José de Orejón y Aparicio

José de Orejón y Aparicio (c.1706-1765) was a Peruvian organist and composer of sacred works. He demonstrated such musical proficiency that at the age of nine he was hired to replace an adult singer in the Lima Cathedral choir, and he received a fixed salary of 100 pesos until he “lost his voice.” He was later employed by the Cathedral as a contralto.

Highly regarded for his skills as a composer and organist, Orejón was appointed as chief organist in Lima in 1742. He successfully petitioned for salary increases in 1745 and 1754, and his employers praised him for his exemplary work. During this time he also earned the licentiate degree from the University of S Marcos in Lima. In 1760, Orejón was promoted to maestro de capilla. 

Orejón’s compositions were popular during his life and for decades after his death. His contemporaries noted that ‘He exceeded all others, particularly in church music….Until we heard the works of Terradellas and the immortal Pergolesi, none could compare with Aparicio.” He wrote in all sacred genres of the time for both large and small ensembles. His 1750 Good Friday Passion, for example, was scored for triple chorus and orchestra. During his lifetime, his music circulated throughout Peru and reached as far as the La Plata Cathedral in Sucre, Bolivia.

Scores and archival materials are held in the Archivo Arzobispal in Lima and the La Plata Cathedral in Bolivia.

Source:

Stevenson, Robert. “Orejón y Aparicio, José de.” Grove Music Online. 2001.

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