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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 51-52 of 52 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 21647 10-in. 1912 Marcha realista Orquesta Mexicana de Curti Instrumental ensemble leader, composer  
Brunswick E29069 10-in. 1/15/1929 Reina del baile Banda Municipal Jazz/dance band composer  
(Results 51-52 of 52 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Curti, Carlos," accessed April 27, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/114033.

Curti, Carlos. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 27, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/114033.

"Curti, Carlos." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 27 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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