Giménez y Bellido, Jerónimo (EN)

Giménez y Bellido, Jiménez, Jerónimo, Gerónimo, *10 October 1854 Sewilla, †19 February 1923 Madrid, Spanish composer, violinist and conductor. In 1866 he became first violinist in the orchestra of the Teatro Principal in Seville, and at the age of 17 he became conductor of the Opera and zarzuela company at the Teatro Principal in Cádiz. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris (composition under D. Alard and A. Thomas, violin under F. Savart). In 1877, he received first prizes in the harmony and counterpoint classes. From 1885, he was director of the Teatro Apolo de Madrid, and was subsequently engaged by R. Chapí at the Teatro de la Zarzuela. At the same time, he worked as a conductor of a concert society; among other things, he conducted the Spanish premiere of Bizet’s Carmen, and conducted works by German classical composers, as well as French and Russian composers.

Giménez’s compositional output dates from the late 19th century, a period when zarzuelas known as “género chico” style – typically one-act musical plays – enjoyed great popularity. Of his approximately 90 operas, written between 1882 and 1920, the majority are zarzuelas, various scenes, poems, lyrical-comic fantasies, and also farces. The music for the zarzuelas was inspired by Spanish folk music and dances, as well as Andalusian Christmas songs. The orchestra was generally small in size. Giménez’s mastery of compositional technique is evident in his free use of folk motifs, colourful instrumentation and dramatic sensibility. The popularity of his zarzuelas is evidenced by the fact that they were staged in 11 theatres in Madrid. Giménez frequently collaborated on the composition of stage music with other popular zarzuela composers, such as R. Chapí, M. Nieto, G. Cereceda and A. Vives.

Literature: M. Muñoz Historia de la zarzuela española y del género chico, Madrid 1946; J. Deleito y Piñuela Origen y apogeo del “género chico”, Madrid 1949, J. Arnau, C.M. Gómez Historia de la zarzuela, 4 vols., Madrid 1979; J.M. Gómez Labad El Madrid de la zarzuela (Visión regocijada de un pasado en cantables), Madrid 1983; J. Parejo Delgado, Gerónimo Giménez: Un precursor de Manuel de Falla, Sevilla 1997, R. Alier La zarzuela, Barcelona, 2002; D. Nazymchuk Ewropejska opernaja kłasika u dzerkali ispanskoi sarsueli  (European opera classics in the mirror of Spanish zarsuela), “Scientific herald of Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine”, (CXL), pp. 127–140.