Lorenzo Barcelata

Lorenzo Barcelata (July 24, 1898 – July 13, 1943) was a Mexican composer and actor born in Tlalixcoyan, Veracruz. He died in Mexico City from cholera, shortly before his 45th birthday.

Barcelata came from a musically oriented family. He wrote his first song, "Arroyito", at the age of 14. He later moved to Tampico where he formed the Cuarteto Tamaulipeco with composer Ernesto Cortázar. Their fame quickly spread throughout the region and they received international fame when the Mexican government sent them on a tour of Cuba. While there, they were signed to perform a 52-week tour of the United States. After two of the members were fatally injured in an automobile accident, Barcelata returned to Mexico. He reformed the quartet as his fame continued to grow. Beginning in 1932, he entered the Mexican film industry and became a prominent film composer until his death. He also achieved fame as an actor as he played roles in several films.

His most famous song is "María Elena", (also known as "Yours is My Heart"), and was originally written for Lucia Martínez García. The song was written at the request of Ernesto Soto Reyes, Lucía's husband, who paid $10,000 pesos for the song. Shortly before registering the song, Barcelata showed it to his businessman friend Anacarsis "Carcho" Peralta, who loved it; curiously, the song appeared shortly afterwards as "María Elena", the name of one of the businessman's girlfriends. "Maria Elena" was featured in the 1936 Mexican film of the same name. A version of it was also included on the soundtrack to the 1935 American film Bordertown. It was later translated into English and performed by the Lawrence Welk orchestra. Another English version was recorded by Jimmy Dorsey. Dorsey's version topped the charts in 1941. Wayne King also recorded an English version which reached the No. 2 position during the week of June 14, runner-up only to the Dorsey version. A vocal version by Tony Pastor also reached the Top 10 during that month. "Maria Elena" has since been recorded internationally by several different musicians. In 1958, the Brazilian group Los Indios Tabajaras recorded a version that became popular throughout Latin America and later (in 1963) reached the No. 6 position in the US charts & No. 5 in the UK charts.

The popularity of "Maria Elena" in the US in the early-1940s resulted in Barcelata touring the country once again. He returned to Mexico in 1943 where he was scheduled to produce several radio programs. However, he died on July 13, before recording could begin. In total, he left behind a catalog of 214 songs, including "Por ti aprendí a querer", and "El Cascabel", among others.

A recording of "El Cascabel" was one of the pieces of music on the Voyager Golden Record. This version was a mariachi interpretation performed by Antonio Maciel y Las Aguilillas with El Mariachi México de Pepe Villa. The 12 inch album (complete with stylus, cartridge and instructions for use) which was launched into deep space aboard the Voyager space probes in the late 1970s.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 24, 1898 (Tlalixcoyan), Died June 13, 1943 (Mexico City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1928 - 1953

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, vocalist, songwriter, lyricist, arranger, leader

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

Recordings (Results 76-100 of 215 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor MBS-015165 10-in. before 5/6/1938 Canción vaquera Lorenzo Barcelata ; Trío Calaveras Male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor MBS-015166 10-in. before 3/31/1938 Ora la bebes Lorenzo Barcelata Male vocal solo composer, vocalist  
Victor MBS-015167 10-in. before 3/31/1938 Mujer rejega Rafael Falcón Male vocal solo composer  
Victor MBS-015168 10-in. before 3/29/1938 Pedacito de sol Rafael Falcón Male vocal solo composer  
Victor MBS-015169 10-in. before 3/29/1938 Shunka Ana María Fernández Female vocal solo composer  
Victor MBS-015170 10-in. before 3/29/1938 Espejito Ana María Fernández Female vocal solo composer  
Victor MBS-015175 10-in. before 3/29/1938 El pampano Lorenzo Barcelata Male vocal solo composer, vocalist  
Victor MBS-015187 10-in. before 5/6/1938 A volar Lorenzo Barcelata ; Trío Calaveras Male vocal solo and male vocal trio, with guitars composer, vocalist  
Victor MBS-015188 10-in. before 5/20/1938 Estoy hasta el hueso Lorenzo Barcelata ; Trío Calaveras Male vocal solo and male vocal trio songwriter, vocalist  
Victor MBS-015190 10-in. before 5/6/1938 Mariposa Lorenzo Barcelata ; Trío Calaveras Male vocal solo and male vocal trio composer, vocalist  
Victor MBS-015211 10-in. before 7/28/1938 Lupita Pepe y Chabela Female-male vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor MBS-015260 10-in. before 7/18/1938 Espejito Lira de San Cristóbal Instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor MBS-015263 10-in. before 7/18/1938 Shunka Marimba Lira de San Cristóbal Marimba ensemble composer  
Victor MBS-015268 10-in. before 7/18/1938 Pregón del Papaloapán Manuel Esperón ; Ana María Fernández ; Hatuey Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor MBS-015269 10-in. before 7/18/1938 Tierra brava Manuel Esperón ; Ana María Fernández ; Hatuey Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor MBS-015315 10-in. before 5/6/1938 Campirana Grupo Lorenzo Barcelata Male vocal ensemble, with guitars leader  
Victor MBS-015323 10-in. before 8/10/1938 El fandango Trío Calaveras Male vocal trio, with 3 guitars composer  
Victor MBS-015330 10-in. before 10/5/1938 El rifle Marimba Guatemalteca "Los Chatos" Marimba band composer  
Victor MBS-015332 10-in. before 10/5/1938 Espejito Marimba Guatemalteca "Los Chatos" Marimba band composer  
Victor MBS-015334 10-in. before 8/14/1939 Shunka Marimba Guatemalteca "Los Chatos" Marimba band composer  
Victor MBS-015374 10-in. before 9/19/1938 Presumida Orquesta Armando Rosales ; Lucha Reyes Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor BS-018375 10-in. 1/27/1938 Tú ya no soplas Marimba Pan-Americana Marimba band composer  
Victor BS-018376 10-in. 1/27/1938 La palomita Marimba Pan-Americana Marimba band, with male vocal ensemble composer  
Victor BS-023692 10-in. 7/14/1938 Espejito Marimba Pan-Americana Marimba band composer  
Victor BS-023693 10-in. 7/14/1938 Shunka Marimba Pan-Americana Marimba band composer  
(Results 76-100 of 215 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Barcelata, Lorenzo," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106695.

Barcelata, Lorenzo. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106695.

"Barcelata, Lorenzo." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106695

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.