La banda de música del Tercer Regimiento de Infantería de Marina y su contribución a la vida musical de Cartagena (1876-1931)

Abstract

This Doctoral Thesis studies the musical trajectory of the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment music band of Cartagena and its conductors between 1876 and 1931, as well as its influence on the social and cultural life of Cartagena. The 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment band was a group of reference in Cartagena's musical life, well known inside and outside the port city due to the scope and variety of its repertoire, its interpretive quality and the versatility of its musicians. In Cartagena, the band stood out for its frequent free public concerts, which fulfilled an important sociocultural and educational role with citizens. In addition, the band pioneered the introduction of European repertoire (Wagner, Liszt and Weber) in their outdoor concerts. The receptions and concerts for military personalities and foreign politicians that made stops in the port of Cartagena, whom were received and entertained with their music, are of particular interest. Outside of Cartagena, the band performed concerts and town celebrations in the Region of Murcia and neighbouring provinces, at official events in Madrid and San Fernando (Cádiz) as well as in national and international musical competitions, in which it won prestigious awards. Several handwritten and printed documents have been consulted to carry out this research, mainly from the Naval and Municipal Archives (Cartagena) and Álvaro de Bazán (Viso del Marqués). The newspaper sources have been equally important, especially local and regional. The methodological procedures used have been those of historical musicological research. The first part of this Thesis analyses music in the most important theatres and cultural societies, Radio Cartagena and the cafés-concert. The main religious festivities with music, outdoor concerts and music education in public and private, civil and military centres, have also been taken into account and studied. The study is completed with the contemporary military and civil groups surrounding the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment band, which were all Army bands destined in Cartagena throughout the analysed period, the Casa de la Misericordia music band and the repeated attempts to create a Municipal Band in Cartagena, as well as the theatrical orchestras, the Symphony Orchestra (1919) and the Concert Society Orchestra (1919-1922). The second part of the Thesis establishes the legislative framework of the bands of the Marine Infantry Corps and addresses the actual musical trajectory of the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment band, also analysing professional activity and compositions, some of which are to date unpublished, of its conductors. The annexes provide fundamental documentation such as the programmes of the concerts performed outdoors, the musician's contracts or the regulation of the first mutual aid association of the musicians of the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment band.