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 176-200 of 216 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick E29192 10-in. 2/25/1929 Yumurí Los Trovadores Male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble, with 2 guitars songwriter  
Brunswick LTR322 10-in. 8/1/1930 Coconito Gemelas Belasco Female vocal duet composer  
Brunswick LA1394 10-in. 8/10/1937 El toro coquito : Huapango Costeños ; Narciso "Chicho" Farfán ; Hermanas Padilla Vocal trio, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Brunswick LA1395 10-in. 8/10/1937 La vaquilla colorada : Huapango Costeños ; Narciso "Chicho" Farfán ; Hermanas Padilla Vocal trio, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Brunswick SA2096 10-in. 4/4/1934 Errante : Vals Cuarteto Monterrey Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer  
Brunswick SA2097 10-in. 4/4/1934 María Elena : Canción Cuarteto Monterrey Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer  
Brunswick SA2993 10-in. 11/12/1937 María elena Ted Brown Organ solo composer  
Brunswick SA2998 10-in. 11/12/1937 Tu ya no spolas Ted Brown Organ solo composer  
Brunswick MLA277 10-in. 4/20/1938 El cañaveral : Canción huapango Costeños ; Hermanas Padilla Female vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Brunswick MLA281 10-in. 4/20/1938 Shunca : Canción tehuana Costeños ; Hermanas Padilla Female vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Brunswick MLA282 10-in. 4/20/1938 Espejito : Canción oaxaqueña Costeños ; Hermanas Padilla Female vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Brunswick MLA321 10-in. 8/25/1938 Flor de mi jardín (Linda mujercita) : Vals canción Costeños ; Hermanas Padilla Female vocal duet, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Brunswick LA1142 10-in. 7/31/1936 Bamba : Son rumba Laurita y Ray Female-male vocal duet, with guitar and bajo sexto composer  
Brunswick LA1248 10-in. 3/25/1937 Tú ya no soplas Lorenzo Barcelata ; J. Navarro Vocal duet with 2 guitars vocalist, composer  
Brunswick LA1249 10-in. 3/25/1937 El canijo : Corrido Lorenzo Barcelata ; Nena Betancourt ; J. Navarro Vocal trio with 2 guitars vocalist  
Brunswick LA1250 10-in. 3/25/1937 El chinchorro : Rumba Lorenzo Barcelata ; Nena Betancourt ; J. Navarro Vocal trio with 2 guitars vocalist, composer  
Brunswick LA1251 10-in. 3/25/1937 El año de amor : Rumba Lorenzo Barcelata Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars vocalist  
Brunswick LA1252 10-in. 3/25/1937 Playero : Huapango Lorenzo Barcelata ; Nena Betancourt ; J. Navarro Vocal trio with 2 guitars vocalist, composer  
Brunswick LA1253 10-in. 3/25/1937 La iguana : Huapango Lorenzo Barcelata ; Nena Betancourt ; J. Navarro Vocal trio with 2 guitars vocalist, composer  
Brunswick LA1254 10-in. 3/25/1937 Chipinque : Corrido Lorenzo Barcelata ; Nena Betancourt ; J. Navarro Vocal trio with 2 guitars vocalist  
Brunswick LA1255 10-in. 3/25/1937 Las pollas voladoras : Corrido Lorenzo Barcelata ; Nena Betancourt ; J. Navarro Vocal trio with 2 guitars vocalist  
Brunswick LA1256 10-in. 3/25/1937 Ay, ay, ay corazón Lorenzo Barcelata ; María Teresa Barcelata Vocal duet with 2 guitars vocalist  
Brunswick LA1257 10-in. 3/25/1937 Una mañera de enero : Corrido, part 1 M. Apodaca ; Lorenzo Barcelata Vocal duet with 2 guitars vocalist  
Brunswick LA1258 10-in. 3/25/1937 Una mañera de enero : Corrido, part 2 M. Apodaca ; Lorenzo Barcelata Vocal duet with 2 guitars vocalist  
Brunswick LA1418 10-in. 9/3/1937 Contestación de "Tu ya no soplas" : Corrido Laurita y Ray Female-male vocal duet, with 2 guitars composer  
(Results 176-200 of 216 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Barcelata, Lorenzo," accessed October 31, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106695.

Barcelata, Lorenzo. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 31, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106695.

"Barcelata, Lorenzo." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 31 October 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106695

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