] Instrumental trio composer  
Victor 118-Z 10-in. July 1905 La cuarta plana Banda de Zapadores Band composer  
Victor 128-Z 10-in. July 1905 La cuarta plana Trío Arriaga Instrumental trio composer  
Victor O-281 10-in. 7/13/1907 Canción de la saravia Esperanza Iris Female vocal solo composer  
Victor MBS-090557 10-in. before 3/9/1948 La típica Orquesta Típica de la Ciudad de México Instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia 5386 10-in. 1904 or 1905 Marcha de Cádiz Orquesta Mexicana de Curti Instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia 5387 10-in. 1904 or 1905 La golondrina Orquesta Mexicana de Curti Instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia 5390 10-in. 1904 or 1905 Terceto de la cigarreras Orquesta Mexicana de Curti Instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia 5391 10-in. 1904 or 1905 Canción de la Benedictina Orquesta Mexicana de Curti Instrumental ensemble composer, leader  
Columbia 5393 10-in. 1904 or 1905 Ay! de mi! : Romanza Orquesta Mexicana de Curti Instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia 5394 10-in. 1904 or 1905 Cuantas flores, un adios mas Curti's Mexican Band Band composer, leader  
Columbia 5396 10-in. 1904 or 1905 Queen of the dance (Waltz) Orquesta Mexicana de Curti Instrumental ensemble composer, leader  
Columbia 5400 10-in. 1904 or 1905 Vals de las golondrinas Curti's Mexican Orchestra Instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia 5401 10-in. 1904 or 1905 La bohème. Selections Orquesta Mexicana de Curti Instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia 5402 10-in. 1904 or 1905 Danza mexicanas Orquesta Mexicana de Curti Instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia 5403 10-in. 1904 or 1905 La paloma Curti's Orchestra Instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia 5404 10-in. 1904 or 1905 La serenata Curti's Mexican Band Band leader  
Columbia 5406 10-in. 1904 or 1905 El ángel caído Orquesta Mexicana de Curti Instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia 5407 10-in. 1904 or 1905 Jarabes tapatíos Orquesta Mexicana de Curti Instrumental ensemble leader  
(Results 1-25 of 52 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Curti, Carlos," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/114033.

Curti, Carlos. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/114033.

"Curti, Carlos." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/114033

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