José Castel, who enjoyed great success and prestige back in the day, is now practically forgotten as a composer. He was chapel master (maestro de capilla) at the Santa María Cathedral in Tudela and, thanks to permission from the council of canons, he enjoyed an important career as a composer of tonadillas (popular songs) for the stage in Madrid. His musical production comprises over eighty items including around fifty zarzuelas and tonadillas, symphonies, overtures, chamber music or keyboard music. His work has been recovered over the past few years.
José Castel published two collections of chamber music in Paris, very unusual at the time. The first of them, entitled Six duets pour deux violins, was published around 1775, and Sei trio a due violini é basso, around 1785. For the latter, his name has been Italianised as Guisepe Castel.
Recording date
From 1 to 6 June 2021.
Performers
Trío Castel
The Trío Castel was formed in 2017 by three musicians from the Navarre Symphony Orchestra, Nikola Takov (violin), Malen Aranzabal (violin) and Carlos Frutuoso (cello), to disseminate the work of the composer José Castel.
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