Arnulfo Miramontes (1882-1960)

Mexican composer. He was a student of Martin Krause, studying the piano, and Alexander von Fielitz, studying conducting in Berlin. He also studied in Guadalajara and Mexico City. After working in Europe he returned to Mexico where he was a piano teacher. He toured the United States in 1921, giving a performance at Columbia University. Later in 1922, he founded the state symphony orchestra in Aguascalientes to which he was the conductor until the late 1930’s. He retired from public life due to blindness, but he continued to compose. His music style is considered traditional, and contains complex linear counterpoint. He wrote three operas: Anahuac and Cihuatl which was based upon pre-Hispanic Mexico, and Juana de Asbaje which is based on the poet Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz from the eighteenth century.