PARES | Spanish Archives

Identification

Type:

Person

Preferred form:

Castell, Ángel María (1865-1938)Other forms

Fechas de existencia:

Burgos (España) 1865 - Alba de Tormes (Salamanca, España) 1938-02-27

History:

Spanish journalist, writer, and music critic. He was born in Burgos in 1865. He studied music theory and piano as a young man. He completed his formation with Antonio Peña y Goñi, influenced by his aesthetics he became a convinced Wagnerian, defender of German music and Spanish zarzuela. He moved to Madrid and wrote in "El Madrid Cómico", "La Avispa", "La Viña", "El Imparcial", and "La República". He was in charge of "La Voz de Guipúzcoa" since 1889. He met Torcuato Luca de Tena in San Sebastian, who took him to Madrid with the creation of "ABC" in 1902. Since its foundation he was appointed deputy director and chief editor until 1925; in addition, he was in charge of music criticism under the pseudonym Aemecé. As a relevant figure in Madrid's culture, he defended the work of Manuel de Falla and was in opposition to the cosmopolitan and progressive criticism of Adolfo Salazar. During his stays in Paris and Brussels he met Albéniz and Regoyos. In 1928, he was appointed Academic of Fine Arts of San Fernando, succeeding Antonio Garrido. He wrote "Recuerdos de Córdoba", "Figuras y figuritas", "Historia de la masonería española en el siglo XIX", "El impresionismo de Albéniz en música, y el de Regoyos en pintura" (1928). He married Laura García de la Cruz, with whom he had a son: José María Castell García, an architect. He died at the age of 73 in Alba de Tormes on February 27 of 1938.