Mario Talavera

Mario Talavera Andrade (December 13, 1885 – March 27, 1960) was a Mexican musician, tenor, songwriter and conductor.

Born and raised in Xalapa, Mario Talavera was the son of Francisco and Sebastiana (née Andrade) Talavera. The young Mario grew up with an intense love for music, especially opera and art songs. He also showed an early interest for composition, writing his first piece of music at the age of nine. As a teenager, he moved with his parents to Córdoba, Veracruz, where he completed his basic education.

Talavera then moved to Mexico City and joined the opera company, where he honed his vocal skills and achieved his dream of singing before large audiences opera works as Giacomo Puccini's La bohème, that gave him the musical direction he had long coveted, although his main contribution was as a popular music songwriter rather than as an opera singer.

During the decade of the 1920s, Talavera was part of several ensembles of traditional Mexican music, toured with the Orquesta Típica Presidencial, and organized and led various groups. Some of his most popular tunes include Amar en silencio, Arrullo, Bendita seas, China, El Nopal, Flor de Mayo, Jesusita la Vaquera and Muchachita mía. His most significant work at international level was Gratia Plena, with lyrics by the poet Amado Nervo, which was recorded in 1926 by the famous tenor José Mojica.

In 1945 Talavera became a founding member of the SACM (Sociedad de Autores y Compositores de México, for its acronym in Spanish) along with Alberto Domínguez, Alfonso Esparza Oteo, Manuel Esperón, Ignacio Fernández Esperón, Agustín Lara and Consuelo Velázquez, among others.

Talavera died in 1960 in Mexico City from advanced arteriosclerosis at the age of 74.

Birth and Death Data: Born December 13, 1885 (Xalapa), Died March 27, 1960 (Mexico City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1917 - 1949

Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor vocal, composer, songwriter, piano

Notes: Appears in Victor trials ledgers as "Falavera"

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

Recordings (Results 76-83 of 83 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick MX609 10-in. May 1928 Uy tara la-la José Rubio ; Mario Talavera Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick MX615 10-in. May 1928 Tengo una Guajirita Alfonso Esparza Oteo ; Tata Nacho ; Mario Talavera Male vocal trio, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick MX620 10-in. May 1928 Odiame Alfonso Ortiz Tirado Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Brunswick MX621 10-in. May 1928 Ya va cayendo Alfonso Ortiz Tirado ; Mario Talavera Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 10402 10-in. 5/26/1925 El nopal José Mojica Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Edison 10989 10-in. 5/19/1926 Gratia plena José Mojica Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Edison 11006 10-in. 5/26/1926 Chinita Rodolfo Hoyos ; José Mojica Male vocal duet, with violin and piano composer  
Edison 11013 10-in. 5/28/1926 La canción de flor de Mayo José Mojica Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
(Results 76-83 of 83 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Talavera, Mario," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109183.

Talavera, Mario. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109183.

"Talavera, Mario." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109183

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