Allende–Sarón, Pedro Humberto (1885–1959)

Pedro Humberto Allende-Sarón (b. 29 June 1885; d. 17 August 1959), Chilean composer. Allende was born in Santiago and studied composition at the National Conservatory in Santiago (1899–1908). He studied piano and violin, the latter under the guidance of Aurelio Silva. Early in his career he taught violin and general musical subjects in secondary schools and later taught composition and harmony at the National Conservatory. He was a key figure in revitalizing the music education system in Chile, both at the primary and secondary school levels. After a trip to Europe in 1910–1911, Allende was elected to the Chilean Folklore Society. In recognition for his research and compositional efforts, as well as for his contribution to music education, in 1945 he received the Premio Nacional de Arte, becoming the first composer to be so honored.

Allende was the first important figure to promote Chilean musical nationalism by integrating in his works the songs and dances of the Araucanian and Mapuche Indians as well as mestizo folk music, which he orchestrated in a lavish French impressionist style. He wrote Paisaje chileno for chorus and orchestra (1913); Escenas campesinas chilenas (1913–1914), a symphonic suite; La voz de las calles (1919–1920), a symphonic poem; Tonadas de carácter popular chileno, for piano (1918–1922); Concerto sinfónico for cello and orchestra (1915); Luna de la media noche for soprano and orchestra (1937); Violin Concerto (1940); and La Cenicienta (Cinderella, 1948), a chamber opera for children.

Allende's writings include Metodología original para la enseñanza del canto escolar (1922); Conferencias sobre la música (1918); "La música popular chilena" in Art populaire, from the First International Congress of Popular Art, Prague (1928); and "Chilean Folk Music," in the Bulletin of the Pan American Union (September 1931).

See alsoMusic: Art Music .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

John Vinton, ed., Dictionary of Contemporary Music (1974), pp. 7-8.

Gérard Béhague, Music in Latin America: An Introduction (1979); p. 179; New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1980).

Additional Bibliography

Allende-Blin, Juan. "Pedro Humberto Allende Saron. Algunos aspectos característicos de su obra." Revista musical chilena 56 (January 2002): 77-80.

                                   Alcides Lanza