"El Duelo de la Patria" de Rafael Chaves Torres from Musical Genres Of Costa Rica on Vimeo.
He was born on May 9 of 1839 in La Trinidad Moravia. His musical career began when he was 11 years old as a cornetilla player in the Militar and Band of San Jose, whose director was the distinguished Don Manuel Maria Gutiérrez. In his custody, he could dominate all the instruments of metal and rope, until violin and piano. When he was 26 years old, he was designate provisional musical director of this band, and later musical director the Military Band of Cartago.
In 1887, because of the death his teacher and friend don Manuel Maria Gutierrez, Chavez was chosen as musical director of the Band of San Jose. Later, he was promoted to general director of Bands until the moment of his death.
He became a famous musician after the funeral of the ex-president Tomas Guardia in 1882, when it was played for the first time “El Duelo de la Patria” while the body was transported from Alajuela to San Jose, and the military bands executed the musical master piece.
Rafael “Zonto Chávez” passed away on May 11, 1907.
