José Silvestre de los Dolores White Laffita (1835-1918), also known as Joseph White, was the first Cuban-born violinist –and one of the first from Latin America as a whole– to achieve international stature and receive some of the most prestigious distinctions his period could offer. Of African and French heritage, and a French citizen by naturalization, White achieved an international career that placed him among the most respected violinists of his generation, and was recognized as one of the most prominent exponents of the French Violin School of the 19th century. Until now, little has been known about White’s professional activities in the United States when, by forces of destiny, he became the first soloist of African descent –in any instrument– to perform with the orchestra that is now the New York Philharmonic. This article provides a detailed account of White’s musical activities during this period: his concerts and professional collaborations, his repertoire, the reception he received from critics and audiences and his involvement in causes he held dear.
Keywords:
19th-century Cuba, French Violin School, African descent musicians, New York Philharmonic, Theodore Thomas, Wieniawski, Carl Bergmann, Joseph White, Ignacio Cervantes, Teresa Carreño, Emilio Agramonte
Boyadjiev, Y. (2018). Violinist Joseph White in the United States: New Light on his North American tour of 1875-1876. Revista Musical Chilena, 72(230), 115–145. Retrieved from https://boletincorteidh.uchile.cl/index.php/RMCH/article/view/52277
