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 101-125 of 215 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-028751 10-in. 10/28/1938 Presumida Orquesta Pájaro Azul Instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor BS-028754 10-in. 10/28/1938 Pedacito de sol Orquesta Pájaro Azul Instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor BS-053418 10-in. 9/4/1940 Maria Elena Wayne King Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-058100 10-in. 11/27/1940 Maria Elena Californians ; Bob Hannon ; Abe Lyman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-063704 10-in. 4/2/1941 Maria Elena Dorsey Anderson ; Tony Pastor Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-063784 10-in. 4/17/1941 Maria Elena Dick Todd Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-064900 10-in. 9/18/1941 Bells of San Raquel Art Jarrett Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-067799 10-in. 9/16/1941 The bells of San Raquel Eugenie Baird ; Tony Pastor Orchestra Jazz/dance band. with female vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-067949 10-in. 10/1/1941 The bells of San Raquel Fats Waller and his Rhythm Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor MBS-081736 10-in. before 11/15/1946 La madrugada Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán Instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor MBS-090515 10-in. before 9/29/1947 Tuya es mi serenata Sofia Alvarez ; Mariachi Vargas Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor MBS-091454 10-in. before 9/23/1949 La venadita Trío Tariácuri Male vocal trio, with guitars composer  
Victor MBS-093085 10-in. before 8/21/1951 María Elena Orquesta Luis Arcaraz Instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor MBS-093275 10-in. before 2/26/1952 Te vide venir Miguel Aceves Mejia ; Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor MBS-094266 10-in. before 11/17/1953 El coconito Conjunto de Raulito ; Trío Garnica-Ascencio Female vocal trio, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor D7FB-2205 10-in. 11/19/1947 Maria Elena Alberto Socarrás ; Alberto Socarrás Flute solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia MS3103 10-in. 1937 Tú ya no soplas : Polka Marimba Chiapas México de Orquesta Tipica Lerdo Instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia CO20437 10-in. 12/21/1936 María Elena Cuarteto Caney Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia W96814 10-in. October 1928 Coconito Guty Cárdenas Male vocal solo, with guitar composer  
Columbia W97212 10-in. June 1929 Una cancion de mi vida Los Trovadores Tamaulipecos Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia W97213 10-in. June 1929 Lucha Maria Los Trovadores Tamaulipecos Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia W97236 10-in. June 1929 Linda Rosalba : Tango canción Los Trovadores Tamaulipecos Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia W97245 10-in. June 1929 Lilas de mayo : Bambuco Los Trovadores Tamaulipecos Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia W97250 10-in. June 1929 Jazmín Guty Cárdenas Male vocal solo, with guitar composer  
Columbia W97253 10-in. June 1929 Jazmín : Clave Los Trovadores Tamaulipecos Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer  
(Results 101-125 of 215 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Barcelata, Lorenzo," accessed April 24, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106695.

Barcelata, Lorenzo. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106695.

"Barcelata, Lorenzo." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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