Lita Spena

Lita Spena (October 4, 1904-1989)^[1] was an Argentine composer,^[2] performer, and teacher who used Argentine folk tunes in her compositions.^[3][4]

Spena was born into a musical family in Buenos Aires.^[5] Her father, composer Lorenzo Spena, emigrated from Naples, Italy, to Buenos Aires in 1901. He founded the Clementi Conservatory and composed at least two operas.^[6]

Spena studied music with her parents as a child, then attended the Conservatorio Nacional Superior de Música Argentina,^[5] where she later taught. Her students included Ruben Ferrero and Waldo de los Rios.^[7] In 1929, she founded and began performing with the Argentine Trio.^[8]

Spena used themes from Argentine folksongs in her compositions. She composed songs based on texts by German Berdiales,^[6] Alfredo R. Bufano, Julia Crespo, Andre Gide, Horacio Guillén, Jorge Jantus, Carlos Mingo,and Juan Vignale.^[9] Her compositions included:

Piano

• Preludios^[10]

• Sonata^[8]

Theater

Pinocchio (story by Carlo Collodi)^[6]

Vocal

• 30 Children’s songs^[8]
• Songs from Jujuy^[6]
• Songs from Tulumaya^[6]
• Songs of Love^[6]

• Listen to works by Lita Spena

References

1. Schiuma, Oreste (1956). Cien años de música argentina: precursores, fundadores, contemporáneos, directores, concertistas, escritores (in Spanish). Asociación Cristiana de Jóvenes.
2. Ficher, Miguel; Schleifer, Martha Furman; Furman, John M. (2002-10-16). Latin American Classical Composers: A Biographical Dictionary. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-1-4616-6911-1.
3. Hixon, Donald L. (1993). Women in music : an encyclopedic biobibliography. Don A. Hennessee (2nd ed.). Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-2769-7. OCLC 28889156.
4. Stewart-Green, Miriam (1980). Women composers : a checklist of works for the solo voice. Boston, Mass.: G.K. Hall. ISBN 0-8161-8498-4. OCLC 6815939.
5. Frega, Ana Lucía (1994). Mujeres de la música (in Spanish). Planeta. ISBN 978-950-742-422-9.
6. "CVC. Rinconete. Música y escena. Lita Spena, por Blas Matamoro". cvc.cervantes.es. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
7. "Biography of Waldo de los Ríos". www.grandorchestras.com. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
8. Cohen, Aaron I. (1987). International Encyclopedia of Women Composers. Books & Music (USA). ISBN 978-0-9617485-1-7.
9. "Lita Spena (1904 - 1989) - Vocal Texts and Translations at the LiederNet Archive". www.lieder.net. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
10. Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1956). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.