First and foremost, the art of cinema was born silent, without voice and without music. However, one has to admit that a few important films became classics in the silent stage. Nevertheless, in those days when the frames were subtitled with the actors’ dialogues, virtuosos of piano played background for the series of silent images. This means that, right from the outset – such great intuition - it was understood that music would enhance the movie discourse, sooner rather than later, as an important element of its structure.
On January 15, 1897, two years after his invention, Gabriel Veyre, representing the Lumiére brothers (Auguste and Louis), introduced the cinema in our country. The period of silent cinema in Cuba lasted until 1930. In those years, specifically between 1913 and 1927, the traditional Trova jumped from serenades and private parties into the stages of some movie theatres in Havana. The quality of its most outstanding figures: Ramon Garcia, Angelita Beque, Maria Teresa Vera, Rafael Zequeira, Manuel Corona and others, delighted audiences with their boleros, claves, criollas, bambucos and Sones. The Esmeralda cinema, located in the corner of Monte and Carmen St., was considered "The Mecca of Cuban Trova".
Maria Teresa Vera (1895-1965), "The ambassador of the yesteryear song", said on one occasion:
“I was already well-known the night when a gentleman approached me at “Esmeralda” movie theater and left his personal card in my hand. I did not even take the trouble to find out who it was. Days later, I received a note that said: Why did not you attend the invitation extended in the card? Those were the words of Victor (RCA). They wanted me to record albums for them. This is how I stepped into the world of phonographic grooves, with Rosendo Ruiz’s composition "Gela."
Ernesto Lecuona (1896-1963), whose "Siboney", "Siempre en mi corazon", "La Comparsa", "La Malagueña", "Andalucia" and many other compositions, are universally acclaimed, was just a child when he began as a pianist accompanying silent films at Fedora movie theater, in Belascoain and San Miguel St. He earned his first fees there. Later on, he played at Parisien, Norma and Turin movie theaters. Meanwhile, or perhaps a little later, Gonzalo Roig (1890-1970) and Ignacio Villa (Bola de Nieve, 1911-1971), also played the piano in the years of silent movies, entertaining the movies in other Havana theaters.
Max Tosquella’s “Maracas and bongo” (1932), whose action took place in the popular atmosphere of a tenant house, was the first Cuban musical short film. Ernesto Caparros (1907-1992) directed four years later “Como el arrullo de palmas.” Note that the title already belongs to a popular Lecuona’s composition. There were other musicians in that short film, which, in addition, featured the “Ensueño” Orchestra. Jaime Salvador’s “La ultima melodia” (1938), also featured Lecuona’s music. At the end of that decade, the maestro already had a name and was featured in “Cancionero cubano”, another Jaime Salvador’s movie, next to Zoraida Marrero, Aurora Lincheta and Jose Sanchez-Arcilla. The movie premiere was on August 7, 1939, the composer's birthday, at Payret movie theater.
"Siboney" (Si no vienes /me morire de amor…), one of Lecuona’s most famous compositions all over the world, is part of the repertoire of countless artists, including the great Placido Domingo. Juan Orol (1897-1988) shot his first movie in Cuba, in 1939, and titled it that way. The music was composed by Lecuona, Eduardo Sanchez de Fuentes, Humberto Rodriguez-Silva and Rodrigo Prats. The rumbera par excellence Maria Antonieta Pons (1922-2004) made her movie debut in that film. The cast also included soprano Luisa Maria Morales and actress-dancer Chela Castro. In 1940, Max Tosquella and Sergio Miro – who completed the shooting– directed “La cancion del regreso”, a film with Ernesto Lecuona and Emilio Grenet’s music.
In the 1940’s, Ernesto Lecuona had such prestige as an author, that his compositions were featured in the soundtracks of movies produced in other parts of the world. Hollywood, for instance, took “Siempre en mi corazon” and produced “Always in my heart” in 1942, starred by Kay Francis. On the other hand, in the late 1940’s, the famous Spanish operetta “Maria La O” was taken to the big screen. With Gabriel Figueroa’s photography and directed by Adolfo Fernandez-Bustamante, the Cuba-Mexican coproduction was illuminated by the voice and presence of “La Unica”, Rita Montaner (1900-1958).
Translated by Pedro A. Fanego
Note: With researcher and professor Jorge Calderon, Radio Cadena Habana website starts the publication of a series of articles, where the author addresses the relationship between Cuban music and the seventh art.
