A Famous Forte-piano teacher, José Antonio Gómez, said: ‘… and this is all the most difficult to play?’

Abstract

Taking the sixteenth century as a point of departure, it can be said that Mexico has a vast and rich music tradition. However, not much is known about the musicians and the music from Independent Mexico, the nineteenth century. The name of José Antonio Gómez, for instance, appears in much of the music literature from and about this period, wherein the limited information presented tends to repeat itself. This essay examines Gómez in light of the existing literature and in relation to original documents from the Mexico City Cathedral and his own publications. Apart from showing his importance as one of the most prolific musicians of both the religious and secular milieus, it is the intention of this author to demonstrate how Gómez is a key figure to approach and understand the music period that has received least studies, a period that coincides with the origins of Mexico as a nation.