El Orfeón Español

The first journal published in Spain devoted to choral music and the Orfeon movement, El Orfeón Español. Semanario Musical was founded and edited by Juan Tolosa. Bearing the subtitle Órgano de las Asociaciones artistico-musicales, bandas de música del Ejército, y de los Orfeones Españoles [Organ of the artistic-musical associations, military bands, and of Spanish choirs], each four page issue contained a variety of content, including articles on musical and pedagogical topics, biographical sketches, activities of the various Orfeon societies, and general musical news. As noted by María Nagore, the journal served to promote Tolosa’s development of Orfeon societies and the rapid growth of choral music in Spain. See María Nagore Ferrer, “La música coral en España en el siglo XIX” in La música española en el siglo XIX. Estudios sociales iberoamericanos, No. 4 (Universidad de Oviedo, 1995): 426-462.