MADRID, Spain.- This August 24 marks the 135th anniversary of the birth of Moisés Simón Rodríguez, known artistically as Moisés Simons, a renowned Cuban composer, pianist and conductor who left his mark on the cuban music and international.
Born in Havana in 1889, Simons is remembered primarily for his contribution to the development of popular music on the island, with his most iconic composition being: the son-pregón “El manisero”, a piece that has transcended borders and generations in Latin music.
Simons began his musical training at a very young age under the tutelage of his father, Leandro Simón Guergué, also a respected musician. From an early age, he showed exceptional talent that led him to become a piano virtuoso and a prolific composer. At the age of fifteen, he was already directing the orchestra of the children’s company of the actor Alberto “Chicharito” Garrido, which performed in variety shows in Havana theaters.
In the early 1920s, Simons conducted the orchestra at the Plaza Hotel and was technical director of the Sociedad de Conciertos Típicos Cubanos. During that period, he became the first conductor to incorporate the danzón rhythm into jazz band ensembles, demonstrating his ability to innovate and fuse genres.
Throughout his career, Moisés Simons explored various facets of Cuban music, and integrated elements of the Afro-Cuban tradition with European influences. The international success of “El manisero,” composed in 1928, established him as one of the greats of Cuban music.
The inspiration to create “El manisero” came one night in 1927, according to Cuban musical historiography, while Simons was in a Havana café with Sindo Garay. On the corner of San José and Amistad streets, a peanut vendor caught his attention, leading him to sketch the piece on a napkin. The song, which has been covered more than 160 times by artists of various generations —including Antonio Machín, Celia CruzBola de Nieve and Aymée Nuviola—, was dedicated to the famous singer Rita Montaner, who performed it masterfully.
Throughout his life, Simons worked as a conductor, composer and arranger, collaborating with important musical figures of his time and contributing to the development of genres such as danzón, bolero and son. He spent his last years in Madrid, where he died in 1945 at the age of 56.
Follow our channel WhatsApp. Receive the information from CubaNet on your cell phone through Telegram.
