FEDERICO LONGÁS TORRES (Summary biography)

Following the great interest in the United States. by the figure and work of Federico Longás and with pleasure, I include the biography (summarized) of the great pianist and composer:

 

Federico Longás Torres (ca. 1930)

Federico Longás Torres

*Barcelona, 18-07-1894   †Santiago de Chile, 17-06-1968.

 

One of the most outstanding pianists that Catalonia has had in the first half of the 20th century has undoubtedly been Federico Longás, who performed in the most important auditoriums in Europe and America. Throughout his career he had outstanding performances with important formations such as the Orquestra Música de Cambra de Barcelona, the Orquestra Pau Casals, the Orquesta Filharmónica de Madrid, the Symphonies of Paris, Monte Carlo, Melbourne and Sidney; the Philharmonic of New York or the Philharmonic of Chicago. He also acted as conductor at the Monte-Carlo Opera House, the Grand Opera House of the Casino of Vichy or the Royal Monnaie Theatre in Brussels, among others. I accompany the piano alongside great performers of international prestige such as the violinists Jacques Thibaud, Eugène Ysaye, Antonio Brosa, Joan Manén and Yvonne Curti, and the cellists Pau Casals, Gaspar Cassadó and Antoni Sala. He accompanied great singers such as Tito Schipa, Conxita Badia, Mercedes Farry, Lily Pons, Lucrecia Bori, Tomaz Alcaide, Mercedes Plantada, Lawrence Tibbet, Giacomo Lauri Volpi, Jan Kiepura, Amelita Galli-Curci, Margarita Salvi, Rayén Quitral, Feodor Chaliapin, Titta Ruffo, Bidu Sayão and Ninon Vallin. But it is in his compositions that his great personality and character stand out; There are songs like El Piropo, Cielo Azul, Gitana, Muñequita, Luna Castellana, Lavandera and many others that have been part of the personal repertoire of many singers.

 

The couple formed by Faustino Miguel Longás, a native of Jaca (Huesca) Protestant pastor and Secundina Torres, born in Barcelona, left their home in the town of Jaca to settle in Barcelona. When it was nine o'clock on the evening of Wednesday, August 18,1894, his firstborn son came into the world and was named Federico. At the age of four, Federico began his first contact with music at his father’s hand, and the following year he began music studies with the pianist and composer Robert Goberna.

 

In 1903, at the age of nine, he made his public debut at the Palau de Belles Arts in Barcelona. In that same year his family moved to the city of Mahón on the island of Menorca, where the young Federico received classes from Domenico Bellíssimo and would make some public presentations until 1907 when they would return to Barcelona. Once in Barcelona, maestro Joaquim Cassadó would take charge of his musical training. The following year he entered the Academia Granados, receiving lessons from the great pianist Joaquim Malats. On April 12, 1908, aged only 13, he participated in a concert at the german Club Germania in Barcelona’s Plaza Real, where he was presented as a student of the Academy. In that same year he also participated in a concert offered by the English ambassador to Spain to his wife Lady Bunsen; the press praised the execution of the young Longás, describing it as brilliant.

Federico Longás & Enrique Granados

In May 1911, when he was only 16 years old, he won the second prize (the first was deserted) in the competition instituted by the Granados Academy -consisting of a grand piano -Cussó S.F.H.A.-- the pianist Edouard Risler acted as president of the Competition. In the corresponding distribution of prizes of this Contest that took place the day February 1, 1912, Longás offered a recital in which he interpreted the Sonata in B flat major of Mozart,  "El Puerto" of Albéniz and "Etincelles" of Moszkowski. In the month of October 1912, his teacher Joaquim Malats died, becoming a piano student of the master Enrique Granados, with whom he also studied harmonia and composition. On December 29 he performed in the Granados Hall with the violinist Marià Perelló and the cellist Pere Marés, playing the Trio op. 49 of Mendelssohn. At that time he was considered one of the most outstanding students of Granados. In 1913, from his performance in the Sala Granados, the newspaper "Las Noticias" said: (...) With his temperament as an exceptional artist (...), he prints everything he interprets exquisite personality and an interest and a musicality as very few. His energy is vehement, without vulgar rudeness; its clean mechanism, surprising for its exquisite precision and its personal simplicity is at the height of its glass art" (17-12-1913, La Voz de Menorca). In February 1914, at the age of 19, he performed alongside the violinist Antonio Brosa in the city of Zaragoza, achieving considerable success.

 

In 1915 he gave several recitals in Barcelona, with the Quartet Renaixement, cellist Gaspar Cassadó and soprano Mercedes Plantada, with whom he would maintain an endearing friendship and perform numerous recitals throughout the Catalan region. From the recital with Cassadó held on October 10 at the Palau de la Música Catalana, the Revista Musical Catalana of November 1915 wrote: "Federico Longás is a very well endowed pianist. It is perceived very avid of subtleties, and fine sonorities... We applaud it with pleasure". Also on October 31 he performed a recital to two pianos in the Sala Granados with Julián M. Huarte and during the first half of December, he intervened as a pianist in two recitals that the violinist Joan Manén offered in the Palau de la Música Catalana.

F. Longás ca.1912

 

Federico, just 21 years old, was becoming one of the most outstanding pianists in Barcelona. In early 1916, he achieved great success with the violinist Mario Mateo, filling the Palau de la Música Catalana completely in the first two concerts, having to perform a third at the request of the public. In the month of February, the composer and musicologist Felipe Pedrell, offered one of his lectures, choosing Conchita Badia and Federico Longás for the interpretation of works of ancient music.

 

On March 24, 1916, the tragic death of his professor Enrique Granados took place, and a series of concerts were given throughout Spain in his memory. Some of them were played by soprano Conchita Badia along with Longás. Three of them took place in Madrid at the Sociedad Nacional de Música, in Barcelona at the Palau de la Música Catalana and in Figueres (Girona) at the Sala Edison; Longás, apart from accompanying various songs, performed "El Pelele" and a selection of "Goyescas" ("Requiebros", "Coloquios en la reja" and "La Maja y el ruiseñor"). On June 25, 1916 the eleventh concert was held in the Palau de la Música Catalana, organized by the Associació de Música da Càmera de Barcelona, in which the pianist Longás has an outstanding intervention next to a double string quintet formed by teachers and students of the Academy Granados. In the timely restructuring of the Board of Directors of the Granados Academy, Longás went from being a student to being an assistant professor to teacher Frank Marshall, who became the director of the center. Also during 1916, Longás performed as a soloist in Mahón and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Joan Manén & F. Longás (1918.FEB.04)

 

During the following years, Federico Longás would be one of the main pianists of the Barcelona music scene. It is worth mentioning his participation in recitals accompanied by great performers such as sopranos Aga Lahovska, Conchita Badia, Rosina Tasso, tenors Luis Canalda and Tito Schipa, violinists Joan Manén, Mariano Perelló and Mario Mateo. On February 26, 1918, he performed at the Palau de la Música Catalana, Joan Manén’s Suite for violin, piano and orchestra, with the composer himself acting as soloist. In the recital with the singer Adrienne Meynart that took place in the Sala Aeolian in Barcelona on April 12 , where they are known for the first time, various works composed by Federico Longás: "Zapateado", "Cobla" and the "Tres Melodias". That same year he was appointed assistant  director of the Granados Academy. His fame is more and more notorious, not only in Barcelona but throughout Catalonia.

 

In parallel to his activity as a piano player, Longás was increasingly recognized as a composer, highlighting especially in the genre of lied or song. We recall an article signed by the master Felipe Pedrell in the newspaper La Vanguardia of August 23, 1919: "Today I must point out the advent of another liederist, the author of the newly published collection, "Once lieder". The well-deserved title of great pianist that Federico Longás possesses, this young artist has used it giving adequate emphasis to the characteristic of this genre of music, which is the accompaniment (...) to merge into the expressive verb of the song and create an aesthetic whole (...) that with a certain touch the features of the inner drama, the impressionism of the soul may be delineated. (...) Just look at the sentimental background of each of the "Once lieder" of the Longás collection, which has been fortunate to find an exceptional performer such as Mercedes Farry, egregious and brilliant singer (...)."

Tito Schipa (tenor)

 

In 1920, at the age of 25, Longás was asked to accompany the singers Andreua Fornells and Magda Greslé, the violinist Francisco Costa and the cellist Gaspar Cassadó. He began the year with a performance with the famous tenor Tito Schipa in the United States. He was appointed artistic director of the Sala Aeolian in Barcelona, where he has the opportunity to accompany important performers of the moment such as the cellist Aurelia Sancristófol, the pianist Julio Pons or the singers Conchita Badia, Maria Josefa Regnard, Alice Chesselet and Carmen Manero, who on January 27, 1922 played the fifteen lieder that Longás had composed until that time. At the same time Longás does not cease to neglect his piano lessons and continues to perform recitals in other rooms in Barcelona. On April 28, 1922 he performed again with the cellist Aurelia Sancristófol at the Palau de la Música Catalana, performing the Sonata de Rachmáninov and the Sonata op.69 of Beethoven among other works. In the middle of 1923, he left the direction of the Sala Aeolian and went to accompany the tenor Tito Schipa on his artistic tour of the United States, Mexico and Cuba; performing in total more than 75 concerts in which both achieved great successes.

 

In June 1924 Longás returned to Barcelona and on October 1st he founded the Academia Albéniz together with José Caminals and José Maria Roma. On November 13 he accompanies cellist Antonio Sala in a recital at the Palau de la Música Catalana, performing the Sonata of Richard Strauss and the absolute premiere of the Sonatas of two young catalan composers, Antonio Marqués and Climent Lozano. In early 1925 he was appointed artistic director of the Sala Werner in Barcelona. In this room he starred in various recitals with singers such as Mercedes Plantada (with a series of concerts broadcast by Radio Barcelona), the soprano María Josefa Regnard and the tenors Antonio Díaz-Calleja and Ricardo C. Lara, who premiered songs by Longás, among which was "El Piropo", dedicated to the same Lara and that five years later would obtain an extraordinary popularity outside of Spain. Also noteworthy is the success that Longás achieved alongside tenor Emili Vendrell Ibars in a memorable performance at the Sala Olympia in Barcelona.

Federico Longás (ca. 1921)

 

On March 12 and 15, 1925 the Gran Teatre del Liceu, received the famous composer Richard Strauss, who conducted the Orquestra Pau Casals on three occasions. As a soloist on the piano, Federico Longás, who performed "Le Bourgeois gentilhomme" op. 60 and the Suite on Dances of Couperin for piano and small orchestra. In the summer of 1925, surrounded by the acquired prestige, Longás founded his own academy, the Academia Longás, located in the central Paseo de Gracia, 86 in Barcelona. Between 1925 and 1927 his work as a pianist was very intense, acting as a soloist, also in chamber recitals or accompanying singers. Among these concerts, the more than twenty concerts with the soprano Mercedes Plantada, the recitals with the baritone Maxim Rysikov, sopranos Suzette Issòr, Andreua Fornells, Conchita Badia, Elvin Isas and the contralto Concepción Callao; concerts with violinists Josep Maria Viñas, Bernardino Gálvez and Gaspar Cassadó; performances with violinists Joan Manén, Fernando Guerín, Yvonne Canale, Enric Casals and Martín Cabús, not forgetting the great success he had in the two recitals with violinist Francesc Costa at the Palau de la Música Catalana, on December 8 and 11, 1926. Also on October 30, 1925 at the Palau de la Música Catalana, he performed the Concerto in C Major for two Bach pianos, with the pianist Blai Net and the Orquestra Pau Casals conducted by Pau Casals himself.

 

At the beginning of May 1927 Longás travels to Paris to meet with Tito Schipa and start a new tour of various European capitals, ending in Madrid and Barcelona, where the famous tenor acts with the Russian soprano Mariana de Gonitch. In September 1927, Longás married young Clotilde Huberti Sargatal at the Bonanova Church in Barcelona. Clotilde was an excellent pianist trained at the Escuela Vidiella, with which Federico complemented himself very well, both personally and musically. Virtually unable to enjoy the honeymoon, Longás travels to the United States at the end of the month where he would meet Tito Schipa and both would begin a new concert tour scheduled for three months. However this tour was much longer than expected. Meanwhile his compositions became increasingly popular, forming part of the repertoire of many singers. During the tour with Schipa, on Saturday February 2, 1929, his wife Clotilde died from a fulminating meningoencephalitis, and Longás could not attend the funeral or his burial. Upon his arrival in Barcelona, the pianist suffered a great shock and major depression upon learning of the sad loss. In the last fortnight of August he would resume his classes and also the concerts with the soprano Mercedes Plantada.

Mercedes Plantada (1930)

 

In mid-September 1929 he traveled to Italy in the company of Tito Schipa, starting a new series of concerts in Europe, ending the tour at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona. In early December both artists again visited the United States where they had contracts to perform throughout the year 1930. In this same year, Longás was awarded the title of  "Knight of the Crown of Italy". At the same time Editions Salabert edits his piano composition "Aragon" which he had dedicated to the great pianist Vladimir Horowitz.

 

In 1931, as a result of the performances of Tito Schipa and Federico Longás with the Madrid soprano Margarita Salvi at the Cívic Ópera in Chicago, a romantic relationship was born between the pianist and the singer, which led Longás to settle in Paris. From that moment on, Margarita Salvi’s recital performances with Federico Longás began to be frequent, especially in the French capital. In the spring of 1933 the marriage between Federico Longás and Margarita Salvi was celebrated in Paris. However, the pianist maintains his artistic activity alongside Tito Schipa throughout Europe and also continues to perform concerts with his wife. From the concert that the pianist performed with Tito Schipa in Paris on May 27, 1933, the critic Roger Crosti of "Le Ménestrel" comments: "The interpretation of Longás reveals an exquisite sonority, a sure and delicate pulsation at the same time, with a precise rhythm and at the same time velvety” (2-06-1933, Le Ménestrel).

On January 4, 1934, Longás directed "Doña Francisquita" by Amadeu Vives, at the Teatro de Monte Carlo, where Margarita Salvi performed, who sang the zarzuela in french. On April 3, 1934, he was born in Paris, his only son, Fernando. Meanwhile Longás performs several concerts in Paris with the soprano Ninón Valli and with the pianist and composer Germaine Tailleferre. The following year the couple participated in a reception of the Spanish ambassador in Paris, performing with their cellist friend Gaspar Cassadó. In the french capital he accompanies baritone Celestino Sarobe (Sala Gaveau), Conchita Badia in various concerts and Lily Pons at the Theatre Nationale de l'Ópera Comique. From a piano recital with works by Enrique Granados that he performed in the "Poste Parisienne" of the french capital in early June 1935, the critic M.A. de Miollios commented: "we know his admirable works for piano and his charming songs (...) Longás as a pianist is no less remarkable, we must listen to his nervous and fine hands creating the first chords to the piano, to be subjugated to the charm of a particularly seductive interpretation. His "pianos" are of an indefinable sweetness that thrill and the power of their sonority reveals an passionate understanding that never excels from the limits of a perfect mastery and a very secure possession of his talent." (8-06-1935, Journal de Fourmies). In July 1936 they were surprised by the beginning of the Spanish Civil War living in Paris.

Margarita Salvi & Federico Longás

 

Between 1937 and 1940 Longás and his wife took up residence in the United States, where they developed their artistic activity; they lived in Chicago and later in New York. During this time, they continued to tour extensively with Tito Schipa throughout the United States and Australia. Longás also performed with cellist Víctor Granados (son of composer Enrique Granados), pianist Julián Huarte and accompanied tenors Enrique Ruíz and Carlyle W. Bennet, among others.

In the mid-1940s they settled in Buenos Aires and from there Longás maintained his activity with Schipa, acting in South American cities such as Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador de Bahia. The musical relationship between Schipa and Longás was very intense and continued for more than 20 years, so the tenor always went to the pianist both to accompany him on his extensive tours and to prepare new repertoire. Schipa often performed songs by Longás and some of them such as "Luna Castellana", "En effeuillant la marguerite" or "Gitana" were recorded on disc by the tenor. Longás also had the opportunity to perform works for piano of his own and other authors, in the many recitals he performed next to the great tenor.

In 1940 Longás finished the composition of the "Concierto Español" for two pianos. In Buenos Aires, the pianist presents the work to the catalan composer Jaume Pahissa, who suggests turning it into a work for piano and orchestra. Pahissa himself, at the express request of the composer, orchestrated the second piano. In the Argentine capital the pianist signed a contract with "Radio El Mundo" where he would perform twice a week in a radio space entitled "La media hora de Federico Longás". Finally on April 6, 1941, Longás premiered as a soloist in Buenos Aires his "Gran Concierto Español" with the Orquesta de Radio Mundo, directed by Jaume Pahissa himself. The work, formed by three movements titled "Andalucia", "Catalonia" and "Aragón", achieved an important success both from the critics and the public.

Until mid-February 1942 the pianist and his wife Margarita Salvi, were performing numerous concerts in Argentina, some of them charitable. Longás also performed as a soloist with the Santa Cecilia Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Kurt Pahlen. The art of accompanying singers continued to be part of his main artistic activity so he participated in numerous recitals accompanying singers such as Cristina Maristany, Amanda Cetera, Hina Spani, Armida Teniolo, Tomaz Alcaide, Alberto Arrieta, Domingo Mastronardi, Gino Frossini and Horacio González Alisedo. Many of the concerts performed his songs. Also during this time he collaborated with the famous dancers Clotilde and Alejandro Sakharoff.

Federico Longás (1941)

 

In April 1942, Longás was appointed artistic director of the Radio Sociedad Nacional de Agricultura (SNA) of Santiago de Chile, so that the marriage moved to the chilean capital where they would reside until the end of their lives. In Chile he made numerous performances with his wife Margarita Salvi and the poet Carmen Moreno, chaining the contracts with various radio stations in Chile. Highlights include the concerts in which the pianist accompanied violinists Jascha Fridman and Jaime Chernik and sopranos Rayén Quitral, Judith Fonts and Matilde Broders.

 

At the same time in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago, he achieved great success with his "Gran Concierto Español", performed by pianist George Copeland under the direction of Leopold Stokowsky. In mid-1942 Longás and his wife decided to found a singing school in Santiago. In April 1943, the first audition in Chile of his "Gran Concierto Español" at the Teatro Central de Santiago was held with great success, with Longás as soloist and an orchestra formed for the occasion conducted by Juan Casanova Vicuña. The pianist was also part of a trio called "Trio Clásico", with violinist Víctor Tevah and cellist Hans Loewe.

 

His concert activity together with his pedagogical activity at the School was maintained with performances in which he accompanied the violinist Stephen Tertz and singers such as Rosita Cortés, Laura de Vianna, Enzo Cavalli, Raúl Hernández and Susana Lys. In 1945 took place in the Municipal Theater of Santiago the premiere of his operetta "La Reina del Ariel" with libretto by Gabriel de Lara. The work enjoyed great success, being translated into english and published by "Edward B. Marks Music Corporation" of New York. In mid-December 1945, the concert by the students of the Academia de Canto Salvi-Longás was presented at the Municipal Theatre of Santiago, with an outstanding performance by Margarita Salvi accompanied by the maestro Federico Longás as conductor of an orchestra.

Federico Longás (1945)

 

Until the end of 1954. Longás and his wife Margarita continued to make concert tours in different cities of Chile and Argentina, without ceasing to perform in radio presentations and broadcast the compositions of the maestro.

 

In 1964 in the Municipal Theatre of Santiago a tribute was made to the pianist with the participation of many artists, with students and alumni of its Academy. Four years later Federico Longás died in Santiago de Chile on June 17, 1968, after a long illness, his remains were buried in the General Cemetery of Santiago de Chile.

 

Federico Longás Torres was a modest and simple man, endowed with a great musical talent, who always won the friendship of all those who knew him. His absolute dedication and love for music allowed him to develop as an eclectic musician acting as a soloist, as a chamber musician, accompanying singers, conducting orchestras or composing. He composed more than two hundred songs, many of which were performed and recorded by important singers such as Emili Vendrell, Graziela Pareto, Tito Schipa, Conxita Supervía, Bidu Sayâo, Conxita Badia, Tomàs Alcaide, Mercè Plantada, Rayén Quitral and Hipólito Lázaro. Among the most famous songs are: "Cançó de bressol", "Muñequita", "Pensant amb tu", "El Piropo", "La Guinda", "Cançó de traginers", “La piel de mi amada", "Luna Castellana", "Cielo Azul", "Sevillana", "Andalouse", "Plors", "Flor tardana" or "La noia bonica". The piano compositions created by Longàs have also been part of the repertoire of important performers. Among the most outstanding works for piano are: "Zapateado", "Cádiz", Aragón", "Vals grotesco", "Preludio", "Granada", "Nocturno", "Ronda", "Madrigal", "Catalana", "Bolero rítmico", "Sevillana", "Mi jota", "Aragón” and the "Gran Concierto Español" for piano and orchestra.

 

This profile is also published in Catalan and Spanish on the website:

 

www.interpretscatalanshistorics.com