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Alberto Villalón Morales

Alberto Villalón Morales (Santiago de Cuba, 7 June 1882 – Havana, 16 July 1955) was one of the greatest musicians in the Cuban trova style.

He was the only one of the 'four greats' of the trova to come from a well-to-do family. Villalón and his sister América studied guitar with Pepe Sánchez, the father of the trova movement. Later, he studied classical guitar to achieve a really excellent technique. He composed his first canciones and boleros at fourteen, and moved to Havana in 1900. In 1907 he recorded on Edison cylinders. In 1908 he formed the Cuarteto Villalón with Adolfo Colombo (tenor), Claudio García (baritone), Emilio Reinoso (mandolin), and Alberto Villalón (guitar). Colombo and García were regular members of the Teatro Alhambra company; Colombo was the most recorded singer of the age.

A difference between Villalón and the other early trovadors was in his guitar technique. With his training he preferred picking (punteado) instead of strumming (rasgueado), which had been the main technique previously. This gave him a wider range of harmonic possibilities and a characteristic style. He had a second career in 1927 when he became a founding member of the Septeto Nacional de Ignacio Piñeiro. Alberto brought into the septet Juan de la Cruz and Benvenido León, who had been playing with him in a trio. The addition of the first really great sonero, Abelardo Barroso (1905 – 1972), made the Nacional the best group in Cuba for its time.

Villalón's career, then, connected the world of trova with the world of son which became central to Cuba's popular music for the rest of the century.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 7, 1882 (Santiago de Cuba), Died July 16, 1955

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1906 - 1940

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, composer, lyricist

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

Recordings (Results 251-275 of 331 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W95961 10-in. October 1927 Indio obón abacuá : Clave ñañiga Cruz y León Vocal duet, with guitar instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W95967 10-in. October 1927 Dí si me quieres : Clave Cruz, Bienvenido y Villalon Vocal duet, with guitar instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W95969 10-in. October 1927 Rosa roja : Canción Cruz, Bienvenido y Villalon Vocal duet, with guitar instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W95980 10-in. October 1927 Flores de mayo : Bolero Cruz, Bienvenido y Villalon Vocal duet, with guitar instrumentalist, guitar, composer  
Columbia W95981 10-in. October 1927 Mersé : Bolero Cruz y León Vocal duet, with guitar instrumentalist, guitar, composer  
Columbia W95983 10-in. 1927 Suicidio Juan De la Cruz ; Bienvenido León Male vocal duet, with guitar composer  
Columbia S96232 10-in. 1927 Falsa boca Juan De la Cruz ; Sexteto Nacional Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia S96233 10-in. 1927 Yo quiero morir en Cuba Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia S96234 10-in. 1927 Miñaroco Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia S96235 10-in. 1927 Una noche de conga Sexteto Nacional Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96633 10-in. July 1928 Sutileza Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96634 10-in. July 1928 ¡Ay! Mamá Inés Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96635 10-in. July 1928 Ay, guarina Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96636 10-in. July 1928 Cuchu cumba : Son Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96637 10-in. July 1928 Bardo sublime : Son Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96638 10-in. July 1928 No te preocupes del mundo Ignacio Piñeiro ; Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96639 10-in. July 1928 Siboney Ignacio Piñeiro ; Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96640 10-in. July 1928 Canta pajarito Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96641 10-in. July 1928 Sierra morena Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96642 10-in. August 1928 Adolorido Ignacio Piñeiro ; Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96643 10-in. July 1928 Castígala dios : Son Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96644 10-in. August 1928 Oye mi dulce tres Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96645 10-in. July 1928 Si me lleva a la playa voy : Son Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96646 10-in. July 1928 Mujeres enamórenme : Son Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia W96647 10-in. July 1928 El sueño de bururú : Son Sexteto Nacional Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
(Results 251-275 of 331 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Villalón Morales, Alberto," accessed May 1, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113130.

Villalón Morales, Alberto. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113130.

"Villalón Morales, Alberto." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113130

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